After spending the last two seasons with the Coyotes, Zbynek Michalek is on the move. He has been traded to the St. Louis Blues for prospect Maxim Letunov. The deal also includes some conditional draft picks based on Michalek’s health. The Blues will get a third round pick if Michalek is not able to play for the Blues due to a concussion that has recently kept him out of the Minnesota lineup. The Coyotes will retain 50% of Michalek’s Salary and Cap Hit.
Michalek to STL. working on details
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 2, 2015
Michalek is 32-years old and set to become a free agent in July. He’s not a big-time point producer at this age, but really hasn’t been his entire time in the NHL. He broke into the NHL with the Minnesota Wild as a primarily defensive defenseman that loved to block shots. That fact still holds true this season. In a contract year he is practically a rental that could be a good veteran influence as a stay-at-home defenseman who is not afraid to sacrifice his body night in and night out. His durability has been consistent, with six straight seasons of playing in 70+ games when he broke into the league, playing in all 82 three times in that span. He’s missed just five this season. With the Coyotes far from playoff contention and amid many rumors of a fire sale, Michalek was a guy that they felt that they needed to move to get the best value for him this season.
His best season in the shot-blocking department came with those same Coyotes in 2008-09, getting a piece of 271 shots. He totaled six goals and 27 points that season, one point short of his career high in 2006-07. For contenders, when it gets down to crunch time in the playoffs, having a guy like this on the ice could make a big difference in a big-time defensive spot.
Letunov was the Blues second round pick (57th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The Russian centre is currently leading the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms in points and is committed to Boston University next year. Ben Kerr’s report on him (pre-2014 draft) is as follows:
Maxim Letunov, C, Yougstown Phantoms (6’2″ 150 lbs): Russian centre comitted to Boston University for the 2015-16 season and who put up 43 points in 60 games. Tall and Lanky he will need some time to add some muscle, but he has slick hands and good playmaking ability. Excellent hockey sense and seems to always make the right play with the puck on his stick.
More to come.
Stay tuned to Last Word on Sports for all the big moves leading to the NHL Trade Deadline.
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