Need a winger? Call the Arizona Coyotes.
The "For Sale" sign is up once again in the desert, with the Coyotes poised to miss the postseason for the fifth straight season. That means changes, and likely a new address for right-winger Radim Vrbata.
A pending unrestricted free agent, the 35-year-old Vrbata is in his third tour of duty with Arizona after he rejoined the Coyotes in the offseason.
Through 46 games, the Czech-born winger is the club's leading scorer, with 33 points, capped by Saturday's four-point outing against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's been a hot month for Vrbata, who has nine points through nine games in January.
That makes an attractive asset for the Coyotes, and a nice addition on the wing for teams looking to bulk up for the playoffs. With that, here are three teams that should think about adding Vrbata's scoring touch:
Boston Bruins
The Bruins are at risk of missing the postseason for the third straight season. That sort of failure hasn't happened in Beantown since 1967, when the Bruins missed the playoffs eight years in a row.
There is desperation in Boston amid rumors of the future of coach Claude Julien, with the Bruins being just a single point above the final wild-card spot, and the team struggling to produce offense up front. With 122 goals on the season, Boston ranks 21st league-wide, seemingly reeling from the loss of scoring winger Loui Eriksson, who left in free agency.
A closer looks shows the Bruins have struggled up the middle, with centers Patrice Bergeron and David Backes having among the worst seasons of their careers. Could their performances turn around with Vrbata on the wing? We'll know for sure after the March 1 trade deadline.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina could use some help on the right side. Only two Hurricanes currently outpace Vrbata - Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask - who make up two-thirds of Carolina's top line. There's an opening on the right side, and Vrbata could be a better fit than the likes of Elias Lindholm and Lee Stempniak. The three could push Carolina to its first playoff berth since 2009.
A short stint in North Carolina would mark a reunion for Vrbata, who spent parts of three seasons in Raleigh. He was traded from Colorado to Carolina at the 2003 deadline, then shipped to Chicago in December 2005.
If budget issues are a concern for the Hurricanes, Carolina is in luck, as Vrbata carries a cap-friendly bonus-laden contract. The deal has a $1-million base salary, plus various other payouts. Vrbata has already reached the games played benchmarks, and is on pace to soon cash in on another $500,000 when he nets either his 20th goal or 40th point. If the Hurricanes win it all with Vrbata in tow, he'd max out at $3.25 million.
| Condition | Payment |
|---|---|
| Base salary | $1 million |
| 10 games played | $250 000 |
| 30 games played | $250 000 |
| 20 goals or 40 points | $500 000 |
| If make playoffs | $250 000 |
| Playoff round win | $250 000 per round |
Ottawa Senators
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion hasn't been shy about his desire to add some more scoring to his club, and Vrbata could be just what the doctor ordered.
The Senators hold down the second spot in the Atlantic Division, but with just 116 goals on the season, Ottawa owns a minuscule plus-three goal differential, while the club has only outscored seven teams league-wide.
The Senators could use a boost at right wing. At 33 points, Vrbata has nearly doubled the production Ottawa's top right triggerman, Bobby Ryan, who has 18 on the year. Fellow right-winger Mark Stone and defenseman Erik Karlsson are the only Ottawa skaters to outscore Vrbata this season.
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