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Arizona Coyotes Select Logan Cooley Third Overall

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With a chance to kickstart their rebuild with seven picks in the first two rounds, the Arizona Coyotes got things started with USNTDP standout Logan Cooley. The shifty center may be the most skilled player in the entire draft, capable of weaving between defenders with speed, creating space with his incredible edgework, or using his quick hands to finish close to the net.

There are some who believe Cooley might have the highest upside out of anyone available today, giving the Coyotes a potential franchise center to build around as they go through their ASU transition period.

Notably, Cooley isn’t headed directly to the NHL, as he is committed to the University of Minnesota for next season, where he’ll join a powerhouse program that should be in contention for the national championship. For Arizona, delaying his entry into the league actually might make some sense, as they continue to collect draft picks over the next few years.

There has been some debate over whether Cooley’s size–he measured 5’10.5″, 180 lbs at the combine–will hold him back at the professional level, but there’s no denying the upside in his offensive game. The thing that made some people believe Cooley should go even higher than this–some had him at the very top of their board–is that it’s not all offense; the Pittsburgh native is a tenacious backchecker that can make an impact all over the ice.

For Arizona, who have two more first-round selections tonight and four more second-round picks tomorrow, Cooley will be at the head of a huge influx of talent over the next few years. The team has barely any players signed long-term, more trades coming for the ones that are, and a brand new identity to be forged as they prepare for a new Tempe arena. The young center is the first true building block for that identity.

Offseason Notes: Chychrun, White, Dallas

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard Jakob Chychrun’s name atop trade rumors, especially when considering how he was viewed as one of the hottest commodities ahead of the Trade Deadline. It’s not often an under-25 defenseman with top-pairing pedigree becomes available, but the Arizona Coyotes decided not to move him just yet. That could change, however, as the Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that the Blue Jackets and Coyotes are talking about a deal. While he couldn’t offer Chychrun’s name specifically, he also reminds that Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has said that the team could move their 12th overall pick at the 2022 draft in exchange for a young NHL player with term.

Chychrun certainly fits that bill, signed at just $4.6MM through 2025. It also matches up with the rumblings that Columbus is looking to add aggressively on defense, as multiple reports suggested they were in discussions with the Tampa Bay Lightning about landing Ryan McDonagh. If Arizona acquired the 12th overall selection, it would give them a jaw-dropping four first-round picks in addition to their five second-round picks.

  • There’s significant interest in soon-to-be free agent Colin White after he was placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout today by the Ottawa Senators. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that up to 14 NHL teams have shown interest in White over the past few months, which could lead to a significant bidding war for his services once free agency opens. TSN’s Darren Dreger specifically names the Montreal Canadiens as a team that could be a fit, as general manager Kent Hughes was his agent prior to getting hired in Montreal.
  • The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta says the Dallas Stars are looking to add a significant punch at forward this offseason, specifically to add a jump to a line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Dallas will reportedly be active on both the trade and free-agent markets, looking to be aggressive and squeeze out whatever this core has left in them to try and win a championship. Neither Benn nor Seguin, who are making above $9MM per season each, cracked the 50-point mark last year.

No Movement On The Jakob Chychrun Trade Front

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After being at the forefront of trade speculation for most of last season, Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun hasn’t been mentioned in trade talk as much in recent weeks.  At this point, it doesn’t seem as if he’ll be on the move as GM Bill Armstrong told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports that there hasn’t been much movement on the trade front when it comes to the 24-year-old.  Arizona’s asking price before the trade deadline was reported to be in the range of three first-round picks (or equivalent assets) or slightly more than that and evidently, no one came in with a big enough offer to get him.  Chychrun, who has three years left on his deal with a team-friendly $4.6MM, is coming off a bit of a down year and while the Coyotes will certainly listen to offers at the draft, they may be better off seeing if he has a strong start in 2022-23 to try to bolster his value.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Ethan Bear isn’t the only pending Hurricanes RFA blueliner that is being allowed to speak to other teams in the league as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that defenseman Anthony DeAngelo has been granted permission to shop his services. The 26-year-old was one of the biggest bargains in the league in 2021-22, picking up 51 points in 64 games with just a $1MM AAV.  DeAngelo is arbitration-eligible this summer and with Carolina having a lot of key players to re-sign, there may be a price point that’s too rich for them to agree to.  Allowing DeAngelo to speak to other teams will give everyone a better understanding of what his market could be this summer.
  • ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that former Montreal assistant GM Scott Mellanby no longer appears to be in the running for the GM position with the Sharks. Interim GM Joe Will indicated on Friday that the plan is for the team to hold three to five in-person interviews with the hope of making their choice soon after.  Rangers’ Hockey Operations Coordinator Mike Grier and Ray Whitney (who currently works for the Department of Player Safety) are believed to still be in the mix for the position.

Arizona Coyotes May Look To Acquire Another High Pick

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When Johnny Gaudreau signed his six-year, $40.5MM contract with the Calgary Flames ahead of the 2016-17 season, talks immediately began swirling that when the contract expired in 2022, he’d return to his roots and sign with his hometown Philadelphia Flyers. Nearly six years later, those rumors are as prevalent as ever. However, in his latest 32 Thoughts article, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wonders if the most prudent path for the Flyers, given the uncertainty surrounding Ryan Ellis’ health, is to pursue several medium-sized pieces as opposed to one big one, believing those conversations have at least happened. Friedman adds that the Flyers are a team who generally tries to go big in their moves, noting that they have tested the market on many of their players and have made a real pitch for Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Alex DeBrincat, more than simply kicking the tires.

The comments and speculation from Friedman provide some new perspective on how the Flyers may choose to pursue this offseason given how their previous few seasons have played out. Philadelphia has made the postseason just once in the previous four seasons and has only made it out of the first round once since 2011-12, which featured a first round win over the Montreal Canadiens and a second-round loss to the New York Islanders in the bubble. Coming off the heels of a 61 point season that included trading franchise icon Claude Giroux, it would seem that the team might look to take a step back and rebuild, but whether the rumor is a big splash or several smaller pieces, it does not appear a rebuild is in the cards. With several quality players signed long-term, including Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Cam Atkinson, Ivan Provorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, and promising young goaltender Carter Hart, as well as Ellis, it would make sense why the organization may try to simply push forward.

More from Friedman’s 32 Thoughts:

  • One team who may move on from some of its core veterans is the Montreal Canadiens, who Friedman says have been testing the market on Christian Dvorak, Jeff Petry and perhaps Josh Anderson. He adds that some teams believe they are not looking to trade Jake Allen as they do want to try to be more competitive, so it’s unlikely they will strip away all of their assets. In fact, the team was interested in Ottawa Senators forward Colin White prior to the trade deadline, with Friedman believing those talks may materialize again, adding that Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes was White’s agent prior to Hughes joining Montreal’s front office. Once one of the game’s top prospects, White had a strong breakout campaign in 2018-19, putting up 41 points in 71 games, enough to earn him a six-year, $28.5MM contract. Unfortunately, the contract hasn’t worked out as hoped by either side, with White tallying just 51 points in 130 game since the start of the deal, now with three more years at $4.75MM per season left.
  • Moving out west, Friedman looks at the Vancouver Canucks in light of the Brock Boeser extension, believing the two sides having a deadline played a role in the deal. He adds that there should be a path to a Bo Horvat extension as well, but a J.T. Miller trade is still likely. Though an extension with Miller isn’t impossible, Friedman believes it’s too difficult and Vancouver will try to get more than what the Minnesota Wild received in exchange for Kevin Fiala: the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft and prospect Brock Faber. That package may not be hard to eclipse for a player like Miller, who has taken off since arriving in Vancouver, recording 217 points in 202 games. However, it’s worth noting that Fiala was an impending RFA while Miller has one more year at $5.25MM before becoming a UFA and is a little over three years older than Fiala.
  • Lastly, the Arizona Coyotes, who own picks 3, 27, and 32 in the first-round of this year’s draft are prepared to use “all available options” to try to acquire another high pick in the draft, says Friedman. By selecting third overall, Arizona is guaranteed one of Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky, or Logan Cooley, though it’s unlikely they will get to choose which. It’s unclear exactly how far up the organization would like to find an available pick, but with news that the Montreal Canadiens are seeking an additional top-10 pick, there could be some competition for one of the coveted draft picks. The Coyotes do have in addition to the 27th and 32nd overall selections, four second-round picks and a third, fifth, and seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, on top of plenty of prospect capital.

Anson Thornton's Junior Rights Traded To Barrie

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Prior to the conclusion of the Memorial Cup, the CHL announced their end-of-season award winners with several NHL prospects taking home hardware.  Those include Stars forward Logan Stankoven who was named Player of the Year after putting up 45 goals and 59 assists in just 59 games with WHL Kamloops.  The 47th pick from the 2021 draft also averaged a goal per game in 17 playoff contests.  Still just 19, Stankoven won’t be eligible to play in the AHL next season.  Meanwhile, Rangers prospect Dylan Garand was named as Goalie of the Year following a strong showing with Kamloops that saw him post a 32-9-3 record in 45 games with a 2.16 GAA and a .925 SV%.  The 20-year-old will turn pro next season.

Meanwhile, with the Memorial Cup now completed, a very narrow trade window opened up on Thursday.  A few moves of note were made before the window closes later today following the annual Import Draft.  Here’s a rundown of those transactions:

  • Coyotes goaltender prospect Anson Thornton was traded from OHL Sarnia to Barrie. Arizona signed the 19-year-old as an undrafted free agent in October following a strong showing in rookie camp but he struggled, posting a 4.06 GAA along with an .883 SV% in 26 games with the Sting.  Thornton is a year away from being eligible to play in the AHL and his three-year, entry-level contract will slide again next season.
  • Blues goalie prospect Will Cranley was dealt from OHL Ottawa to Flint. The 20-year-old had a tough season, his first as a starter, as he had a 3.81 GAA along with an .873 SV% in 41 games with the 67s.  Cranley is eligible to turn pro next season and is already signed.  He can be returned to junior to play for the Firebirds but will still burn the first year of his contract in that scenario.
  • One player that isn’t an NHL prospect just yet (but will be next week) was also on the move as the CHL rights to Brad Lambert were moved from WHL Saskatoon to Seattle. The projected first-round pick isn’t under contract in Finland next season and the fact the Thunderbirds moved four draft picks (only two conditional) to secure his rights suggests that they think they can get him to North America next season.  He’d likely secure a significant role there compared to playing in Finland which could be appealing to teams considering drafting him.

Vegas Golden Knights Make Coaching Hires

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The Vegas Golden Knights announced a series of coaching hires Tuesday night, adding John Stevens as their assistant coach, Sean Burke as their goalie coach and Director of Goaltending, and naming Mike Rosati as Manager of Goaltending Development and Scouting.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon gave the following statement on the hires:

John Stevens is a very respected NHL coach with an extensive resume that adds considerably to our staff. We are excited to add a two-time Stanley Cup winner with head coaching experience. Sean Burke is a great addition to the organization, with tremendous experience as an elite NHL goaltender and an accomplished coach and executive. We are pleased to keep Mike Rosati in an influential role across the organization. With those two and Henderson goaltending coach Fred Brathwaite, we have proven, qualified expertise at the goalie position.

While new head coach Bruce Cassidy won’t get to build the entire bench from scratch, he does get some fresh faces in here to join assistants Ryan Craig and Misha Donskov, who were retained in the wake of Peter DeBoer’s firing. Stevens comes in to replace both Steve Spott and Ryan McGill as an assistant, who were both fired days after DeBoer. Stevens has been an assistant for the Dallas Stars for the past three seasons, but most hockey fans will remember him as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers (2006-2009) and the Los Angeles Kings (2016-2018). In all, the 56-year-old Stevens has 15 years of NHL coaching experience.

Burke’s hiring isn’t huge news, as it was reported earlier in the week that Vegas would bring him on. Burke was not on an NHL staff during the 2021-22 season, but he spent seven years as the goalie coach of the Arizona Coyotes and a handful of months in 2021 as the goalie coach of the Montreal Canadiens. He replaces Rosati as the goalie coach, who moves to a more behind-the-scenes role in the organization.

Coyotes Could Be Eyeing Nemec At No. 3

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There’s a new number one on Bob McKenzie’s 2022 NHL Draft Rankings for TSN. Juraj Slafkovsky has overtaken Shane Wright for the top spot on a list that is developed by polling active scouts around the league. The Slovakian forward is 6’4″, skilled, and has already proven he can dominate at the senior level. Slafkovsky won tournament MVP at the Olympics, scored nine points in eight games at the World Championships, and was a force for TPS in the Liiga playoffs.

With just over a week to go before the draft in Montreal, the Canadiens’ choice is still unclear in the first-overall slot. The first round will be held on July 7 at the Bell Centre, with the official order now set following the completion of the Stanley Cup Final.

  • Slafkovsky, Wright, and Logan Cooley appear to have separated themselves in the top three, though Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports notes that the Arizona Coyotes, slotted to pick third, could also be eyeing Simon Nemec. One of the top-ranked defensemen this year (along with David Jiricek), Nemec has the offensive upside and skating ability that make scouts drool in today’s NHL. Should he climb that high, it would be an incredible achievement for Slovakian hockey, with two picks in the top three selections.
  • He won the Calder Cup over the weekend but Alex Lyon is getting suspended anyway. The Chicago Wolves netminder has been given a two-game AHL ban for his actions following the game, giving the finger to the Springfield crowd multiple times. The 29-year-old netminder will have to serve it whenever he is next on an AHL roster, though it’s not clear where that will be. Lyon is an unrestricted free agent this summer as a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes expires.

Edmonton Oil Kings Eliminated From 2022 Memorial Cup

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With the round-robin set to close tomorrow at the 2022 Memorial Cup, one team already knows its fate. The WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings are out of the top Canadian junior tournament, dropping their third game of the round-robin 4-2 against the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

The host Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL will play their league champion, the Shawinigan Cataractes, tomorrow. The winner of that game will advance directly to the 2022 Memorial Cup Final on June 29, while the loser will face Hamilton in the semi-final on Monday.

Edmonton bows out of the tournament without a regulation win. Their two points in the standings came courtesy of a 4-3 overtime win against Saint John.

It’s a shocking exit for the WHL champion, who terrorized the league with a 50-14-4 record during the regular season. But their offense was stricken heavily when it was announced that leading scorer Dylan Guenther, a 2021 first-round selection of the Arizona Coyotes, would miss the tournament due to injury. Still, the squad had a strong core with NHL prospects Sebastian Cossa (Detroit Red Wings) in goal, Kaiden Guhle (Montreal Canadiens) and Luke Prokop (Nashville Predators) on defense, and Jake Neighbours (St. Louis Blues) and Justin Sourdif (Florida Panthers) rounding out an all-star lineup. The team’s depth was nothing to scoff at either, with multiple other NHL prospects and WHL veterans playing big roles.

The WHL’s streak of Memorial Cup losses, which dates back now to 2014 with the Oil Kings, will continue.

Arizona Coyotes Begin Next Round Of Arena Negotiations

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Earlier this month, the Tempe City Council voted to move forward with negotiating plans with the Arizona Coyotes and the NHL for a new arena within the city limits. Today, Sportico’s Barry M. Bloom reports that the Coyotes have now pitched a $1.7 billion plan to the Tempe government for a 46-acre property currently occupied by a landfill. The development would include a new arena and an entertainment district as well.

For the Coyotes, any news is good news. With the amount of new arena talk followed up by no action in the entire league (the Ottawa Senators and LeBreton Flats), any concrete development in the process purely reduces the likelihood of the Coyotes being left without a rink when their deal with Arizona State University expires.

If passed, this would undoubtedly be the longest-serving home of the Coyotes in their history in the desert. The report from the original discussions with the City Council in early June yielded a statement from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that the team would sign a 30-year non-relocation agreement with the city.

News about the plan will undoubtedly continue to trickle in throughout the offseason. An assurance that the Coyotes will have a stable exit plan from playing at the 5,000-seat arena at ASU would be welcomed sooner rather than later.

Dylan Guenther Won't Play In Memorial Cup

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While there has been a stated mutual desire for the Stars and John Klingberg to work out a contract extension, Pierre LeBrun reported in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link) that there have been no recent discussions on that front and that the current expectation is that the defenseman will test the open market next month.  The 29-year-old has been one of the more consistent offensive producers in the NHL; over his eight-year career, only seven blueliners have more points than him over that stretch.  Klingberg is coming off a bargain seven-year deal that carried just a $4.25MM AAV and earlier reports suggested he was looking to nearly double that on a max-term agreement.  At this point, if he’s going to get that type of contract, it seems unlikely it will be coming from Dallas.

More from the Central:

  • The Jets are expected to meet with coaching candidate Barry Trotz this weekend, reports Postmedia’s Paul Friesen. The bench boss has been linked to multiple teams since being fired by the Islanders earlier this offseason and this will be the Manitoba native’s second interview with his hometown team.  Winnipeg currently has Dave Lowry as their interim head coach and while he is believed to be among the candidates that would be considered for the full-time role, their preference would certainly be to land a top-flight candidate like Trotz.
  • Coyotes prospect Dylan Guenther will miss the upcoming Memorial Cup due to a lower-body injury sustained in the WHL Final against Seattle, notes PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan (Twitter link). While his playoff run came to an early end, it was still a strong one for the 2021 ninth-overall selection as he had 13 goals in 16 postseason contests after putting up 45 goals and 46 assists in just 59 regular season contests to finish sixth in league scoring.

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