Coyotes avoid arbitration hearing with forward Jack McBain

Arizona originally proposed a two-year deal with a $1.2 million cap hit, while McBain and his camp filed for a one-year, $2.25 million dollar contract.

McBain, 23, was originally drafted 63^rd overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. The young center, who played NCAA hockey with Boston College, eventually found his way to the Coyotes organization to give him a better chance at playing time.

In his final season at Boston College in 2021-22, McBain scored 19 goals and added 14 assists for a total of 33 points in 24 games played. After his season at Boston College was over the center got an opportunity to suit up in 10 games for Arizona to finish out the 2021-22 NHL season. Over that 10-game stretch, McBain put up two goals and one assist for a total of three points.

In 2022-23, McBain played his first full 82-game NHL season for the Coyotes. While playing mainly on the third and second lines, the center established himself as an everyday NHL player and achieved modest production in his rookie season. The forward managed to score 12 goals and 14 assists for a total of 26 points in 82 games.

McBain proved to be a useful penalty-killing option for head coach André Tourigny, an impressive feat for a rookie. Additionally, he found himself centering a line with Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli for a majority of the season, where the trio built on-ice chemistry with one another.

Based on McBain’s rookie season in 2022-23, the two-year $1,599,999 million dollar a year deal is a fair value contract for both the Coyotes and the player.