The Arizona Coyotes have added another minor league standout, signing Jean-Sebastien Dea to a two-year, two-way contract according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. The scribe reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $750K in the NHL, though that isn’t actually possible as the league minimum will increase to $775K next season. Dea will earn $300K in the minor leagues.
Not to be forgotten is Bokondji Imama, who has re-signed with the team on a one-year, two-way contract. The 25-year-old had qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agent but will return to the team that gave him his first taste of NHL action this season.
Dea, 28, is an excellent AHL forward, capable of putting up big offensive numbers no matter where he’s playing. He had 26 goals and 52 points in 70 games with the Laval Rocket this year and also has experience with the Rochester Americans, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during his time in the minors. He also has 33 games of NHL experience, though any chance of him becoming an impact player at that level has long passed. He might get a handful of games in with the rebuilding club but is probably joining more for the Tucson Roadrunners than anything else.
The same is likely true for Imama, even if he did make his first NHL appearance this year. The 25-year-old played four games with the Coyotes and scored a goal, an impressive performance given he has never even reached double-digit tallies in the AHL. For Tucson this year he had five goals, 12 points, and 178 penalty minutes, bringing a physical presence to every shift.
Glad they brought BOKO back. Every shift he was on the ice the opponents were looking for where he was. Imagine Boko, O’Brien and Kassian on the ice at the same time. Brutality at its best.