Coyotes Sign Defenseman Heshka to One-Year Contract

The Phoenix Coyotes announced on Friday that they have signed newly acquired defenseman Shaun Heshka to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Coyotes acquired Heshka on June 27 from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a seventh round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft. Heshka appeared in 77 games last season for the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Manitoba, scoring three goals and 23 assists for 26 points. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Heshka has the potential to become a top-six defenseman in the league with a slight offensive edge. However, that will depend on how much ice time he gets from the Coyotes and any other team he might play for in the NHL.