Clayton Keller's agents met with the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday to discuss the organization's future both on and off the ice.
Though there is no formal trade request from Keller at present, the forward's representatives Brian and Scott Bartlett met with the team to seek clarity about the future direction of the franchise, Elliotte Friedman reported in Friday's episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.
Arizona had organizational expectations of winning, but fell short of those goals the past two seasons, registering a combined 53-90-21 record in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
On a positive note, the Coyotes possess two of the top 12 picks in the 2023 NHL Draft to go along with a young roster and several intruiging prospects. Most notable amongst those is 2023 3rd overall selection Logan Cooley, who will return to the University of Minnesota for his 2023-24 sophomore season.
The Masterton Trophy finalist Keller had an outstanding 2022-23 campaign, scoring 37 goals and recording 49 assists with a minus-two rating.
Off the ice, the franchise will remain in Mullett Arena, which is the smallest venue in the league with a seating capacity of about 4,600, for the 2023-24 season, but beyond that, the future is uncertain.
Despite Tempe residents voting down a proposal to construct a sports and entertainment district Tuesday, Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez says the team is still pursuing a permanent home for the club in Arizona.
"While we are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve the proposed Entertainment District, we want to thank all our loyal fans who supported the Coyotes over the years," Gutierrez wrote in a statement Wednesday. "Your loyalty is what makes our Pack strong.
"During the 2023-24 season, the Arizona Coyotes will play at Mullett Arena. In addition, we remain committed to Arizona and have already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley.
"We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks."
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he's planning to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about the possibility of moving the Coyotes to Hartford.
Keller signed an eight-year, $57.2-million extension in the summer of 2019, and is under contract through the 2027-28 season.
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