There’s trade speculation about defenseman Keith Yandle. There’s been talk about a rebuild for the Arizona Coyotes. And they’ve already traded one of their goalies - Devan Dubnyk - to the Minnesota Wild.
And more moves to key players could be on the way as the trade deadline approaches.
Further to that, new owner Andrew Barroway reportedly traveled back to Arizona as that franchise continues to go through a state of transition, while the on-ice product currently sits 14 points out of a playoff spot and near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
It could be one of the first steps in a long road back to the post-season for the Coyotes. General manager Don Maloney has warned of such a lengthy process.
Barroway arrived back in town earlier this week and has rolled up his sleeves as he begins his evaluation of every aspect of the organization. He has hired an independent firm to examine the business side of the team as the Coyotes begin laying the groundwork for a long overdue long-term plan.
“We struggled to survive for so long but now, having stable ownership means we have a long-term plan,” Maloney said. “That may result in some long nights ahead of us but ultimately, the goal is to get where L.A. and Anaheim and Chicago are -- to become a perennial playoff team.”