Arizona Coyotes claim center Adam Ružička off waivers
Jan 25, 2024, 1:12 PM | Updated: 1:40 pm
Adam Ruzicka #63 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on October 22, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Arizona Coyotes claimed Adam Ruzicka off waivers on Thursday.
The former Calgary Flames forward was placed on waivers on Wednesday with the purpose of re-assignment to the AHL Calgary Wranglers. He was a healthy scratch for Calgary’s 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old center had three goals and six assists for nine points in 39 games with a -8 rating while playing for the Flames this season before being waived.
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In nearly as many games this year, Ruzicka’s production is close to half (0.23) of the 0.45 points per game rate of last season: a six-goal, 14-assist season playing 44 games.
The Slovakia native was selected by Calgary in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft and has recorded 14 goals and 26 assists in 114 career NHL games.
The Coyotes needed help at the center position after Travis Boyd and Barrett Hayton were injured in December. Ruzicka should be a manageable option for Arizona at the injury-stressed position.
