Coyotes sign McGinn to 3-year deal, bring back Connauton, Dahlbeck
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jamie McGinn visited the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday and knew they would be a good fit right away.
Not only was he picked up at the airport by general manager John Chayka and coach Dave Tippett, the team had a welcome sign for him at Gila River Arena and a stall made up with his jerseys.
It was just what McGinn needed to feel appreciated
"They did that from the start," said McGinn, who signed a three-year, $10 million contract on Friday, the first day of free agency in the NHL.
The Coyotes went into the free agency period wanting to add depth to their blue line and some heft up front.
Arizona got an early jump, trading for the rights to defenseman Alex Goligoski, then signing him to a five-year, $27.375 million deal last week.
Though limited to 19 games with Colorado in 2014-15 due to back surgery, the 27-year-old McGinn played 84 games last season, finishing with a career-high 22 goals and 17 assists. He stared the season with Buffalo and was traded at the deadline to Anaheim, spending the final 19 games with the Ducks.
McGinn has 91 goals and 76 assists in 450 career games after being selected in the second round of the 2006 NHL draft by San Jose, where he spent the first four seasons of his career.
And, at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he has the size and ability the Coyotes were hoping for on the left side.
New Coyotes forward Jamie McGinn had a career-high 22 goals and 17 assists with the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks last season.
"We wanted to add some weight and physicality to our lineup," Chayka said. "He certainly brings that."
Arizona also made several other smaller deals to open free agency, re-signing defenseman Kevin Connauton to a two-year contract and former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jamie McBain to a one-year deal.
The Coyotes also signed defensemen Klas Dahlbeck and Jarred Tinordi, forwards Chris Mueller, Garret Ross and Ryan White and goalie Justin Peters to one-year deals.
The 26-year-old Connauton totaled 5-12-17 with 60 penalty minutes in 65 games with the Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets last season, and recorded 15-31-46 with 111 PIM in 163 career NHL games with the Dallas Stars, Blue Jackets and Coyotes.
The 24-year-old Dahlbeck registered 2-6-8 with 28 penalty minutes in 71 games with the Coyotes last season and collected 3-9-12 with 36 PIM in 94 career NHL games with the Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks.
Dahlbeck led the team and all NHL rookies with 178 hits and finished fourth on the Coyotes with 76 blocked shots.
Tinordi had six assists in 53 career games with Arizona and Montreal.
White, 28, played 73 games with Philadelphia last season and recorded 11 goals, five assists and 101 penalty minutes. He's played 243 NHL games with the Flyers and Montreal.
Mueller has three goals and seven assists in 53 career games with the New York Rangers, Dallas and Nashville. He played for San Diego of the AHL last season.
Peters, who spent last season with Hershey of the AHL, has gone 25-37-9 with a 3.08 goals-against average in 80 career games.
Arizona would still like to beef up its blue line and is hoping to re-sign captain Shane Doan, but has its roster in decent shape after the series of deals.
"I think we accomplished a lot of what we were looking to do," Chayka said.
