Latest On Arizona Coyotes Arena Plan
The long, arduous, and sometimes hilarious process of finding a home for the Arizona Coyotes past this season will likely reach a higher level of clarity soon. A public summary of an upcoming Arizona Board of Regents meeting states that Arizona State University will officially review the Coyotes’ plan to play home games at the school’s currently-under-construction multipurpose arena this upcoming Thursday.
There are multiple things of note in this plan. The most pertinent one is the question of financial responsibility. As rumored earlier, modifications to the original construction project will need to be put in place to accommodate an NHL franchise. Per the plan, the Coyotes will be financially responsible for building a 15,000-square-foot facility annexed to the northeast end of the arena, including NHL-caliber locker rooms, training areas, team storage, and coaching offices. The team will also foot the bill for increasing broadcast capabilities, improving ice surfacing equipment, replay capabilities, and other technological aspects to meet NHL standards.
However, the most striking part has to do with the completion date of the project. While the original plan is still on track to be completed in November of 2022 to house Arizona State’s hockey team, the NHL modifications will take until December to complete. That, according to the document, appears to be when the Coyotes would play their first home game of the 2022-23 season. If that holds true, the team will be faced with a similar situation as the New York Islanders this year, and would likely need to play 10 to 15 straight games on the road to open the season, something that could be seriously detrimental to a team that depends so much on gate revenue.
That may not have to be a reality, though. Coyotes insider Craig Morgan reports that an NHL source believes a workaround could be in place to host Coyotes games there prior to the completion of NHL facilities, allowing them to host home games prior to December.
The Board of Regents document confirms the team’s intention to play home games there for the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 campaigns.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Arizona Coyotes
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2021-22 season and beyond with contract statuses as of the beginning of the year. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Arizona Coyotes
Current Cap Hit: $74,484,534 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Barrett Hayton ($864K this season)
D Janis Moser ($887K through 2023-24)
G Karel Vejmelka ($842.5K this season)
Potential Bonuses:
Hayton: $2.15MM
Moser: $82.5K
Vejmelka: $82.5K
Total: $2.315MM
Hayton has not lived up to his draft billing, one that felt like an overdraft at the time when he went fifth overall on the back of being a center in a draft where there weren’t many centers ranked high. He’s averaging nearly 17 minutes this season but hasn’t done much with them. There’s no way a long-term contract will be on the table in the summer; he’ll be looking at a bridge deal and a one-year pact wouldn’t be surprising at a little over his current AAV.
Moser was somewhat of a surprise second-rounder in the last draft in his third year of eligibility but he is a quality late-bloomer as he has worked his way into a regular role on Arizona’s third pairing over the last couple of months. It’s a role that shouldn’t make him overly pricey if he stays there over the next two seasons although with how quickly he has worked his way into the lineup, it’s certainly fair to think he could still have another level in him.
Vejmelka (who was once a Nashville prospect that went unsigned) went from a candidate to battle for the backup spot to their full-fledged starter fairly quickly. His overall numbers aren’t great but he has shown enough to get a multi-year deal this summer to remain part of the tandem for the Coyotes for a little while yet. At 25, he’s already arbitration-eligible although, with a limited track record, that won’t help a lot. He should still be able to at least double his current AAV and if a third season is tacked on, a cap hit around the $2MM range is reasonable.
Signed Through 2021-22, Non-Entry-Level
F Jay Beagle ($3.2MM, UFA)
F Travis Boyd ($750K, UFA)
D Kyle Capobianco ($775K, RFA)
F Lawson Crouse ($1.533MM, RFA)
F Ryan Dzingel ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Loui Eriksson ($6MM, UFA)
F Christian Fischer ($1MM, RFA)
F Alex Galchenyuk ($750K, RFA)
G Carter Hutton ($750K, UFA)
F Dmitrij Jaskin ($3.2MM, UFA)
F Johan Larsson ($1.4MM, UFA)
D Ilya Lyubushkin ($1.35MM, UFA)
F Phil Kessel ($6.8MM, UFA)*
D Dysin Mayo ($750K, RFA)
F Riley Nash ($750K, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($750K, UFA)
F Antoine Roussel ($3MM, UFA)
D Anton Stralman ($5.5MM, UFA)
G Scott Wedgewood ($825K, UFA)
*-Toronto is retaining an additional $1.2MM of Kessel’s salary
Yes, the overwhelming majority of Arizona’s roster is only signed through this season and that’s by design. There are some notable players among the long list of fillers though.
Kessel hasn’t been able to score much this season – few have for the Coyotes – but he has become a better playmaker along the way. He’s a strong candidate to be moved at the deadline but with only a $1MM base salary, Arizona should be in no rush to move him as whatever contract they take to offset his AAV will undoubtedly cost more in salary dollars. Kessel won’t be able to command anywhere near his $8MM price tag on the open market but as a serviceable secondary scorer, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in the $5MM range when all is said and done. Worth noting is that he turns 35 in October which means he isn’t subject to the 35-plus classification, giving interested teams a chance to work out a multi-year deal without any risk.
Among the RFA forwards, Crouse is heading for a nice pay raise. He has been given a much bigger role this season and has made the most of it, scoring at close to a 20-goal pace. As a power forward with a bit of offensive touch, there has been considerable trade interest in him but if he sticks around, he’s the type of player where it may not be surprising if GM Bill Armstrong tries to do a long-term deal in the high $4MM/low $5MM range. Fischer has seen his production drop sharply from his rookie season to the point where he is more of a fourth liner instead of someone believed to be part of their long-term plans a few years ago. His qualifying offer is just over $1.125MM but he has arbitration rights. A non-tender isn’t a guarantee but it’s a possibility if they can’t work out a new deal around his current price tag.
Jaskin is an interesting case – his contract made little sense based on his previous NHL history and while he produced overseas, it didn’t translate to the type of top-six role anyone was hoping for. Based on his history as an energy player, he could get a bit more than $1MM in free agency this summer but a trip back to the KHL where a bigger contract likely would be waiting for him is definitely an option as well. Boyd hasn’t had much interest in free agency in the past but his numbers this season could boost his market to the point where he can land a bigger deal and a multi-year commitment.
Many of the other UFA forwards – including the high-priced ones – are depth pieces and role players that are likely looking at something around $1MM or less in free agency. Several of them just went through the process last offseason with low levels of interest while some of their recently acquired players should have some interest at a much lower price tag (Roussel as an energy winger and Beagle as a faceoff specialist, for example). Those players, meanwhile, will likely be either re-signed or replaced by others willing to play for a similar amount.
On the back end, Stralman was acquired in a salary dump from Florida and had a chance to play a bigger role to rebuild some value. He has been decent for the Coyotes but nowhere near the level of a $5.5MM player. He’ll be 36 before next season starts and is someone that may have to go year-to-year from here at a price tag closer to half of what he’s making now. Lyubushkin continues to be a physical, stay-at-home defender and the fact he’s logging over 18 minutes a game will help his value. A deal similar to Jani Hakanpaa’s with Dallas (three years, $1.5MM AAV) should be attainable; while the price would be only a small increase, the security would be nice for someone that has gone year-to-year since coming to North America.
In goal, Wedgewood has helped his value since Arizona claimed him off waivers. He’s still in the lower end of backups and would be a third-string option on a lot of teams though so while he has earned a raise, it will probably be a small one. Something around $1MM – an amount that can be buried in the minors without any residual cap charge – could be attainable and would be a nice raise for someone who has never had a one-way contract before.
Signed Through 2022-23
D Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5MM, UFA)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Conor Timmins ($850K, RFA)
Ladd was one of many salary dumps the Coyotes took on last offseason with Arizona getting three draft picks (including the one used on Moser) for their troubles. He has been able to hold down a regular spot in the lineup but that’s about all. At this point, it’s hard to see Ladd getting another contract when this one is up but if he does, it’ll be very close to the league minimum.
Gostisbehere has had quite a nice bounce-back season with the Coyotes. After being more of a depth piece with the Flyers, he has again become one of the higher-scoring defensemen in the league, ranking in a tie for 16th overall. If he can maintain that pace for the rest of this deal, he should have a sizable market in 2023 with a shot at a small raise, something that didn’t seem feasible last summer. As for Timmins, he was a key part of the Darcy Kuemper trade but his season came to an end quite early due to a knee injury. At this point, a one-year deal for 2023-24 seems probable unless he’s able to establish himself as a go-to defender next season but with just 39 games of NHL experience, that’s a tough ask.
Johan Larsson Undergoes Surgery
One of the interesting trade chips that the Arizona Coyotes held this season was center Johan Larsson, who is actually having a pretty strong year with the rebuilding club. The 29-year-old had 15 points in 29 games and was holding his own in heavy defensive minutes once again. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, he won’t get a chance to showcase those skills much further. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that Larsson has undergone surgery for a sports hernia and notes that the early projection would have him missing eight weeks.
An eight-week timetable would mean Larsson won’t be back before the trade deadline, and given the notorious nature of hernia surgeries having a lasting effect on a player’s performance even after they’re cleared to return, it’ll be hard for a team to bet on him in any deal. Morgan does suggest on Twitter that there was some interest in Larsson, interest that could remain if he’s on track to return at some point.
Last season there was actually a deal that could be considered comparable, even if Larsson’s recovery will take a little longer than initially expected. The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional draft pick, despite Nash being on long-term injured reserve and not expected back until the playoffs. The depth center ended up playing in two postseason games for Toronto, meaning the Blue Jackets landed a sixth-round pick. If there is a reasonable case to keep Larsson sidelined until the playoffs, any number of contenders that are using LTIR by the deadline could add him simply as another depth piece for later.
Coyotes Hoping To Be "Go-Between" At Trade Deadline
Under new general manager Bill Armstrong, the Arizona Coyotes took a very clear path last summer. They shed long-term commitments while providing a cap haven for teams struggling to put together a roster in the current financial situation the league finds itself in. Taking on short-term bad-money contracts like Loui Eriksson, Andrew Ladd, Antoine Roussel, Shayne Gostisbehere, Anton Stralman, and Jay Beagle netted them a whole variety of draft picks, and they’re ready to do it again.
Chris Johnston explained this week on TSN’s Insider Trading that the Coyotes are “eyeing a chance to be an important go-between at this deadline” as other teams deal with a tight cap situation. With plenty of cap space themselves, they could take on more bad contracts or even retain salary in a three-way deal. Notably, however, they can only use that latter strategy once. After retaining money on both Darcy Kuemper and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Coyotes can only be involved in one other retained salary transaction this season. Kuemper’s agreement ends at the end of the year, meaning they could jump back into that ring in the summer.
- While Pat Verbeek eventually landed the Anaheim Ducks general manager job, another assistant GM was apparently close. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Jason Botterill, AGM of the Seattle Kraken, was a finalist for the Ducks position. It would have been Botterill’s second chance in charge of a front office after his short stint with the Buffalo Sabres, one which did not go well. In three years leading the Sabres, the team finished no higher than sixth in the Atlantic Division and his draft results were certainly mixed. While he did land Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens, other high picks were used on Casey Mittelstadt (8th, 2017), Marcus Davisson (37th, 2017), Mattias Samuelsson (32nd, 2018), and Ryan Johnson (31st, 2019), all players who have either struggled or been unable to quite make their mark at the NHL level just yet.
- The Philadelphia Flyers officially made a few changes to the front office. Alyn McCauley has been promoted to director of player personnel, while Tom Minton is now the director of hockey operations. McCauley has been with the Flyers for five years as a pro scout, while Minton was previously the director of hockey information and video. Recently, general manager Chuck Fletcher explained that the team is doubling the size of their analytics department and investing more in development staff.
Trade Rumors: Canadiens, Petry, Stars, Coyotes
Though unimaginable just a few short months ago, the defending Stanley Cup finalist Montreal Canadiens are fully open for business, according to new GM Kent Hughes. Hughes tells TSN’s Pierre LeBrun that the team is “open to everything” when it comes to trading away players amidst this dismal season. Montreal is on pace for a historically poor campaign and Hughes must do all he can to try to right the ship. It remains to be seen if that is just moving some select players or an outright fire sale. Confounding the situation is the fact that the Habs are not your typical sellers; the team has just a handful of expiring contracts to ship off as rentals and is mired in long-term contracts. Montreal has more than $70MM in annual salary committed through the 2023-24 season, with many contracts extending well beyond that point too. So while Hughes can name drop Ben Chiarot as a player who he has discussed the possibility of a trade with, the critical moves for the Canadiens will not be the obvious rentals but getting out from under some of their long-term commitments. Is that something that Hughes can do before the trade deadline or will the dismantling of the roster truly begin this offseason?
- At least one term player who could be on the move is veteran defenseman Jeff Petry, whose name has begun to circulate on the rumor mill alongside Chiarot’s. Petry is suffering through an uncharacteristically bad season, which understandably makes the Canadiens wary of the remaining three years left on his $6.25MM AAV contact. While only mentioning Chiarot by name, Hughes noted to LeBrun that he had begun discussing trade potential with a number of his veteran players, in part to determine how they were feeling about being a part of the current Habs roster. It seems Petry was one of these players and didn’t hide that he was equally dissatisfied with being in Montreal as the club has been with his performance. On TSN’s “Insider Trading”, LeBrun reported that Petry has indicated that he is open to moving on. More specifically, he would actually “welcome a trade.” LeBrun hears that one team who could be interest in Petry becomes attainable are the Dallas Stars, who seem to be moving on shortly from a cornerstone right-handed defenseman of their own in John Klingberg. If the Stars want Petry though, they will have to pay up. Hughes was adamant that he will not trade Petry at a discount due to his poor play and the team’s struggles this season, a policy that he may apply to all of his core players. This could lead to trades for Petry and others having to wait until the summer or perhaps even next season when the memory of the horrific 2021-22 Montreal Canadiens has faded in the minds of potential suitors.
- One other hindrance to the Habs’ ability to make trades this season is an inability (or unwillingness) to retain salary. Montreal is currently in the Long-Term Injured Reserve salary cap overage and actually have the highest real money payroll in the league currently. Especially when it comes to term players, Hughes is not going to want to add any more unnecessary salary to his roster, even though doing so has become a common way for sellers to land improved trade returns. However, there is good news for the 16 other teams currently in the LTIR or with less than a minimum salary’s worth of cap space – the Arizona Coyotes are still willing to play ball. The ‘Yotes jumped head first into their rebuild this past offseason when they took on the likes of Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, Anton Stralman, Andrew Ladd, and Shayne Gostisbehere from cap-strapped teams in order to land a treasure trove of draft picks as well. Looking at a whopping seven picks in the first two rounds of the 2022 NHL Draft and plenty of cap space still to spend, GM Bill Armstrong is ready to keep it going. With a cap number that is already among the bottom third of the league and an incredible $36MM coming off the books this summer in unrestricted free agents, the Coyotes are willing and able to keep taking on bad contracts in trades, reports TSN’s Chris Johnston. With that being said, as the team looks to improve next season from a 2021-22 pace that would be worst in the league if not for Montreal, Johnston notes that Armstrong and company will be a bit more particular about who they are willing to take on this time around. The caliber of the player going to Arizona appears to be more of a concern than the weight of the contract as the ‘Yotes hope to make progress in their rebuild while also taking advantage of the salary cap.
ASU Plan Causes Concern From Other NHL Executives
The Arizona Coyotes’ proposed plan to spend the next few years in an Arizona State University facility has drawn plenty of concern across the hockey world, but perhaps none more pointed than the quotes from other NHL executives in Sean Shapiro’s newest piece for The Athletic. Shapiro spoke to executives from nine organizations, who, under an agreement that their identities would remain anonymous, had some pretty harsh words for the ASU plan.
Several of them called it “embarrassing” according to Shapiro, who delves into the financial impact that playing at a small rink, including in-ice and board advertisement revenue that could be at risk. The idea to play at the ASU facility currently seems the most likely outcome of the Coyotes’ search for a temporary home, but they are going to have to face very public criticism in the meantime.
- Casey Mittelstadt will consult with a surgeon over next steps after leaving Sunday’s game in pain, according to John Vogl of The Athletic. The young forward already went under the knife in December for an undisclosed upper-body injury and only returned to the lineup on January 25. He has played in seven games this season, recording a single goal and two points. If he is forced to have another surgery, it looks like this could be a lost season for the 23-year-old, who signed a three-year, $7.5MM deal in September. Since being selected eighth overall in 2017, Mittelstadt has recorded 63 points in 162 NHL games.
- Pat Verbeek appears to be the frontrunner for the Anaheim Ducks vacant general manager position, as Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff names him “the man to beat.” Verbeek, who has served as an assistant general manager under Steve Yzerman in both Tampa Bay and Detroit, played over 1,400 regular season games in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999. He sits 72nd on the all-time points list with 1,062 and has been linked to potential GM openings for several years.
Cam Dineen Sent To Tucson
Even with today’s game between the Kraken and Islanders being postponed, it’s still a busy day on the schedule with 20 teams in action so there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the league. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
Atlantic Division
- The Senators announced (Twitter links) that they have recalled defenseman Lassi Thomson and forward Mark Kastelic from the taxi squad. Thomson has played in 14 games with Ottawa this season, picking up four points while Kastelic – who will make his NHL debut today against Anaheim – has 11 points in 31 games with AHL Belleville.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Jets announced (Twitter link) the recalls of defensemen Declan Chisholm, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Leon Gawanke from the taxi squad. To make room for them on the roster, Nathan Beaulieu was placed on injured reserve.
- The Coyotes assigned defenseman Cam Dineen from the taxi squad to AHL Tucson, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 23-year-old cleared waivers last week but has only made one minor league appearance since then so he’ll get another shot at getting into a game when they play Bakersfield tonight.
- The Blackhawks have sent defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk to Rockford of the AHL, notes Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). The 24-year-old was up with Chicago for the past week but didn’t play and has made just four NHL appearances this season.
- After a brief recall, veteran defenseman Matt Tennyson will head back to the minors. Nashville has announced that Tennyson has been returned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, where he has played 30 of his 34 games this season.
Pacific Division
- The Canucks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve brought up defenseman Noah Juulsen to the taxi squad from AHL Abbotsford. The 24-year-old has suited up twice for Vancouver this season but has spent the bulk of the year in the minors, collecting 10 points in 25 games.
- The Kings have made their usual roster shuffle, announcing (Twitter link) the recall of defenseman Austin Strand from the taxi squad while sending blueliner Jacob Moverare back to the taxi squad. Both players have been shuffled back and forth frequently since the taxi squads were re-established, a trend that should continue for a few more days until after the All-Star break.
Trade Rumors: Chiarot, Oilers, Coyotes, DeBrusk
While the Marc-Andre Fleury-Washington Capitals connection was the highlight of the most recent “32 Thoughts” column from Sportnset’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider had plenty else to say about the burgeoning trade market. Though just a small note, the inclusion most likely to come to fruition is Friedman’s report that several teams are pursuing Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Chiarot’s name has been out there among trade candidate all season and it isn’t going away. As the top impending free agent on the NHL’s worst team, Chiarot is a near lock to be dealt. Friedman reports that the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, and St. Louis Blues are among the teams confirmed to have interest in Chiarot, but Friedman also keys in on another possibility: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rumblings out of Toronto suggest that the Leafs are targeting a defenseman at the trade deadline and they may very well need one to escape the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. Friedman notes that the club kicked the tires on Chiarot when he was a free agent and could be a top contender to land him this time around.
- Another report that is hardly outside the box is Friedman’s suggestion that the Edmonton Oilers have looked into just about every goalie that could potentially be traded this season. Among the list of names are some who have already been linked to Edmonton, such as Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Dallas’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, but other interesting targets include Philadelphia’s Martin Jones and Washington’s Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. However, the key piece of Friedman’s report is that the Oilers may end up empty-handed if they aren’t willing to improve their offer. Friedman hears from potential trade partners that Edmonton is not willing to move their first-round pick and increasingly hesitant to move their second-rounder as well. Without a third- or fourth-round selection this year, the Oilers are seemingly only peddling late-round picks, with top prospects likely off the board as well. That won’t get it done in a sellers’ market.
- One goalie who likely won’t wind up in Edmonton is Arizona’s Karel Vejmelka. Though there have been few bright spots in the Coyotes’ dismal season, Vejmelka’s play has given fans in the desert some hope. The 25-year-old rookie, an unheralded import from the top level in Czechia, has performed well this season. By league standards, his .901 save percentage and 3.40 GAA may not seem like much to be excited about, but as a first-year NHLer playing behind one of the worst rosters in the league, the keeper has held his own in 25 appearances. Rather than quickly flip Vejmelka to another team, the ‘Yotes seem insistent on extending the goaltender instead, including him as a core piece in their rebuild.
- Still in Arizona, where rumors circle the struggling squad, Friedman reports that young forward Lawson Crouse is unlikely to be traded despite recent speculation. The hulking power forward is not without his flaws, but with 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games, Crouse is well on his way to a career year. Although the Coyotes have shown their willingness to move on from high-potential players for the right price by placing Jakob Chychrun on the block, Friedman states that they have begun telling suitors that they would prefer to keep Crouse.
- Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the market for Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is in fact as cold as it seems. There was a flurry of speculation when DeBrusk first requested a trade, but it has quieted down significantly since Boston’s play improved in the new year. This isn’t because the Bruins aren’t listening though. Instead, Shinzawa reports that teams seem hesitant to make the commitment to DeBrusk, at least at the Bruins’ asking price. While his play has improved of late, it is still far off his performance earlier in his career and not up to the level that his $4.41MM qualify offer demands. The challenge for the Bruins is to find a team willing to pay the asking price that either is willing to qualify or otherwise negotiate an extension with DeBrusk or conversely a team that sees him as a rental, as recent rumors have suggested the New York Rangers might. Neither the Bruins nor DeBrusk want to extend their relationship, but it may be easier said than done to find the right deal.
Latest On Jakob Chychrun
Jan 22: Marek gave another update on Hockey Night In Canada this evening, giving some specific details on the Chychrun sweepstakes:
They do have that [offer] from one team in the NHL as we speak now, essentially two former first-round players and a first-round draft pick. That auction though does continue. Los Angeles, Anaheim, Boston, Florida, who may very well be the team to watch through all of this. The Rangers as well are in, they’ve offered a package that includes Vitali Kravtsov, and the Columbus Blue Jackets interested in the servicces of Jakob Chychrun as well.
Kravtsov was given permission from the Rangers earlier this season to seek a trade after not receiving a ton of NHL playing time and is currently playing in the KHL.
Jan 21: One of the biggest names emerging for the NHL trade deadline is Jakob Chychrun, who made his return to the Arizona Coyotes lineup on Wednesday with one assist in more than 20 minutes of action. The 23-year-old defenseman is the biggest trade chip the Coyotes have, as despite a poor season this year, Chychrun is signed at a very reasonable $4.6MM cap hit through 2024-25.
Every time Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discuss the young defenseman more teams are involved in the chase, and today was no different. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman talked a little bit about Chychrun:
I think there is a lot [of teams involved]. I think the Coyotes prefer to send him east, though I don’t think that is absolutely 100 percent going to happen. I think Florida has let it be known that they are deep in this and that they are prepared to do what it takes to get it done. I don’t think they’re the only one. You’ve talked about Los Angeles, Anaheim, and St. Louis. I think Columbus is there. I’ve heard the Rangers; I’ve had people disagree, that it doesn’t make sense for them, but I’ve heard it.
From the moment Chychrun’s name hit the rumor mill, the reported ask has been “massive” from the Coyotes, and with so many teams involved it seems likely that they end up with something close to the package they’re looking for. Marek reported earlier this month that the team was after a young player, high-end prospect, and first-round pick for the young defenseman, something similar to the deal that saw Brent Burns go from Minnesota to San Jose a decade ago.
With 27 games under his belt this season, Chychrun has registered just two goals and eight assists after an outstanding 2020-21 campaign. He’s also is a league-worst -28, though much of that is due to the team around him as his underlying possession numbers still hint toward a strong two-way defenseman. At even-strength, Chychrun hasn’t had a consistent partner, skating almost equal amounts with Anton Stralman and Ilya Lyubushkin to this point.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have relied heavily on the trio of Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Gustav Forsling to this point, each averaging more than 21 minutes a night. Radko Gudas and Brandon Montour have been regulars behind them, but the sixth spot has been rotated through the likes of Lucas Carlsson, Kevin Connauton, Olli Juolevi, and Matt Kiersted, given Markus Nutivaara‘s injury issues.
Adding Chychrun to one of the best teams in the NHL would certainly seem like a good fit, especially given his ties to Florida. Born and raised there, he actually flew to Michigan for games every weekend as a 13-year-old before eventually joining the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 15. A homecoming of sorts seems possible, but there’s more than just the Panthers in on the Coyotes defenseman at this point.
Arizona Coyotes Place Dysin Mayo In COVID Protocol
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, the team announced.
Mayo becomes the third Coyote in COVID protocol. He joins forwards Ryan Dzingel and Antoine Roussel.
If Mayo is only subject to a five-day quarantine, he would only miss Arizona’s next two games. He could be eligible to return on January 28th, a home game against the Boston Bruins.
An unexpected regular in the Coyotes lineup this season, Mayo has five points in 34 games. He’s impressed defensively, however, earning the right to 20:49 of ice time per game and only a -2 rating on a porous Coyotes team.
The 25-year-old was the team’s 133rd overall selection back in 2014.