The Best Ever Arizona Coyotes Free Agent Signing

[LastWordArmy]

For our summer series we are looking at the best ever free agent signing for each team.

Today, the Arizona Coyotes

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/07/19/arizona-coyotes-free-agent/

Click to read more...

 

[rt]

My first thought was Ray Whitney. My second thought was Adrian Aucoin. I guess Smith's lousy play and petulant behavior the last few years made me forget that he was the biggest reason for that run. Went from best signing in team history to team's worst contract just like that.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Definitely Mike ribeiro right?

 

[Naych_PHX]

Definitely Mike ribeiro right?

I was hoping for Tony Amonte.

 

[XX]

Whitney and Aucoin did more for the team culture and performance than Smith. Smith did well in the playoffs but he basically reaped the rewards of playing for a pretty good defensive team and parlayed that into a stupid contract.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

This was a season where Jason LaBarbera's stats were 2.54 GAA/.912 SV. Curtis McElhinney played two games with a 1.67 GAA/.944 SV.

I think it's safe to say that Smith's career year was less some astonishing feat of hockey skill, and more a team built to trap the hell out of the league. And every year since 2012 has belied the idea that he was our greatest FA signing of all time.

 

[moosemeister]

Vrbata imo.

Edit: or did we trade for him? lol

 

[LuckyNumber11]

I would have gone with Aucoin myself

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Vrbata imo.

Edit: or did we trade for him? lol

Traded for him both times

 

[moosemeister]

Traded for him both times

Well ****.

I'm going Ray Whitney then.

 

[Ebb]

Brett Hull was the best free agent signing

If not for that durned stoppage, it could have been great, really...

 

[hbk]

Amazing how Smiths play started to decline with reduction in size of goaltending equipment.

 

[SniperHF]

Traded for him both times

It's pretty funny how when you look over the list of acquisitions and impact it's mostly centered around guys we traded for who stuck around.

Vrbata
Morris
Langkow (pt 1)
Vermette

Heck you could go back to Roenick too. And I'm leaving out a few we traded for at a young age like Z, Ballard, Mara.


You look at FAs, you're down to Smith, Burke, Whitney and Jovo. I'm not sure Whitney played here long enough to qualify for my tastes.

The answer might be Burke. He didn't carry them as far, but he carried a worse team to the playoffs and put up numbers for longer than Smith. Jovo had a similar curve as Smith, starting off well and the last 2-3 years went into the ground.

 

[RemoAZ]

No Brett Hull?

 

[ibroce]

I would definitely put Jovo in our top 2 or 3 based solely on the fact that he gave us so many good years and was a part of the team that won 50 games.

 

[KG]

Amazing how Smiths play started to decline with reduction in size of goaltending equipment.

Without a doubt, his 5 hole suffered.

 

[Mosby]

Still don't know how Smith didn't even get a Vezina nomination in 2012.

 

[TheLegend]

This was a season where Jason LaBarbera's stats were 2.54 GAA/.912 SV. Curtis McElhinney played two games with a 1.67 GAA/.944 SV.

I think it's safe to say that Smith's career year was less some astonishing feat of hockey skill, and more a team built to trap the hell out of the league. And every year since 2012 has belied the idea that he was our greatest FA signing of all time.

Speaking of LaBarbara....

He was just named goalie coach for the Calgary Hitmen.

 

[Kyle003p]

It's pretty funny how when you look over the list of acquisitions and impact it's mostly centered around guys we traded for who stuck around.

Vrbata
Morris
Langkow (pt 1)
Vermette

Heck you could go back to Roenick too. And I'm leaving out a few we traded for at a young age like Z, Ballard, Mara.


You look at FAs, you're down to Smith, Burke, Whitney and Jovo. I'm not sure Whitney played here long enough to qualify for my tastes.

The answer might be Burke. He didn't carry them as far, but he carried a worse team to the playoffs and put up numbers for longer than Smith. Jovo had a similar curve as Smith, starting off well and the last 2-3 years went into the ground.

Sean Burke was also acquired through trade, from Florida for mikael stelankov (spelling?)

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Sean Burke was also acquired through trade, from Florida for mikael stelankov (spelling?)

Shtinkyyyyy!!!!

 

[lanky]

Amonte, Hull, Nedved, Jovanovski and Ribeiro were the five biggest UFA signings I can think of. The first three contributed for less than a season each, Ribeiro imploded on himself and Jovo fizzled out hard. All five signings were mistakes in hindsight.

 

[lanky]

Let's hope Gogo turns out to be the best.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Shane Doan!....Duh.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Let's hope Gogo turns out to be the best.

Yeah let's hope so. If he's as solid as he looked last year he very well could be.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Let's hope Gogo turns out to be the best.

Technically still a trade