Sports360AZ
Story by Evan Oscherwitz
Adin Hill’s time as a member of the Coyotes has come to an end.
Saturday, as teams across the NHL had to finalize their lists of protected players for the upcoming Seattle expansion draft, the Coyotes traded Hill and a 2022 seventh-round pick to the San José Sharks. Hill is a pending free agent and was expected to be picked by Seattle. By trading him, the Coyotes ensured that they would received assets in return rather than losing him for nothing.
Hill split the last four seasons between the Coyotes and the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League. During time in Glendale, Hill proved himself to be a very capable third goalie behind oft-injured starter Darcy Kuemper and even more injury-prone backup Antti Raanta. Hill’s reliable play during his call-ups made him a fan favorite, and he leaves the Coyotes with a 19-21-4 record and .909 save percentage in 49 appearances.
Adin Hill 🔥 ridiculous #Yotes pic.twitter.com/KkYVGtIRAl
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) March 24, 2021
In the deal, Arizona gets back a 2022 second-round pick and 23-year-old goaltender Josef Korenar, who appeared in ten games for San José last season. The Czech-born netminder is likely to replace Hill as the Coyotes’ third goaltender and AHL starter this coming season.
The Hill trade was one of two deals made by Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong Saturday, as the team also acquired veteran left winger Andrew Ladd from the New York Islanders, who were looking to unload his contract, which has two years remaining at 5.5 million dollars per year.
Once a prolific scorer, the 35-year-old Ladd has not appeared in an NHL game since Mar. 10, 2020, and spent the entire 2021 season in the minors. In return for taking on his cap hit, the Coyotes get a second-round pick in this year’s draft, a second-rounder in 2022 and a conditional third-rounder in 2023.
#GottaSeeIt: Andrew Ladd breaks out and nets a short-handed goal for the #NYIslanders. pic.twitter.com/FU1MiAVM1n
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 29, 2017
“He’s a two-time Stanley Cup winner,” Armstrong said. “With our new coach coming in the door and preaching about the new culture he wants to implement, I think Andrew Ladd can be a driver of that for us. He’s really training hard, he believes he’s [still] an NHL player and he can have an impact for us.”
Armstrong confirmed that the Coyotes will receive the higher of the Islanders’ two 2022 second-round picks and that the 2023 third-rounder will be contingent upon Ladd playing a certain number of NHL games for the Coyotes, though that number has yet to be agreed upon.
With the departure of Hill and the acquisition of desperately-needed draft picks, the Coyotes’ offseason has begun in earnest, and if Armstrong stays true to his vow to revamp the team’s roster, more moves should be on the way.
