MVN - Most Valuable Network

Coyotes Ink D-Man David Hale to 2-Year Deal

The Phoenix Coyotes, still trying to re-build their defensive corps after trading away Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton last month, signed former Calgary defenseman David Hale to a two-year contract today.  The signing represents another “value” signing by GM Don Maloney who insists he will sign no free-agent over the age of 33 and is notoriously shy from signing high-dollar free agents.

The 26-year-old Hale is in a similar mold to Kurt Sauer, signed by the Coyotes earlier in the week.  Hale is a former first round draft pick (22nd overall by New Jersey in 2000).  He was traded in February to Calgary along with a 5th round pick to obtain Calgary’s third round pick in this year’s draft.  In four seasons Hale has no goals and 11 assists.

Nothing to get too excited about.  Hale is young for a defenseman and no-doubt Maloney is betting on his continued development.  I still expect the Coyotes to sign another D-man before the season starts because if Hale and Sauer are it then we are going to be counting on a number of guys to have career years in order to replace Ballard & Boynton.  That or Ilya Bryzgalov better keep his head on a swivel because the shots will be coming fast and furious next season.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 at 1:10 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.