Arizona Coyotes Sign Vermette, Michalek, Trade For Gordon
Free agency began on the first of July in the National Hockey League and the Arizona Coyotes were hard at work bringing back some familiar faces.
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Heading into this offseason, it was no secret that the Coyotes had some holes to fill on their roster. With how the season ended, there was a lot of work to be done, and so far, General Manager Don Maloney is rising to the task.
The Coyotes made their second roster move Tuesday night, when they traded Lauri Korpikoski to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for former Coyote Boyd Gordon.
The center position was a glaring hole on the Coyotes roster and this was a good move to acquire a solid defensive minded center. Gordon’s acquisition helps to bolster to bottom lines of the Coyotes roster. He’s not going to light the score sheet up, but he will do the hard work necessary to help a team win like win faceoffs, fight along the boards, block shots and kill penalties.
Korpikoski had flashes of what he could be, he just never really lived up to his potential in Arizona.
Here’s Maloney’s comments on the Gordon acquisition via press release on the team’s official website,
"“We know what we’re getting in Boyd. We know the different areas of the game he touches. We certainly have followed his game in Edmonton and I think he’s the same player (as when he left). He’s competitive, defensive-minded, good on face-offs.”"
Gordon added a few comments of his own,
"“I know what (Tippett) expects from me and I think playing two seasons there maybe makes the transition easier than going to a different team and different coaching. It was tough to leave Phoenix. I heard the news today (about the trade) and I’m excited to come back.”"
The Coyotes will also be saving a bit of money by bringing Gordon in and moving Korpikoski. Gordon has one year left at $3 million and Korpikoski has two years left at $5.7 million.
Another need for the Coyotes was to better their defense and strengthen their blue line. After acquiring veteran defenseman, Nicklas Grossman, they were quick to sign free agent (and former Coyote), Zbynek Michalek.
Michalek was traded from Arizona to St. Louis at the trade deadline last season when the Coyotes officially began their rebuild. The Coyotes received Blues prospect Maxim Letunov.
Michalek seems to really enjoy playing in Arizona, as this will be his third stint with the Coyotes. Here’s what he had to say to Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona,
"“I never wanted to get traded, but it was the best thing for the team and I understood. I was hoping to come back.”"
Michalek’s latest contract with Arizona will see him stay in the desert for two years reported to be at $6.4 million with an annual cap hit of $3.2 million.
Last, but not least, the Coyotes brought back fan favorite, Antoine Vermette. As most Coyotes fans will remember, Vermette was traded to Chicago at the trade deadline last season. The Blackhawks gave up defenseman Klas Dahlbeck and a first round pick in exchange for Vermette. The pick that Arizona received ended up being the 30th pick in which the Coyotes drafted Nick Merkley.
It wasn’t a bad deal for Vermette either, as he returns from Chicago after winning the Stanley Cup.
That has value in itself. The Coyotes coaching staff will look to the veteran center to help mentor the young prospects that will be making their way onto the Coyotes roster this upcoming season. Having someone with championship experience is important as he can teach what it takes to go all the way in the playoffs.
Maloney’s comments on bringing Vermette back via press release,
"“We are thrilled to bring Antoine back to Arizona. Antoine is a very good two-way center and one of the NHL’s best face-off men. He is a great person, a great teammate, and a strong leader. We are extremely happy to have him rejoin the Coyotes.”"
According to Vermette, his decision was influenced by a couple of factors,
Antoine Vermette says family, new baby & familiarity with Coyotes were all big factors in his return.
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) July 2, 2015
Vermette’s new contract in Arizona is worth two years at $3.75 million per year.
For the Coyotes, these are solid moves. They aren’t players that are going to elevate them as a sure lock into the playoffs, but they bring stability to the team. They are veteran guys that will be a tremendous asset to the organization as the prospects start to make the team. The young guys are going to need guidance, and these veterans will surely supply that.
What makes these deals even better for the Coyotes is the fact that everything they gave up last year to aid in their rebuild efforts, has been returned to them. Michalek’s trade brought in prospect Letunov, and now they have Letunov and Michalek.
Vermette’s trade brought them a young solid defenseman in Dahlbeck and the draft pick that gave them Merkley. Now they have Dahlbeck, Merkley and Vermette.
The opening day of free agency was a good day for the organization and its fans. The teams was able to bring in quality veterans without breaking the bank or disrupting the rebuild.
The team was busy on Wednesday, but that might not be the end of the deals. As the offseason continues, look for the Coyotes to be active in the trade market and the free agent market.