Arizona Coyotes sign Kevin Bahl to entry-level contract
By James Reeve
The Arizona Coyotes have announced that they have signed talented young defenceman Kevin Bahl to an entry-level contract.
Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka has continued his work towards next season, signing Kevin Bahl to a three-year entry-level contract.
Terms of Bahl’s new deal have not yet been revealed, but CapFriendly lists it at being an unconfirmed $925,000 AAV – the highest possible for a rookie.
The left-handed defenceman currently plies his trade with the Ottawa 67s in the Ontario Hockey League, where he has five goals and 33 total points in 66 regular season games.
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Bahl has helped play a big part in the 67s’ success this season, seeing the team earn both the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference champions (first since 2005) as well as the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the overall regular season champions in the OHL (their first since 1997).
Bahl, who operates largely as a shut-down, defensive-minded defenceman, was viewed highly by the Arizona Coyotes entering the 2018 draft – where the team selected him in the second round (55th overall).
Using such a high draft pick on a player is a good indication that the team expects them to develop well and make a real push towards reaching the NHL, with Bahl performing at a high level in juniors despite still being just 18 years old.
The 18-year-old blueliner already has a physique that many NHL teams would love, standing at a whopping 6-foot-6 and 234lbs.
Depending on how far the 67s progress in the playoffs, and potentially the Memorial Cup, Bahl could find himself being called up to the Tucson Roadrunners for their own playoff run – giving him a taste of professional hockey before he likely steps up full-time next season.
The Arizona Coyotes are stacked at defence both on the roster as well as in their system, with Kyle Capobianco and Robbie Russo looking good in the AHL while Pierre-Olivier Joseph is also expected to make the jump up to the pros next season.
A solid foundation at the back helps any team move forward and the Coyotes’ current playoff push can largely be attributed to their strong performances in their own zone.
Having Bahl join the team’s deep system is a positive for both the organisation and the player, who will be given plenty of time to develop his game at the professional level before getting a look by the NHL club.
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What do you think of the signing Coyotes fans? Are you pleased to see the team adding more depth along the blueline in their system? What other prospects would you like to see given ELCs? Let us know in the comments below!