Zucker joins Coyotes on one-year deal; bring back F Bjugstad
Published
Veteran forward Jason Zucker has signed a one-year, $5.3 contract with the Arizona Coyotes, according to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston.
Zucker played 78 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, his fourth with the club, scoring 27 goals and adding 21 assists.
The 31-year-old played out the final season of a five-year, $27.5 million contract he signed with the Minnesota Wild prior to the 2018 season. He was traded to the Penguins in February of 2020 in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, defenceman Caleb Addison and a first-round pick.
The Newport Beach, CA., native has tallied 182 goals and 338 points in 628 career games with the Penguins and Wild.
Zucker was originally selected in the second round (59th overall) by the Wild in the 2010 NHL Draft.
Bjugstad returns
The Coyotes have brought back Nick Bjugstad on a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.1 million.
Bjugstad, 30, finished the 2022-23 season with the Edmonton Oilers after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, along with defenceman Cam Dineen, in exchange for defenceman Michael Kesselring and a draft pick on March 2.
The 6-foot-6 forward had 17 goals and 29 points in 78 games last season split between the Coyotes and Oilers.
He also added three goals in 12 playoff games before the Oilers were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in six games during the second round.
Bjugstad is coming off a one-year, $900,00 deal he signed with Coyotes in July of 2022.
Drafted 19th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2010 draft, Bjugstad has 127 goals and 266 points in his 618-game career.
The Minneapolis, Minn., native has represented the United States twice at the IIHF World Championship where he recorded a goal and six points in 18 tournament appearances and helped his country to a bronze medal in 2013.