Coyotes trade goalie Mike Smith to Flames

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes traded longtime starting goaltender Mike Smith to the Calgary Flames on Saturday for a conditional 2018 third-round pick, defensive prospect Brandon Hickey and the rights to unrestricted free agent goalie Chad Johnson.

As Calgary gets the starter it has been looking for, Arizona is now in the market for a new No. 1 in net after completing this deal prior to the NHL’s trade freeze for the Vegas expansion draft. Smith had been with the Coyotes for the past six seasons and helped them reach the 2012 Western Conference final.

They missed the playoffs each of the past five seasons, which Smith called “a battle.”

“I can’t really complain about my time in Arizona other than we kind of failed as far as the winning part of it,” Smith said in a phone interview. “That was my goal when I got there was to be a big part of a winning organization for a lot of years.”

Thanking Smith for his contributions in Arizona, Coyotes general manager John Chayka called the him “the consummate professional.” Last season he was 19-26-9 with a 2.92 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

“Mike Smith is a 35-year-old goaltender,” Chayka said on a conference call. “When some of our players are reaching their prime years, then he’s probably on the wrong side of his career.”

In 11 seasons with the Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, Smith has a 2.70 GAA and .913 save percentage. He has two years remaining on his contract at a salary-cap hit of $5.67 million.

The Coyotes can protect Johnson in the expansion draft, though there is no certainty about whether they’ll re-sign the 31-year-old or let him test the market July 3. Chayka said he’ll consider a variety of options to get a goaltender.

“With expansion, there’s a lot of unprotected goalies out there,” Chayka said. “Vegas doesn’t need 10. They only need a couple, and there’s opportunities for trades from that perspective.”

Hickey, 21, was a third-round pick of the Flames in 2014 and has played the past three seasons at Boston University.

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The Neutral Zone 'Two Stars of the Night'

NEW YORK -- UNB! Network NHL/hockey blog 'The Neutral Zone' has named Jimmy Vesey, and Mike Smith as their 'Two Stars of the Night' for the National Hockey League games taking place on February 13, 2017.

NOTE: We will only do two stars for today instead of three since only two games took placeast night.

FIRST STAR - JIMMY VESEY, F, NEW YORK RANGERS

Vesey scored his 4th GWG of the season to tie him with Mitchell Marner and Patrik Laine for 2nd among all rookies. (Auston Matthews: 6).

SECOND STAR - MIKE SMITH, G  ARIZONA COYOYES

Smith earned his 21st shutout with ARI to move into a tie with Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov for the most in franchise history.

Injury Notebook: Goaltenders Fleury and Smith, and Forward Bennett face injuries

"The Neutral Zone" Injury Report

Marc-Andre Fleury

Fleury And Bennett Injured For Pittsburgh Penguins:
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will miss at least 1-2 weeks with a concussion, general manager Jim Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday.

Fleury told the Penguins he wasn't feeling right Monday night after he made 30 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. Coach Mike Sullivan told the Post-Gazette that Fleury didn't indicate when anything that might have led to the concussion took place.

Forward Beau Bennett was injured against the Capitals and is out 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury, Sullivan said.


Bennett left the game late in the first period after being hit into the boards by Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. It's the latest setback for the 20th pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, who has battled knee and wrist injuries and has never played more than 49 NHL games in a season. He already has a career-high five goals in 24 games this season.

Mike Smith Injured For Coyotes:
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith had surgery Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks, the Coyotes announced.

Goalie Anders Lindback will get the majority of work with Smith out but the Coyotes will also explore trade options to add a goaltender.

Smith is 10-9-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 22 games this season for Arizona, which is in second place in the Pacific Division.


Smith was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12. He won 38 games with a 2.21 GAA and .930 save percentage and led the Coyotes to the Western Conference Final, the last time they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.