Scouting the Canadiens and Senators
Stu Cowan: Scouts listed to attend last night’s Montreal Canadiens – Ottawa Senators included the Tampa Bay Lightning (2), Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Winnipeg Jets.
Coyotes GM on the asking price for Jakob Chychrun
Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com: Arizona Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong said they are open for business and open to pretty much anything. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere, and forward Nick Ritchie and Nick Bjugstad have drawn interest.
Armstrong when asked if the reports are accurate that he was asking for a high price for Chychrun.
“For me, it’s pretty easy to come up with when you look at the player involved. I think you have to focus on the fact that he’s an asset that keeps giving. Look at it this way: He’s going to be available for three playoff runs. By the last year of his contract he’s going to be 27 years old. He has a cap number that is very digestible and you can work with. And he’s a really good player that can add some size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), skating, scoring ability, is one of your top four defensemen and can play a ton of minutes.
Not everybody has cap room. Not everybody’s got the assets for it. Not everybody needs that type of player. For those who do, you get a great asset that keeps giving because you get him for those three playoff runs. And if you choose to only make it only two, then you can try and move the asset and try and recoup what you gave up. And he’ll be in his prime. So for me, it’s a good deal for a team that needs that type of player coming into the organization to push to win a championship. … A young D-man with such promise and an under $5 million is an attractive asset.”
NHL Rumors: Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Nick Bjugstad
Armstrong said teams are checking in on who is available and what the prices are. He’s going off last year’s comparables.
The Coyotes could have around $12 million in cap space that they could be a third team involved to retain salary for future assets – draft picks or prospects.