Team: 2019-20 Arizona Coyotes

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 21, 2019

Published: Jun. 21, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

so now that Ryan Callahan's been diagnosed with degenerative back disease and recommended to not play hockey anymore, we all know his contract is going to the Coyotes, right?

(this is not to demean his career or the way it ended; he was a spectacular player with an inspiring career. but the same is true of Marián Hossa, and that didn't stop Stan Bowman from trading him to the Coyotes.)

- this is obviously going to cost the Lightning, to dump Callahan's contract. I'd love for Chayka to get Anthony Cirelli out of this deal, but Mathieu Joseph might be a more reasonable ask. (plus, family ties; Pierre-Olivier is in the system.)

- obviously, the Coyotes need to send something back the other way. Kevin Connauton would relieve the slight logjam at defense on the Coyotes and give the Lightning a reasonable 7th defender whose contract will only last a year. I mean, the dude also put up 11 goals and 31 points in '17 - '18, so not all bad. salary retention is also an option, to help the Lightning sign Brayden Point. Nick Cousins is really there just to fill in a spot on the Lightning's 4th line.

- sneaky and also bold side throw-in: Hunter Miska's rights AND Merrick Madsen. the Coyotes have a potential logjam at goalie coming up; Adin Hill, Madsen, and Erik Källgren are currently signed through July 1st, and Ivan Prosvetov and David Tendeck are in the pool as well. somebody's gotta go eventually, and maybe more than one somebodies. the Lightning just traded away Connor Ingram and have 2 goalies signed; they need to have at least a third goalie prior to July 1st. pretty sure they can't sign anybody during this time period, so they need to trade for somebody, plus, none of their unsigned drafted goalies (Kristian Oldham, Magnus Chrona, or Ty Taylor) are even remotely ready for an NHL SPC. the Coyotes could make up for trading away 2 goalies by signing Tendeck.