The Arizona Coyotes have jumped on the opportunity to sign a veteran depth forward in Nick Bjugstad to a two-year, $2.1 million average annual value (AAV) contract. It is a higher cap hit than he had on his previous deal since he’s coming off a productive 2022-23. This is his first multi-year deal and first deal with a cap carrying over $1 million AAV in a couple of years. He has always been a middle-six player, but unlike his younger days, he’s a more complete player now, though he will produce less offensively.
Bjugstad will be going into his 12th NHL season, and although his numbers aren’t eye-popping, he is a player who the Coyotes will love to see back, as they will benefit from having him on their team. Drafted by the Florida Panthers 19th overall back in 2010, he played parts of seven seasons there before then jumping to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Coyotes, and most recently, the Edmonton Oilers. He has found himself in different roles in each destination, proving just how much of an asset at a cheap price he is to have on the team.
Related: 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker
Bjugstad played the most minutes of his career on the Coyotes to start last season, as he slotted in the top-six with a young and depleted lineup. Once he moved over to the Oilers, he was a great fit for their middle-six. The 30-year-old is very big and plays physically all over the ice, most importantly in the corners and in front of the net. With his size, he doesn’t get easily pushed around and scores some of his goals in the dirty areas around the net. While he can realistically play on the second, third, or fourth lines, the Coyotes might experiment for themselves with a young lineup. He started out contributing on the third line in Edmonton before fitting in well on the second line right wing down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Bjugstad’s Fit With Coyotes
Bjugstad gets injured here and there, but nothing in well over a year. Unlike top players, it won’t drastically hurt a team if he misses some time, but obviously, it’s not ideal if he does exit the lineup. If he stays the course, he can put up 15-plus goals and close to 30 points in a third-line role, but that could vary from line to line.
The Coyotes most definitely needed veterans, as Bjugstad was a great player to have around last season. He deservedly gets a multi-year deal with more than double the money, and some may have said they saw this coming if he didn’t return to the Oilers. He should slot into the third line next season for the Coyotes with a very young bottom-six and a team that is trying to get more competitive. Fortunately for the team, he can play multiple positions and slot in where needed. The Coyotes can expect exactly what they got from the towering forward in 2022-23″ hard play, leadership, and depth scoring. The team has so much cap space that they could easily afford rewarding Bjugstad and themselves with this contract. This is a smart, feel-good signing.