One day after a report indicated Phil Kessel isn't opposed to accepting a trade to the Arizona Coyotes, general manager John Chayka made sure to set the details straight.
The initial report stated the Coyotes informed the Penguins a potential trade won't work because of Kessel's $6.8-million salary ($1.2 million is still paid by the Maple Leafs), but Chayka addressed the rumor Wednesday and said that's flat-out not true.
"I think it's terrible reporting," Chayka told Matt Layman of Arizona Sports. "It's inaccurate across the board from start to finish. I don't know where some things come up. I'm the one having trade discussions, those discussions with the Penguins haven't occurred. Unless someone else is making calls that I don't know about, I'm not sure where this information's coming from."
The Coyotes recently traded for Alex Galchenyuk, and have a verbal agreement on a contract extension worth $8 million per season in place with franchise blue-liner Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Taking those transactions into account, Arizona would still have over $10 million in available space, per CapFriendly.
"To speculate on our economics I think is unfair," Chayka said. "I think we're trying to build out our group here. We've got a young group and we're trying to build through the draft and develop. Again, I'm not sure where it's coming from, but the basis of that reporting's not coming from anything tied to the Coyotes and it's certainly not anywhere close to factual. "
Kessel's apparent availability comes weeks after a report revealed he and head coach Mike Sullivan butted heads over his deployment throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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