A month ago, we told you that University of Minnesota forward Blake Wheeler had withdrawn from school to turn pro. Wheeler was drafted four years ago in the first round by the Phoenix Coyotes, who had 30 days to sign him.
"We offered Blake a contract which was both commensurate with his draft position and far exceeded any guaranteed contract he can receive, under the current CBA, with any other team. He has decided, however, that becoming a free agent is in his best interest," said (GM Don) Maloney.
"We are very happy with the compensatory pick we will receive for Blake not signing, which will be the fifth pick in the second round. This is a very deep draft and we now have five picks in the first two rounds, which is very exciting."
This is a bit surprising in one way. Why would you let player you drafted fifth overall become a free agent? One possibility is that Wheeler will sign with the Coyotes, anyway. Phoenix gets their player, and they still get the draft pick compensation.
However, the Coyotes also run the high risk here of losing a player they coveted four years ago. Yes, Wheeler had a somewhat disappointing career at Minnesota. His size and skill set, however, should make him a coveted player on the open market.
As Maloney notes, the entry-level contract Phoenix offered him was higher than what he can get as a free agent, as he's now subject to the CBA rules enacted after the lockout. Those rules will restrict the amount of money he can make.
(Memo to Wild GM Doug Risebrough: Sign him. Thank you.)
Back in 2004, a Minnesota high school star named Blake Wheeler was the first-round pick of Wayne Gretzky and the Phoenix Coyotes. Eyebrows were raised, as Wheeler wasn't projected by anyone to be a potential top pick.
Four years later, it appears Wheeler will finally get a chance to play professional hockey.
The Minnesota Gopher junior is expected to sign a deal to join the Coyotes organization, forgoing his final year of eligibility at Minnesota. Wheeler starred at Breck School, a private school in the Twin Cities area, leading them to the 2004 Class A state championship. He played one year of junior hockey in the USHL before joining Minnesota, where he has tallied 42 goals in his Gopher career.
Some Gopher fans have been disappointed with Wheeler's production, expecting more out of a guy Gretzky was so high on when he played in high school. But Wheeler has rounded into a nice player, and he's the kind of guy whose size and hands make for a constant threat. If there's one negative to his game, it's his tendency not to play strong on his skates. Wheeler isn't a diver, but he can look like one at times, and that's as bad as actually being one.
In other signing news, we're still waiting for 2005 first-round pick T.J. Oshie to sign with St. Louis. Oshie just completed his junior year at North Dakota, helping his team to a fourth straight Frozen Four appearance. I would be lying if I said I thought Oshie would return to school, but I thought the same thing last year.
With the Phoenix Coyotes officially out of the playoff race, the desert dogs and their fans can now turn their heads and look into the future, where a playoff spot may yet lurk in the shadows.
With Peter Mueller establishing himself as a good Calder Trophy candidate, newcomer Ilya Bryzgalov providing awesome goaltending, the coming out party thrown by Radim Vrbata, and Wayne Gretzky's improving coaching, the future has never been brighter for a club that has long struggled to make any forward progress.
One more piece of the puzzle will be Kyle Turris, the Coyotes' 3rd overall pick from this past summer's NHL Entry Draft. After playing just one season with the NCAA's University of Wisconsin, Turris took the lure of real NHL puck bunnies over college co-eds, and signed his first pro deal.
"This is incredible and I can't explain how I feel right now," said Turris, the third selection in the June entry draft. "I'm extremely excited and I've got tons of adrenaline already for my first NHL game."
Agent Kurt Overhardt wouldn't divulge contract numbers, but said the Turris deal is more than the three-year, $2.65-million entry level pact that Surrey native Colton Gillies signed Friday with the Minnesota Wild.
The Coyotes have three games left in the season, which is just enough time for Turris to get his feet wet without any pressure whatsoever to win games and carry his new club.
If Turris needs to do anything, it's get some ideas how to put on some good playing weight. Listed at a generous 170 pounds, Turris is lighter than a feather, and skinny enough to make the contestants on America's Next Top Model puke in envy.
It was only a few days ago that my FanHouse colleague Greg Wyshynski took notice of the handiwork of Phoenix winger Daniel Carcillo after the Coyotes dropped a 3-1 decision to the Canucks in Vancouver. But while his 21 penalty minutes combined with a goal might have drawn the admiration of many, it also seems have drawn the ire of a number of officials around the league. In the immediate aftermath of Tuesday night's game, even Carcillo's coach, Wayne Gretzky, admitted that Carcillo had become something of a marked man.
For the past few games, Carcillo has been unfairly maligned in the eyes of the officials on the ice. Clearly, Carcillo is not an angel, and I do recognize that. However, he doesn't cause trouble and skate away like some players in the NHL. He takes the heat and by doing so it sparks his team.
Whether there is a conspiracy afoot, or just plain incompetence, remains to be seen (but in this case, I lean to the conspiracy theory), but last night against the Los Angeles Kings was the first time ever I saw a five-minute major penalty called for interference with a game misconduct tacked on for good measure.
He's talking about this hit on Tom Preissing last night against Los Angeles:
Wayne Gretzky and those pesky Phoenix Coyotes just continue to pile up the wings, and now find themselves sitting in that precious eighth place in the Western Conference. Is anyone else here just in total and utter shock? How can THAT team be doing so well?
[Mueller] led all rookies in scoring with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 14 games to help the Coyotes to a 9-4-1 record last month.
Mueller edged Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom, Chicago Blackhawks right-winger Patrick Kane and New York Rangers centre Brandon Dubinsky for the award.
With his January outburst, Mueller now sits pretty with 34 points in 52 games, and has crawled into the Calder Trophy discussion with his fine 2-way play.
Of course, Mueller hasn't been the only pleasant surprise for the desert dogs this season.
Looks like Wayne Gretzky is going to get his old buddy back behind the bench again. Here's Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic with the latest news on the saga Rick Tocchet:
I've learned that [NHL Commissioner Gary] Bettman is on his way to Denver, and with the Coyotes in town to play the Avalanche, there seems to be little doubt that he will meet with Coyotes officials.
Tocchet will be back behind the bench Thursday when the Coyotes return home after a five-game road trip, and fans likely will see an even more energetic Coyotes team take the ice.
Gintonio goes on to mention that he felt that Tocchet should have never been suspended in the first place, something that's a bit problematic as the fact that running an independent gambling operation is still illegal in the state of New Jersey. But to be fair, if it wasn't for Tocchet's connection to the NHL and Gretzky, it's safe to say that nobody outside the New Jersey State Police would have ever heard of "Operation Slap Shot".
I'm no hockey historian, but I have to imagine Ilya Bryzgalov's speedy journey from Anaheim waiver wire fodder to Phoenix's long-term solution in goal has to be some kind of NHL record. With the goalie's unrestricted free agency looming this summer, Spector reports that the Coyotes decided not to cross that Bryz, signing him to a three-year contract (financial terms not yet released) today:
Bryzgalov was eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer but it was long accepted that the Coyotes would do what it took to keep him off the market, where he certainly would've commanded considerably more than the $1.363 he's presently making for this season. Should the talented Russian backstop the Coyotes into the playoffs he's also got the post-season experience thanks to his recent years with the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks to make them a very tough opponent.
With this signing, that "should" might have to change to "if." I know it was vital to get Bryzgalov inked before the off-season free agent frenzy, but I'm sure I'm not the only cynic who had a thought or two that Bryzgalov's brilliant season might be the case of another pending UFA singing for his supper (hello, Dwayne Roloson.) Now that he's fat and happy, will he continue to expertly back-stop one of the League's biggest surprises this season -- or will he pull a Samsonov?
Head coaches are like quarterbacks: They usually absorb too much of the blame and never get enough of the credit. Except for Wayne Gretzky.
One Phoenix Coyotes hot streak fueled by a torrid new goaltender, and The Grape One is in line for the Jack Adams, the Nobel Peace Prize and a spot in the final two in this season's "American Idol" finale (in order of prestige). So when I wrote on Dec. 10 that, when it comes to coaches, "either you have it or you don't, and I'm pretty sure Gretzky doesn't have it," and then Phoenix embarked on a 10-4-1 streak to cement its place in the Western Conference playoff race, at best I look like someone with the analytical deficiencies of a Pakistani government medical examiner and at worst a prejudgmental dumbass.
As anticipated, I've taken some well-deserved shrapnel for my walloping of Wayne from One Fan's Perspective and Matt Blake, each delivering variations of the "where's your criticism now, see, mah!?" sermon. Well, at least they probably consider it "well-deserved." Because while I won't deny Gretz some credit, I'm certainly not about bow down to some Michel Therrien-like beneficiary of good management and better luck; and I'm certainly not about to anoint him as one of the NHL's coaching elite.
Every Thursday, Earl Sleek will conspire with his pen and scanner to bring you another installment of PuckToons. Hopefully you will find these amusing, relevant, well-drawn, or you're a person who is tolerant towards mediocrity.
This is inspired by the Thermablade technology being tested by select NHL players this season. I really don't know if anyone on the Phoenix Coyotes is wearing these futuristic skate blades just yet; I just happened to have their logo handy when putting this cartoon together.
We all know Jeremy Roenick has a bit of a wild lifestyle and isn't afraid to express himself on and off the ice. Anyone who has had the fortune to witness one of Roenick's dance routines knows the talkative center can provide a whole lot of entertainment value.
Now, what the hell is going on in the picture above?
Jeremy Roenick #27 of the San Jose Sharks attempts to restrain Daniel Carcillo #13 of the Phoenix Coyotes during the NHL game at HP Pavilion on December 20, 2007 in San Jose, California.
Now, from this vantage point, it looks like Roenick is having his way with Carcillo, while the Phoenix winger simply surrenders and lets Roenick do his thing. The linesman and the fans, meanwhile, have a look of disbelief on their faces about what JR is doing to the poor fellow.
So, put on your Caption Caps and give us a better description of the action.
A month ago, we told you that University of Minnesota forward Blake Wheeler had withdrawn from school to turn pro. Wheeler was drafted four years ago in the first round by the Phoenix Coyotes, who had 30 days to sign him.
Wayne Gretzky and those pesky Phoenix Coyotes just continue to pile up the wings, and now find themselves sitting in that precious eighth place in the Western Conference. Is anyone else here just in total and utter shock? How can THAT team be doing so well? 
I'm no 
Head coaches are like quarterbacks: They usually absorb too much of the blame and never get enough of the credit. Except for Wayne Gretzky.
