The Arizona Coyotes have a looming issue in front of them just days ahead of their 2023-24 season opener. Former third-string goaltender and expected American Hockey League (AHL) starter Ivan Prosvetov was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, Oct. 10th. This came as no shocker to Coyotes management, who knew of the possibility after the team placed him on waivers to send him down to the AHL.
With the Tucson Roadrunners kicking off their 2023-24 season this upcoming Friday, along with the Coyotes, general manager Bill Armstrong is sorting through his options. Offseason signing Matthew Villalta will assume the starting role for the Roadrunners, but who his backup is remains to be determined. With a plethora of free agent options, waiver claims, and some goaltending depth of their own, we at The Hockey Writers take a look at who the Coyotes could bring in after the departure of Prosvetov.
Free Agents Available
There’s no certainty that Armstrong will look to free agency in terms of finding a goaltender, but there are options available if he’s looking for a solution. Two intriguing options that are available that Armstrong and company could look at are Aaron Dell and Jon Gillies.
Dell is no stranger to the Coyotes, having spent the vast majority of his career with the San Jose Sharks during two stints with the team. He’s spent a considerable amount of time in the AHL, as well, recording a 60-50-16 record over six seasons, with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. At 34 years of age, he’s one of the older free agents available, leaving him with a small window of interest, but he brings a wealth of NHL experience under his belt. Coming off a professional tryout (PTO) with the Blue Jackets, the Coyotes could kick the tires on his interest in joining the organization.
The other option is Gillies, who’s no stranger to the desert either, having spent part of last season with the Roadrunners before being dealt to Columbus at the deadline. An eight-year AHL veteran, the former Coyote/Roadrunner has a career AHL record of 78-71-32, with a .904 save percentage and a 2.94 goals-against average. He’s currently 29 years old, and one of the younger free agents available. While he’s only got 25 games of NHL experience on his resume, he’s a familiar face in the valley, and Armstrong could look at bringing him back.
Waiver Claim Pickup
My good friend Patrick Brown, former Coyotes contributor at The Hockey Writers, and current senior writer/content producer and team reporter for the Coyotes left me with an interesting thought to ponder this morning while talking with one another. Could Arizona potentially acquire Prosvetov again on waivers? With Colorado’s backup Pavel Francouz on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) that might not sound plausible. But what happens if Justus Annunen beats out the latter for the backup role behind Alexander Georgiev? The Avalanche would be forced to place Prosvetov back on waivers to send him down to the Colorado Eagles.
That’d leave the Coyotes with the possibility of reclaiming him. Would Armstrong do it? That’s the biggest question, that no one has a definite answer to. While it is true the Coyotes didn’t plan to lose him on the waiver wire, it doesn’t mean the team would be so quick to pick him backup either. His time in the valley has been less than adequate, to say the least. He’s struggled at both the AHL and NHL levels, subsequently losing his spot in the team’s future plans.
Coyotes Goaltending Depth
Speaking of goaltending depth and the team’s future plans, the Coyotes have options unlike ever before. At the conclusion of the 2018 NHL Draft, the Coyotes thought they had found themselves the goaltender of their future in Prosvetov. Fast forward to the 2023 Draft where the organization selected three goaltenders, such as Michael Hrabal, Melker Thelin, and Carsten Musser, further bolstering their goaltending pipeline. Add in Anson Thornton, who’s been a star in his own right in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts, Rasmus Korhonen, and Villata, and the Coyotes’ goaltending depth is stronger than ever.
The Coyotes have unlimited options for the future, whether Prosvetov is a part of them or not. But there’s no denying his departure leaves a hole that must be filled. With Thornton injured, and the rest of the team’s pipeline currently unsigned, Armstrong will need to think fast and make a move before Friday’s season opener for the Roadrunners. What do you think? Will Prosvetov be reclaimed on waivers? Or will the Coyotes move on? Let us know below.
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