Clayton Keller's agents reportedly met with the Arizona Coyotes to discuss the team's future. He didn’t request a trade, but teams will call if he does.
In the wake of the Arizona Coyotes' failed bid to build an arena complex in Tempe, Clayton Keller's agents reportedly met with the club's front office to discuss the franchise's future.
During his 32 Thoughts podcast on Friday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the meeting was to gain clarity over the club's future direction. He added that the 24-year-old winger has not requested a trade.
Nevertheless, Keller could become the subject of trade speculation as the off-season rolls along. The fact that this meeting was held should be a warning for the Coyotes. Having shipped out Jakob Chychrun in March to the Ottawa Senators following his trade request last year, it's not difficult to imagine Keller asking to be moved out of Arizona.
CapFriendly indicates Keller has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $7.15 million. His no-trade clause goes into effect on July 1.
Keller was the Coyotes' nominee this season for the Masterton Trophy for his impressive bounce-back performance following a season-ending leg injury in 2021-22. He was their leading scorer this season with a career-best 37 goals and 49 assists for 86 points, tying Keith Tkachuk's single-season Coyotes' points record.
Friedman said he believes there will be lots of teams that would love to acquire Keller. If he requests a trade, however, it could take some time to move him. Friedman cited management's patience in waiting for the right deal for Chychrun but also suggested they'll be under a lot of pressure if Keller is unhappy.
Keller is the foundation piece for the Coyotes' rebuild. They can't afford to lose him if they hope to make serious progress toward playoff contention.