The 2023-24 NHL Trade Deadline is a little under two weeks away, and the Arizona Coyotes, who at one point looked to be conservative buyers, have now turned into conservative sellers. Thanks in part to the team’s 11-game losing streak, the Coyotes have gone from dark horse threat to Wile. E. Coyote falling off a cliff (pun intended).
General manager Bill Armstrong’s roster, for the most part, has shown the competitiveness that he set out to build during the offseason. Their numbers to this point have far outweighed their numbers from the previous two seasons. So why has Arizona hit a wall? Part of the reason was the team’s star players hitting slumps at the worst time, and the other half had to do with goaltending regressing significantly. The Coyotes also greatly benefited from the poor start from other teams (i.e., Edmonton). Other factors (including arena drama) play a small part as well.
Nevertheless, the Coyotes need to recoup while they can, and that means moving players, including Matt Dumba, possibly Nick Schmaltz, and the one we’ll be discussing today, Jason Zucker.
The Case For Moving Zucker
Zucker made his way to the Valley this offseason on a one-year deal worth $5.3 million. Many heralded this as a huge, must-needed signing for the Coyotes. He was a veteran ready to pass on his knowledge of the game to a young team, but also a guy who could still produce on the ice. He was coming off a 48-point campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, plotting 27 goals and adding 21 assists. On paper, this was the move the Coyotes needed to make to establish themselves as contenders and prove they were serious.
Related: Coyotes Need to Move Core Piece to See Improvement
Zucker’s importance to the team hasn’t gone unnoticed, either. He’s recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) this season, mainly playing on a line with Logan Cooley, who he’s taken under his wing. With the team struggling to get out of their current rut, the Coyotes are now in the hunt for the first overall pick. That means moving pieces that can acquire more draft capital. Zucker is a guy who can bring a favorable return and provide a team that’s looking for bottom-six help.
Trading away one of your veteran pieces doesn’t always sit right with the fanbase, though, and deservedly so. The Coyotes are one of the younger teams in the league, and getting rid of leadership pieces can derail a team’s structure and counterattack their flow. In the case of an 11-game winless team, all cards are off the table, and players are available for the right price, including Zucker, especially when your season is all but over.
Plausible Return For Zucker
If the Coyotes are looking to shed Zucker’s contract at the deadline, they’ll most likely need to be willing to retain part of his contract. If Armstrong is willing to take on half of his $5.3 million contract, then the suitors will come calling for his services.
Regarding a return on what the Coyotes could expect to get back, the general consensus is that the probable return is either a late third or early fourth-round pick, depending on if Armstrong and company retain part of his contract. There’s also speculation of the Coyotes receiving a C-level tier prospect. It’s nothing super crazy, considering Zucker’s less-than-adequate play this season.
Final Verdict
In this situation, the final verdict is unpredictable because no one can accurately predict the plausible return or who may be interested in his services. Zucker’s game has obviously taken quite a hit this season. He’s not putting up the numbers he had in Pittsburgh or Minnesota; those days look past him. What he can provide is leadership quality, all the while being an effective bottom-six winger.
Without question, the Coyotes are officially in seller mode come March. Who goes is not yet known but can be assumed. Regardless, there will be a playoff contender that will look to add a guy like Zucker at the deadline, but what the return ends up being is yet to be known.