Arizona Coyotes To Acquire Anton Stralman
Florida Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman has waived his no-trade clause and will be heading to the Arizona Coyotes, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Stralman has just one year remaining on his current contract, which carries a $5.5MM cap hit. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Coyotes will also receive prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok, and a 2024 second-round pick. The Panthers will receive a 2023 seventh-round pick in return.
The Coyotes have made move after move this summer to weaponize their cap space, using it to acquire future assets in preparation for a rebuild. Many of their key players remain in the fold, but the team has taken on bad contracts like Andrew Ladd, Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, and Antoine Roussel. They even received two draft picks to bring in Shayne Gostisbehere, who will likely be asked to play big minutes given how many vacancies there are on the back end. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was shipped out of town, Niklas Hjalmarsson retired while Jason Demers, Alex Goligoski, Jordan Oesterle, Aaron Ness and Jordan Gross are all pending unrestricted free agents.
That means Stralman would be joining a group that includes only Gostisbehere, Jakob Chychrun, and Ilya Lyubushkin on the back end. That’s not a group that should be very imposing, at least not anymore. The 34-year-old Stralman (who turns 35 in just a few days) was once the perfect defensive complement to high-end offensive players, but has declined rapidly in recent years. His minutes were slashed this season in Florida, where he recorded just nine points in 38 games.
Arizona meanwhile now holds five second-round picks for the 2022 draft and have now added another one for down the road, which should help them restock a bereft prospect pipeline. The team had traded away top prospects to acquire players like Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, while also being stripped of draft picks thanks to scouting violations. GM Bill Armstrong has obviously decided that building that part of the organization back up was a priority this offseason, but it could very well come at the cost of a competitive season.
The Coyotes have just five players signed to one-way contracts for the 2022-23 season (six, if you include Ladd, who has played just five NHL games over the past two years), and have been rumored to be listening even on some of those. Unless the team is extremely aggressive in free agency, this appears like it will be quite a lean year for the roster, relying on aging veterans or fringe NHL players to fill several key spots.
For Florida, getting rid of Stralman’s cap hit is a huge boost, given their recent acquisition of Sam Reinhart. The team signed RFA Sam Bennett earlier this morning and didn’t have a lot of room left to get the 25-year-old Reinhart done. Now, with an extra $5.5MM in room, the team can not only get Reinhart under contract but could potentially look for further upgrades through free agency. Giving away a prospect and a pick is never easy, but the Panthers are in a win-now mode with their deep, relatively young roster that looks poised to do some damage in the Atlantic Division.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Darcy Kuemper Drawing Interest From Multiple Teams
The Arizona Coyotes moved out Adin Hill this offseason and have Antti Raanta scheduled for free agency in two days, but that doesn’t mean they won’t listen on their other goalie. Darcy Kuemper is generating interest around the league according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, who lists the Toronto Maple Leafs as one team involved. The Coyotes–who have used their available cap space several times this offseason to acquire future assets–may be willing to retain some of Kuemper’s $4.5MM salary to get a deal done but the price is “quite high” according to Pagnotta.
The 31-year-old Kuemper had just a .907 save percentage this season, but showed off his skills at the World Championship, taking Team Canada to a gold medal. For his career, he has posted a .917 in 242 NHL games, a number that would certainly be interesting to several contenders looking for a tandem option. Toronto GM Kyle Dubas has been very clear over the past week that the team’s top priority is finding a partner for Jack Campbell, given Frederik Andersen appears to be heading to market. Kuemper could be that option for them or another team, though it will come at a cost.
- The New York Rangers could be adding some size to their young defensive group, as Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the team is expected to sign Patrik Nemeth when free agency opens this week. The 6’3″ Nemeth spent this season with the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, totaling 10 points in 52 games. He earned $3MM in each of the last two seasons, but could be taking a bit of a pay cut according to Brooks, who expects a two or three-year deal to be completed with an average annual value between $2.25MM and $2.75MM. The 29-year-old would certainly add some defensive responsibility to a blueline already brimming with offensive talent, though where he exactly fits would have to still be determined.
- After an outstanding season in the KHL, Chris Wideman could be returning to North America to join the Montreal Canadiens. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that Wideman is a “good bet” to end up in Montreal when free agency opens. The 31-year-old defenseman led all KHL defensemen in scoring this season with 41 points in 59 games and then helped the U.S. win bronze at the World Championship. He last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season and recently opened up about the Uber incident while with the Ottawa Senators that may have considerably changed his career path.
Coyotes’ Niklas Hjalmarsson To Retire
The career of one of the best defensive defensemen of the modern era is coming to an end. Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports that Arizona unrestricted free agent Niklas Hjalmarsson is set to retire after 14 NHL seasons. Morgan notes that the humble veteran is unlikely to make a formal announcement, but multiple sources have confirmed that Hjalmarsson’s NHL career has ended.
While Hjalmarsson is still a capable pro, this move should not come as much of a surprise. The 34-year-old has been in decline over the last few years, more or less since leaving the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017. This season, he refused to waive his No-Movement Clause ahead of the trade deadline, preferring to stay with his family in Arizona rather than compete for a Stanley Cup. It seems that his three titles with Chicago were enough for the respected veteran, and when that drive is gone the career doesn’t last much longer. Recently, rumors emerged that his family would be moving back to his native Sweden, again a sign that Hjalmarsson was ready to move on as well.
While Hjalmarsson never received the accolades of other top defenseman or even his other championship teammates with the Blackhawks, he was quietly one of the best defensive players in the NHL over much of his career. A player whose numbers don’t do him justice, Hjalmarsson played with elite hockey IQ and vision, rarely getting caught out of position. Hjalmarsson could single-handedly shut down an offensive rush or stymie a power play. An incredibly effective shot blocker, Hjalmarsson’s defensive zone presence was the stuff of nightmares for the opposition in his prime. While only ever contributing modest offense, not much of puck-mover, and not a noticeable physical presence, it didn’t matter – Hjalmarsson was an effective top-four defenseman all the same. A dependable player who ate minutes and took on difficult match-ups throughout his career, including 137 career playoff games, Hjalmarsson was a key piece of every team he played for.
While not unexpected, Hjalmarsson’s departure from Arizona is yet another confirmed absence from the Coyotes’ 2021-22 blue line, which is set to look very different. Arizona had seven defensemen play 40+ games this past season. Heading into the off-season, four of those were unrestricted free agents: Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Jordan Oesterle. A fifth, captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, has since been traded. Hjalmarsson is now confirmed not to return and veterans Goligoski and Demers are not expected to return either. Depth defensemen Aaron Ness and Jordan Gross are also UFA’s and may not re-sign. Jakob Chychrun will lead a new unit that looks to include Shayne Gostisbehere, Ilya Lyubushkin, Kyle Capobianco, and rookie Victor Soderstrom. Chychrun will need to channel Hjalmarrson and other former teammates if he want to play the well-rounded game needed to become a bona fide No. 1 and leader of a young defense corps.
2021 NHL Draft Selections By Team
Today concluded the 2021 NHL Draft, the first edition with 32 teams in the running. Some teams selected just three times (sorry, Toronto), while Don Waddell and the Carolina Hurricanes selected an NHL-record 13 times for a seven-round draft. After all the chaos of last night and today, catch up here on who your team selected and when.
Anaheim Ducks
Round 1, Pick 3: F Mason McTavish
Round 2, Pick 34: D Olen Zellweger
Round 3, Pick 66: F Sasha Pastujov
Round 3, Pick 76 (from CHI via MTL): D Tyson Hinds
Round 4, Pick 98: F Josh Lopina
Round 5, Pick 130: F Sean Tschigerl
Round 5, Pick 148 (from EDM via OTT): G Gage Alexander
Round 6, Pick 162: F Kyle Kukkonen
Arizona Coyotes
Round 1, Pick 9 (from VAN): F Dylan Guenther
Round 2, Pick 37 (from CBJ via OTT): F Josh Doan
Round 2, Pick 43: F Ilya Fedotov
Round 2, Pick 60 (from COL via NYI): D Janis Jerome Moser
Round 4, Pick 107: D Emil Martinsen Lilleberg
Round 4, Pick 122 (from PIT): G Rasmus Korhonen
Round 5, Pick 139: F Manix Landry
Round 6, Pick 171: D Cal Thomas
Round 7, Pick 223 (from MTL via CHI): F Sam Lipkin
Boston Bruins
Round 1, Pick 21: F Fabian Lysell
Round 3, Pick 85: F Brett Harrison
Round 4, Pick 117: G Philip Svedeback
Round 5, Pick 149: F Oskar Jellvik
Round 6, Pick 181: D Ryan Mast
Round 7, Pick 213: F Andre Gasseau
Round 7, Pick 217 (from TOR): D Ty Gallagher
Buffalo Sabres
Round 1, Pick 1: D Owen Power
Round 1, Pick 14 (from PHI): F Isak Rosen
Round 2, Pick 33: F Prokhor Poltapov
Round 2, Pick 53 (from BOS): F Alexander Kisakov
Round 3, Pick 88 (from FLA): F Stiven Sardarian
Round 3, Pick 95 (from MTL): F Josh Bloom
Round 4, Pick 97: F Olivier Nadeau
Round 5, Pick 159 (from MTL): F Viljami Marjala
Round 6, Pick 161: F William von Barnekow Lofberg
Round 6, Pick 188 (from COL): D Nikita Novikov
Round 7, Pick 193: F Tyson Kozak
Calgary Flames
Round 1, Pick 13: F Matthew Coronato
Round 2, Pick 45: F William Stromgren
Round 3, Pick 77: F Cole Huckins
Round 4, Pick 89 (from TOR via LAK): D Cameron Whynot
Round 5, Pick 141: D Cole Jordan
Round 6, Pick 168 (from LAK): F Jack Beck
Round 6, Pick 173: F Lucas Ciona
Round 7, Pick 205: G Arsenii Sergeev
Carolina Hurricanes
Round 2, Pick 40 (from LAK via NSH): D Scott Morrow
Round 2, Pick 44 (from CHI via CBJ): D Aleksi Heimosalmi
Round 2, Pick 51 (from NSH): F Ville Koivunen
Round 3, Pick 83 (from NSH): G Patrik Hamrla
Round 3, Pick 94 (from VGK via DET): D Aidan Hreschuk
Round 4, Pick 109 (from CGY via LAK): F Jackson Blake
Round 5, Pick 136 (from LAK via OTT): F Robert Orr
Round 5, Pick 147 (from NSH): F Justin Robidas
Round 6, Pick 170 (from OTT): D Bryce Montgomery
Round 6, Pick 187: G Nikita Quapp
Round 7, Pick 200 (from LAK): G Yegor Naumov
Round 7, Pick 209 (from STL): C Nikita Guslistov
Round 7, Pick 219: D Joel Nystrom
Chicago Blackhawks
Round 1, Pick 32 (from TBL via CBJ): D Nolan Allan
Round 2, Pick 62 (from VGK): F Colton Dach
Round 3, Pick 91 (from CAR): D Taige Harding
Round 4, Pick 105 (from VAN): D Ethan Del Mastro
Round 4, Pick 108: F Victor Stjernborg
Round 6, Pick 172: F Ilya Safonov
Round 7, Pick 204: D Connor Kelley
Round 7, Pick 216 (from FLA): F Jalen Luypen
Colorado Avalanche
Round 1, Pick 28: F Oskar Olausson
Round 2, Pick 61 (from NYI via NJD): D Sean Behrens
Round 3, Pick 92: F Andrei Buyalsky
Round 7, Pick 220: F Taylor Makar
Columbus Blue Jackets
Round 1, Pick 5: F Kent Johnson
Round 1, Pick 12 (from CHI): F Cole Sillinger
Round 1, Pick 25 (from TOR): D Corson Ceulemans
Round 3, Pick 69: D Stanislav Svozil
Round 4, Pick 101: D Guillaume Richard
Round 5, Pick 132 (from NJD): D Nikolai Makarov
Round 5, Pick 133: F James Malatesta
Round 6, Pick 165: F Ben Boyd
Round 7, Pick 197: F Martin Rysavy
Dallas Stars
Round 1, Pick 23 (from WSH via DET): F Wyatt Johnston
Round 2, Pick 47: F Logan Stankoven
Round 2, Pick 48 (from NYR via DET): D Artem Grushnikov
Round 3, Pick 73 (from VAN): F Ayrton Martino
Round 3, Pick 79: F Justin Ertel
Round 4, Pick 111: F Conner Roulette
Round 5, Pick 138 (from OTT via MTL, DET): D Jack Bar
Round 5, Pick 143: D Jacob Holmes
Round 6, Pick 175: F Francesco Arcuri
Round 7, Pick 207: F Albert Sjoberg
Detroit Red Wings
Round 1, Pick 6: D Simon Edvinsson
Round 1, Pick 15 (from DAL): G Sebastian Cossa
Round 2, Pick 36 (from NJD via VGK): D Shai Buium
Round 3, Pick 70: F Carter Mazur
Round 4, Pick 114 (from WPG via VGK): F Redmond Savage
Round 5, Pick 134: F Liam Dower Nilsson
Round 5, Pick 155 (from CAR via VGK): D Oscar Plandowski
Round 6, Pick 166: F Pasquale Zito
Edmonton Oilers
Round 1, Pick 22 (from MIN): F Xavier Bourgault
Round 3, Pick 90 (from PIT via SJS, MIN): D Luca Munzenberger
Round 4, Pick 116: F Jake Chiasson
Round 6, Pick 180: F Matvei Petrov
Round 6, Pick 186 (from PIT): F Shane Lachance
Round 7, Pick 212: D Maximus Wanner
Florida Panthers
Round 1, Pick 24: F Mackie Samoskevich
Round 2, Pick 56: D Evan Nause
Round 4, Pick 120: D Vladislav Lukashevich
Round 5, Pick 152: G Kirill Gerasimyuk
Round 6, Pick 184: F Jakub Kos
Round 7, Pick 210 (from WPG): D Braden Hache
Los Angeles Kings
Round 1, Pick 8: D Brandt Clarke
Round 2, Pick 42 (from OTT): F Francesco Pinelli
Round 2, Pick 59 (from CAR): F Samuel Helenius
Round 3, Pick 84 (from EDM via CGY): D Kirill Kirsanov
Minnesota Wild
Round 1, Pick 20 (from EDM): G Jesper Wallstedt
Round 1, Pick 26 (from PIT): D Carson Lambos
Round 2, Pick 54: D Jack Peart
Round 3, Pick 86: F Caedan Bankier
Round 4, Pick 118: D Kyle Masters
Round 4, Pick 127 (from MTL): F Josh Pillar
Round 6, Pick 182: D Nate Benoit
Montreal Canadiens
Round 1, Pick 31: D Logan Mailloux
Round 2, Pick 63: F Riley Kidney
Round 2, Pick 64 (from TBL): F Oliver Kapanen
Round 3, Pick 87 (from WSH via SJS): D Dmitri Kostenko
Round 4, Pick 113 (from STL): D William Trudeau
Round 5, Pick 142 (from PHI): D Daniil Sobolev
Round 5, Pick 150 (from MIN): F Joshua Roy
Round 6, Pick 191: F Xavier Simoneau
Round 7, Pick 214 (from MIN): G Joe Vrbetic
Nashville Predators
Round 1, Pick 19: F Fedor Svechkov
Round 1, Pick 27 (from CAR): F Zachary L’Heureux
Round 3, Pick 72 (from LAK via CAR): D Anton Olsson
Round 4, Pick 115: D Ryan Ufko
Round 4, Pick 124 (from COL via OTT): D Jack Matier
Round 6, Pick 179: F Simon Knak
New Jersey Devils
Round 1, Pick 4: D Luke Hughes
Round 1, Pick 29 (from NYI): F Chase Stillman
Round 3, Pick 68: F Samu Salminen
Round 4, Pick 100: G Jakub Malek
Round 5, Pick 129 (from BUF): D Topias Vilen
Round 6, Pick 164: D Viktor Hurtig
Round 7, Pick 203 (from ARI): F Zakhar Bardakov
New York Islanders
Round 2, Pick 52 (from EDM via DET): F Aatu Raty
Round 3, Pick 93: G Tristan Lennox
Round 4, Pick 125: F Cameron Berg
Round 5, Pick 157: F Eetu Liukas
Round 6, Pick 189: D Aleksi Malinen
Round 7, Pick 221: D Tomas Machu
New York Rangers
Round 1, Pick 16: F Brennan Othmann
Round 3, Pick 65 (from BUF): F Jayden Grubbe
Round 3, Pick 75 (from ARI via NJD, WSH): F Ryder Korczak
Round 4, Pick 104 (from LAK): F Brody Lamb
Round 4, Pick 106 (from OTT): F Kalle Vaisanen
Round 4, Pick 112: G Talyn Boyko
Round 5, Pick 144: F Jaroslav Chmelar
Round 7, Pick 208: D Hank Kempf
Ottawa Senators
Round 1, Pick 10: F Tyler Boucher
Round 2, Pick 39 (from SJS): F Zach Ostapchuk
Round 2, Pick 49 (from STL via BUF, VGK, LAK): D Ben Roger
Round 3, Pick 74: F Oliver Johansson
Round 4, Pick 123 (from CAR): F Carson Latimer
Round 7, Pick 202: D Chandler Romeo
Philadelphia Flyers
Round 2, Pick 46: F Samu Tuomaala
Round 3, Pick 78: G Aleksei Kolosov
Round 4, Pick 110: D Brian Zanetti
Round 5, Pick 158 (from VGK via WSH): D Ty Murchison
Round 6, Pick 174: D Ethan Samson
Round 7, Pick 206: F Owen McLaughlin
Pittsburgh Penguins
Round 2, Pick 58: F Tristan Broz
Round 5, Pick 154: D Isaac Belliveau
Round 7, Pick 194 (from ANA): D Ryan McCleary
Round 7, Pick 215 (from WSH): D Daniel Laatsch
Round 7, Pick 218: F Kirill Tankov
San Jose Sharks
Round 1, Pick 7: F William Eklund
Round 3, Pick 81 (from STL): G Benjamin Gaudreau
Round 4, Pick 103: D Gannon Laroque
Round 4, Pick 121 (from TOR): F Ethan Cardwell
Round 5, Pick 135: D Artem Guryev
Round 5, Pick 156 (from COL): F Max McCue
Round 6, Pick 167: F Liam Gilmartin
Round 6, Pick 177 (from STL): F Theo Jacobsson
Round 7, Pick 199: F/D Evgenii Kashnikov
Seattle Kraken
Round 1, Pick 2: F Matthew Beniers
Round 2, Pick 35: D Ryker Evans
Round 3, Pick 67: F Ryan Winterton
Round 4, Pick 99: D Ville Ottavainen
Round 5, Pick 131: F Jacob Melanson
Round 6, Pick 163: G Semyon Vyazovoi
Round 7, Pick 195: F Justin Janicke
St. Louis Blues
Round 1, Pick 17: F Zachary Bolduc
Round 3, Pick 71 (from SJS): F Simon Robertsson
Round 5, Pick 145: D Tyson Galloway
Round 7, Pick 198 (from DET): F Ivan Vorobyov
Tampa Bay Lightning
Round 3, Pick 96: D Roman Schmidt
Round 4, Pick 126 (from VGK via MTL): F Dylan Duke
Round 5, Pick 160: F Cameron MacDonald
Round 6, Pick 192: D Alex Gagne
Round 7, Pick 196 (from NJD): D Daniil Pylenkov
Round 7, Pick 211 (from NSH): F Robert Flinton
Round 7, Pick 224: F Niko Huuhtanen
Toronto Maple Leafs
Round 2, Pick 57: F Matthew Knies
Round 5, Pick 153: F Ty Voit
Round 6, Pick 185: G Vyacheslav Peksa
Vancouver Canucks
Round 2, Pick 41: F Danila Klimovich
Round 5, Pick 137: G Aku Koskenvuo
Round 5, Pick 140 (from CHI): D Jonathan Myrenberg
Round 6, Pick 169: D Hugo Gabrielsson
Round 6, Pick 178 (from WPG): F Connor Lockhart
Round 7, Pick 201: F Lucas Forsell
Vegas Golden Knights
Round 1, Pick 30: F Zach Dean
Round 2, Pick 38 (from DET): D Daniil Chayka
Round 4, Pick 102 (from DET): F Jakub Brabenec
Round 4, Pick 128 (from TBL via DET): F Jakub Demek
Round 6, Pick 190: D Artur Cholach
Round 7, Pick 222: G Carl Lindbom
Washington Capitals
Round 2, Pick 55: D Vincent Iorio
Round 3, Pick 80 (from NYR): D Brent Johnson
Round 4, Pick 119: D Joaquim Lemay
Round 5, Pick 151: F Haakon Hanelt
Round 6, Pick 176 (from NYR): D Dru Krebs
Round 6, Pick 183: G Chase Clark
Winnipeg Jets
Round 1, Pick 18: F Chaz Lucius
Round 2, Pick 50: F Nikita Chibrikov
Round 3, Pick 82: D Dmitri Kuzmin
Round 5, Pick 146: F Dmitri Rashevsky
Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes Complete Minor Trade
The Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes have completed a minor trade, swapping a pair of minor league players. The Kings will receive Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen, while the Coyotes are getting Boko Imama and Cole Hults.
None of the four players have spent any time in the NHL to this point, and Hults is the only one under contract for the 2021-22 season. This deal will really just change the minor league mix for both clubs, giving young players a fresh start.
Burke, 24, scored just one goal in 28 games for the Tucson Roadrunners this season but was a 20-goal man in the past. A huge offensive piece in junior, Burke was undrafted out of the WHL because of his size and a lack of explosive skating ability. He’s proven he can be a top producer at the minor league level, but is unlikely to really receive much of an opportunity in Los Angeles.
Steenbergen, 23, was drafted, but is likely just as far away from the NHL. Remembered for his gold medal-winning goal for Team Canada in 2018, Steenbergen had just 13 points in 36 games for the Roadrunners this season. Another player who had huge junior totals but doesn’t really have the size for the NHL level, if signed he’ll likely spend next season in the AHL.
Imama, 24, had one of the more interesting QMJHL careers in recent memory. After having a career-high of 28 points through his first four seasons of junior hockey, he ended up scoring 41 goals in 2016-17, helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win a league title. He was a dominant physical presence that season, using the size and strength that had previously helped him as a fighter to bully his way to the net. Imama still had 105 penalty minutes that season, and has continued to fight in the minor leagues. He scored nine goals and 14 points this season, racking up 56 penalty minutes in 31 games.
Hults, 23, only has one year of professional experience after coming out of Penn State. His 19 games this season resulted in just five points, but he is perhaps the closest to the NHL given his position. The young defenseman could potentially see some time for Arizona next season, though just like the other three, will likely spend most of the year in the AHL.
Vancouver Canucks Acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Conor Garland
The Vancouver Canucks have landed their big fish, acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson from the Arizona Coyotes. The team will also land restricted free agent forward Conor Garland, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. The Coyotes are expected to receive Vancouver’s first-round pick this year (9th overall), a 2022 second-round pick and forwards Antoine Roussel, Loui Eriksson and Jay Beagle, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who also notes that the Coyotes will be retaining 12 percent of Ekman-Larsson’s salary. CapFriendly adds that a 2023 seventh-round pick will also be going to the Coyotes.
This is a huge deal in terms of salary, as the Canucks clear three bad contracts off the books to make room for Ekman-Larsson. The 30-year-old defenseman carries a cap hit of $8.25MM through the 2026-27 season, but is owed $10.5MM in actual salary each of the next three years. Even after the Coyotes retained a portion of it ($990K/season), Vancouver is taking on a huge risk that the veteran defenseman will be able to not only maintain his current level of play, but rebound to the levels that landed him that deal in the first place.
In 2018 when he signed the eight-year, $66MM extension, Ekman-Larsson was coming off a 14-goal, 42-point campaign with the Coyotes. He had previously received votes for the Norris Trophy on four occasions and had just posted his fifth consecutive season with double-digit goal totals. The risky part, even then, was that it was a true extension, signed with a full year still left on his previous deal. While that final year at $5.5MM was also very productive, this new contract hasn’t brought much success for the Swedish defender.
In 2019-20, he scored just nine goals and 30 points in 66 games, while seeing his possession numbers drop across the board. Despite still seeing prime powerplay time, his effectiveness with the man-advantage dropped, resulting in just seven powerplay points. This season, he scored just three times in 46 games, logging his lowest point total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. That came after a 2020 offseason filled with trade talks, with Vancouver and Boston the two teams he told Arizona he’d be willing to go to.
To make room for him in Vancouver, the team is moving out three contracts that total $12MM in cap room this season, but will actually require just $8.1MM in actual salary (minus some of the bonus payments that were likely already made by the Canucks) from the Coyotes. The most crucial part for Arizona is that each of Roussel, Beagle and Eriksson will become unrestricted free agents next season, meaning this is very little commitment from the Coyotes. A high first-round pick to swap Ekman-Larsson’s expensive deal for ones that will only affect the team this season is a steal, though there is of course that other player heading to Vancouver.
Garland, 25, has come on as the Coyotes most impressive forward in recent years, scoring 39 points in each of the last two seasons. His 47 goals in 164 games since entering the NHL will be a welcome addition to the Canucks lineup, though how much it will cost is still uncertain. Garland is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent with quite a case, after his previous two-year, $1.55MM (total) deal expires.
In all, this is a risk from the Canucks standpoint. Betting on Ekman-Larsson to rediscover his top-end form in a flat-cap era is one that could cost them good, young players in the future, especially given the other negotiations that the Canucks have coming up this summer. Sure, they moved out some bad money for this year, but this deal has financial ramifications that far outreach the 2021-22 season.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Arizona Coyotes Acquire Shayne Gostisbehere
The Arizona Coyotes have acquired Shayne Gostisbehere from the Philadelphia Flyers. The offensive defenseman has been in the rumor mill for years, but will finally find his way out of Philadelphia. The Coyotes will also receive a 2022 second-round pick and a 2022 seventh-round pick, the Flyers will not receive anything. Philadelphia GM Chuck Fletcher released a short statement on the move:
This was a difficult decision but one we thought was necessary given the reality of the salary cap. Shayne has been a quality player for this organization since the moment he arrived in Philadelphia and has been a part of many special moments in his seven seasons as a Flyer.
After landing Ryan Ellis just before the trade freeze went into effect, it was clear the Flyers would need to clear some money before the season started. Moving Gostisbehere accomplishes that, as his $4.5MM cap hit will be going to the Coyotes in full.
Ever since he signed a six-year, $27MM contract extension in 2017, there has been speculation about Gostisbehere’s future in Philadelphia. He had burst onto the NHL scene in 2015-16 with 46 points as a rookie, finishing second in Calder Trophy voting, and followed it up with an up-and-down sophomore campaign. At first, the new deal seemed like a steal, as Gostisbehere racked up 65 points in 78 games during the 2017-18 season. But then things started to unravel, to the point where he was made a healthy scratch several times over the last two seasons.
This year, he had 20 points in 41 games, still playing a high-risk style that drove offense but sacrificed defense. There’s no question that he can be a valuable piece to a team looking for someone to contribute from the back end, but with the other options already in the Flyers system, he had become redundant.
For Arizona though, Gostisbehere not only represents a player that can still contribute, but also a way to recoup some of the assets the organization has lost over the last few years. The team was forced to forfeit two high draft picks after scouting violations and then renounced another after selecting a player that had been convicted of assault. By accepting Gostisbehere’s full cap hit, they’ve added two picks to the system that they can use to build it back up.
The Coyotes, under the leadership of new GM Bill Armstrong, now have seven second-round picks over the next two drafts. Though the 11th pick this year, which originally belonged to them, will still be forfeited, they at least will be able to pump prospects into the organization that have a chance to help them find success in the future. Twice now, along with accepting Andrew Ladd‘s deal, the team has used cap space as a weapon. It will be interesting to see if Gostisbehere actually plays out his deal in Arizona, or is actually flipped at some point to a contender at a lesser cost.
This story originally referenced a tweet from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that indicated the picks were going to Philadelphia.
Arizona Coyotes Acquire Andrew Ladd, Multiple Draft Picks
One last deal slipped in before the Expansion Draft transaction freeze and it is intriguing, to say the least. The Arizona Coyotes have acquired veteran forward Andrew Ladd from the New York Islanders, taking on a bad contract in exchange for several draft picks. Sportsnet’s David Amber was the first to report the deal, while colleague Elliotte Friedman adds that the picks are a 2021 second-rounder, a conditional 2022 second-rounder, and a conditional 2023 third-rounder. The Coyotes will receive the higher pick of the Islanders’ two 2022 second-round selections, their own and the Colorado Avalanche’s. The third-round pick will be transferred if Ladd plays in at least one game in 2022-23.
Interestingly, Amber notes that Ladd is indeed expected to play for Arizona. The 35-year-old played in just four games this season and 26 last season, spending most of both campaigns with his $5.5MM cap hit buried in the AHL. Ladd has not played at a high level since before signing with New York in 2016, but the Coyotes need his veteran leadership and will give him the opportunity to return to form this year. He has two years remaining on his contract; Arizona hopes that in that time they can see some semblance of the former perennial 20-goal scorer.
This trade, while a high price to pay for the Islanders, is yet another major cost-saving move by the team following the trade of Nick Leddy earlier this week. New York was facing a difficult salary cap crunch this off-season, but have now freed up more than enough room to re-sign the likes of Adam Pelech, Anthony Beauvillier, and Ilya Sorokin. Without their own first- or second-round picks this year, it may seem like dealing three additional selections away in order to move Ladd was too much. However, adding a second-round pick for Leddy and two second-rounders (now down to one) for Devon Toews last summer, the Islanders had some flexibility without damaging the pipeline too badly. It beats the alternative, which likely would have been an expensive buyout for Ladd which still would have resulted in cap issues.
San Jose Sharks Acquire Adin Hill
The San Jose Sharks were believed to be closing in on a goaltender ahead of the Expansion Draft roster freeze and now a deal is done. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the Sharks have acquired goaltender Adin Hill from their now-former division rival Arizona Coyotes. San Jose will send young goalie Josef Korenar back to Arizona to satisfy exposure requirements for the Coyotes. The ‘Yotes will also receive a 2022 second-round pick, while sending their own 2022 seventh-round pick to the Sharks alongside Hill, adds Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
This trade was – obviously – all about the Expansion Draft. The Sharks did not have a goaltender that they felt was worthy of protection from the Seattle Kraken and the Coyotes had two. Arizona had reportedly been listening to offers for both starter Darcy Kuemper and backup Hill, expecting that Seattle would select Hill if he could not be protected. They end up losing the promising young netminder regardless, but get something back from San Jose – a goalie prospect and a high-value draft pick. Meanwhile, the Sharks will expose starter Martin Jones, who has failed to live up to his lofty contract, in favor of Hill. Jones is very unlikely to be selected, although such a decision would be well received by the Sharks anyhow. Kuemper and Hill had been the Coyotes’ only goaltenders eligible for the Expansion Draft, necessitating the return of Korenar to fill the exposure quota of one goaltender under contract or team control.
Hill will be given every opportunity to take the starting job from Jones this season. The 25-year-old’s role in the desert has been increasing in each of the past three years, capped off with a career-high 19 appearances and 17 starts in 2020-21. Hill is a big, positional goaltender who has translated his ability well from the AHL to the NHL. Over the past two seasons, Hill has recorded a .915 save percentage and 2.70 GAA in 32 games. Playing behind a deeper and more talented defense corps in San Jose, those numbers have a chance to improve, which would certainly be an upgrade to Jones’ recent efforts.
With that said, given the desperate position of the Coyotes in this situation, it is fair to wonder if San Jose overpaid. What will very likely be an early second-round pick next year alongside a promising rookie keeper in Korenar is a steep price. Arizona risked losing Hill for nothing and instead added quality building blocks.
Still No Discussions Between Coyotes And Pending RFA Conor Garland
Last month, Conor Garland’s agent indicated there had been no progress in contract discussions between the Coyotes and the pending restricted free agent. It appears nothing has changed on that front as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relays (Twitter link) that there still have been no contract talks between the two sides and that Arizona appears to be trying to move him. The 25-year-old is coming off a career year that saw him collect 12 goals and 27 assists in 49 games but is arbitration-eligible for the first time. On the surface, it would appear as if the Coyotes are concerned about what contract he could be awarded in a hearing which makes him a name to watch for heading into Saturday’s transactions freeze.
Elsewhere in the Central Division:
- The Blackhawks have given the agent for forward Maxim Shalunov permission to speak to other NHL teams about finding a trade for his rights, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link). Whether or not the 28-year-old will come back to North America (he played in the minors in 2013-14) has seemingly been an annual tradition for the last several years but with Chicago’s forward depth, there really isn’t a spot for him even if they wanted to sign him. Shalunov had 18 goals and 17 assists in 52 games with CSKA Moscow in the KHL this season and could be an intriguing acquisition for someone; Powers suggests that the asking price from Chicago wouldn’t be too high in order to give him a chance to try the NHL if they don’t have a spot for him.
- One player whose stock may have been boosted by the playoffs is Stars blueliner Jamie Oleksiak. Between that and recent contracts handed out to similar players, Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News posits that the 28-year-old pending unrestricted free agent should be able to land a contract of $3.5MM or more on the open market. That may be more than Dallas can afford knowing that Miro Heiskanen is up for a big-ticket contract in his first trip through restricted free agency this summer. Oleksiak told DeFranks that things have been quiet so in terms of discussions on a new deal.