The Phoenix Coyotes need to reach the cap floor, so they’ve come up with a creative way to do so. Today, they’ve traded Sam Gagner and a conditional draft pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Nicklas Grossman and the contract of Chris Pronger – and no, that last bit is not a typo.
Pronger currently works for the NHL, but he hasn’t technically retired, as he’s obviously inactive due to concussion issues. He carries a $4.9 million cap hit, which was what attracted the Coyotes to including him in the deal. The Coyotes also get Grossman, a serviceable, yet unspectacular defenseman, who carries a $3.5 million cap hit (with the Flyers retaining 500k).
Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall told Katie Strang of ESPN that the move was good for both teams.
“It’s the type of deal that works for both teams. I don’t think Arizona’s going to be up against the top and we are, and it’s a deal that they get a good player and finally we get some cap relief, so it’s one of those deals that works for both teams, and it certainly gets us going in the right direction.”
It will be interesting to see if the Flyers keep Gagner. In the same report Strang mentions Hextall hasn’t yet made a decision whether to keep him, but a buyout seems likely. He’s got a $3.2 million cap hit and if Philadelphia can get him to wither that number down a bit more, I suspect we won’t see him in a Flyers uniform.
If he hits free agency, he represents an excellent buy-low candidate.
While Arizona could use a player like Pronger was in his prime, this is nothing more than a cap move. He may be on the Coyotes payroll, but he’s not coming back to play.
The NHL can be wacky this time of the year.
