The Arizona Coyotes announced they made a trade on Saturday. The team said in a release: “We have acquired forward Andrew Ladd, a 2021 2nd round pick, a 2022 conditional 2nd round pick, and a 2023 conditional 3rd round pick from the New York Islanders.”
Interestingly, the Islanders have confirmed there is no return in the Andrew Ladd trade, just Ladd and the three picks to the Coyotes. This was obviously a cap dump move that would allow general manager Lou Lamoriello a chance to do other things and rid the Islanders of Ladd’s $5.5 million cap hit. Essentially, the Coyotes got three picks for taking Andrew Ladd’s contract.
This is one of the more odd trades in some time, but it’s one that makes sense for both teams. The Coyotes badly need to restock the cupboards with draft picks. The Islanders needed the cap space. Conditions on the deal center around the 2023 3rd rounder going to Arizona in the Ladd trade: the 3rd round pick is transferred if Ladd plays in at least 1 game in 2022-23.
Sportsnet’s David Amber was the first to report the deal and also reports that the Coyotes expect the 35-year-old forward to play for them next season. He has spent the last three seasons with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers , playing in just four NHL games since part way through the 2018-19 season. Ladd was a big part of the Winnipeg Jets success years ago and got his monster contract on the heels of a 46-point season split between the Jets and Chicago Blackhawks in 2015-16.
More must-reads: