Arizona Coyotes sign defenseman Robbie Russo to 1-year deal
Jun 6, 2019, 9:10 AM
Andrew Cogliano #7 of the Anaheim Ducks pushes Robbie Russo #34 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of an NHL preseason game at Honda Center on September 24, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Arizona Coyotes announced Wednesday that they had re-signed pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Robbie Russo to a one-year, two-way contract.
The terms of the deal weren’t provided.
Russo, 26, has 19 games of NHL experience, all with the Detroit Red Wings in 2016-17. He was traded to the Coyotes last summer for a conditional seventh-round pick in the upcoming draft, with the condition being that Russo must play 30 NHL games for the pick to be sent over. That did not happen, therefore, Arizona retained both the pick and the player.
Russo instead spent last season with the AHL Tucson Roadrunners, appearing in 67 games and scoring six goals with 33 assists and a plus-12 rating. He is a right-handed shot, a scarcity for the Coyotes blueline at the NHL level.
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Signing Russo crosses a free agent off the list of players GM John Chayka and company will have to make a decision on this offseason. The only remaining players in the organization who are set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1 are forwards Richard Panik and Mario Kempe, defenseman Dakota Mermis and goaltender Calvin Pickard.
