Countdown To Coyotes Preseason: 44 Days

5 years ago today Don Maloney made his first trade after being hired as the Coyotes General Manger. He traded veteran center Kevyn Adams to the Blackhawks for a former 8th round draft pick in 1999 who would be playing for his fourth NHL franchise in 8 years when he arrived in Phoenix. Adams would go on to play in only 27 games the following season in Chicago recording 2 assists and was released by the Hawks the following Fall. He never played in another NHL game after his time with Chicago. He currently works as an assistant coach in Buffalo alongside another former Coyote, Teppo Numminen.

The player Adams was traded for still plays in the NHL. As a matter of fact, the skater recorded his career high in goals this past season. The team he scored those goals for was the same one who traded for him 5 years ago, the Phoenix Coyotes. The player the Desert Dogs got in the deal was right winger Radim Vrbata.The Czech forward found in the desert a place where his game could thrive. His experience the season following the trade was so good that after a bad free agent experience in Tampa Bay he wanted to return to the Valley. The Czech winger's top 4 point total seasons have all come while wearing a Coyotes sweater. The Vrbata for Adams deal stands as possibly the best deal the team has made during the franchise's tenure in Arizona.