The Arizona Coyotes’ goaltender, Karel Vejmelka, has found himself in the trade rumor mill as teams reportedly explore the possibility of acquiring the Czech netminder. Vejmelka, who last played on Nov. 22 in a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues, has faced challenges. Coyotes head coach André Tourigny expressed optimism about his improvement in the coming week, but there is talk that his future might not be in Arizona.
Despite Tourigny’s positive outlook, Vejmelka’s recent performance against the Buffalo Sabres raised concerns. Allowing four even-strength goals on 37 shots, he showcased a lackluster performance, extending his winless streak to eight consecutive starts. Connor Ingram’s success has further limited Vejmelka’s opportunities.
Elliotte Friedman noted on the Jeff Marek Show: “He hasn’t played a lot, Tourigny told Todd Walsh the other day he hasn’t practiced a lot. I think there has been some teams looking around at him.”
This speculation about Vejmelka’s availability isn’t the first time he’s been mentioned in trade rumors. Frank Seravalli’s analysis at the end of November suggested that the Edmonton Oilers might be interested in the goaltender. Seravalli emphasized Vejmelka’s previous impressive numbers despite playing for struggling Coyotes teams, making him an attractive option for potential suitors.
Would Vejmelka Be Of Interest to the Oilers?
While the Coyotes are eager to compete for a playoff spot, the analysis suggests that Vejmelka’s value might currently be higher for Edmonton than for Arizona. But, he’s not an easy goalie for the Oilers to acquire unless Arizona is willing to take Jack Campbell back in trade — which isn’t likely.
Vejmelka is a $2.725 million cap hit. He’s got one more season on his contract beyond this one. But, with the ability to absorb cap space and the potential inclusion of Connor Ingram, the Coyotes could leverage their position to secure valuable assets in return.
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