New Arizona Coyotes defenseman Sean Durzi James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

Coyotes trade for promising young defenseman

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated 6/24/23

The Arizona Coyotes have acquired right-handed defenseman Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2024 second-round draft pick, the clubs announced Saturday afternoon.

Durzi, 24, collected nine goals and 38 points in 72 games while averaging 19:47 per night with the Kings during the 2022–23 regular season. He added one goal in six games during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Coyotes are sending the Montreal Canadiens’ 2024 second-round pick to the Kings in this deal. Arizona originally acquired the pick in 2021, as part of the deal that sent Christian Dvorak to Montreal.

Durzi is under contract through the end of the 2023–24 season at a $1.7 million NHL cap hit. He will be eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in 2024.

Trade Alert! We've acquired Sean Durzi from the LA Kings in exchange for a 2024 2nd Round Pick (via Montreal)

Read more:https://t.co/B89CvXI6uz pic.twitter.com/HD9SNoYTiI
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) June 24, 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs originally selected Durzi in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. The six-foot defenseman from Toronto lasted less than a year with his hometown NHL organization before being traded to the Kings in 2019 as part of the deal for Jake Muzzin.

Durzi emerged as a full-time NHLer with the Kings during the 2021–22 season, collecting three goals and 27 points in 64 games. He took another step forward to become a top-four option for the club in 2022–23.

In Arizona, Durzi will compete for time with the likes of J.J. Moser, Juuso Valimaki, Victor Soderstrom and Josh Brown. He has 136 games of NHL experience (plus another 13 in the playoffs) under his belt, having amassed 12 goals and 65 points in that space.

Even after trading one of their future second-round picks to the Kings, the Coyotes still have three second-round selections in the 2024 NHL Draft. They will also have four second-round picks in 2025.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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