Arizona Coyotes acquire center Sam Gagner from Tampa Bay Lightning
Jun 30, 2014, 2:46 AM | Updated: 4:42 am
Two days after buying out the contract of center Mike Ribeiro, the Arizona Coyotes have already taken steps to replace him.
The Coyotes have acquired center Sam Gagner from the Tampa Lightning in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2015.
Gagner, who was acquired by the Lightning earlier in the evening in a deal with the Oilers involving Teddy Purcell, scored 10 goals to go along with 27 assists in Edmonton last season.
A former first-round pick, Gagner, 24, missed the first 13 games of 2013-14 with a broken jaw he sustained in the preseason.
In addition to Gagner, Arizona also received right winger B.J. Crombeen in the deal. The 28-year-old had 10 points in 55 games for Tampa Bay a season ago.
As part of the agreement, the Lightning have agreed to pay one-third of Gagner’s contract — which will pay the center $5 million for each of the next two seasons.
Maloney: “I haven’t spent a whole time examining his defensive play quite frankly. What I get excited about is his offensive potential.”
— Craig Morgan (@cmorganfoxaz) June 30, 2014
