GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes traded longtime starting goaltender Mike Smith to the Calgary Flames on Saturday for a conditional 2018 third-round pick, defensive prospect Brandon Hickey and the rights to unrestricted free agent goalie Chad Johnson.
As Calgary gets the starter it has been looking for, Arizona is now in the market for a new No. 1 in net after completing this deal prior to the NHL's trade freeze for the Vegas expansion draft. Smith had been with the Coyotes for the past six seasons and helped them reach the 2012 Western Conference final.
Thanking Smith for his contributions in Arizona, Coyotes general manager John Chayka called the 35-year-old "the consummate professional." Last season he was 19-26-9 with a 2.92 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
In 11 seasons with the Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, Smith has a 2.70 GAA and .913 save percentage. He has two years remaining on his contract at a salary-cap hit of $5.67 million.
The Coyotes can protect Johnson in the expansion draft, though there is no certainty about whether they'll re-sign the 31-year-old or let him test the market July 3.
Hickey, 21, was a third-round pick of the Flames in 2014 and has played the past three seasons at Boston University.
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The Associated Press