THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'Dub': Connor Bedard's Pursuit for 150 and Kings' WHL Alumni Clayton Keller [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk2ODI4MDk4MDE1MDExOTAy/usatsi_20138769.jpg] Clayton Keller After months of trade speculation stretching back to last season, Jakob Chychrun was finally moved by the Arizona Coyotes as they shipped him on March 1 to the Ottawa Senators. That move raised questions about whether other Coyotes players could follow him out of Arizona. GOPHNX.com's Craig Morgan [https://www.gophnx.com/2023/03/19/7-wonders-of-craig-pre-nhl-draft-lottery-edition/] cited Chychrun's frustration over the Coyotes' rebuilding process prompted his trade request. He wondered if young players such as Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse might eventually feel the same way if the club remains on its current track over the next two years. Keller, 24, is the Coyotes' leading scorer this season with a career-best 36 goals and 80 points in 74 games. The 25-year-old Crouse is second in goals with 22. Both are on long-term contracts stretching beyond next season. So was Chychrun, but that didn't prevent his eventual departure. If anything, that cost certainty could make Keller or Crouse more attractive in the trade market. So far, there's no indication Keller or Crouse wants out of Arizona. However, that could change if the Coyotes fail to become playoff contenders over the next couple of seasons. Morgan also wondered why the Coyotes are keeping a player like Nick Schmaltz around. The 27-year-old center will be past his playing prime once their rebuild is over, plus his salary significantly rises over the next three seasons. Noting that Schmaltz's trade value has never been higher, Morgan suggested peddling him and 26-year-old goaltender Karel Vejmelka for returns that help their rebuilding program. However, he acknowledged those moves risk upsetting the other core players. Schmaltz and Vejmelka popped up in the rumor mill before the trade deadline. Perhaps we'll see their names surface again during off-season media chatter.
