PHNX Coyotes: Craig Morgan on why the trade deadline went the way it did for the Arizona Coyotes with the return on some of their players lower than you would have thought.
- A 2027 5th round pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Matt Dumba and a 2025 7th round pick.
- A 2024 6th round pick from the Nashville Predators for Jason Zucker.
- A 2027 4th round pick from the Edmonton Oilers for Troy Stecher and a 2024 7th round pick.
*NHLRumors.com transcription
“Yeah, but look at that and we’re like, wait a minute, why is a Troy Stecher worth more than Matt Dumba or Jason Zucker? Well, it’s the money. It was the money, the salaries right?
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Jason Zucker was on a $5.3 million deal. You prorate that, it’s still a hefty sum for teams to take in that are cap strap. Jason Zucker was a $3.9 million, I’m sorry, Matt Dumba was a $3.9 million deal. So compare that with Stecher who’s on a $1.1 (million) pro-rated, it’s a little easier for teams to absorb so they’re more amenable to that.
Now listen, had the Coyotes been willing, been able to retain salary on these guys, they probably could have had higher draft picks. They could have had a higher draft picks I can say that.
But the, I guess the plus side of all this is, they’re rid these two guys, right? There’s nothing left on the books for either one of these guys. And if you look at Matt Dumba’s contract in particular, he has a bonus cutting due, $1.35 million bonus coming due after the deadline. So they basically got Matt Dumba for $2 million on this trial. They’re saving like $3.2 million by getting rid of these guys.
Is that is the return disappointing? Sure it is. Like when they sign this, these guys this offseason. You know it was, it was such a positive moment for the franchise right, right after the Tempe vote failed. Bill was trying to turn this whole narrative around. Prove that players wanted to come here. The hope was that these guys would both bring them more assets that, at the deadline.
But let’s be blunt here. Neither Jason Zucker or Matt Dumba played well for the Coyotes, so they, they hurt their value. Couple that with a buyer’s market and the inability to retain salary and you get what we got.”