The Arizona Coyotes were hit with a stiff fine after breaking rules regarding the testing of players at the NHL Combine. The penalty saw the team lose a 2nd-rounder this year and 1st next year.
Unfortunately for the Coyotes, this news comes knowing they didn’t have a lot of draft picks to begin with.
As per CapFriendly, the Coyotes are now without a 1st, 2nd or 3rd RD pick in the 2020 draft. They also will not have a 1st or 3rd in 2021 and if they elect to re-sign Taylor Hall, that 1st or 3rd becomes a 1st or 2nd in 2021.
Clearly, Arizona needs to get some of those draft picks back.
Elliotte Friedman noted on his latest 31 Thoughts podcast that the team is well aware of the tight situation they are in when it comes to potentially being able to restock their cupboards with draft picks and prospects and one of their priorities this offseason is to correct the problem. Friedman hints that the Coyotes should be a team to watch as they move some pretty good players for picks.
Related: Did Avs Crushing Win Over Coyotes Tell Hall It’s Time to Move On?
So Who Might the Coyotes Move?
Among the names mentioned were goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who, for the most part, had a great playoff run with the Coyotes with Antti Raanta out. Kuemper has two years left at $4.5 million and there are definitely teams looking for a goaltender this season.
Friedman also points out that Jason Demers, Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jordan Oesterle all have a year left and could be moved. Hjalmarsson is an interesting name here because there a great deal of teams who see him as one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL. At $5 million, he’s also not out of the question for some teams financially.
The biggest name Friedman suggests could be available is defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Friedman confirms the Coyotes could test the trade market for the defenseman but what’s out there in terms of options could be limited.
Clearly, Ekman-Larsson is a high-caliber d-man, but he has seven-years left at $8.5 million and a no-movement clause. He has Arizona over a barrell should he not want to move. That said, Friedman notes that he might be open to a move if he likes where he’s going.
There are interesting times ahead for the Coyotes, who, by the way, still don’t have a general manager. So, who exactly would these teams that have picks to spare be calling if they want to pick up some talented new roster members?
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