Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk cleared for contact
Oct 16, 2018, 1:49 PM
Los Angeles Kings goalie Peter Budaj (31) makes a pad save on a shot by Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) during the second period of an NHL preseason hockey game Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk skated with his team for the first time on Monday in a non-contact jersey, but a team source confirmed to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station Tuesday that Galchenyuk has been cleared for contact. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
Galchenyuk last played in the preseason in the Coyotes’ 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, a game in which Galchenyuk scored two goals, one on the power play. Since then, he has been sidelined with a lower-body injury and started the regular season on injured reserve.
“He adds a big amount of skill to our lineup,” head coach Rick Tocchet said Monday. “A couple of drills out there, you could see he’s very deceiving. That game right off the bat we played, I think he made a couple goals, couple passes, like he’s just a very instinctive guy. It’s good to have one of those guys in your lineup, for sure.”
Arizona acquired the 24-year-old in a one-for-one trade for Max Domi with the Montreal Canadiens this offseason. He traveled with the Coyotes on their first extended road trip of this season on Monday, and skated with the team on Tuesday in Minnesota prior to Arizona’s game against the Wild.
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The third overall pick from 2012 scored 19 goals with 32 assists last season, and had a career-high 30 goals in the 2015-16 season.
Meanwhile, center Christian Dvorak suffered a setback in his recovery for a lower-body injury and was expected to be reevaluated on Monday.
