Coyotes keeping D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, tender F Christian Fischer
Oct 9, 2020, 9:38 AM | Updated: 9:48 am
Arizona Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23), Clayton Keller (9), Jason Demers (55) and Christian Dvorak (18) celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during first-period NHL hockey Stanley Cup qualifying round game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
The NHL free agency period opened Friday with Oliver Ekman-Larsson still on the Coyotes roster, and his agent told reporters the defenseman would remain in Arizona after setting a 9 a.m. deadline for the team to trade him.
"He's staying," says agent Kevin Epp.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 9, 2020
Ekman-Larsson told the Coyotes on Tuesday to either trade him to the Boston Bruins or Vancouver Canucks by the free agency period, or keep the captain. It was reported the 29-year-old Ekman-Larsson would drop his no-trade clause to join one of the two clubs.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Bruins did not want to meet the Coyotes’ asking price for Ekman-Larsson, and the Canucks made a last-minute push to get a deal done that Arizona did not accept. Dreger adds Boston and Vancouver will break off talks unless Ekman-Larsson wants to revisit a trade down the line.
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The defenseman spent his entire career in Arizona after being drafted by the Coyotes sixth overall in the 2009 NHL Draft. Ekman-Larsson posted at least 20 assists in every season since 2012-13, with last season marking the first time in seven years he did not reach double-digit goals. OEL finished with nine to go with 21 assists.
Ekman-Larsson agreed to an eight-year extension in July 2018 that locked him up with the club through the 2026-27 season at an average annual salary of $8.25 million. General manager John Chayka, who signed him to the extension, is no longer with the team.
Also to start the free agency period, the Coyotes tendered qualifying offers to forward Christian Fischer, plus defensemen Jordan Gross and Vili Saarijarvi, making the trio restricted free agents as free agency opened Friday.
According to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, the Coyotes are close to agreeing upon a one-year contract with forward John Hayden as well.
In his fourth season with the Coyotes, Fischer played 56 games. He recorded six goals and three assists for nine points and notched one game-winning goal. Fischer also posted 16 PIM. In nine playoff games in 2020, the forward tallied one assist for one point.
The 6-foot-2, 214-pound forward was selected in the second round (No. 32 overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Gross appeared in two games for Arizona and Saarijarvi, a 23-year-old defenseman, played in 25 for the Tucson Roadrunners last season.
Qualifying offers for restricted free agents were due by Wednesday at 2 p.m. Arizona time. The offers can be accepted starting Friday and expire on Oct. 18.
