Coyotes shore up their defense
The Coyotes traded winger Jamie McGinn to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Jason Demers.
The Coyotes iced one of the most porous defenses in the NHL last season, utilizing a unit that averaged more shots-against and goals-allowed than almost every other team.
Whether or not the Coyotes are able to cut back on the number of pucks directed at their net remains to be seen, but the blue line they send over the boards won’t be the same one that skated a year ago.
And after the team’s latest addition, the back end could actually become a bright spot.
Arizona continued to distance itself from the version that limped through 2016-17, acquiring right-shot defenseman Jason Demers from the Panthers Sunday in exchange for winger Jamie McGinn to fill out a competitive topfour that also includes Oliver EkmanLarsson, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Alex Goligoski.
“We’re a better team today than we were yesterday,” General Manager John Chayka said.
Team brass planned to make an addition, either via trade or the waiver wire, to the defense after Jakob Chychrun was sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery in August on a knee injury, but the group didn’t want a shortterm fix on the left side where Chychrun plays.
The Coyotes have long targeted more right-handed help (they landed Hjalmarsson in a June trade with the Blackhawks), and they stuck to that wish list because they expect Chychrun to return this season.
“If you’re going to make a move, for me if there’s one that makes sense in the short-term and the long-term, that’s ideal,” Chayka said. “So this opportunity came up, and we thought it would be the best approach.”
When Chychrun is ready to play, the Coyotes will be set on the left side with Ekman-Larsson, Goligoski and Chychrun; Hjalmarsson, Demers and either Luke Schenn or Adam Clendening complete the right. Kevin Connauton can play the left side while Chychrun heals.
“When our group’s healthy and hopefully they get healthier soon,” Chayka said, “I think we have one of the top 1 through 6 in the league.”
Chayka had been working on acquiring Demers for months, he said, coveting Demers’ right-shot ability and penalty-kill prowess. Demers starred on the Florida unit last season that ranked second in the NHL, a strategy that was influenced by former Panthers assistant and new Coyotes assistant Scott Allen – who provided insight on Demers that Chayka said was useful in the process of adding him. Arizona’s penalty kill was 27th (77.3 percent) last season, while the team averaged 34.1 shots-against per game (29th) and 3.15 goals-against per game (28th).
“I can kind of do anything they need me to do,” Demers said.
The 29-year-old can also eat up minutes and is familiar with the up-tempo style the Coyotes want to play that has their defense getting up in the attack rather than staying back in their own zone.
“From watching film, he skates and when you can skate and make decisions, you can fit into this nicely,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “I want him to be that guy that can skate, and maybe he gets some power-play time for us. He’s a right-handed shot, too. I like to even it out. I’m not a big fan of having all lefties . ... It helps us (with) depth.”
Preseason game canceled
The Coyotes will have to wait a little while longer to begin playing preseason games.
A Monday game at Gila River Arena against the Kings has been canceled because of poor ice conditions following a concert Saturday in the building. The game will not be rescheduled.
Season-ticket holders and individuals who purchased tickets for Monday’s game may exchange their tickets.