Arizona Coyotes Have Pulled Mikkel Boedker’s Contract Offer
The Arizona Coyotes have been attempting to re-sign forward Mikkel Boedker since the start of January to no avail. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Coyotes have now pulled their offer from the table, signaling that a trade may be the only way forward for both parties.
As the Arizona Coyotes inch closer to the trade deadline, contract talks with free agent to be Mikkel Boedker have gained little traction since January.
With rumors swirling that Boedker has asked for $6M per year on his next contract, the Coyotes have apparently had enough and pulled their own contract offer off the table.
The news was reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger on Tuesday.
It comes on the heels of reports by Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan suggesting the Arizona Coyotes have offered Boedker more than $5M per year with considerable term.
If there is indeed no offer left on the table for Boedker will likely be traded to a contender and his agent Jarrett Bousquet can begin working on his client’s impending free agency in earnest.
Mikkel Boedker has 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points this season and led the Arizona Coyotes in points for a good stretch of the season before being overtaken by best friend Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Unfortunately for both Boedker and the Coyotes, he has scored just one goal in his past 25 games. The lack of production at such a crucial time has no doubt hurt his trade value, and has certainly done few favors towards getting him that $6M per year price tag that he and his agent are rumored to covet.
On top of his goal-scoring woes, Boedker has been a bit of a black hole defensively and is a minus-27 on the year. This could be due in part to the fact that 18 of his 38 points have come on the power play.
Poor goaltending through the first half of the season combined with a patchwork defensive unit have also not helped in that regard.
Though many sources have speculated that Boedker will fetch the Arizona Coyotes a first round pick, Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan mentioned on Twitter that thus far no first round pick had been offered.
If Don Maloney can indeed find no takers willing to part with a first rounder, Craig Custance’s report on the Los Angeles Kings’ interest in Mikkel Boedker begins to make more sense. The Kings are without a first round pick in the upcoming NHL draft.
While they lack draft picks, the Kings do have prospects to offer and they are rumored to be willing to part with their top prospect, winger Adrian Kempe. The Yotes are likely looking for defensive help, however, so that throws a wrench in things.
Beyond the Kings, the primary team linked to Boedker continues to be the Chicago Blackhawks.
They do have a first round pick to part with and have done previous business with Don Maloney and the Arizona Coyotes, but it seems they would prefer Andrew Ladd over Boeds if they can swing it.
Next: The Coyotes Should Trade Mikkel Boedker
Whether pulling the offer was a negotiating tactic or a signal to the rest of the NHL GMs that Boedker is available, we don’t know for sure. Not yet anyway.
There is one certainty.
The next six days are going to be tense for Maloney and Boedker.