Coyotes GM Maloney says 'everybody up for grabs'

Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney has made an honest appraisal of his team and has decided it's time for the Coyotes to make some changes to the roster.

"Where we're at, we have to look at everybody and everything," Maloney said Friday during an appearance on TSN 1200 in Ottawa. "There's nobody we wouldn't talk about in a deal. … Shane Doan isn't going anywhere. Oliver Ekman-Larsson we would be very reluctant to part with."

Among the players who could be most desirable for other teams are center Antoine Vermette and defenseman Keith Yandle. The NHL Trade Deadline is 3 p.m. ET on March 2.

"When you're sitting with our record, then everybody is up for grabs," Maloney said. "If there's a deal out there that will make us better long-term … we're not doing anything to plug a hole short-term."

The Coyotes enter play Friday 13th in the Western Conference, 15 points behind the Calgary Flames for the second Western Conference wild-card spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Maloney realizes that hill is too tough to climb and the Coyotes will miss the postseason for the third straight season.

"We're having a difficult season," Maloney said. "We came into the year thinking if a few things went well for us, the group of players we have on the blue line were strong, we needed some solid goaltending. And consequently as we're [48] games in, our goaltending has been better, Mike Smith has been better, but it hasn't been good enough. Our blue line, which has some interesting pieces, and up front we haven't had enough talent and speed. We're taking a step back, we're resetting our organization."

Maloney said he expects a rough ride during the Coyotes' final 34 games but he's emboldened by what the future holds.

Max Domi, the 13th pick of the 2013 NHL Draft, has 20 goals and 69 points in 36 games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League and was named the best forward at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship; he had five goals and five assists in seven games to help Canada win the gold medal.

The Coyotes also will get a high pick in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft, which is expected to produce a strong crop of talent.

"We're going to get a top pick in the draft, whether its No. 1 or No. 7 or 8," Maloney said. "I know our guys, we look about seven or eight deep to get a really good player. Then after that there are good players. … We like the draft. There are eight or nine good players. The two at the top (Erie center Connor McDavid and Boston University center Jack Eichel) are exceptional. We get in that top single-digit of the draft, we think we'll come out with a good player."

Maloney said things might be bleak now in Arizona but he doesn't think it will take long to get things turned around.

"What I'm encouraged by is we have stable ownership now," Maloney said. "Andrew Barroway is on board as majority owner. … We all have a long-term vision of what need to do and where we need to take this team. And it's going to take some patience. When you start going younger and put some younger people in your lineup it leads to some long nights. We're going to take a step back, take our lumps. Hopefully be better after.

"The ownership group understands there's a process and a timeline to that process,. It doesn't have to be five or 10 years. We can make some changes, be a better team and have a lot more upside than we did this year."