Alex Kerfoot agrees to 2-year contract with Arizona Coyotes

The Arizona Coyotes and veteran center Alexander Kerfoot agreed to a two-year contract, general manager Bill Armstrong said in a press conference on Saturday.

PHNX’s Craig Morgan reported the deal will be worth $3.5 million per year.

Kerfoot joins the Coyotes after spending the past four years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing all 82 games in each of the past two seasons.

He produced a career-high 51 points in 2021-22 with 13 goals and 38 assists. Kerfoot scored 10 goals last season — one at Mullett Arena against the Coyotes — with 22 assists.

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound center from Vancouver, B.C., scored two goals in Toronto’s Stanley Cup Playoffs run, which ended in the second round against the Florida Panthers.

He tipped in a game-winning goal in overtime to take a 3-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.

SIR ALEXANDER KERFOOT!!! pic.twitter.com/XzD8nVu5Y5

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 25, 2023

Kerfoot has 48 games of postseason experience with 18 points.

Armstrong called Kerfoot a “glue guy” who can play center, left wing and right wing.

“He was a big signing for us … he provides something different,” Armstrong said. “Sometimes when you have young centermen who come into the game, he can protect them. As a coach, you love this guy because he can do anything you need that night to help you win.”

Armstrong said there will be opportunities for Kerfoot top play higher in the lineup.

The lefty will turn 29 ahead of the upcoming campaign and was originally a fifth-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. He debuted with the Colorado Avalanche in 2017-18 and played 157 games in two seasons there before getting traded to Toronto.

The Coyotes announced five signings on Saturday, the first day of NHL free agency.

Arizona added Jason Zucker, Nick Bjugstad, Troy Stecher, Alex Galchenyuk and Matt Villalta.

Follow @AZSports