There were reports at this year’s draft in Dallas that the Coyotes were shopping Dvorak in a potential deal with the Minnesota Wild, but Chayka said at the time that those reports were inaccurate, with coach Rick Tocchet adding there was “no way” the team was planning to trade Dvorak.
“We’ve all been through trying to find good centermen and it’s a difficult thing to do,” Chayka said. “If you get one you want to keep him long term.
“I think that everyone appreciates that he plays a mature game. Coming in as a young player, we put a lot of responsibility on him. He has played some real tough minutes for a young centerman at a tough position to play. We’ve used him all over the lineup. His versatility is an asset and he’s just a really smart player that can play in all situations. His drive and determination to continue to get better is a big part of what we’re doing here.”
Chayka said the Coyotes are confident Dvorak’s production will improve, but there are already good signs. He had 26 even-strength goals in his first two seasons. By comparison, Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk had 24, Boston’s David Pastrnak had 23 and St. Louis’ Vladimir Tarasenko had 21 in their first two NHL seasons, respectively.
