SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes signed former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker to a one-year deal and brought back three popular former players to kick off the free agency period.
The rebuilding Coyotes were active Saturday, adding Zucker, center Nick Bjugstad and forward Alex Galchenyuk and defenseman Troy Stecher.
Zucker should give the Coyotes an immediate scoring boost after a bounce back 2022-23 season. Plagued by injuries the previous two seasons, the 31-year-old had 27 goals and 21 assists in 78 games with the Penguins last season.
The Coyotes traded Bjugstad to Edmonton at the deadline last season, but wasted little time in bringing back the 30-year-old Minnesotan, signing him to a two-year deal.
Bjugstad had 13 goals with Arizona before being traded, finishing with 17 combined goals and 12 assists. He has 127 goals and 139 assists in 13 NHL seasons with five teams.
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Galchenyuk signed a one-year deal for his third stint with the Coyotes. The 29-year-old had 19 goals and 22 assists with the Coyotes in 2018-19 and returned in 2021-22, finishing with six goals and 15 assists in 60 games.
Galchenyuk played 11 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season, spending most of the year in the AHL.
Stecher had seven assists in 61 games with Arizona before being traded to Calgary at the deadline. The steady blueliner had a combined three goals and 11 assists in 81 games last season.
The 29-year-old has 18 goals and 85 games in nine seasons with five NHL teams.
Arizona also added organizational depth at goalie, signing Matt Villalta to a one-year, two-way contract.
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