3 huge trades the Arizona Coyotes could make to shake up the roster

2. A familiar face returns to the desert to help the Coyotes on their playoff run

In September 2021, the Arizona Coyotes traded center Christian Dvorak to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2022 first-round pick and a second-rounder in 2024. The trade for picks was necessary at the time since the Coyotes entered rebuilding mode and weren’t expected to make the playoffs for at least a few seasons. 

That has since changed, and now the Canadiens are looking to the future while the Coyotes have their eyes on making a playoff run for the here and now. This could entice Arizona to call up Montreal and see if they can work out a deal to bring Dvorak back to Tempe while trading away a young defenseman in Michael Kesselring. 

Kesselring’s role hasn’t increased in Arizona, and through 10 games so far in 2023-24, he’s averaging just 13 minutes and 35 seconds of ice time. The former 164th-overall pick in 2018 has, however, proven he can be an effective NHL player, having just seen a four-game points streak snapped in last night’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Therefore, the youngster could entice the Canadiens front office as Kesselring could be yet another puzzle piece for a team that drafted David Reinbacher earlier this year. Kesselring would also join a team that also features a pair of promising blueliners in Justin Barron and Kaiden Guhle.