The Arizona Coyotes acquired the contract of injured forward Jakub Voracek and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in exchange for goaltender Jon Gillies.
The departure of Voracek effectively amounts to a salary dump for the Blue Jackets. Voracek’s current contract runs through the 2023-24 season with a cap hit of $8.25 million, per Spotrac.
“This move provides us with some organizational goaltending depth for the remainder of the season and flexibility from a salary cap standpoint to improve our team moving forward,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.
Voracek, 33, last played in a game on Nov. 4 and may not compete again in the NHL. He announced in December that he would be sidelined long-term with concussion symptoms.
Voracek has six points (one goal, five assists) in 11 games this season. He is in the second season of his second stint with the Blue Jackets, who selected him with the seventh overall pick of the 2007 NHL Draft.
He has totaled 806 points (223 goals, 583 assists) in 1,058 career games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Blue Jackets.
Gillies, 29, has posted a 5-8-2 record with a 3.70 goals-against average and .878 save percentage in 15 games this season with the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League.
He owns a 7-15-3 with a 3.31 GAA and .893 save percentage in 32 career games with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils.
–Field Level Media
