Sarah McLellan

azcentral sports

The Coyotes have begun tweaking their stockpile of picks in the lead-up to this weekend's draft in Buffalo, adding to and subtracting from their collection, and although they’re open-minded to trading more of their selections – particularly their pair of first-rounders – it remains unclear whether the team’s order of selection will undergo further change.

“If we do stay at seven and 20, then we’ll get good players,” General Manager John Chayka said. “If we make a decision to move, then we’ll get good players that way, as well.”

As it stands now, the Coyotes hold eight picks with four of those coming in the top 53.

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They grabbed the seventh overall pick in the draft lottery, landed No. 20 in the Keith Yandle trade with the Rangers more than a year ago and carry two second-round selections (37 and 53) after adding a compensatory pick when they decided not to sign prospect Conner Bleackley, who was acquired in the Mikkel Boedker trade with the Avalanche last season. The Coyotes also acquired a fourth-round pick Monday from the Sharks (No.120) and a 2017 third-rounder in exchange for prospect center Maxim Letunov and a 2017 sixth-round choice.

Despite losing Letunov, who scored 16 goals and finished with 40 points in 36 games with the University of Connecticut last season, Arizona still has a number of center prospects in its pipeline including Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak and Ryan MacInnis. This move gives the Coyotes a mid-round pick after they lost one last week, parting with a fifth-rounder to gain the negotiating rights of defenseman Alex Goligoski from the Stars.

After completing that trade Thursday, Goligoski was expected to visit the Valley in the ensuing three-to-five days.

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"He's a really good skater, and he moves the puck really well," defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson said. "I wouldn't mind having him on our blue line when the season starts up."

Many have been intrigued by the possibility of the Coyotes jumping ahead in the first round to lasso No. 1 from the Maple Leafs for the opportunity to draft Scottsdale native Auston Matthews, the projected top pick whose ability as a center has drawn comparisons to the Kings’ Anze Kopitar.

But the price has to be appropriate – to move up anywhere from the seventh spot.

“We’re looking to improve our team,” Chayka said. “Auston’s a great player. He would improve anyone’s team I think, but there’s a limit to what you’re willing to pay to do that.”

Team brass has made it crystal-clear franchise defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson won’t be sacrificed and, though the organization has amassed an attractive pool of forward prospects in recent years, taking away from that group has the potential to leave the team vulnerable at that position in the future – a risk-reward situation that Chayka is mindful of during talks.

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“When you’re creating massive holes like some players would be if you moved them, what’s your capacity to fill those holes internally or through the free-agency market?” he said. “That’s kind of the opportunity cost you’re looking at when you move a player of an Ekman-Larsson or (Max) Domi stature and some of our prospects coming that we really like. So if you’re plugging a hole and creating another hole, it doesn’t really add up a lot of times.”

Arizona is also exploring the option of trading down. Chayka said he received a “pretty impressive offer” last Wednesday. Conversations continue and since Chayka believes the talent in the first round starts to taper off at the Coyotes’ 20th pick, a team outside the top 20 could feel urgency to make a move.

“We’ve gone through scenarios,” he said. “We’ve talked to teams that we think have interest. It’s something that comes down to the (draft) table.”

While picks may be popular trade bait during draft weekend, they're not the only currency accepted.

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Transactions including roster players also tend to materialize at this juncture of the offseason, and the Coyotes have needs.

Already they’ve tried to address their blue line by acquiring Goligoski’s rights last Thursday with the hope that by negotiating with him before July 1 when he’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent, they’ll be able to sell him on the team and the area and upgrade their back end.

But the defense likely requires additional help to improve a 28th overall goals-against average last season (2.98), and the Coyotes could use more scoring punch on the wings.

“There’s some other teams that are I think envious of some of our assets,” Chayka said. “It’s an opportunity if we think we can make our team better in the short- and long-term and it makes sense, then the draft’s a good time to execute some of those deals. There’s a lot of people around to talk to and try to work toward something that works for both sides, and that’s what we’re after is to try to find those win-wins.”

Reach the reporter at sarah.mclellan@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8276. Follow her at twitter.com/azc_mclellan.

NHL draft

What: Seven rounds of the 54th NHL draft.

When: Round 1 Friday at 4 p.m. Rounds 2-7 Saturday at 7 a.m.

Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, N.Y.

Picks: 7, 20 (acquired in Keith Yandle trade with the Rangers), 37, 53 (compensatory pick after not signing Conner Bleackley, who was acquired in the Mikkel Boedker trade with the Avalanche), 68, 120 (acquired in Maxim Letunov trade with the Sharks), 158 and 188.

TV: NBC Sports Network for Round 1; NHL Network for Rounds 2-7.