When I first heard the rumour that the Coyotes and Panthers were working on a trade of Jason Demers for Jamie McGinn, I thought "interesting, let's see what else the Coyotes have to give up."
Then, about an hour later, I heard that the trade was finalized and that it was a one for one deal so much in the Coyotes favor I started to wonder if maybe there was a Dale Tallon Russian Pee-Tape in existence somewhere.
About an hour after that, I heard that the Panthers were retaining 12.5% of Demers salary, at which point I began to consider Coyotes GM John Chayka as some kind of supernatural being and the best general manager in the NHL.
Since getting his job - at the age of 27 - John Chayka has had the golden touch. Somehow he got the Rangers to give him Annti Raanta and Dereck Stapan for a first and a decent (but not great) prospect in Anthony DeAngelo. (Who Chayka himself acquired a year earlier from the Lightning for a second round pick, knowing the underrated value of a right-handed dman).
You can't fault the Rangers here (it's a good trade for them based on their situation) but its' an insane haul for the Coyotes who get a #1 C (albeit a second tier one) and a potential starting goalie for an AHL player and a pick that wouldn't help them for years.
Chayka then somehow convinced the Blackhawks that Connor Murphy was good and stole Niklas Hjallmarsson in a heisting so intense that it has Jason Statham in talks to play Chayka in the movie version.
There was also the time he traded up in the draft to land Jacob Chychrun, only the second 18 year old defenseman to make the NHL in recent memory.
His collective moves in the first year of his job where so good that he honestly deserved any accolades that might have come his way. But to then top that off yesterday with the trade of a bad third line player in exchange for a top-four right-handed defenseman, while getting salary retained, is just insane.
You know who isn't much (if at all) better than Jason Demers?
Now, I know full well that stats are "stupid" and that I don't "understand the game" while in point of fact Dale Tallon is a "hockey guy" but these are some pretty extreme differences.
Not only does this trade make the Coyotes a better team, instantly, but it also retroactively makes Peter Chiarelli even worse!! What a move!!!!!!!!!!!
So rarely is a trade made where you can instantly declare a winner. But with this you can - it's the Coyotes. Jamie McGinn is a guy you find on waivers. Jason Demers is a guy who, if he's your fourth best defenseman, you are pretty much a favorite to make the playoffs.
As for McGinn, ast year, on the worst team in the NHL (stats-wise, if not results-wise) he averaged 12 minutes per night and was the 4th least used skater, and two of the guys below him played 40 and 46 games respectively.
Somehow the Coyotes were able to turn the second worst (by usage) player on arguably the league's worst team into a legit top-four defenseman who is right-handed. Good-bye basement, hello playoffs.
And make no mistake: The Coyotes are, with their current roster, a contender for the Playoffs. Other than Calgary, Anaheim and Nashville, they arguably have one of the best groups of defenseman in the NHL now.
Here is a good tip for other NHL teams: If John Chayka calls you, tell him you're busy.
Oh and here is a fun fact in case you don't think the Coyotes can compete this season: they still have $17 million dollars in cap space, as well as all their draft picks.
And you think they haven't thought about Matt Duchene?
The NHL has a wildcard and it's the Coyotes. $100 on them to win the Cup pays 10K . Just saying.
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