Maple Leafs and Coyotes are KHL free agent Alexander Barabanov
Igor Eronko: Have been hearing that Alexander Barabanov is getting closer to signing with an NHL team.
There has been a report from Russia that he’ll be signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Recently he narrowed his list of teams down to three. The Arizona Coyotes were one of those teams. Coyotes GM John Chayka talked to Barabanov when he was in St. Petersburgh.
- Eronko: Barabanov is more of a third-line player in the NHL. He is equal or close to the same potential when compared with Ilya Mikheyev.
Craig Morgan: Source confirms that the Coyotes are interested in Barabanov and are trying to sign him.
Coyotes GM has spoken with Taylor Hall‘s agent
Craig Morgan of The Athletic: A Q&A with Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka.
On what is occupying his work time right now.
“You’re getting ready for free agency. You’re playing for the future. You’re putting together different plans for your prospects moving forward.
A lot of focus was going to be geared toward the summer anyway so all of that stuff continues on.”
Chayka said that he’s had some talks with the agent of pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall.
“Obviously, our intent was always to get through the season and not having any conflict with Taylor’s play. This leaves us in a bit of a limbo where it’s obviously not technically the end of the season, but it also wouldn’t conflict with his play to talk. All I would say right now is that both sides are gathering information and having some discussions. Where that goes I’m not entirely sure today. As we talk, we’ll see where things go.”
Chayka says that they haven’t actively engaged in any contract talks with other pending free agents. This was the same with their RFAs before the NHL paused the season.