Coyotes Like Galchenyuk's Versatility, Upside

GLENDALE -- A week before the 2018 NHL Draft, the Coyotes added a recent third overall pick to the mix on Friday night when they acquired forward Alex Galchenyuk from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Max Domi, a fan favorite.
"These are tough decisions and they're not ones that we make lightly, but at the same time my job is to improve our team, and I can say that we feel like we're a better team today," Coyotes General Manager John Chayka told reporters on a conference call.

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Galchenyuk has played 418 NHL games, all for Montreal since the Habs selected him third at the 2012 NHL Draft after Edmonton picked Nail Yakupov first and Columbus snatched Ryan Murray second. Galchenyuk, 24, notched 108 goals and 147 assists for Montreal. His most productive season came in 2015-16 when he produced 30 goals and 26 assists in 82 games. He is signed through 2019-20.
"We were looking for a guy that could score some goals for us and we were looking for someone that has some versatility and some experience playing up the middle and give us some depth in that position," Chayka said. "I think Alex obviously checks all those boxes. When you start going through the League and you look at players that have produced at the level he has, at the age he has and at that price point, we looked at all these different things and, quite frankly, there's very few of these guys. So, obviously you have to give to get in this League and Max is a very talented young player in his own right. Hopefully it's one of those things where the fit works on both sides and works for everybody."

Galchenyuk, who is from Milwaukee, was not available for comment on Friday night. He's expected to speak with reporters via conference call on Saturday.
Montreal recently utilized Galchenyuk as a winger. The Coyotes likely will use Galchenyuk at center.
"Our thesis on it is he has the ability (to play center) and we think that he has natural tendencies that lend itself to that. We feel, just based off of our research and what we've looked at, that he has the capacity to do it."
He added: "I think versatility is valuable. I think having depth at that position and having players who can play that position is something that we desired in this trade. He's had success playing the center position. I don't think we'd make this trade if we didn't think he had the ability to play center … Coming into Arizona, which is a much different market than Montreal, we're expecting him to be an important part of our big group here. We've got a group of talented players that share the responsibility and we want him to come in and be himself. Regardless of the position, we're happy with the player we're getting."

As for Domi, whom the Coyotes drafted 12th overall in 2013, Chayka said he wishes him well with his new team.
"As a team we struggled early (last season) and I think he struggled as well, and then the season started to snowball on him a bit," Chayka said. "I think some of that was just him taking the weight of the team on him and caring a lot. I think as the season went on he got better and better and he certainly showed us what he can do as a player down the stretch. But this is a scenario where we feel really strongly about the player we're getting back. So that's our focus."
Domi, who is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, notched 45 points (nine goals, 36 assists) in 82 games last season.