Off-Season Watch: Price tag high for Coyotes' Smith

Each day through the Vegas expansion draft and up until free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.

--

Available for a High Price

Mike Smith’s name has entered the rumour mill and while Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka didn’t shut down talks completely on Monday, he made it clear Smith won’t come cheap to another team.

Chayka told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports that he’s not shopping his starting goaltender, but every player on the Coyotes roster is available if teams are willing to pay up.

“If it’s being viewed as me making Mike available and starting a bidding war, that’s not the case,” Chayka said. “We’re taking calls on players every year. I don’t think anyone is untradeable but like we talked about last year with Oliver Ekman-Larsson, he’s up as high on that list as anyone.

“There’s a value to our team that Mike has, being an All-Star and our rock. His value is extremely high but if someone wants to pay an even higher value for him, that’s the industry.”

Smith 35, posted a 19-16-9 record with the Coyotes this season with a 2.92 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. He posted a .916 save percentage last season, but only played 32 games due to injury. He has been with the Coyotes organization since 2011.

“Goaltending is such a premium position and Mike was as good as anyone in the league last year,” Chayka said.

 --

On the Block?

It appears Evander Kane’s name can be added to the trade block for this summer.

Speaking on TSN Radio 690 Montreal on Monday, TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie said there’s a good chance Kane will be traded this off-season.

McKenzie notes that Kane has one year remaining on his current contract – at a cap hit of $5.25 million – and may not fit the vision of new general manager Jason Botterill. The Sabres organization has gone through an overhaul already this off-season, with general manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma both being let go after the season. The team has yet to hire Bylsma’s replacement.

Kane completed his second season with the Sabres this year, scoring 28 goals and adding 15 assists in 70 games. His 28 goals were his highest mark since scoring 30 with the Winnipeg Jets in 2011-12.

The 25-year-old was acquired by the Sabres from the Jets in February 2015 in a trade which sent Kane and Zach Bogosian to Buffalo in exchange for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux and a first-round pick.

Through 496 career games, Kane owns 157 goals and 300 points in the NHL. He was never played more than 75 games in a season.

--

What Would it Take?

The St. Louis Blues felt they were getting a bargain when they signed Jori Lehtera to a three-year, $14.1 million contract last summer.

One year into the deal, things look a whole lot different. 

Lehtera scored seven goals and tallied just 22 points last season and Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders if the Blues would be willing to pay to have the Golden Knights select the 29-year-old.

Gordon goes as far as to wonder whether Blues general manager Doug Armstrong would trade one of the team's two first-round picks to rid themselves of the $4.7 million cap hit. 

The Blues could use the extra cap space to sign restricted free-agent Colton Parayko to an extension. Gordon writes there has been speculation the Toronto Maple Leafs could sign Parayko to an offer sheet if the Blues don't reach a deal before July 1.

Earlier this offseason, Armstrong admitted Lehtera did not live up to expectations this season but said the team believed he could improve.

"When that decision was made to give him an extension, he had played one year in the league, he had close to 50 points, he was 28, it looked like a no-brainer at the time,” Armstrong said. “We had Backes who was going to be an unrestricted free agent, he had synergy with (Vladimir) Tarasenko, and he had produced.

“I just thought you’re going to get a 50-point player for the next three or four years. If he gets to 60-65, awesome, but he’s not going to go quite honestly to where he is right now. I think he can bounce back. (But) he has to get better and it’s our responsibility to help him.”

TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli placed Lehtera on his projected Golden Knights team.

--

Pump the Brakes?

The Anaheim Ducks have been expected to attempt to move a defenceman ahead of the Vegas expansion draft to avoid the prospect of losing a player such as Sami Vatanen for nothing.

However, Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun writes that playoff injuries to Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm have the Ducks sitting tight with their blue liners and depleting the defensive market.

Lindholm was ruled out after the season for four months, while general manager Bob Murray said Vatanen would be out even longer than that. Both players underwent shoulder surgeries after the Western Conference Final.

Vatanen, who is projected by TSN Hockey to be left unprotected in the Vegas expansion draft, scored three goals and tallied 24 points while averaging 21:40 of ice time in 71 regular season games this season. He scored one goal and added five assists in 12 postseason contests. He is currently the top player on the TSN Hockey Trade Bait board.

Zeisberger notes the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators are still two teams who could move a defenceman this off-season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars are both in the market.

--

In the Sweepstakes?

According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the Columbus Blue Jackets have inquired about Ilya Kovalchuk’s interest in joining their team.

Brooks wrote Sunday that more than six teams including the New York Ranger, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs had also inquired on Kovalchuk. However, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Monday the Maple Leafs are not interested in the Russian winger.

The Blue Jackets posted the fourth-best record in the NHL last season at 50-24-8. The team finished sixth in the league in goals for, led by Cam Atkinson who scored 35.

Kovalchuk scored 32 goals in 60 games with St. Petersburg SKA in the KHL this season. He topped the 30-goal mark nine times in 12 NHL seasons.