Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka has traded Martin Hanzal and Ryan White to the Minnesota Wild for draft picks.
Martin Hanzal gave a lot to the Arizona Coyotes over the years.
He continued to give as he exited the only franchise he’s known, returning a haul of draft picks from the Minnesota Wild.
Hanzal and Ryan White were traded along with a fourth round draft pick for a 2017 first round pick, a 2018 second round pick, and a conditional 2019 fourth round pick.
The conditional pick is based on the Wild’s advancement in the playoffs.
Conditional pick: If MIN wins one playoff round this year, it becomes 3rd round pick; if MIN wins two rounds, it becomes 2nd round pick.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 27, 2017
You can say wow.
The 30-year-old Czech native has never scored more than 16 goals in a season. He’s never scored more than 41 points.
He’s oft-injured and has played 80 or more games just once in his 10 years in the NHL.
The fact that he and White returned such an impressive cache of draft picks is insane from a Minnesota perspective, but such is the cost of chasing the Cup. Hanzal’s size and ability to add some depth scoring should be a boost to the Wild, and they didn’t give up any of their coveted prospects to get him.
For the Arizona Coyotes, losing Hanzal will surely mean a very painful end to the 2016-17 season.
Hanzal had been helping carry the load offensively for several weeks now, and the Yotes have struggled at times when he’s out of the lineup. Now, with no true top six center on the roster and a plethora of youth, the growing pains will be quite pronounced.
It’ll be a tough pill to swallow for fans, but rest assured John Chayka got the better end of this deal.
Plenty of folks around the league seemed to share the sentiment.
Good lord. https://t.co/Uz3249Di0e
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) February 27, 2017
ARI has been pretty creative in securing picks and circumventing the cap.
— Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) February 27, 2017
This Hanzal haul is so hot right now. https://t.co/voAb152CSS
That is…a lot! https://t.co/30TONEt8p6
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 27, 2017
John Chayka just sold Martin Hanzal & Ryan White for same as Dougie Hamilton.
— Stanley Cup of Chowder (@cupofchowdah) February 27, 2017
That's like getting Rolls-Royce money for two Ford Pintos.
Martin Hanzal wasn’t the greatest or most reliable player, but damn if he wasn’t an integral part of this Arizona Coyotes franchise for a decade.
Next: Did John Chayka Win The Michael Stone Trade?
His contribution on the ice will certainly be missed. Good luck in Minnesota, Marty.
Perhaps, should the market wise up a little this offseason, he could end up back in the desert once again.