Coyotes have high asking price in Ekman-Larsson trade?

Would the Coyotes actually trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson? Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Coyotes have high asking price in potential Oliver Ekman-Larsson trade

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 9/30/20

The Arizona Coyotes are looking to free up some cap space this offseason, and that could come by unloading defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson's contract worth $8.2 million per season.

Many teams have been in contact with the Coyotes about Ekman-Larsson's services, including the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, but we haven't heard much about what the club would look for in return for the 29-year-old Swede.

TSN's Darren Dreger revealed Wednesday what Arizona might be in search of in an exchange with the Oilers, and it involves a first-round draft pick and one of the team's young, developing defensemen. It's worth noting that this probably is the asking price with any team interested.

What’s the farm? Ariz will want a 1st and likely one of the Oilers young, developing blueliners. Edmonton would also likely need the Coyotes to take another contract back to offset the OEL cap hit. As we reported yesterday, there have been discussions. Unclear if there’s a fit. https://t.co/JNuFv5vesZ
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 30, 2020

Ekman-Larsson, the sixth overall pick in 2009, has blossomed into one of the NHL's best defenders. In 723 regular-season games, the left-shot defenseman has tallied 125 goals and 239 assists for 364 points.

There's no telling which team may be leading the race for Ekman-Larsson's services, but it's become quite clear that the Coyotes are willing to deal him in order to hold on to other players. Arizona is projected to have $1,116,098 in cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly, and that's not enough to sign a number of its own free agents.

Taylor Hall, Brad Richardson and Carl Soderberg are among the club's unrestricted free agents while Christian Fischer, Vinnie Hinostroza and Ilya Lyubushkin are restricted.

The 2020-21 campaign isn't all that concerns for Arizona, though. The Coyotes have eight players headed for unrestricted free agency after next season, including Derek Stepan, Michael Grabner, Alex Goligoski and Antti Raanta, among others.

If they don't unload some cap space now, they'll have to do so in the future.

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