VANCOUVER — Coyotes president of hockey operations John Chayka acknowledged on Saturday night that his team would take advantage of the NHL’s free-agency interview period, which began Sunday. The eight-day window allows unrestricted free agents (UFAs) to speak to teams other than their own right up until free agency opens on July 1.
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“We’re pursuing everything,” Chayka said after the NHL Draft had ended here at Rogers Arena. “If we had done some things in the trade market then maybe we wouldn’t have pursued some things in the free-agent market but we’re going to continue to pursue it all until we satisfy our needs.”
Chayka declined to discuss the players the Coyotes would interview in an effort to bolster their offense, but a league source said the Coyotes have met with Dan Plante, the agent for San Jose Sharks free-agent forward Joe Pavelski. It is unclear how real Pavelski’s interest in the Coyotes is. It’s is believed Pavelski would prefer to return to the Sharks, where he has spent his entire career, but with the salary cap now set at $81.5 million, the Sharks have just $14.8 million in available cap space (according to Cap Friendly) with just 15 players on the roster.
San Jose is also trying to sort out what to do with UFAs Joe Thornton, Gustav Nyquist, Joonas Donskoi and restricted free agents (RFAs) Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc.
Sources confirmed that the Coyotes were likely going to make an offer to free-agent forward Kevin Hayes, but it would not have been close to what the Flyers paid him in term or dollar. Philadelphia acquired his negotiating rights from Winnipeg for a fifth-round pick and then signed him to a seven-year, $50 million deal. Hayes, 27, has topped 20 goals once in his five NHL seasons.
Among available the top free agents, center Matt Duchene will likely command too much money and wing Wayne Simmonds, 30, will probably demand too much money and term for the mileage on his body. Wings Anders Lee and Ryan Dzingel may also price themselves out of the Coyotes parameters.
Chayka had hoped to deal with one of the teams facing cap constraints but clubs such as Toronto and Tampa bay eased their situation at the draft. Vegas is a team still worth watching. As of Sunday, the Golden Knights were the only team exceeding the cap with 19 players under contract. Sources have indicated that some level of discussion has occurred regarding forwards Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault. Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny and Nikita Gusev could also be in play. The Coyotes were interested in William Karlsson, but Vegas signed him to an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $5.9 million.
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Pittsburgh wing Phil Kessel and Minnesota wing Jason Zucker are probably still in play but only for the right price.
“There is still a lot of discussion ongoing and there will be opportunities, but we’ve got to be disciplined and make the right decision,” Chayka said. “Like I have said all along, this is a calculated approach to one or two moves that will really help us.”
RFA update
Tuesday is the deadline for sending qualifying offers to restricted free agents, but the Coyotes still have not determined the course of action for RFA forwards Lawson Crouse, Nick Cousins and Josh Archibald. Their fate is likely tied into what else Chayka is able to add to the roster.
“It’s all a dynamic decision,” he said. “The reality is we don’t have a lot of roster spots. Some guys stepped up while there were injuries and now the injured players are healthy so we’ve got a lot of bodies. All of it is dependent on one another.”
It is unlikely the Coyotes will let Crouse go, but Cousins’ and Archibald’s fates seem less certain.
“We have had some discussions and understand where the parties are,” Chayka said. “Now it’s about seeing how the whole puzzle fits together with all the different pieces. That’s the part that has yet to be determined, but if we have to make decisions we can make decisions.”
As for Roadrunners RFAs, Tucson GM Steve Sullivan said the team will extend qualifying offers to forwards Emil Pettersson, Hudson Fasching, Michael Bunting, defenseman Dysin Mayo and goalie Adin Hill. Goalie Hunter Miska will not receive a qualifying offer, as previously reported.
Allen’s future
The door has not closed entirely on assistant coach Scott Allen, but it is looking less likely he will return next season after the addition of Phil Housley to the staff – a move that should be made official early this week. It appears unlikely the Coyotes will keep an extra assistant coach, and their minor-league staff is full so they would have to create a position for Allen with Housley on board to coach the defense.
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The Coyotes coaching staff was meeting Sunday to divvy up other responsibilities.
Allen’s contract expires on June 30, putting him in a tough spot. Most available jobs have been filled.
Hot commodity
When the Coyotes signed center Christian Dvorak to a six-year, $26.7 million extension last summer, it raised eyebrows across the NHL. When Dvorak missed all but 20 games of the season with a pectoral injury, there were more quizzical stares.
The Coyotes certainly aren’t shopping him but, for a guy whose contract has been questioned by so many, Dvorak sure is garnering a lot of attention this offseason.
According to NHL sources not affiliated with the Coyotes, his name has come up in discussions with multiple teams, including the Minnesota Wild.
Thus far, the offers have not been to the Coyotes’ liking but would they deal him for the right price? Few players on this roster are untouchable, but Dvorak clearly has more value than many analysts assumed.
Eight is too much
When the Coyotes signed RFA Ilya Lyubushkin to a one-year contract on June 13, it gave them eight NHL defensemen under contract. Don’t expect them to keep all eight.
While Lyubushkin is the only waivers-exempt defenseman among the eight, Kevin Connauton is likely the odd man out. Connauton signed a two-year, $2.75 million deal last summer and has one year remaining (1.375 million AAV; $1.5 million salary). Whether it is through a trade, waivers or even a buyout, the Coyotes will likely move on from Connauton.
Cap crunch?
According to Cap Friendly, the Coyotes have only about $6.24 million available cap space, but Chayka said the cap will not be an issue.
“We have done this before where the (Marian) Hossa deal goes on LTIR (long term injured reserve),” he said. “There are some ramifications of that – some potential overages — but we have significant cap space and it won’t hold us back from making some moves.”
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The Coyotes have the potential for $1.17 million bonuses next season.
Prospect development camp
The Coyotes prospect development camp begins Monday at Gila River Arena. On-ice sessions are scheduled from 1:30 to 5:15 p.m. on Monday; 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday; and 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Prospects will also participate in an intra-squad game on Friday at 7 p.m. Prior to the game, the Coyotes will host a town hall event for fans with president and CEO Ahron Cohen, Chayka and coach Rick Tocchet at the Renaissance Hotel from 5-6 p.m.
The team’s 2019 first-round pick, Victor Söderström, will take part in development camp, as well third-round pick John Farinacci, fourth-round pick Matias Macelli., fifth-round pick Aku Räty, sixth-round pick Anthony Romano and seventh-round picks Axel Bergkvist and Valentin Nussbaumer. Fourth-round pick Alexandr Darin and sixth-round pick Danil Savunov will not attend.
Among forwards, prior first-round draft choices Barrett Hayton and Pierre-Olivier Joseph, along with Nate Schnarr, Tyler Steenbergen, Brayden Burke and Liam Kirk are attending the camp. Defensemen Dennis Busby, Cam Dineen and Cameron Crotty and goaltenders Ivan Prosvetov, Erik Källgren and David Tendeck will also participate.
The Tucson Roadrunners coaching staff of head coach Jay Varady, assistants John Slaney and Steve Potvin will be on the ice with the prospects, along with Coyotes forward development coach Mark Bell, defensemen development coach Alex Henry, goaltending development coach Zac Bierk and European player development coach Brett Stewart.
(Photo of Christian Dvorak: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today Sports)