Coyotes deal Hanzal:

The Coyotes move their most appealing trade candidate three days ahead of the NHL deadline, sending center Martin Hanzal to the Minnesota Wild, according to multiple league sources. Hanzal has a team-high 16 goals this season.

Center Martin Hanzal arrived at Gila River Arena around 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon, following the same routine he does before suiting up for every game. Until shortly before 5 p.m. On the brink of a Coyotes’ team meeting, Hanzal was told he wouldn’t be playing.

The reason why was news he’d been expecting, but the reality of his 10-season tenure in Arizona officially ending still sparked an emotional response.

“It’s hard to say goodbye to guys, my teammates, the staff and coaches,” Hanzal said. “But it is what it is. I have a shot at winning the Stanley Cup this year. That’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

In what had been expected to be the team’s most significant move before the NHL trade deadline expires at 1 p.m. Wednesday, the Coyotes sent Hanzal along with fourth-line winger Ryan White and a 2017 fourthround draft pick to the Wild in exchange for a 2017 first-rounder, a second-round choice in 2018, a conditional fourth-rounder in 2019 and minor-leaguer Grayson Downing.

If the Wild win a round, the 2019 pick turns into a third-rounder and if Minnesota wins a second round, it becomes a second-round selection but these pan out only if Hanzal plays at least 50 percent of the games in each round. Arizona also retained half of Hanzal’s salary.

“It’s where we’re at right now with our team, with our organization,” General Manager John Chayka said. “We felt it was prudent to continue to build and find future assets that can turn into good young players that can grow with this group of players we’ve

got.”

Minnesota didn’t want to subtract a roster player and with a promising pool of prospects, Chayka said the Wild wanted to deal in draft picks – a currency that coach Dave Tippett said the team was looking to receive. While there is the potential to turn those picks into more immediate help, the Coyotes are left with a gaping hole up the middle at the top of their depth chart.

Chayka said the team did discuss a new contract with Hanzal in the summer, learning what it would take to resign the pending unrestricted free agent, but Hanzal said the Coyotes never presented an offer.

“We really never had a serious conversation about the contract,” Hanzal said.

With our without Hanzal in the mix, Chayka feels the center-ice position requires attention and is looking to draft and develop possible options.

“It’s no secret. You gotta build through the middle,” Chayka said. “We need to get better in that area.”

As for White, he leaves after chipping in seven goal and racking up 13 points in 46 games after signing a one-year contract last summer.

He’s also poised to become a free agent.

"Hopefully those guys can go and get on a run," Tippett said. "You never know what happens. But it was good guys out of the locker room, two good players. But that's just where we are."

Hanzal’s exit caps an almost decade-long stay in the Valley as debuted with the Coyotes in 2007-08 after getting drafted 17th overall in 2005. Over the years, he emerged as one of the team’s most vital forwards – a hardnosed, two-way specialist who could win faceoffs, kill penalties and use his 6-foot-6 frame to wreak havoc in front of the opposition’s net, all the while tracking the best pivots in the league.

All of those contributions were on display this season as the 30-year-old, who has an injury-riddled history that included a pair of back surgeries, was able to remain mostly healthy. His 16 goals at the time of the trade not only tied his career-high but also paced the Coyotes. His 26 points ranked third.

Overall, he finished with 117 goals and 196 assists for 313 points in 608 regular-season games to go along with four goals and 12 points in 23 playoff games.

“That was probably the best 10 years of my life,” Hanzal said. “I had a chance to play for a good organization. I was drafted here, so I’m really happy for every day I could spend here and I had great teammates, great staff and coaches – everything. I’m really happy.”

Before returning home to pack, Hanzal had the chance to say goodbye to his teammates. His chat with captain Shane Doan was particularly emotional.

The two were the longest-tenured Coyotes before the trade.

“He’s pretty much my second father,” Hanzal said. “From the first year, he was really helping me out.” BRIEFS Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan say they have agreed to terms for a fight on April 23.

The boxers’ promoters are yet to announce any details. Golden Boy Promotions, Khan’s promoter, didn’t reply to a request from The Associated Press on Sunday for confirmation.

Pacquiao, who came out of retirement to win the WBO belt by beating Jesse Vargas in November, says on his Twitter account that he is fighting Khan because “this is what the fans wanted.” Pacquiao’s followers on Twitter recently voted for Khan to be the 38year-old Filipino’s next opponent, ahead of Jeff Horn of Australia, Terence Crawford of the United States or Kell Brook of Britain.

Khan hasn’t fought since stepping up to middleweight and getting knocked out by WBC champion Canelo Alvarez in May. He described the bout against Pacquiao as a “super fight.”

Khan and Pacquiao used to be sparring partners under trainer Freddie Roach. Khan left Roach in 2012.

April 23 is a Sunday, which suggests the fight could take place outside the United States or Britain. Pacquiao has previously said he would next fight in the United Arab Emirates. been suspended indefinitely as coach of a Adams announced the suspension Sunday, a day after the melee occurred during a game between the Peters-coached 15-and-Under team and the Ontario-based Hamilton Junior Bulldogs.

A video posted on YouTube shows the fight escalating into the Sabres’ bench, when Peters becomes involved in attempting to separate the players.

At one point, Peters appears to shove a Hamilton player backward onto the ice.

Buffalo Police are investigating what happened, police spokesman Michael DeGeorge wrote in an email.

Peters was known for his physical style while playing six NHL seasons, including five with the Sabres. He scored four goals and seven points, and totaled 650 penalty minutes in 229 career games. Jr.’s attorneys say he has turned himself into authorities in Omaha, Neb., in response to an arrest warrant.

Omaha Police said in a statement Sunday that Watson had been dodging authorities since a warrant charging him with sexual assault was issued Thursday.

Watson’s attorneys told the Omaha WorldHerald that Watson turned himself into authorities Sunday afternoon after driving in from Philadelphia.