The Arizona Coyotes know the kind of asset they have in Mikkel Boedker. It's why they'd like to sign him to a long-term deal. But Boedker and his reps are also aware of the kind of value he carries. It's why their price tag on a new contract is likely high. Put it all together and it sure sounds at this point like Boedker is pricing himself out of a Coyotes jersey.
According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, via Chris Nichols of Today's Slap Shot, the Coyotes and GM Don Maloney have made at least "a few offers" to Boedker's camp, but all have been rejected. With the NHL trade deadline looming ever larger later this month, the Coyotes have, per LeBrun, set themselves a mandate to either sign or trade the big forward.
LeBrun: "The clock is ticking and Arizona will not allow itself to let (Boedker) go through deadline w/o being signed or traded." #Coyotes
— Chris Nichols (@NicholsOnHockey) February 17, 2016
And with that deadline now less than two weeks away, the sense LeBrun is getting is that it is "more and more" likely that Boedker is dealt. But it's not just because of Boedker's big ask that he seems soon to be traded - even as the price of rental players drop, a guy like Boedker remains highly valuable because of his skill set. It has plenty of teams around the league interested in adding Boedker to their top-six.
"I know that Arizona is talking to a lot of teams right now," LeBrun said.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have already been floated as a potential option, but they certainly won't be alone. The Chicago Blackhawks could make use of Boedker's talents as could the Nashville Predators. But as has been the case all season, trades are hard to come by at this point.
With the Coyotes determined to sign or trade, any deal involving Boedker, should it come, likely won't develop until the very last moment, when Maloney is certain that he can't keep Boedker in the picture long-term. And with the Coyotes showing promising signs but still far from being a playoff team, jettisoning Boedker now and getting what assets they can may make the most sense for the franchise.
