3 Players New Jersey Devils Should Covet From Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are in a mess financially and will undoubtedly be looking to shed salary to stay in compliance with the NHL’s flat salary cap. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the salary cap isn’t moving from it’s current $81.5 million it was in 2019-20. The Yotes currently have $1 million in salary cap space this offseason and somehow want to re-sign former New Jersey Devils star Taylor Hall.
The Coyotes were also hit hard as punishment for violating the league’s scouting combine policy, stripping away a 2020 2nd-round pick and 2021 1st-round pick. Contract talks with Hall are reportedly good, but that’s been said before. He will not come cheap, and even if he doesn’t re-sign with Arizona, they will have no choice but to trade some assets to stay under the salary cap and recoup some assets they lost.
The Devils and Coyotes are no strangers in making headline moves with one another, as the aforementioned Hall was the centerpiece of a trade back in December. The Coyotes have some attractive pieces that could entice the Devils into engaging trade discussions with them. In an earlier column on Pucks and Pitchforks we advised against trading for defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson because of his albatross of a contract and declining play. We all are aware that the Devils need massive reinforcements on the back end, and the one name that stands out on Arizona is Jakub Chychrun. He is their best defenseman, on a good contract and is only 22 years age, so that seems far fetched that Arizona would deal him. Here are some assets the Devils should look into trading for.
Darcy Kuemper
The Arizona Coyotes have two viable options in Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper in net. There are a lot of NHL teams who will be calling Arizona for one of their goaltenders, both of whom comes with a palatable salary. Raanta carries a $4.25 million AAV with one year left on his contract while Kuemper has a $4.5 million AAV with two years left on his contract. The term alone makes Kuemper the more attractive asset.
No stranger to being in a time share during his career, Kuemper could help bring stability in net with Mackenzie Blackwood. In all likelihood there will be a condensed 2020-21 schedule so having another goaltender the Devils could trust would be a huge benefit to the team and a lighter workload for Blackwood.
If you haven’t watched much Coyotes games during their ‘play in round’ or first round against the Avalance, Kuemper was spectacular. He gave the Coyotes a fighting chance against the high flying Avalanche until the team itself self destructed in games four and five. Adding Kuemper will buy the team a few more years to find a more permanent solution to their backup goaltending woes, whether it be in an in house replacement like Gilles Senn or someone outside of the organization.
Arizona should look to sell high on the better goaltender in Kuemper. If the the price tag for Kuemper isn’t astronomical, which it shouldn’t be, the Devils would be wise to look into acquiring him to sure up the goaltending.
Cristian Dvorak
Christian Dvorak is a versatile player that you could insert into your top six to play center and left wing. He is only 24 years old and is signed through the 2024-25 season with a AAV of $4.45 million. He has twice scored 15 goals and in a shorted season this year he scored 18. Having not even scratched the surface into his career, it is safe to assume in his prime he could have a ceiling of being a consistent 20-25 goal scorer per season.
While he has a career CorsiFor percentage of 48.1%, he did have a career best of 52.2% this past season. That probably attributes to his high offensive zone rate, but nonetheless it is still an improvement. If he could continue to improve his play on even strength, that will only increase his value. That is why playing him on a line with two way center Nico Hischier would be ideal for a player like Dvorak.
Arizona may not be actively looking to part ways with a 24 year old like Dvorak, but given the precarious state of their franchise they may have no choice but to trade some young players that they don’t want to part with. Some of their older players are untradable, therefore a team like the Devils should be calling for a few of their younger players.
Clayton Keller
Clayton Keller was the seventh-overall draft pick in 2016 NHL draft and was a highly-touted prospect who took the league by storm in his rookie campaign by scoring 23 goals and 42 assists. His play has left a little to be desired the last two seasons as he has seen his goal scoring dip to 14 and 17 goals respectively and point production as a whole has declined. While there is accountability to be had for his play, it could also be a testament to the lack of fire power as a whole on Arizona. He has lacked chemistry with centers Derek Stepan and Nick Schmaltz and has bounced around the top three lines.
Even though it is considered by many that Keller had a sophomore slump, the Coyotes still bet on his talent and gave him a eight-year, $57.2 million ($7.15 million AAV) extension. However, with his large contract being prohibitive in improving other areas on their team it may force Arizona’s hand into trading a player of his caliber. This is simply a situation where a split in the next few seasons seems inevitable, and beneficial to both sides.
Keller just turned 22 years old in July and has not even come close to hitting his peak yet, in spite of his declining production since his rookie season. In fact, it is hard to justify that he had any down seasons when he set the bar so high as a rookie. Scoring 14 and 17 goals as a 20 and 21 year old is nothing to scoff at. The sky is the limit and with a solid supporting cast around him he could eclipse the 30 goal plateau. It would be fun to envision Keller blossom with the likes of future stars Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes at his disposal. If Tom Fitzgerald is a gambling man I would bet the house on a guy like Clayton Keller.
Next. 5 Players Devils Should Avoid In Trades. dark
The Devils will be one of the most active teams in the NHL as they look to sure up deficiencies in their lineup. There’s no question that they will try to sure up their wrecked defense, but the Coyotes don’t seem to be a match in that area. The Devils will not get Chychrun and should avoud Ekman-Larsson like the plague. Arizona presents the Devils an ability to sure up holes on the wing and goaltender, whereas they could find other avenues to acquire defense. Arizona makes an intriguing trade partner as they have to get under the salary cap and recoup assets lost in the Taylor Hall trade and NHL’s punishment against them.