Coyotes Goaltending Becoming Prime Trade Candidate

The Arizona Coyotes trade talk is normally saved for disgruntled defenseman Jakob Chychrun but recently it's goaltender Karel Vejmelka has entered the chat. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, two of the very best in the business, were chatting during the Jeff Marek Show on Monday and Vejmelka was a topic of discussion:

There’s a lot of talk about Chychrun and we all know why, but I had a couple guys say to me the guy they’re wondering about there is Vejmelka. I don’t know that anyone is thinking of actually thinking of doing something like that, I’m not sure that Arizona would entertain it. But that’s the guy that I’d be looking at if I was another team and I needed goaltending. He’s having a dynamite year.

The 26-year-old netminder is putting up a .913 save % on a really bad team and has carried the Coyotes to victories numerous times throughout the season.

Vejmelka is signed through the 2024-25 season at an amazing price tag of only $2.72 million per season. Any trade would see a significant haul coming back to the Coyotes which would be loaded with draft picks and top prospects. It would likely take three big assets to land the 'Yotes netminder out of the desert.

Teams who are getting desperate for a starting goaltender include the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Buffalo Sabres.

Photo credit:  Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports