Arizona Coyotes Claim Viktor Tikhonov Off Waivers
Arizona Coyotes grab Viktor Tikhonov off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks, in a surprise move.
Today, the Arizona Coyotes brought back a player from the Wayne Gretzky coaching era in claiming center/winger Viktor Tikhonov from the waiver line, after the Chicago Blackhawks put him on waivers yesterday. The Blackhawks move was made in order to bring Bryan Bickell back from the AHL Rockford IceHogs. Bickell was tearing up the AHL with seven goals, seven assists in 12 games. Of course paying him $4.5 million to play in the AHL was not going to last for much longer.
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Tikhonov, 27 was scoreless in 11 games, averaging just 10:17 minutes a game. The Blackhawks gave him a look, and decided that Bickell was a better option. The Arizona Coyotes are hurting for forwards, with the Shane Doan injury. Today, they placed Doan on the IR, and will backdate it to the first game he missed lately. Doing this allows for a roster spot to become available for Tikhonov.
Tikhonov left Russia, taking a huge pay cut to play back in the NHL.
The Coyotes also learned some of their depth in their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons was hit with a blow, when former first-rounder Henrik Samuelsson is done for the season with an ankle injury, which required surgery.
This made the claiming of Tikhonov all the more logical for General Manager Don Maloney.
The last time Tikhonov played an NHL game was during the 2008-09 season with the then Phoenix Coyotes, where he tallied just eight goals, eight assists in 61 games. He went on to sign with Saint Petersburg of the KHL in October of 2011. His KHL numbers are respectable, with 43 goals, 29 assists in 106 games, or a 0.68 points per game average.
IF Tikhonov can display some of the potential the Coyotes saw in him when they drafted him 28th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, the move will pay off. If not, he could either be sent to Springfield, or he may decide to go back to the KHL after his one-year $1.04 Million contract is completed with the Blackhawks.
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Tikhonov adds to the list of speedy forwards on the Arizona Coyotes, with Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Mikkel Boedker, and Tobias Rieder already burning up the ice in that category.
More than likely the Coyotes will take a ten-game look at Tikhonov, and decide if he is to remain on the roster, or if an additional roster move… say like putting John Scott on waivers — again will take place. Sorry you John Scott All-Star voters, he’s no Viktor Tikhonov.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Tikhonov will join the team in St. Louis for the Tuesday night game.