The Coyotes have already been quite busy this offseason, bringing in a new starting goalie (Antti Raanta), a top four defenseman (Niklas Hjalmarsson), and a top center (Derek Stepan). They also parted ways with long-time captain Shane Doan while losing Radim Vrbata to Florida as well. Despite those changes, GM John Chayka told Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan that he is still trying to work on one more move, although he declined to get into specifics about what they’re targeting. He did acknowledge, however, that their heavy lifting is done which suggests this final move (if they’re able to make it) is likely a smaller one.
Other notes from the Pacific:
- Also from Morgan’s column, Chayka was in Toronto recently to meet with some assistant coaching candidates. Morgan reports that long-time Coyote Teppo Numminen, who last worked behind the bench with Finland at the World Cup, is not among the candidates being considered. The team is expecting to announce at least one hire next week. The Coyotes are on the hunt for two assistants after Jim Playfair resigned following former head coach Dave Tippett’s departure while Newell Brown was let go back in April.
- With a looming cap crunch next offseason, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal argues that the Oilers should be looking to try to extend some players – particularly defenseman Matt Benning and Darnell Nurse plus winger Patrick Maroon – now instead of waiting until next summer in the hopes of getting a value deal done. Edmonton has more than $52MM committed for 2018-19 already (an amount that will go up considerably when Leon Draisaitl’s new contract is done) so getting some more cost certainty now would also be beneficial for GM Peter Chiarelli in terms of figuring out who may need to be moved between now and the start of that season.
- After missing the majority of this past season after undergoing cervical fusion surgery due to disc degeneration in his neck, Canucks winger Derek Dorsett is expected to be ready for training camp, notes Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province. Dorsett has two years left on his contract with a $2.65MM cap hit and will likely battle for a fourth line spot with Vancouver.