The Arizona Coyotes have traded Mikkel Boedker to the Colorado Avalanche. The Coyotes received Alex Tanguay and two prospects from the Avs in the deal.
The Arizona Coyotes waited til deadline day to move the player everyone expected them to.
The return isn’t terrible, but I would imagine it’s not quite what they hoped when they realized Mikkel Boedker would not be willing to re-sign in the desert.
Mikkel Boedker went to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that saw the Arizona Coyotes receive Alex Tanguay, along with prospects Conner Bleackley and Kyle Wood.
Both Bleackley and Wood are not under contract and therefore the Coyotes will have some decisions to make regarding their future.
Here is the Arizona Coyotes’ press release on the Boedker deal:
"Arizona Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have acquired forwards Alex Tanguay and Conner Bleackley and defenseman Kyle Wood from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Mikkel Boedker. The 36-year-old Tanguay has registered 4-18-22 and 24 penalty minutes (PIM) in 52 games with the Avalanche this season. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound native of Ste-Justine, QC has totaled 279-571-850 and 519 PIM in 1,070 career NHL games with the Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. He was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the first round (12th overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft. The 20-year-old Bleackley has recorded 13-28-41, a plus-12 rating and 37 PIM in 47 games with the Red Deer Rebels (WHL) this season. The 6-foot-1, 196-pound native of High River, AB ranks third on the team in points and fourth in assists. Bleackley has collected 80-98-178 and 168 PIM in 251 career WHL games. He was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2014 Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Wood has registered 8-27-35, a plus-10 rating and 14 PIM in 40 games with the North Bay Battalion (OHL) in 2015-16. The 6-foot-5, 223-pound native of Waterloo, ON is fifth on the team in points and has collected 27-62-89 and 61 PIM in 156 career OHL games. Wood was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the third round (84th overall) in the 2014 Entry Draft. Boedker has recorded 13-26-39 and 10 PIM in 62 games with the Coyotes this season."
Kyle Wood is a very big right-handed defenseman who could potentially be a longer term solution for the Arizona Coyotes on the right side where they lack depth.
Conner Bleackley could potentially be allowed to re-enter the draft by the Coyotes which would mean they would receive a 2017 second round draft pick to replace the forward.
As for Alex Tanguay, the swap between Boedker and the 36-year-old veteran isn’t as lopsided as you’d think based on the hero charts compiled by Domenic Galamini of both players:
Boedker is terrible in possession while Tanguay is actually still very strong in possession even at his advanced age. Tanguay is also far, far better than Boedker at on-ice goal differential.
Mikkel Boedker scores moderately more goals but produces far less primary assists than Alex Tanguay as well.
All-in-all, this may not even be a downgrade for the Arizona Coyotes.
The Colorado Avalanche will likely regret this move in the future regardless of Boedker’s performance because he will almost surely walk at the end of the season.
And based on the above chart, he is not going to improve their team a whole lot down the stretch. Certainly not enough to be a true contender for the Stanley Cup.
Next: Coyotes Trade For Sergei Plotnikov
On the other hand, we will finally get to see what Mikkel Boedker looks like playing with real, talented centers. That could be fun to watch.
Ultimately this is not the return general manager Don Maloney would have preferred, I’m sure. But it’s not bad.
Kyle Wood could be a great pickup. And Tanguay should help a Coyotes team that is awful in possession.