This is the time of year where NHL teams do some shopping and the Arizona Coyotes are no different.
Sometimes two teams' needs come together to form a perfect solution, better known as "let's make a deal".
Oilers seem to have Lucic signed
If you've been keeping up with the latest rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers, it's being reported that Milan Lucic of the Los Angeles Kings is very close to agreeing to a free agent signing with the Edmonton hockey team.
Per Joe Haggerty of Comcast/sportsnet (csnne.com), and now being reported elsewhere, the Oilers have traded Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils, who returned right-handed shooting defenseman, Adam Larsson. He was the fourth overall pick of the Devils in 2011.
Are the Oilers making bad trades again?
What many are calling a lop-sided trade, or "pretty sure this is the worst one-for-one deal I've ever seen", the Coyotes could have given the Oilers a much better return, like Michael Stone AND Martin Hanzal for Hall. They could have even thrown in Kyle Chipchura for good measure.
The salaries would have matched quite nicely. Hanzal is making $3.5 million, Stone $1.45 million, and Chipchura $925,000. Hall has a salary of $6 million. Hanzal was recently asked to gather a list of teams he'd like to join if he amd team can't come to a contract agreement.
Instead, the Oilers get Adam Larsson? For real? No draft picks, or other players for a good young forward? He had merely three goals, 15 assists last season, and a fairly below average CF% of 43.5.
I suppose that Oiler GM Peter Chiarelli thinks that Lucic will be his prize in what has to be a questionable move. Chiarelli knows Lucic from his Boston Bruins days, but still... giving up a talent like Hall for a marginal defenseman will force most hockey fans to be scratching their heads for a bit.
In reality, Stone had much better statistics than Larsson. He collected six goals, 30 assists and is comparable in size to Larsson. Stone is just three years older than Larsson but did have a serious ACL/MCL injury towards the end of last season. It didn't stop the Coyotes from making him a qualifying offer this week. It is unknown if he will recover from his knee injury surgery by the start of training camp this fall.
So, when are the Coyotes going to make some deals?
According to Head Coach/V.P. of Hockey Operations Dave Tippet in an interview on a local radio show, the Coyotes may still make some more moves to improve the team.
Still, it would have been something else to have added a skilled forward like Taylor Hall to the Coyotes lineup. Can you picture him out on the ice with Max Domi or Anthony Duclair? What a dream that would have been.
But, dreams are just figments of our imagination, and it appears that the Coyotes' management has something else in mind.
A blockbuster deal and signing
What is perfectly clear is teams are making moves, and the Desert Dogs need to put the trade machine in high gear. The Montreal Canadians did just that today, after denying that P.K Subban was on the trading block. In a blockbuster deal, the Nashville Predators gave up Shea Weber for Subban.
That, in effect, improves both these teams, but Nashville will really be a powerhouse team next season... mark my words.
The other prize player who has been rumored to be moving was Steven Stamkos, and he decided to stay with the Tampa Bay Lightning for was has been reported to be a whopping $68 million, eight-year deal. This after it had been speculated that he would demand Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews money in the vicinity of $10 million a year.
Whew... lots of activity today, and with just two days until the signing deadline for free agents, teams are playing "LET'S MAKE A DEAL."
Coyotes' fans are still waiting -- at least sign Captain Shane Doan for howling out loud!