Kyle Turris skates a drill during the Canadian national junior hockey team development camp in Ottawa on Sunday July 27, 2008. The camp runs from July 26 to the July 29, 2008.Sean Kilpatrick
Does Kyle Turris want out of Phoenix?
The B.C.-bred forward is a restricted free agent, and while negotiations continue with the Coyotes, it looks like the sides are too far apart to bridge the gap by the time veterans report on Friday. Barring a last-minute deal, Turris won't be reporting.
ESPN.com reported that Turris wants between $3-million and $4-million (all currencies U.S.) annually, which if accurate, looks like a trade request in disguise.
He has played 131 NHL games, scored 46 points, and while he was the third overall pick in the 2007 entry draft, agreeing to such terms would mean the Coyotes are paying for future production. The club, of course, is plagued by financial problems, which could give it pause before opening the bank for a young player who has yet to prove himself as a bona fide NHL scorer.
The other issue here is head coach Dave Tippett's preference for veteran players. When he took over the Coyotes two years ago, he began relying on defensively-responsible veterans, and allowing the organization's young forwards with offensive upside to work on their games in the minors, or in limited minutes. Turris averaged 11 minutes per game last season.
The formula has proved successful, as Phoenix has qualified for the playoffs in consecutive years. The Coyotes had 107 points in 2009-10, and Tippett won the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach.
It's hard to justify giving more minutes to young players when the team has had success leaning on veterans, especially when playoff revenue is so important to the franchise.