A move from the perennially contending Chicago Blackhawks to the Arizona Coyotes – who finished with the third-worst record in the Western Conference last season – may seem like a regrettable plot twist to most. But new Coyotes defender Niklas Hjalmarsson might feel differently, as Arizona was apparently one of the three-time Stanley Cup champion’s preferred trade destinations.
While news of the swap – which sent Hjalmarsson to Arizona in exchange for Connor Murphy and Laurent Dauphin – was followed by the Blackhawks organization and fanbase both lamenting the loss of the blue-liner’s steady presence, lost in the shuffle was the fact that the veteran at least had some say in where he’d be moving. Hjalmarsson’s destination was limited by the modified no-trade clause in his contract, allowing him to submit a list of 10 teams to which he’d permit a trade.
Despite the Coyotes’ recent lack of success and the instability of the team’s arena situation, Arizona earned a spot on Hjalmarsson’s list.
The opportunity to play a bigger role for a rebuilding club may have swayed the blue-liner’s decision to include the Coyotes. Though he’s been a key part of the Blackhawks’ defensive efforts, Hjalmarsson has always been third in line during his time in Chicago, suiting up behind top-pairing mainstays Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
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“They’re on a rebuild, a lot of new faces, lot of changes,” Hjalmarsson said of the Coyotes, according to CSN Chicago’s Tracy Myers. “It’s tough to know what to expect but I think they’re a hungry organization that wants to win like other teams. I’m looking forward to try to contribute with playing my game, just try to get the organization back in the playoffs.”
It appears the potential to play alongside fellow Swede Oliver Ekman-Larsson played a part in Hjalmarsson’s decision to include Arizona on his 10-team list as well, according to AZCentral’s Sarah McLellan.
“[Ekman-Larsson’s] one of the better D-men in the league,” Hjalmarsson told McLellan following the trade. “So hopefully I can complement him with just playing my style of hockey. At the same time, maybe try to develop a little bit more of a puck-moving element to my game and be more involved offensively.”
Hjalmarsson and Ekman-Larsson suited up together for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
