Report: Arizona Coyotes ask Martin Hanzal for trade list

Martin Hanzal may be on the move soon depending on how contract negotiations progress.

Elliotte Friedman reported during an interview on Sunday that the Arizona Coyotes have asked Hanzal's camp to submit a list of teams that he would be willing to accept a trade to. Friedman was the first to report that Don Maloney was on his way out as Coyotes' GM, so there is some basis for believing its veracity.

Hanzal will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2016-17 season. The list is likely a courtesy to the long-time Coyote, as his contract contains neither a no-trade or no-movement clause.

Should he be shopped, Hanzal would be an attractive asset to many different teams. His $3.1 million cap hit is more than manageable, and he is coming off of a season in which he set career highs in assists (28) and points (41). And as his career has progressed, he's proven to be steadily more valuable as a possession driver relative to his peers making comparable percentages against the cap:

The biggest hamper to Hanzal's success as an NHL center has always been his health. Hanzal has never played all 82 games in a single season, and has missed 15 or more games in five of his last six NHL seasons.

Nevertheless, Hanzal is an underappreciated two-way center who plays very well in a second line role. With quality teammates above and around him in the depth chart, he should be very valuable to teams looking to add some size and skill up the middle.