Coyotes sign defenseman Luke Schenn to 2-year deal
Jul 23, 2016, 1:27 PM | Updated: Jul 25, 2016, 2:45 pm
Los Angeles Kings' Luke Schenn (52) is congratulated by Jeff Carter (77) after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday, April 20, 2016, in San Jose, Calif. The Sharks won 3-2. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
The Arizona Coyotes continued to reshape their defensive corps on Saturday when they signed free agent Luke Schenn to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.25 million.
Schenn adds another valuable right-handed shot to the blue line and comes at a reasonable price.
Schenn, 26, had four goals, 16 points and 82 penalty minutes split between Philadelphia and Los Angeles last season. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native has 28 goals, 128 points and 409 penalty minutes in 566 career games with the Kings, Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toronto selected Schenn (6-foot-2, 229 pounds) with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft and he is coming off a five-year, $18 million deal. Schenn has a big shot and brings a physical presence. He can be used on the penalty kill and late in games to protect leads, but he has not lived up to his draft status to date, with his skating ability and decision making both called into question in Toronto and Philadelphia.
The low salary and low term he accepted from Arizona means minimal risk for the Coyotes with potential upside. The deal also likely means he will be a bottom-pairing defenseman with potential to move up based on performance.
“We want to be known as a place where players want to come to improve their game,” Coyotes General Manager John Chayka said, noting the team had been in contact with Schenn throughout the free-agency period while waiting for the right deal. “We feel like we can put players in the right environment, the right structure and the right system…. and get their games to the next level.”
Chayka said the Coyotes hope that having Schenn work with assistant coach Jim Playfair will help bring his game along, noting that Playfair had a positive impact on a similar player in Calgary, veteran Robyn Regehr.
“I think there have been a lot of segments in Luke’s career where he has been very impactful,” Chayka said. “He’s actually in that group, age-wise as the rest of our young players. I think it’s just a matter of maturity.”
Schenn said he was looking for the right opportunity.
“I think Arizona was just that,” he said. “I’m looking forward to coming to a market where I can just worry about playing hockey and not outside added pressure. I’m looking forward to growing with the team.”
Schenn broke into the league at age 18 in Toronto and admitted he went through some tough times trying to live up to expectations.
“It’s been a big learning curve,” he said. “It’s tough coming into the NHL at that age and then on top of that, coming into a couple crazy hockey markets like Toronto and Philadelphia. You go through some up and down times. I’ve obviously got lots to improve on and lots to learn.”
The Coyotes still have not signed restricted free-agent defensemen Connor Murphy and Michael Stone. While Chayka said the tenor of talks with Murphy has been good, Murphy’s agent, Brian Bartlett, said on July 18 that he was uncertain when a deal might be struck, and he reiterated on Saturday that nothing has changed in those negotiations.
“I hope we are close,” he wrote via text message last week. “Still have a gap to bridge, but confident we will get it done eventually. Could wrap up with one phone call but I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a little longer to get on the same page.”
The NHL Players Association set an August 4 hearing date for Stone’s arbitration case with the Coyotes. Stone is coming off a three-year, $3.45 million deal that paid him $1.45 million last season when he had six goals and a career-high 36 points. He also ranked first on the team in blocked shots (143) and second in ice time (22:27).
Chayka said Stone’s rehab from ACL surgery is either on track or ahead of schedule, but he said it is too early to set a timeline for his return. Stone was injured March 26 and his rehab was tabbed at a minimum of six months, which would put him back a little before the start of the regular season at the earliest.
While the Schenn signing would seem to create a logjam on the blue line, it does not necessarily signal that the Coyotes are finished revamping their defensive corps. Chayka has made it plain that he would like to add another top-four right-handed defenseman to the mix and the team also still needs help at right wing.
Schenn could fill a top-four defensive role if necessary while Stone recovers from ACL surgery, and Stone could fill it once he returns, but Chayka also indicated it is possible that one or more of the existing pieces could be involved in a trade.
“At this point, there’s options there,” he said. “That’s not saying that I’m going to move anyone or looking to move anyone right now but if the situation arises this gives us that opportunity to potentially do that.”
