The NHL's Dread Pirate Roberts has done it again. He has boarded an enemy ship, taken their treasure and left them a joke gift behind, just because he can.
I will get into why Alex Galchenyuk for Max Domi is an absolutely heisting, but first let's review the greatest hits. John Chayka was hired in May 2016.
Here is a list of the previous Chayka trades, with the really good ones highlighted.
Jamie McGuinn for Jason Demers.
4th liner for a solid top pairing possession driving RHD.
Scott Wedgewood for Darcy Keumper
Anthony Duclair for Richard Panik
Unhappy player traded for player who goes insane after being acquired.
Connor Murphy for Nik Hjalmarsson
Its hilarious Chicago did this.
Anthony DeAngleo and a #5 overall for Derek Steppan and Antti Raanta
Raanta is a potential superstar goalie and they had a 1st from the Hanzal trade, plus were already deep in prospects.
Mike Smith for Brandon Hickey, Chad Johnson and a 3rd
Branden Warren and a 5th for NIck Cousins and Merrick Madson
Nothing for Teemu Pulkkinen
Hanzal, White and 4th for Grayson Downing, 1st (Pierre-Oliver Joseph) , 2nd , 4th
Two draft picks (the 4ths cancel each other out) for an oft-injured Joffrey Lupul impersonator.
Michael Stone for a 5th and 3rd
Two draft picks for a player that should clear waivers.
3rd and take Bolland contract for Lawson Crouse
Essentially a late 1st round pick for taking on some money.
Joe Vitale, 1st (20) 2nd for Datsyuk and Jacob Chychrun
A nothing player, and the taking on of a contract to move up four spots and select a possible franchise defenseman.
Four top four defenseman, starting all-star goalie, a few depth players, five draft picks and a second line centre. The only thing the Coyotes paid for these pieces that they will actually miss is the fifth overall pick that went to the Rangers.
If that isn't impressive as hell, then I don't honestly know what would impress you.
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This week Chayka made a couple of minor moves before the Domi trade. He traded Kyle Wood, a decent enough defenseman prospect, to the Sharks for Adam Helewka. Both players are 22 and the Coyotes clearly feel that Wood can't crack their defense, so they swapped him for a forward.
Before that, the Coyotes sent Mike Sislo and Brandon Hickey to the Sabres for Hudson Fasching. Sislo is 30 and Hickey wasn't making the Coyotes either. The Coyotes traded two defenseman who had no chance at making the Coyotes for a couple of forwards who might. Neither trade is a big deal.
The big deal is Alex Galchenyuk for Max Domi.
The Coyotes get a year older and way way way better.
Domi is the most frustrating player in the NHL. He's got mad talent, but he uses it for evil. He doesn't play hard, he doesn't score, and he sure as hell is a massive defensive liability.
He scored 18 goals as a rookie and then scored nine each in the last two season despite tons of ice and powerplay time.
Galchenyuk is a player everyone in the NHL wonders why the Canadiens keep him at the wing. He scored 30 goals two years ago, then 17, and then 19. That's a decline, but a better one than Domi's.
He was a minus 31 on the season last year, which is completely irrelevant, but probably was enough to convince Bergevin to do this trade. I guarantee you Bergevin cares about plus/minus.
Make no mistake: Alex Galchenyuk is not known for his good defense. But he can't possibly look as disinterested as Max Domi does when he doesn't have the puck. There is also the issue of he should probably be a centre.
The Canadians traded a 30 goal centre who is 6'1 for a very small, defensively crappy winger who's biggest goal total is the same as Galchenyuk's supposedly disappointing season.
But the biggest thing here? Getting rid of Domi the person. Domi is not a cool guy. Spoiled rich kid with terrible opinions would be an apt descriptor. Even though he's loaded, I'm betting he still uses a ton Axe Body spray. If he doesn't call people "bro" every third sentence, I'll eat my hat!
Whether you're talking personality, talent, potential, size, position, defense, offense, or all around anything, the Coyotes win this trade. This is a very bad trade for the Canadians.
This should cement John Chayka's reputation as an absolute genius.
Thanks to nhldb.com, nhlstradetracker.com and natualstattrick.com
OH and I've got it on pretty good authority that the Coyotes will sign Nick Hjalamarsson to an extension any day now.
Washington Capitals Blogger • 
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