The Arizona Coyotes re-signed forward Jack McBain to a two-year deal just before the start of their arbitration hearing.
The Arizona Coyotes and forward Jack McBain cut it close to the beginning of their arbitration hearing, settling on a two-year contract on Sunday.
The team did not announce contract details, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the deal is worth $1,599,999 per year.
“We are very pleased to sign Jack to a new contract,” Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong said in a news release. “He is a big, strong, physical center who led our team in hits last season and contributed offensively. We look forward to having him back on our roster this season.”
Arizona's arbitration filing for McBain was two years at $1.2 million per year, while the player's camp filed for one year at $2.25 million, according to Friedman.
McBain, 23, is coming off his two-year, entry-level contract. The Minnesota Wild drafted him 63rd overall in 2018 but traded him to the Coyotes in March 2022. McBain then signed with Arizona after four years at Boston College and recorded three points in 10 games in 2021-22.
He improved in 2022-23, posting 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 82 games. McBain played a checking role on the team, averaging 13:59 in ice time per game but delivering a whopping 304 hits to his opponents, which ranked fourth in the NHL. He also ranked third among Coyotes forwards in blocked shots, with 51.
The Toronto native took a role on Arizona's penalty kill as well, which ranked 27th in the NHL last season. Two of Arizona's top three other penalty-killing forwards last season, Nick Bjugstad and Christian Fischer, moved on to new clubs.
As the Coyotes slowly progress in their rebuild, McBain can be their fourth-line center and penalty-killer for years if they choose to extend again after his new deal. That said, the short-term deal gives McBain a chance to step it up and prove his value in hopes of getting more, once again as an RFA in the summer of 2025.
Arizona, meanwhile, just got out of having to tell an independent arbitrator why McBain doesn't deserve $2.25 million per year, saving both parties the potential for any tense moments in the heat of the off-season. The Coyotes now have just 2018 third-round winger Jan Jenik and 25-year-old goaltender Josef Korenar as their remaining RFAs, and they have about $7.79 million in current cap space before any long-term injured reserve designations, per PuckPedia.