Arizona Coyotes assign Hunter Miska, recall Mario Kempe from AHL
Nov 30, 2018, 3:20 PM
Arizona Coyotes goalie Hunter Miska (1) makes a save on a shot by Los Angeles Kings right wing Tyler Toffoli, right, during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Coyotes announced Friday they assigned goaltender Hunter Miska to the Tucson Roadrunners and recalled forward Mario Kempe.
The transaction comes just a day after the Coyotes claimed goaltender Calvin Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers. For that transaction, which would’ve put Arizona over the 23-man roster limit, the team sent Kempe to Tucson as a corresponding roster move.
A logical explanation for the Coyotes not sending Miska down originally was that they needed him in Nashville on Thursday night to serve as the backup to Adin Hill, since Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper are both day-to-day and Pickard hadn’t yet joined the team.
With an off day on Friday and a game on Saturday, though, Miska’s services are apparently no longer necessary for the NHL club.
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Kempe had been called up on Monday after the Coyotes made a 2-for-1 trade with Chicago, sending Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini to the Blackhawks for Nick Schmaltz.
Miska, 23, made his NHL debut this season in relief of Kuemper in a game at the Detroit Red Wings. He stopped eight of the nine shots he faced.
