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The last several weeks have seen plenty of positive news for the Phoenix Coyotes, a nice change from the norm, as their ownership situation has been officially settled, keeping them in the desert at least for the next several years. However, there’s still something of a cloud hanging over the team.
Having dealt with the remainder of the free agents that they intended on bringing back, the Coyotes are still without an agreement in place for Mikkel Boedker. The restricted free agent is a key offensive presence for this team, so getting him locked up is obviously crucial.
Boedker is coming off the best season of his career, at least from a scoring rate perspective. His 26 points were just two short of his career mark, despite the 2013 season being a campaign that was shortened by the lockout. He potted seven goals, in addition to his 19 helpers, with seven points coming on the man advantage.
Of course, Boedker makes an impact in more ways than the numbers for the Coyotes. His speed on its own makes him a tough matchup for any opposing players, but he also plays a surprising physical game for someone his size. He’s a building block as an offensive talent for this club.
Should the fact that there’s no deal with Boedker come as something of a concern for the Coyotes and their fans? Not quite at this point. There have been several negotiations back and forth, though nothing serious. The positive there is that we haven’t heard anything negative about the talks between the two sides.
Eventually, the two will strike up a deal. Boedker likely isn’t the type of player that is going to draw an offer sheet. He’s a supremely talented player, but still has a bit to prove before teams want to surrender draft picks for him. Which means that it’s only a matter of time before the two sides strike up a deal.
