The Arizona Coyotes have been in shambles for quite a while now, from management issues to on-ice issues to building issues. Although they have not admitted it, they are just playing the season out and rebuilding slowly.
The Coyotes do not have much on the roster that would gain some prospects or young players to help the rebuild along. Only two players, Phil Kessel and Jakob Chychrun, would garner any kind of return that would make the trade make sense.
Kessel, who just extended his consecutive game playing streak, would get some attention but may not get that big of a return. Chychrun, on the other hand, would likely get a return that could set up the Coyotes for success sooner than later.
Arizona only has $6.32 million in cap space, which is enough to attract a player in free agency. However, would any player want to come and play for the Coyotes considering their current situation with the team struggling and unknown future?
The Arizona Coyotes must trade away Jakob Chychrun.
The Coyotes are 20-36-4, good for 44 points, which is last in the Pacific Division. The thing the Coyotes should do is trade the veterans and acquire young talent and draft picks.
Chychrun has four more years remaining on his current contract, which carries a $4.6 million cap hit. He is on the market due to his contract and the fact he would get the most in a trade.
The 6-foot-2 and 209-pound defenseman has 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points in his last 5 games, along with a +5. This season he has 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points and 47 penalty minutes in 47 games.
With the Coyotes moving to Tempe, Arizona beginning in the 2022-23 season to play at an all-purpose arena that houses Arizona State University (ASU), they want to bring a good on-ice product to showcase. The only way to do that is to start fresh and promote new, young, exciting talent.
With 8 picks in the first two rounds of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Arizona is starting to stockpile picks to put some young talent in their talent pipeline. As of right now, they have the 17th ranked prospect pool in the league.
Arizona needs a rebuild and a winning team for the fans in Arizona. The fans have suffered long enough and it’s time to bring them a winning team. Trading their biggest piece may be the best thing to turn this thing around.