If it were 2013, the Coyotes would have a bad club.
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In the ridiculous circus of collective bargaining to juggle the salary cap, the Coyotes still find themselves with finished player contracts. The Coyotes have been raising hands to get those contracts to meet the salary floor for several years.
And this year it’s even more amazing.
It’s an impressive team from 10 years ago.
The defense would be led by Shea Weber, who had just been selected twice for the Norris Trophy with Nashville in 2013.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, whom the Coyotes are still paying, would score 44 points in his second full NHL season in 2013. At 31, the latter is just a shadow of himself in Vancouver.
Offensively, the Coyotes are paying Bryan Little another $5.2 million this year and next. 10 years ago, Little scored 64 points and, along with Blake Wheeler, became one of the key faces in the Jets’ return to Winnipeg. Injured in one ear, he has not played a single game since 2019.
Photo archive, AFP
Bryan little
The Coyotes also rely on good old Andrew Ladd. Ten years ago he had 46 points in 48 games in the abbreviated season with the Jets. The Coyotes are paying him $5.5 million this year, but he didn’t play because of a knee injury. He had 12 points in 51 games last year and had alternated between the Islanders and the American League for the past four years. This performance pays off.
Today Jakub Voracek joins the team with $8.2 million for this season and next. He has played 11 games with Columbus this season. He has been suffering from a severe concussion since November and his return to football is not yet planned. Ten years ago, Voracek was poised to score 81 points the following season.
Photo archive, AFP
Jakob Woracek
Finally, even though he plays for the New York Rangers, it’s worth noting that the Coyotes are now paying Patrick Kane. 10 years ago, the player soon peaked with his first seasons at one point per game. The Coyotes pay him $2.6 million.
In short, a bad club would do it all in 2013. The NHL’s salary cap rules can really make for an embarrassing spectacle.
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