Be a GM: Arizona Coyotes Edition

[Avyran]

(Links: Current salary situation, via NHLNumbers. Roster for final game, via Dailyfaceoff. Prospect situation, via Hockeysfuture.

Congratulations! (Or not) You've been named the new GM of perhaps the best team in Arizona, the Arizona Coyotes.

The team formerly known as Phoenix has not seen the playoffs for three years, but did reach the conference finals in 2011, defeating the Hawks & Preds before losing to the eventual SC champion Kings. Their team is in dire straits, much more than the Oilers after the Oilers stole their top two draft pick. Now, they are relegated to the third pick & hopeful that their success, not the draw of a McDavid or Eichel, can somehow salvage their horrid attendance woes.

With last year's roster, it looks like the woes will continue (note injuries at the end of the quote - some important ones):

Forwards
T. Rieder (1y/.925m, RFA) - M. Arcobello (RFA) - S. Doan (1y/5.3m)
M. Erat (UFA) - S. Gagner (1y/3.2m) - Mikey's favorite, D. Moss (UFA)
C. Cunningham (RFA) - K. Chipchura (1y/.850m) - J. Szwarz (1y/.635m)
T. McGinn (RFA) - J. Vitale (2y/1.117m) - B.J. Crombeen (UFA)

Defense
O. Ekman-Larsson (4y/5.5m) - M. Stone (1y/1.15m, RFA)
K. Dahlback (RFA) - A. Campbell (UFA)
J. Moore (RFA) - C. Murphy (1y/1.076m, RFA)

Goalies
M. Smith (4y/5.667m)
Random AHL goalie.

Injured
M. Hanzal, C (2y/3.1m) - M. Boedker, LW (RFA) - L. Korpikoski, LW (2y/2.5m)

Note that the Coyotes are also paying Ribeiro 1.444 million for four more years (bought out), as well as Yandle 2.625 for one more year (took on half of his salary in the trade). That means their current cap space is nearly 35 million.

Draft picks:
- Two 1st-rounders: #3, & Chicago's (acquired for Antoine Vermette)
- Two 2nd-rounders: TB's (acquired from NY in Yandle's deal)
- Two 3rd-rounders: MIN's (acquired for Devan Dubnyk)
- One 5th & one 7th.

Their current coach is somewhat renowned Dave Tippett, known for his quality defensive strategy.

As for prospects, they have some. For the top-tier forward prospects, they have Max Domi (a short but capable playmaker), Anthony Duclair (acquired for Yandle - a fast sniping winger), and Brandon Perlini (power-forward winger). They also have Henrik Samuelsson (younger brother of Philip, & Ulf's son), Laurent Dauphin (who is always good in the EA series), and a couple other centers I don't know.

Defensively, they have Brandon Gormley (who has fought the organization multiple times for lack of playing time, and is most likely to be traded) and a few other bottom-2 guys like Philip Samuelsson.

In goaltending, they have Louis Dominique (who was Smith's backup for part of the time) and Mark Visentin, along with Brendan Burke.

What do you do? Who do you draft? Do you do any trades? What FAs do you go after? Or do you just hope that they're moved to Quebec?

[Craig]

Starting with the end of the draft lottery, i'd resign.

end.

[Avyran]

First, I agree with ID40 - the 'Yotes are the 7th level of hell when it comes to hockey at the moment. At least Toronto has Kessel, JVR, & Rielly. Edmonton has Hall, RNH, & now McDavid. Buffalo has a great future. Maybe the 6th level is New Jersey.

Personally, I think all of the offensive prospects need more time. None of major prospects (except Samuelsson, and he's not a major prospect) have extended time in the AHL. Duclair had some time in the NHL, but definitely needs more growth.

I'd make my centers Gagner, Hanzal, H. Samuelsson, & Vitale. It's not great, but it's the best they can do - there's no one in the FA that's better than Gagner. This team really needed McDavid or Eichel, as none of their prospects or current players are capable of being the #1 guy. Because of this, I'd look at a Dylan Strome or Mitch Marner over drafting Noah Hanifin, even though Hanifin's been the #3-rated guy in most rankings. Maybe sign Brad Richards to be the #1 guy for a couple more years?

For wings, they also have no top-line winger. Boedker & Doan are okay 2nd-line guys, and Rieder is turning out to be an alright prospect. I'd sign a couple guys to short-term contracts while waiting for Perlini, Duclair, Domi (I don't think he can be a center, though Johnson's showing small guys can still center), & others to develop... players looking for that final big contract like Ward or others. They can overspend for a few years - however, I also doubt that the management will want to spend more than near minimum. They desperately need winger help, though. There's no top-line winger help in the FA, but they can go for a deep winger situation, rolling three quality lines.

Defensively... well, ya play the youth. Gormley, Moore, Stone, Murphy... they're okay as the bottom four. I'd try to find a Beauchemin-esque FA for Ekman-Larsson's partner. Jeff Petry'd probably the best bet, but Ehrhoff or someone similar could be good, too.

Goaltending, ya gotta roll with Smith and wait to see if Visentin or Burke can become his heir.

At least, if nothing else, I can't ruin the organization much more than it already is at. They're not a playoff team unless something drastically changes.

[meow]

Arizona will always have a tough time attracting UFAs, so development is key.

[mikey]

I can't attack this all at once, but in pieces...

Draft: No brainer, Mitch Marner. You need that entry-level skill, gamebreaker skill. That's where you're at #3...then see if you can find a slipping offensive d-man with the later pick...

There's two approaches you can take with this...

Scorched earth: Which is obviously Maloney being replaced (by you, I suppose), Tippett and Playfair being canned, Doan being traded at a discount, none of the UFAs brought back, Mike Smith traded at a discount (least likely)...come back with a good tactical mind who has experience with youth...not the most offensive guy in the world, but maybe Guy Boucher, maybe Kevin Dineen...

Sign: Jeff Petry 5x4.5, Brodziak 2x2.4, Winnik 3x2.5.
Trade Shane Doan (at 50%) and Mike Smith to Edmonton for Nikita Nikitin, Ben Scrivens and Joey LaLeggia
Trade: The rights to John Moore and a mid pick for the rights to Michael Del Zotto if Philadelphia is having trouble signing him
Trade: The rights to Brandon Gormley to Ottawa for Robin Lehner (not that Ottawa needs a d-man...but whatever, I'm in a rush...)

Duclair-Domi-Boedker
Reider-Hanzal-Marner
Winnik-Brodziak-Korpikoski
McGinn-Arcobello-Vitale
x- Sam Gagner, will take Marner's spot if he can't make the team.

OEL-Petry
Nikitin-MDZ
Dahlbeck-Stone

Robin Lehner
Ben Scrivens

[meow]

I'm unsure about trading Smith. Arizona gives up a ton of shots (4th most per game) and you need a goalie that can thrive on a heavy workload. Smith is one of those guys. I don't think Lehner is. Scrivens may be, but I you don't want him starting the bulk of your games.

[mikey]

That's fair. It's an unlikely scenario.

But also...

[meow]

Hahaha. I went to find some bad goal gifs for Lehner and Scrivens, but all I could find were these two of them on the bench

[Avyran]

Guessing you both think Smith's value is pretty low, then.

[BigMck]

Arizona will always have a tough time attracting UFAs, so development is key.

Money to give; inexpensive housing and cost of living; no snow to shovel before parking your Lexus or Land Rover in the garage; vibrant and eclectic population; golf courses open year round; restaurant, wellness, Holistic medicine and fitness options aplenty, I don't see why the attraction is not there.

The knock on Phx is that they built the arena and stadium on the west side instead of the east side of the valley. Attendance suffers due to bad politics.

There was a resident of Phx on the other board. He knows more than I. We just have a place there to get away from here now and then.