2013-14 NHL Trade Deadline Feature: Phoenix Coyotes

Written by Dale Lamontagne , who can be followed on twitter at @Dale Lamontagne

We’re just a few short days away from the 2014 NHL trade deadline, and the Phoenix Coyotes find themselves in a tight playoff race with the Dallas Stars.

Coyotes General Manager, Don Maloney is still a believer of making it to the post-season, however, the club will need to add another forward, preferably LW, to their top-9 to give themselves a well needed boost.

It’s pretty obvious that the team has been suffering offensively all season long, and it’s one of their biggest issues that needs to be addressed asap.

Depth Chart

Left Wing – Center – Right Wing
Shane Doan – Mike Riberio – Radim Vrbata
Lauri Korpikoski – Antoine Vermette – Mikkel Boedker
David Moss – Martin Hanzal – Kyle Chipchura
Rob Klinkhammer – Jeff Halpern – Paul Bissonnette

Defence
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Zbynek Michalek
Keith Yandle – Derek Morris
David Shlemko – Michael Stone

Goaltenders
Mike Smith
Thomas Greiss

What I would like to see happen

I want the Coyotes to target a top-six left winger. If you take a look at the depth chart above, the LW is looking pretty weak, and it’s the biggest issue the Coyotes have to deal with heading into the deadline. GM Maloney says the team would prefer to add without tweaking the current roster, so the best thing to do is send a high pick / prospect, or both the other way.

Three possible trade targets

LW – Tomas Fleischmann – Florida Panthers
LW – Matt Moulson – Buffalo Sabres
RW – Ray Whitney – Dallas Stars

Out of the three possible trade targets above, the best option for the Coyotes would have to be Panthers’ Tomas Fleischmann. Fleischmann carries a really reasonable salary for a top-6 winger ($4,500,000, per Capgeek), which would keep him in Phoenix for the 2014-15 season. I like Fleischamann’s play, he can easily get the puck to other players, and he know’s where to be at all times. He is your ideal top-six guy.

Keep in mind, the Coyotes have a little over $10 million in cap-space, so a deal like this is very doable.

What I don’t want to happen

I don’t want the Coyotes to go after a defenceman. I don’t see why the Coyotes would need another defenceman, as their defence-core is the strongest part of the team. There is absolutely no need to add here, especially when you have Oliver Ekman-Larsson / Zbynek Michalek on the blueline, and a large talented pool of up-and-coming prospects.

I think that pretty much sums up what the Coyotes should / shouldn’t do at this years trade deadline.

Thanks for reading!