The Arizona Coyotes announced that they have agreed to a three-year deal with free agent forward Jamie McGinn.
Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka didn’t secure the biggest of the big names early in free agency.
Based on the term and amount of dollars going out to aging stars and veterans, however, being out of the picture on many of those names was a blessing in disguise.
Chayka did pull the trigger on one early deal, however, securing the services of former Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks winger Jamie McGinn for the next three seasons at a fairly respectable cap hit.
Here’s the press release from the Yotes:
"Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka announced today that the Coyotes have signed forward Jamie McGinn to a three-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed."
"“We are very pleased to sign Jamie to a three-year contract,” said Chayka. “Jamie is a big, physical, power forward who scores goals and plays a gritty style. He will be a great addition to our roster.”"
"The 27-year-old McGinn registered 22-17-39 with 33 penalty minutes (PIM) in 84 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks last season. McGinn’s 22 goals and 39 points were both single season career-highs and he eclipsed the 20 goal mark for the second time in his career. The Fergus, Ontario native has collected 91-76-167 with 205 PIM in 450 career NHL games with the Sabres, Ducks, Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks."
"The 6-foot-1, 205-pound forward was originally drafted by the Sharks in the second round (36th overall) in the 2006 Entry Draft."
Jamie McGinn has been able to maintain a 20-goal pace since the 2011-12 season, barring a hiccup in 2014-15 when he played just 19 games. He scored 11 goals in 47 games in the lockout shortened 2012-13 season.
McGinn also scores at a decent clip on the power play, but he’s hardly feasting on the man advantage to the level that Mikkel Boedker was last season.
That’s a good thing for the Arizona Coyotes as they can possibly expect more consistent contribution from their newest winger.
At the age of 27, McGinn is not going to light the world on fire with the Arizona Coyotes. He’s basically a high scoring third line winger, and that is just fine.
He’s going to provide Head Coach Dave Tippett with size and a solid scoring option, replacing and improving upon what they lost at the trade deadline last year when Mikkel Boedker refused to sign with the team.
At three years, $3.33M, John Chayka stayed prudent with the pocketbook and has likely secured an option that will be just as viable for the Coyotes as the majority of the big names that left the board early on July 1st.
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Most importantly, the term is reasonable.
If things don’t work Chayka won’t be stuck with an albatross like the one the Bruins signed themselves up for with their 5-year, $6M per year agreement with 32-year-old David Backes.