Arizona Coyotes: Why Not Trade Raanta For Cory Schneider?

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Goaltender Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes is introduced before the NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Gila River Arena on February 22, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Lightning 7-3. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Goaltender Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes is introduced before the NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Gila River Arena on February 22, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Lightning 7-3. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Arizona Coyotes will have $11.5 million in cap space. Why not get a little bit creative with it? Why go out, make the big splash again, and possibly fall flat on your faces? Or trade for a bad contract and get some really nice assets.

This summer, the Arizona Coyotes are projected to have as much as $11.5 million in cap space. So, what do the Coyotes do with all that cap space? Is that even enough to pay for Taylor Hall and fill out the other roster spots on the team? Likely not. What you could do is acquire just a little bit of cap space and gain some assets at the same time.

So, I have a trade to propose, why not send Antti Raanta to the New Jersey Devils, in exchange for Cory Schneider, Tampa Bay’s 1st round pick, and a 2nd round pick. The Coyotes would also take $2 million in cap space off Raanta’s contract. About three years ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were able to get a 1st and a 2nd for taking on David Clarkson‘s contract.

So when a team is willing to take on a bad contract, they can get a pretty good return, which I think would be worth it for the Coyotes. Now, yes I understand that the Devils would have to take on Raanta’s contract, but that would expire at the end of the season next year. Schneider’s contract, on the other hand, doesn’t expire for another year. Also, the Devils are going to have to pay MacKenzie Blackwood, whose contract expires this summer, so they will have to pay Blackwood.

More from Howlin' Hockey

This is a good trade for the Coyotes because it gets the Coyotes back in the 1st round in this year’s draft. Allowing the Coyotes to avoid the minor setback in the organization that would be no 1st round pick, in a year where they don’t make the playoffs.

Also, Schneider has looked better as of late, so why not go with Kuemper starting most of the game and have Schneider start 40%?