Arizona Coyotes: Ducks, Kings, And Other Potential Trade Destinations For Mikkel Boedker
As the Arizona Coyotes see potential trade partners pair up with and acquire other targets, will Don Maloney re-calibrate his asking price on Mikkel Boedker or hold fast?
Arizona Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker was on the ice practicing with his teammates on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
In the time between his supposed last game with the Coyotes and today’s practice, a whole lot of pieces have fallen off the board. Their movement will no doubt affect Boedker’s landing spot or lack thereof.
Andrew Ladd was moved to Chicago on Thursday night. Jiri Hudler, Teddy Purcell, and defenseman Jakub Kindl all found their way to the Florida Panthers via separate trades.
Eric Staal was traded to the New York Rangers for two second round picks and Aleksi Saarela earlier today.
Despite the movement around the NHL, very little news has leaked out of the desert regarding potential offers or potential suitors.
Jonathan Drouin has been suggested as a potential trade target.
The young Tampa Bay Lightning forward would be an excellent compliment to the Arizona Coyotes’ contingent of offensive-minded youth. The Lightning are seeking a right-handed defender in that trade and that’s an area the Coyotes are also seeking to bolster which makes that deal unlikely.
Beyond the Drouin chatter, Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson remains the biggest piece holding up the market on Mikkel Boedker.
There have been rumors that Eriksson will be dealt by the Bruins in order for them to turn around and acquire Boedker themselves.
Most rate Eriksson higher than Boedker based on his body of work, though the latter is four years younger. They are both seeking similar size contracts on a new deal, however. Those demands have complicated matters for their current teams and potential trade partners.
In the case of Boedker, it’s fair to wonder if there’s a little consternation about acquiring a forward who is so reliant on huge power play minutes in order to get his points.
Is the wait and see approach by NHL general managers a warning sign to Boedker about his contract demands relative to his actual perception? It could also be a message to Don Maloney that he’s overvaluing a forward who has never scored 20 goals.
There are still teams out there who have been linked to interest in Mikkel Boedker beyond Boston. It may take Eriksson’s situation being resolved in order to see them act, however.
The LA Kings are a team that has repeatedly popped up in discussions. There was also talk of Boedker heading to Anaheim.
A Ducks trade – though it would keep Boedker in division – would be ideal for Maloney based on their need a right-handed defender and the Ducks’ abundance of talent on the blue line.
Next: Should Buyer's Beware Of Mikkel Boedker?
Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler suggested other landing spots could be St. Louis, Minnesota, or even Dallas .
The odds of Don Maloney and the Arizona Coyotes getting another king’s ransom for Boedker like they did Keith Yandle seem unlikely. With that said, all it takes is one team getting desperate to keep up with the competition.
By this time tomorrow we’ll know how things shake out in BoedkerWatch 2016. In the meantime, keep hitting refresh on your Twitter timeline.