With free agency looming, what will Mikkel Boedker do?
Jan 6, 2016, 6:28 PM
Arizona Coyotes' Mikkel Boedker (89) and Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) battle for the puck during first period NHL action in Edmonton, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
When the new year dawned, forward Mikkel Boedker was free to sign a new contract with the Coyotes, but less than six months from today, Boedker can test the open market as an unrestricted free agent. On Tuesday, we posed a logical question to Boedker’s agent, Jarrett Bousquet.
Why sign a new deal when you can test your true worth less than six months later?
“That’s a great question — that is the million dollar question,” Bousquet said. “As you know, in the past, there’s been some unrest over the contract. When we signed a couple years ago, we signed the night before training camp. Obviously last year, we negotiated for a long time before we had to file (for salary arbitration) and we couldn’t agree on anything so we did a one-year deal.
“If an offer comes in from the Coyotes that’s a great offer, he does like it there and he likes the players and fans and coaches so that might lead him to re-sign. But if it’s another situation where we can’t agree on a fair deal then in six months, he’s free and we can see exactly what he’s worth.”
Measuring Boedker’s worth is difficult. Bousquet believed that Boedker could have commanded $5 million per season on the open market before he agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million deal with Arizona as a restricted free agent. The free-agent market wound up being soft last offseason, in part due to a minimal rise in the salary cap and the fact that numerous teams were facing cap issues, so it’s unclear if Boedker would have commanded that much.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters at the Board of Governors meeting in December that the cap could rise by $3 million next season. That could open more space for teams in need. There are comparable players to examine when measuring Boedker’s worth, but Bousquet said it’s not all about comparables.
“Sometimes, it’s just about teams getting better and filling voids,” he said. “There will be some teams that want to improve their speed and I would think Mikkel’s name would be at the top of their list.”
Coming an emergency splenectomy last January, Boedker, 26, is having his most productive NHL season. With 12 goals, 18 assists and 30 points, he is on pace to set career-highs in all three statistical categories. He leads the Coyotes in points and has taken on a new role as a quasi-quarterback of the power play, regularly carrying the puck up ice.
Whenever the topic turns to his contract, Boedker defers all questions to Bousquet while noting that his focus is on playing smart, using his speed and “letting the rest take care of itself.”
Coyotes general manager Don Maloney was in Helsinki for the World Junior Championships so Bousqet said the two sides have not started any talks and nothing is scheduled.
“Before Christmas we said we have to talk and I’m sure we will but nothing is planned; nothing is set in stone,” Bousquet said.
Oddly enough, one thing that could work in the Coyotes’ favor when trying to re-sign Boedker is the continued uncertainty surrounding the team’s arena. The Coyotes’ arena lease and management agreement with the City of Glendale expires after the 2016-17 season. While the team has been exploring other options, few concrete details have emerged.
Bousquet would not comment on how the team’s future impacts Boedker’s deal, but he did note last year after signing the one-year deal that it played a role. If Boedker were to test the free-agent market, he would likely be looking for a long-term deal, perhaps as long as seven years. If he were to re-sign with the Coyotes, however, he likely wouldn’t sign for that long given the team’s uncertainty.
Maloney has been loathe to sign players to long-term deals anyway so if the Coyotes were willing to up the annual average in exchange for a shorter term, that might work for Boedker’s camp.
One thing Bousquet seemed to make clear was that Boedker’s strong friendship with defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson would not impact his decision. Bousquet and Titan Sports Management also represent Ekman-Larsson.
“Friendship is friendship but business is business,” Bousquet said. “If he re-signed there his friendship with Oliver would go on, but if he signed somewhere else they’d still be great friends and Oliver would completely understand the decision.”
Coyotes at Flames
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
TV: FOX Sports Arizona
Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Starting goalies: Arizona — Louis Domingue. Calgary — Karri Ramo
Injury report: Arizona — G Mike Smith (IR, abdominal surgery) and RW Joe Vitale (IR, concussion symptoms) are out. C Martin Hanzal (lower body) will return to the lineup but D Zbynek Michalek (upper body) is questionable. Calgary — Fs Jiri Hudler (groin) and Michael Frolik (IR, upper body) will not play.
Scouting the Flames: Entering Wednesday’s NHL action, Calgary was in third place in the Pacific Division after starting the season with two wins in its first 11 games and five in its first 17. … After a sluggish start, D Dougie Hamilton has played well and solidified Calgary’s blue line. Hamilton has four goals, nine points and is plus 5 since Dec. 1. … G Karri Ramo had his shutout streak snapped at 152:55 in a 3-1 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The streak was less than 12 minutes short of Mike Vernon’s team record of 164:40. … F Johnny Gaudreau leads the team in goals (17) and points (39) and is eighth in the NHL in points.
