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Snapshots: Edler, Montreal, Kesler

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The Vancouver Canucks have had an interesting start to the year, with impressive performances from rookie Elias Pettersson but bad losses at the hands of the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. The team has allowed 14 goals in three games, and is busy shaking up their blue line to try to find answers. One player that won’t be taken out of the lineup because of his play is Alexander Edler, but there might be a break-up coming down the line anyway. Edler is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, but has made it clear he wants to spend the rest of his career in Vancouver.

Still, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet points out in his latest 31 Thoughts column, Edler would be an attractive rental piece at the trade deadline for a contender. The 32-year old defenseman is averaging more than 25 minutes of ice time through the first three games and is coming off his most effective offensive season in some time. Friedman notes that the Tampa Bay Lightning has shown interest in the left-hander before, and that “someone” will again even if he’s determined to return to the Canucks in 2019-20.

  • The Montreal Canadiens will face a tough decision in the coming days, as Eric Engels of Sportsnet writes that the team will likely put either Jacob de La Rose or Nikita Scherbak on waivers once the former is back to full health. Both high draft selections, neither player has really found much consistency in the NHL and even their youth can’t get them into the current lineup. Engels believes that both would be prime targets for a waiver claim, given that they still hold some substantial potential. There are obviously other ways out of the roster crunch, but if it does come down to a waiver placement and attempted minor league assignment, the Canadiens could find themselves losing some of their forward depth for nothing in the coming days.
  • Ryan Kesler was on the ice at the Anaheim Ducks morning skate, and even took line rushes between Andrew Cogliano and Kiefer Sherwood according to Josh Cooper of The Athletic. The veteran forward was not expected to return so soon, and head coach Randy Carlyle wouldn’t even confirm that he’ll be in the lineup tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. If he is back to health it’s at the perfect time as the Ducks are without Ryan Getzlaf and are struggling to find much offense up front. An expected Stanley Cup contender, the Ducks have been ravaged by injuries early and could use some good news on that front.

2018-19 NCAA Players To Watch

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Just like their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is underway. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows. The NHL boasts more than a few top rookies fresh out of the college ranks this season and those still in school in 2018-19 will soon join them. This year’s crop of talent is sticking with the trend, with several players in need of watching:

The Recent Draft Picks

D Quinn Hughes, Michigan (VAN): Hughes very nearly signed his first pro contract with the Vancouver Canucks this summer before deciding to return to Michigan. The seventh overall pick back in June, Hughes was the second defenseman off the board behind top pick Rasmus Dahlin, and many even saw No. 7 as being a steal for Vancouver. An electric skater who can’t help but draw the eyes of spectators as he moves effortlessly around the ice, Hughes pairs his skating ability with the vision and positioning that makes him a threat in all three zones. Hughes also has an NCAA season under his belt already and should be even more prepared to dominate opponents this season. Hughes is a complete two-way defenseman and the centerpiece of a Wolverines team that was a Frozen Four finalist last year. Hughes himself could be eyeing the Hobey Baker Award this season. Michigan almost had Hughes’ younger brother and presumptive top 2019 pick Jack Hughes joining them this season, before he decided to stick with the U.S. National Development Program for another year before almost certainly turning pro.

F Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College (NYI): Perhaps the most gifted goal scorer of the 2018 draft class, Wahlstrom was a late addition to BC’s freshman class, changing his commitment from Harvard, and the Eagles could not be happier. Wahlstrom is a rare combination of both high-end skill and hard-nosed play who dominated with the U.S. National Development Program last year. The right winger has had the attention of scouts for his puck-handling ability since he was nine years old, but as he’s grown up he has also filled out his frame and added a menacing physical element to his game. Wahlstrom can skate and possess the puck as well as anyone, but is even more of a threat as the go-to shooter, which he will be skating with a roster of play-makers up front for BC. Wahlstrom could be the next big NHL power forward and may very well be one-and-done in the NCAA if he continues to score at a torrid pace this year and force the hand of the rebuilding New York Islanders, who selected him with the eleventh pick this past year.

F Joel Farabee, Boston Univ. (PHI): Wahlstrom’s teammate with the U.S. National Development program last season, Farabee was the one feeding Wahlstrom most of the time with 43 assists to his linemate’s 48 goals. Farabee is now a cross-town rival of Wahlstrom’s as he joins the uber-talented BU Terriers. Farabee is a threatening presence in the offensive zone, but is even more dangerous due to his two-way ability. An extremely intelligent winger who is beyond his years in terms of decision-making and positioning, Farabee is as responsible a freshman forward as you can find in the NCAA. He may not light up the score sheet right away this year, but will no doubt make a difference for the title-chasing Terriers. Farabee’s style bodes well for an NHL career in Philadelphia, after the Flyers used the No. 14 pick on him in June.

F Jay O’Brien, Providence (PHI): Some considered it a reach when the Flyers used their second first-round pick on O’Brien, another college-bound forward and one who was coming from the prep school ranks with Thayer Academy. However, the 19th overall pick more than earned his draft slot after scoring 80 points in 30 games while also displaying an impressive two-way game. O’Brien now bring his talents to Providence, a program that lost their top two scorers from last season and are looking for their next star forward. O’Brien could emerge as both the top scoring threat and dependable defensive forward for the Friars in his first collegiate season. O’Brien is also ready to take on Hockey East competition with a gritty games that all Philly and Providence fans will appreciate.

The Soon-To-Be NHLers

D Cale Makar, UMass (COL): Few will argue that Makar isn’t the best prospect in the NCAA, if not the best drafted player not playing in the NHL. The smooth-skating defenseman was the fourth overall pick in 2017 by the Colorado and would be skating on the Avs’ top pair right now if he had not committed himself to Amherst and to entering the pros as well-rounded as possible. Makar possesses elite puck-handling skills and vision and can out-skate almost anyone in the college ranks. Makar should improve upon his 21 points in an up-and-down freshman campaign and could flirt with point-per-game production from the blue line. The newly-named UMass captain, along with talented fellow defenseman Mario Ferraro (SJS) and top forward John Leonard (SJ) have the Minutemen thinking NCAA Tournament for the first time in years, while Makar could easily be a Hobey Baker candidate.

G Jake Oettinger, Boston Univ. (DAL): Oettinger nearly turned pro this off-season, but returns to BU with his sights set on backstopping the team to a national championship. A first-round pick at No. 26 in 2017, Oettinger was selected by the Dallas Stars with the expectations that he would be the heir apparent in net. Even with the emergence of Colton Point, the Dallas job is still there for the taking. The team’s veteran duo of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin won’t be around forever and Oettinger could conceivably compete for starts as early as 2020. Expect the big goaltender to put up stellar numbers behind a deep Terrier defense this season before joining the pro ranks next year.

F Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud (MTL): Poehling was drafted for his intelligent, professional, two-way style and Montreal hoped he would develop into a capable bottom-six center. However, they have to be pleased with the improvement in his offense, after he registered 31 points in 36 games for a St. Cloud team that was top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Poehling lacks the high-end skill of other first-round prospects, but the 2017 No. 25 pick makes up for his skating and hands with positioning and composure. Poehling should again improve this season while maintaining his elite defensive play and could be in the running for the Hobey Baker Award, especially if the Huskies are dominant yet again. The Canadiens prospect should then compete for a roster spot right away next season.

The Trade Return

F Josh Norris, Michigan (OTT): The recent centerpiece prospect of the Erik Karlsson trade, a lot of eyes in Ottawa will be on the performance of Norris this season. The entire top line of the Michigan Wolverines’ Final Four roster has moved on to the pros, leaving Norris as the team’s top center. The No. 19 pick in 2017 by the San Jose Sharks, Norris is a freak athlete who can hold his own against anyone in the NCAA. The Senators’ new addition also has a deceptively quick release on his shot and is deadly accurate with both passing and shooting. Norris simply needs to embrace his role for Michigan, both carrying the puck and shooting more often. Some more experience, specifically as the team’s top scoring option, should go a long way for the promising center’s development.

F Shane Bowers, Boston Univ. (COL): Of course, who can forget the top center prospect that Ottawa recently traded away themselves. Bowers, part of the regrettable package that the Senators sent to the Colorado Avalanche for Matt Duchene, is set to be the go-to guy up front for BU this season. Bowers’ 32 points in 40 games last season ranked third last season for the Terriers, but with Jordan Greenway and Brady Tkachuk now gone, Bowers should be the top option and could be a dark horse Hobey Baker candidate on a talented BU team that should provide plenty of scoring chances. Bowers is quick-thinking and quick-skating offensive presence who is especially dangerous on the power play and works the puck down low perhaps better than anyone in the college ranks. A breakout campaign for Bowers should give the 2017 No. 28 pick an opportunity to compete for a spot among the Avs’ young forward corps next year.

D Adam Fox, Harvard (CAR): Fox, entering his junior year with the Harvard Crimson, has already seen his NHL rights traded. Fox had allegedly expressed a resistance to signing with the Calgary Flames, but so far no such sentiment has been associated with his new team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Fox is a mature, intelligent defender who has been a point-per-game player in college and especially excels as a power play quarterback. However, Fox is more than capable on the back end as well. Assuming he is yet again producing a Hobey Baker campaign for Harvard this year, Fox seems like a prime candidate for a late-season contract and brief tryout with the Hurricanes. Carolina’s depth on defense may block him from being a full time NHLer for a few years, but when Fox finally does land that job, he has the complete game to be a dangerous presence on any blue line.

The Top Prospect

D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota: If there is one thing that the 2018-19 NCAA class lacks, it is many standout draft-eligible prospects. Brinkman alone is a candidate for early selection next June, but the Minnesota native is a surefire first-rounder. The Gophers have rarely given a true freshman defenseman the role and minutes expected of Brinkman this season, but the teen blue liner is a special talent. A smooth skater who excels with the puck on his stick, it will be no surprise to see Brinkman frequently carry the puck up and start the rush for Minnesota and he should see ample power play time as well. Brinkman is no slouch in his own zone either, as he plays a competent game that allowed him to shut down high school competition. The adjustment to the college level will come with some lumps for the young defenseman, but Brinkman should emerge from this season as a bona fide NHL prospect.

Arizona Coyotes Assign Barrett Hayton To OHL

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The Arizona Coyotes have decided that Barrett Hayton isn’t ready for the NHL after all. The team has assigned the top prospect back to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, where he will continue his development as one of the most dynamic two-way centers in junior hockey.

Hayton was kept around a little longer than the preseason in order to give him a taste of NHL life, though he never actually entered a game for the Coyotes. The fifth-overall pick from June was something of a surprise selection, but the Coyotes and GM John Chayka have sung his praises since then. Underutilized last season in Sault Ste. Marie, Hayton should take on an even bigger role and show off why Arizona picked him so high. Even at just 18-years old he could join the Canadian World Junior team, especially if the management believes it would be their only chance at him before he heads to the NHL.

An excellent defensive center, Hayton has big offensive upside as well and should only add to the depth the Coyotes are trying to build down the middle. Though there is still some debate over whether Alex Galchenyuk can play the position full time, or whether Clayton Keller would be capable of a switch, the team already has several NHL-caliber options to grow the team around. Hayton should challenge that group next season, though there is no guarantee he even makes the club in 2019-20. If he doesn’t, the Greyhounds could be one of the best teams in the OHL for several years, and potentially compete for the Memorial Cup.

Minor Transactions: 10/07/18

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After the first handful of games and a handful of injuries, many teams should be active as they make changes and/or additions to their roster. Keep checking to see what teams do.

  • The St. Louis Blues announced they have assigned veteran defenseman Chris Butler to the San Antonio Rampage now that Jakub Jerabek has gotten his visa and is ready to join the team. With Jerabek, the team has nine defenseman on the roster, forcing them to send Butler down. The 31-year-old blueliner played in the Blues’ first two games for the injured Joel Edmundson, faring well and even scored a goal. Once an NHL regular, Butler has spent the past few years in the AHL, being utilized as an emergency recall.
  • The Minnesota Wild announced they have assigned forward Luke Kunin to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. That means that Kunin has been cleared to play since he’s been working to return from a torn ACL he sustained on Mar. 4. The team’s 2016 first-rounder, Kunin bounced back and forth between Iowa and Minnesota last season, playing in 19 games for the big-league club before sustaining the injury. He has been rehabbing since and passed coach Bruce Boudreau’s infamous skating test Saturday and looks ready to continue his return.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Laurent Dauphin from his conditioning stint with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL, the team announced. The 23-year-old played one game there, putting up a goal and an assist and will now return to the Coyotes. Dauphin has been recovering from a lower-body injury he sustained at the end of last season and had been limited at training camp. The hope is he can fill in for injured Coyotes’ such as Alex Galchenyuk and Christian Dvorak.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced they have recalled veteran goaltender Peter Budaj to be the team’s backup for Jack Campbell for the near future while starter Jonathan Quick sits out after he suffered a lower-body injury in practice Saturday. The 36-year-old Budaj has only played one game for Ontario in the AHL as he allowed five goals, posting a .833 save percentage.
  • With Joe Thornton landing on the IR, the San Jose Sharks have promoted center Dylan Gambrell, per CapFriendly. The first-year pro out of the University of Denver was a perennial point-per-game player in the college ranks and will be looking to live up to his second-round pick billing in his first opportunity with the Sharks.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have promoted center Vladislav Kamenev from Colorado of the AHL in advance of their upcoming road trip, per the AHL’s Transactions page.  The 22-year-old was added as part of the Matt Duchene trade last season but was sidelined shortly thereafter.  In two games with the Eagles so far this season, Kamenev has one assist.

Central Notes: Bishop, Hanzal, Crawford, Kunin

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While Ben Bishop has fared well, when healthy, for the Dallas Stars, there are many reasons for that. One reason is his dedication to watching film. According to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required), Bishop has been watching film every day before games for the last seven years and will watch anywhere from 30 to 60 clips of opponents and their scoring opportunities.

“I like to see where they’re getting their chances from,” Bishop said. “You can kind of pick up on where they’re getting their chances. Is it a lot of odd-man rushes? Is it down low? Is it a lot of point stuff?”

Bishop always puts more emphasis on young players who he knows little about, something he focused heavily on before their season opener against the Arizona Coyotes, a team full of young, talented players. The result: a shutout. Video coach Kelly Forbes said he’s never seen a goalie put so much emphasis on film. Bishop is also an active participant in team pre-scouting as well.

“Even though I play I’m still a big fan,” Bishop said. “And I’m always watching it and I’m always watching the goalies. Everybody has got a different style, I’m sure when I’m done playing I’ll still be watching the goalies.”

  • Sticking with the Stars, NHL.com’s Mark Stepneski writes that Martin Hanzal, who has been on injured reserve as he recovers from back surgery, was skating with the team this morning. Hanzal, who the team signed to a three-year, $14.25MM contract last offseason, hasn’t done much for Dallas so far. He appeared in just 38 games last season, tallying just five goals. There is still no timetable for his return. Valeri Nichushkin, out with a lower-body injury, also skated with the team and remains day-to-day.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks are getting closer to getting back goaltender Corey Crawford into their lineup. Mark Lazerus of The Athletic questioned head coach Joel Quenneville about how carefully the team will use Crawford. “We’ll watch him,” Quenneville said. “Long-term, that’s the goal, is to get him playing. But we’ll see immediately how he’s playing.” In the meantime, offseason acquisition Cam Ward has been filling in as the team’s starter.
  • John Shipley of pioneerpress.com writes that young forward Luke Kunin is getting closer to being medically cleared after suffering a torn ACL injury on Mar. 4 and undergoing surgery. The 2016 first-round pick passed coach Bruce Boudreau’s infamous skate test Saturday morning and the team now must decide whether to keep him with the Wild or send him to Iowa of the AHL. “That’s not my call,” Boudreau said. Kunin practiced Friday with the team’s third line of Jordan Greenway and Charlie Coyle.

Poll: Should Christian Fischer Face Discipline For Hit On Jamie Benn?

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Flying under the radar today was one of the more dangerous knee-to-knee hits in recent memory that occurred last night in the opening game between the Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars. Late in the first period, Coyotes forward Christian Fischer was facing down none other than Stars captain Jamie Benn as he crossed the red line on a rush. Fischer decided the best course of action was to extend his left leg as Benn cut to left, making direct contract with Benn’s left knee and sending him airborne from the contact (video). The trip cost Fischer two minutes for a minor kneeing penalty, but 24 hours later there has been no word on any other supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

On one hand, Fischer made a split second decision to both slow the rush and brace himself against the charging Benn. It wasn’t the type of hit typically targeted by Player Safety and did not appear to have much forethought or intent to injure. Although clearly a penalty, Fischer served his time and, to some extent, justice was served.

However, this also seems like the type of incident that has gone unnoticed almost entirely due to the result. Not only did Benn get right up, seemingly totally uninjured, but he went right back at Fischer. He also finished the night with two assists and looked perfectly healthy. Had Benn instead suffered a massive knee injury, as was entirely possible from such a check, the likelihood that Player Safety would have looked into the loss of one of the league’s top players is extremely high. Fischer was fortunate that Benn was not seriously hurt and, even if the decision was made in haste, knew full well that knee-to-knee contact could have had a disastrous result. Yet, he still decided to throw his leg into the path of the speeding Benn.

Player Safety tends to respond quickly to incidents such as these, sometimes announcing a hearing and sometimes even recognizing a controversial event and confirming that there would not be any supplemental discipline. At this point, Fischer’s knee has somehow gone totally unnoticed. Is this just a minor penalty that simply looked dramatic on the ice? Or was this a dirty play by Fischer that was dangerous and/or intentional and deserving of punishment?

Minor Transactions: 10/05/18

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Another outstanding set of season openers last night brought some incredible saves and exciting performances. Now as teams get ready for the weekend, we’ll be watching all the minor moves around the league.

  • The St. Louis Blues have called up Chris Thorburn after clearing waivers just a few days ago, and decided to send Niko Mikkola down to the AHL. Mikkola didn’t play in the Blues opener, in which they were defeated 5-1 by the Winnipeg Jets. Thorburn, a veteran forward with 800 games under his belt, may be inserted to give the team a little more experience in their next matchup. The Blues have also shuffled their goaltending assignments. Their AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, announced that Evan Fitzpatrick has been reassigned to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. With Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso manning the net in San Antonio, the first-year pro Fitzpatrick will see far more play time with Tulsa.
  • Rasmus Andersson will get his chance at the NHL a little sooner than expected this season, as he’s been recalled by the Calgary Flames after just one game. Travis Hamonic suffered a facial fracture in the season opener for Calgary when he was fighting Erik Gudbranson and will be out for at least a week. The 21-year old Andersson played 10 games for the Flames last season, and performed quite well in the preseason.
  • The Boston Bruins have sent Urho Vaakanainen back to Providence to play for their AHL team, delaying his NHL debut a little longer. Vaakanainen, the Bruins first-round pick from 2017, will start his North American career in the minor leagues and try to make an impact right away. The smooth skating defenseman is fairly polished in his own end already, and should be able to provide a boost to the Providence blue line this season.
  • Collin Delia didn’t even get time to unpack his bags for the Chicago Blackhawks, as the team has sent the young goaltender back to the minor leagues. Delia came up to fill in for an injured Anton Forsberg, who took a puck up high in practice, but will return to his place with the Rockford IceHogs this season.
  • Former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Philip Samuelsson has signed with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the team announced. Samuelsson, 27, was a second-round pick of the Pens back in 2009 but has never been able to live up to that billing. He has bounced between the Arizona Coyotes’ and Carolina Hurricanes’ organizations over the past few years, but still has just 13 NHL games to his credit. Unable to find a new NHL opportunity this off-season, Ulf Samuelsson’s son will try to repair his image with a strong minor league campaign this year in hopes of one day returning to the NHL.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have sent forward Laurent Dauphin to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners on a conditioning stint. Dauphin, 23, missed the final 15 game of the regular season last year with a lower-body injury and rehabbed this summer, but remained limited during the preseason. To get him back to full strength, the ’Yotes will give Dauphin some time to get his legs going in the minors. There won’t be a corresponding call up to Arizona, as players reassigned for conditioning purposes continue to count against the NHL roster.

Jordan Maletta Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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Friday: Maletta has cleared waivers and will see his contract terminated.

Thursday: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Chicago Blackhawks have placed Jordan Maletta on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Maletta was acquired by the Blackhawks as part of the Marian Hossa trade with the Arizona Coyotes and is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

Maletta, 23, is likely facing the end of his playing career after not being medically cleared to attend camp this season and instead taking a role with the Niagara IceDogs coaching staff (though he’s not listed in any official capacity so far). The young forward played parts of four seasons in Niagara during his junior career, and is originally from the area.

Though he obviously wasn’t the central target for the Hossa trade, Maletta had shown some promise as an undrafted minor league player. In 2016-17 with the Cleveland Monsters, he scored 12 goals and 23 points in 76 games while being a big part of the team’s penalty kill. There was little chance he would play a big role in the NHL at any point in his career, but there was certainly reason to believe he could contribute at the minor league level if healthy. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, and he’ll see his contract terminated by the Blackhawks tomorrow.

Injury Notes: Tuch, Johns, Hayton

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Although the nature of his injury remains a complete mystery, Vegas Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch is headed to the injured reserve. The team announced this evening that the young power forward has been placed on IR, but did not add any further detail to the release. Tuch’s unavailability paired with the recent demotions of Daniel Carr and Curtis McKenzie leaves the Knights with just twelve healthy forwards and an open roster spot heading into their opener, indicating that the team will soon name a replacement to the roster, likely a recall from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Meanwhile, Tuch is eligible to return on October 8th, when Vegas travels to his hometown Buffalo Sabres. The Golden Knights will try to get Tuch back to full strength as soon as possible, as the 22-year-old recorded 37 points in his first full NHL season last year and appears primed for a breakout campaign in 2018-19.

  • The Dallas Stars clarified the status of defenseman Stephen Johns today, while also shedding light on their recent acquisition of fellow right-handed defenseman Connor Carrick. Sportsday’s Matthew DeFranks writes that Johns has been dealing with post-traumatic headaches over the past few weeks and the condition has landed him on the injured reserve. While head coach Jim Montgomery indicated that Johns could return to practice as soon as Wednesday – he has only practiced once since September 16th – but there is no timeline for his return to game action. The team will likely take it slow while Johns works through a sensitive diagnosis and in the meantime Carrick can help to pick up the slack. Johns was one of Dallas’ more consistent blue liners last season and the team will welcome him back when he is ready to go. Outside of Johns and forward Valeri Nichushkin, out day-to-day with a lower body injury, the Stars have had good luck with injuries in camp and enter the regular season with a solid depth chart of healthy players.
  • Last week, we noted that the Arizona Coyotes had reached the maximum of 50 contracts for the organization and had technically exceeded the limit with entry-level contracts for Barrett Hayton and Pierre-Olivier Joseph. However, the two youngsters were expected to be returned to juniors which would discount their contracts against the limit. While Joseph has returned to the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders, Hayton has in fact been officially named to the opening night roster, the team announced. How does such a move work? Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Hayton will not count against the contract limit until he has played in the minimum ten games for his contract to toll. As such, Hayton’s stay in the desert could be predetermined to just a short nine-game stint. However, if he wins a long-term spot on the roster, the Coyotes will be pressed to trade away one or more players under contract to make space. Why give Hayton this chance considering their roster inflexibility? Arizona is currently dealing with a laundry list of injuries, with Alex Galchenyuk, Christian Dvorak, and Josh Archibald on injured reserve and Nick Merkley additionally sidelined. The recent first-round pick may present the best opportunity in the system to make up for these losses.

Arizona Coyotes Could Be Early Players On Trade Market

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The regular season is about to begin and with it comes the regular season trade market, which can be both a continuation of long-term team building or more reactionary measures to combat injuries or a slow start. One team that seems likely to be included in early trade conversations are the Arizona Coyotes. The ’Yotes have the pieces, the motivation, and most importantly, the roster crunch that should make them a prime candidate to acquire one of the first major pieces to hit the trade block.

Entering the 2018-19 season, Arizona is the only NHL team that is at the league’s 50-contract limit. A handful of other teams sit at 48 or 49 players signed, but the Coyotes are the only club right up against it. In fact, the Coyotes actually have 52 players under contract, according to CapFriendly. The contracts of recent first-round picks Barrett Hayton and Pierre-Olivier Joseph won’t count against the limit, once both are returned to their respective junior teams, but as of now Hayton remains on the roster. Presumably, Hayton must be returned to juniors. The fact that the Coyotes cannot even make such a simple roster decision exemplifies the inflexibility that the team struggles with. Solving this dilemma ahead of NHL Trade Deadline or college free agent rush later in the season will be a task on the forefront for GM John Chayka and company.

[RELATED: ARIZONA COYOTES ROSTER]

Fortunately, Arizona is set up well to make an “all-for-one”-type deal. The Coyotes have one of the youngest rosters in the league, specifically up front, where the depth of talent in 25-and-under forwards runs well into the minor league ranks. Regardless of who makes the Opening Night roster for Arizona, the team will have two or three well-regarded forward prospects playing for their AHL team in Tuscon seemingly for much of the year. It’s a simple fact of life that not every promising player can see substantial NHL minutes, but can the Coyotes really afford to be wasting talent?

Arizona has not qualified for the playoffs since they went by the name “Phoenix”. The team last saw postseason action in 2011-12, the third-longest drought in the league. The Coyotes have only made the playoffs three times total in the post-lockout salary cap era. Fans are clamoring for a change in fortunes and while the ’Yotes have been considered an up-and-coming team for years now, the rebuild simply hasn’t panned out. The administration has shown more of a willingness to make changes recently, investing in contender-caliber tandem of Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper, trading for veterans like Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, and Derek Stepan and even signing sought-after hired gun Michael Grabner. The Coyotes are starting to build a roster that structurally looks more like a contender than the past few seasons, while maintaining a low salary cap hit. However, they need to get out from under this roster limit issue and an easy way of doing so would be to package several of their minor league forwards for a veteran name on the rumor mill.

Some may still want to take the slow, cautious approach and see the rebuild through, but after seven years without a playoff game and a Chayka administration that has seen too few top prospects pan out, the pressure is on in the desert. A slow start, even if it caused by an Alex Galchenyuk injury absence or adjusting to game speed for players like Jakob Chychrun, Christian Dvorak, and several new faces, could be enough to pull the trigger on such a deal. Considering all the variables in favor of making a trade, it would be no surprise to see the Coyotes active on the trade market early this season.

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