Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney announced Wednesday that defenceman Chris Summers - a restricted free agent - has accepted his qualifying offer, agreeing to a one-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Summers appeared in 21 games with the Coyotes in 2011-12, recording three assists. He also skated in 28 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL), collecting two assists and 37 penalty minutes.
The 24-year-old native of Ann Arbor, Michigan has registered 13 points in 109 career AHL games with the Pirates and the San Antonio Rampage.
Summers was drafted by the Coyotes in the first round (29th overall) of the 2006 Entry Draft.
It's a pivotal, career changing year for Summers. One year contracts usually accompany those. I don't believe he has any waiver exemption left, and it's not as though he'd successfully pass through the waiver wire. If he can't make our squad, he'll move on. The flexibility of a one year contract makes the most sense for both sides.
Personally, I've got a lot of faith in this player, and I think he'll be a solid 4, 5, 6, or 7 for a very long time in this league. Maybe not with this franchise, sadly.
God, it's going to be awesome to see how training camp plays out on defense. Assuming it doesn't all crash and burn like MacLean and Tikhonov last year.
I would like to see him hang around because we need a few stay at home guys with some grit. I think they should pair him with Klesla in shutdown situations and let him learn from the master.
And maybe take some of the stress off of Klesla's face. I've never seen a single player get bashed so many times in the same way.
Jovanovski had terrible luck like that in his last season here. Face just smashed up mercilessly for the whole season. He takes off and BAM! it's Klesla's turn.
Jovanovski had terrible luck like that in his last season here. Face just smashed up mercilessly for the whole season. He takes off and BAM! it's Klesla's turn.
Poor Klesla. Even when he put on the visor he still had terrible luck.
It's a pivotal, career changing year for Summers. One year contracts usually accompany those. I don't believe he has any waiver exemption left, and it's not as though he'd successfully pass through the waiver wire. If he can't make our squad, he'll move on. The flexibility of a one year contract makes the most sense for both sides.
Personally, I've got a lot of faith in this player, and I think he'll be a solid 4, 5, 6, or 7 for a very long time in this league. Maybe not with this franchise, sadly.
Capgeek's calculator has Summers with 1 more waiver exempt season.
Could be trade bait. After what I saw last year, I don't think there is any doubt he's an NHL defenseman. The Yotes just happen to have an overload of those.
Really like what I saw out of Summers last year. I think he could contribute at the #6 or #7 spot next year.
With all the offensive Dmen we have, our "stay at home" Dmen seem to be getting a little older/gone (DMO, Rozy, Aucoin, Klesla). To get a younger Dman with the potential to be a solid stay at home Dman for years to come is pretty exciting.
