The Arizona Coyotes find themselves in a peculiar space as we rapidly approach the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, Feb. 1 through Feb. 3, and the impending trade deadline on March 8. Coming out of the Christmas/New Year’s break, the Coyotes sat comfortably in a wild-card spot heading into what looked to be a promising five-game home stand. Instead, they would falter, going 1-4-0 on their home stand while being outscored 24-10, their worst stretch of play all season.
With the Coyotes currently on the outside looking in, sitting three points behind Nashville for the second wild-card spot, general manager Bill Armstrong and company will be keeping their eyes open as the impending trade deadline approaches. Will the Coyotes be buyers? Will they be sellers? Who could come and go as we steadily move towards March?
Who Could Be On Their Way Out?
Arizona entered this season with a renewed mindset and revamped roster. Armstrong set out to build a competitive roster and did fairly well during the offseason, adding core pieces such as Sean Durzi to the team’s future. Other pieces included veterans Alex Kerfoot, Matt Dumba, and Jason Zucker. Returnees in the form of Troy Stecher and Nick Bjugstad rounded out the team’s offseason moves. Then came rookies Michael Kesselring and Logan Cooley to the mix, giving the Coyotes a spark of youth.
Related: Coyotes Are Still Far From Being a Playoff Team
Injuries to Barrett Hayton, Jack McBain, Travis Boyd, etc., put a halt to the Coyotes’ progress momentarily, but nevertheless, the team found ways to respond to every setback. The goaltending of Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram kept the team in games and gave them the chance to win. Since that magical run in December, including beating the previous five Stanley Cup champs, the Coyotes have hit a wall in 2024, albeit from an overtime win against Boston on their home stand.
This has temporarily changed the team’s focus going into the All-Star break. The Coyotes, who hoped to stay in the thick of things, look to be pushing themselves out. This could result in the team moving guys such as Dumba, Jan Jeník, and Vejmelka.
Dumba, who came to the desert on a one-year deal this offseason, has struggled mightily, and the metrics back it up. He’s been one of the team’s most inconsistent defensemen, having short stretches of success this season. But he’s ultimately proving to be a liability most nights on the ice, either being caught out of position or taking an unnecessary penalty.
Vejmelka has been linked to trade rumors dating back to this rookie season, with rumors ramping up more than ever last season. Ingram, who was acquired off waivers last season in October from Nashville, has settled comfortably into the team’s go-to option, posting a 14-8-0 record, along with a 2.62 goals-against and a .915 save percentage. With Ingram assuming the team’s starting role, the Coyotes could end up moving on from Vejmelka at the deadline.
Coyotes prospect Jeník rounds out the list of plausible names that could be dealt, depending on the team’s status come the deadline. Originally a 2018 third-round selection, his career hasn’t panned out as expected due in large part to injuries. This has resulted in him spending a significant chunk of his career in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Tucson Roadrunners. Add in his contact dispute this offseason with the team in which he requested a trade before settling on a one-year contract, and he could end up a trade candidate come March.
Who Could Be Coming to the Desert?
Certainly, no one knows where the Coyotes will be sitting when March rolls around. The team has proved this season that they can right a losing streak with a winning streak, and seeing as they currently sit just three points out of a playoff spot, they could very well find themselves in a wildcard spot when that time comes. Some names to keep tabs on are, for starters, Noah Hanifin.
Rumors have been circulating for the past month or so now about the Coyotes being interested in Hanifin’s services, assuming the Flames are sellers at the trade deadline. With the Coyotes lacking mightily on the defensive side of the puck, they could certainly look into adding another top-four blueliner, especially if they have the chance to make a playoff run. At only 27 years old, the left-handed defenseman has put together a quality season thus far, recording 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 42 games.
Another defenseman to keep an eye on is St. Louis Blues blueliner Colton Parayko. He’s recorded 13 points this season in 40 games and, at 30 years old, brings not only a leadership quality to a young Coyotes core but a Stanley Cup on his resumé. He could be just what the team is looking for. His $6.5 million cap hit could steer Armstrong and the Coyotes away, but regardless, he’ll be a name that teams will be calling about.
What Will the Coyotes Do? Honorable Mentions
The burning question everyone with a pulse wants to know is, will the Coyotes be buyers or sellers at the 2024 NHL trade deadline? The answer will come with time, depending on where the Coyotes are sitting in the standings at the end of February/beginning of March.
Some final honorable mentions that could be trade bait for the Coyotes include Liam O’Brien and Jason Zucker, who has certainly garnered his own interest this season. What do you think? What will the Coyotes do? Let us know in the comments below.