The Coyotes have signed Jamie McGinn to a three-year contract.
This is an OK move. McGinn is a left winger, he scored 22 games last season (somehow managing 84 games between Buffalo and Anaheim) and is a quality depth player.
He pretty much gives you exactly what you want/ need from a third line player, and he's capable of scoring a few goals. I don't love this signing, but it isn't terrible.
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The Coyotes have re-signed Klas Dahlbeck. He isn't very good and this is a move I don't like, but which is understandable.
The best you can say for it is they gave him a pay cut (and taking a pay cut to sign a UFA deal with the Coyotes should tell you all you need to know about him).
Even though it's a one-way deal, he should likely be able to clear waivers and play most of the year in the AHL and be available to the Coyotes as a depth player. If they can't sign enough players to make sure that Dahlbeck isn't starting in the top-six, then you can guarantee they'll be in the lottery again next year.
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Craig Custance of ESPN also reporting the Coyotes have or will sign Jamie McBain.
McBain is crap, but it's a two-way deal and they Coyotes have literally no depth, so signing him and Dahlbeck are necessary evils.
McBain makes his teammates worse and performs at or below bottom pairing levels. I'd post his Hero Chart, but I think if you look at it too long bad things happen, like in that move the Ring.
Here's the best part about signing McBain:
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Free Agency opens up in just minutes, so strap in and keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times.
The Coyotes are a team desperate for improvement. They have technically only been rebuilding for one season, but they are four years out of the Playoffs, about to move buildings, and in desperate need of some success in the standings.
The goal, I believe, is to make the Playoffs next season if possible.
Sarah McLellen tells us (not in so many words) that they might not be able to get out of their own way:
The Coyotes have been in talks to keep defensemen Klas Dahlbeck, Kevin Connauton and Jarred Tinordi, all of whom did not receive qualifying offers earlier in the week and subsequently became free agents
Jesus. Just when I was ready to anoint John Chayka as my best friend.
Dear John, I know you read this because it's the best Coyotes coverage in the land, so please take my advice and do not resign those duds. You can keep Connauton, if you have to. But Jarred "I Need a Time Machine Back to the 90's and Not PEDs" Tinordi needs to be let go. Klas Dahlbeck is the girl you don't even want to admit you once dated. Don't re-sign that guy - #1 he could attack Bruce Willis at any minute, and, #2 he is a full-fledged Garbage Monster.
The only way you let Klas Dahlbeck back on this team is if he pays you back the salary you gave him last year.
At least it seems clear the team will move on from Nick Grossmann.
If I am John Chayka, I blow that baby up and post it in our war room. Stay away. Don't let the ghost of Don Maloney suck you into making a bad move just to prove you're not totally all about the analytics, girl.
Projected Roster
In order to see who is needed today, it's important to chart out who might be on the team next year.
The Coyotes only have 8 forwards under contract for next season who were in the NHL last season. But four of them are Vermette, Datsyuk, Brad Richardson and Laurent Dauphin. There is no way those guys can be on the team next year if they want to be good.
Getting rid of Antoine Vermette has to be a top priority. Of the prospects, I'm willing to almost guarantee that Dvorak and Strome are in the NHL next year. After that though? Who knows.
The problem with projecting this lineup is that Stone, Doan, Murphy, Reider, Tanguay and Chipchura are all UFA/RFA. Individually, you can see the team bringing each one back, but if they fill out their roster with all six, they will not be able to help being a lottery team.
Stone is a better player than Murphy (Murphy is a 6'4 right shooting, puck moving D man, which makes him desirable, but he's just so bad) but even Stone I'm not sure what kind of commitment you want to make - certainly we all thought they'd both be better by now.
The problem is both players just absolutely bleed shots against. Stone and Goligoski will make a fine second pair, as long as they can add a guy to play with OEL.
List of Guys Who Can't Be Back Under Any Circumstances:
Vermette
Richardson
Gordon
Michalek
Dahlbeck
Grossmann
Murphy
Guys to Target
1. Acquire a top pairing right-handed defenseman.
Oh Jeez, look what the Oilers just paid for their guy.
I would have three options here:
a) Make a massive pitch for Tyson Barrie or Kevin Shattenkirk. This pitch would have to be some combo of Connor Murphy, Micheal Stone, MacInnis, Perlini, and multiple first round picks. Whatever, get it done.
People don't like to trade those picks, but the Coyotes don't exactly have a ton of tradable assets. One day Duclair, Domi, Keller, Dvorak and Strome are going to be one of the most fun-to-watch highest scoring groups of forwards in the game and it'd be nice to not trade any of them.
b) Sign James Wieznewski. He's 32 but still very effective and if DeAngelo develops they can eventually swap lineup spots.
c) Sign Zack Redmond. Not a super-sexy pick, but he's a good player and all you really need is someone steady with OEL anyways and they'll look like a star. Certainly an improvement over what internal options they have.
2. First Line Winger
Kyle Okposo
Someone is going to overpay him and it should be the Coyotes. He's a great player with tons of scoring ability. The Coyotes don't have a very good amount of high-quality scoring wingers and he'd be a great addition.
3. Goalie
If the Coyotes truly want to take the next step, they need better goaltending. I know Smith is too expensive to move and they just signed Louis Domingue, but Ben Bishop would go a long way to making this team legit.
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