Unrestricted free agents: Shane Doan, RW; Mikkel Boedker, LW; Boyd Gordon, C; Nicklas Grossmann, D; Steve Downie, RW; Anders Lindback, G; Kyle Chipchura, LW; Viktor Tikhonov, RW
Restricted free agents: Michael Stone, D; Connor Murphy, D; Tobias Rieder, LW; Tyler Gaudet, C
Projected 2016 draft picks: 7 (2 first, including conditional pick from NYR)
Projected 2017 draft picks: 6 (1 first)
Needs: Top-four defenseman; top-six forward; goaltending depth
Surpluses: Defensemen; forwards in system
Players Potentially in Play: Boedker, Grossmann, Downie, Stone, Klas Dahlbeck, D
Likely status: Buyer/Seller
Skinny: The month of February will determine which way Arizona goes at the deadline. The Coyotes have been a surprise over the first four months of the season, matching their win total from 2014-15 by February and pushing for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth in the Western Conference. If they remain in the hunt as the deadline approaches, general manager Don Maloney will look to add reasonably priced rentals or make veteran-for-veteran deals to help get them over the top. If they struggle and fall off the pace in the West, players like Boedker, who has scored half of his 12 goals in two games, and Stone could be dangled for young players or more draft picks. The Coyotes made it through January thanks to the unexpected success of rookie goalie Louis Domingue, but with Mike Smith recovering from his second long-term injury in as many years and Anders Lindback struggling as a backup, goaltending depth is an issue. With Antoine Vermette underachieving and Martin Hanzal again battling through injuries, a center to play between the Coyotes' talented young wings is high on the wish list. Maloney added defensemen Kevin Connauton and Jarred Tinordi in January but still covets a top-four defenseman, ideally one to pair with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. But one thing the Coyotes won't do is sacrifice much from their stable of young forwards for a chance to end their three-year playoff drought. With Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Tobias Rieder and Jordan Martinook already in the NHL, Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak, Nick Merkley and Brendan Perlini are among others on the way. As they did in the 2015 NHL Draft, the Coyotes would have two first-round picks in 2016 (the second via the Keith Yandle trade) if the New York Rangers don't end up in the NHL Draft Lottery.
