Scottie Upshall re-signed with the Phoenix Coyotes yesterday to a one-year contract. According to Cap Geek, the deal will pay Upshall 2.25 million, a modest raise from his 1.5 million cap hit last year.
Upshall led the team last year with 18 goals before suffering a year ending knee injury. After he went down GM Don Maloney scrambled to find a replacement settling on Wojtek Wolski. The latter took Upshall’s place next to captain Shane Doan and Matthew Lombardi.
Expect around 25 goals from Upshall as he buys into the system of coach Dave Tippett. In deeper leagues he could be a very valuable third-line winger. After this contract the 26-year-old will become a free agent so expecting a career year may not be the worst bet although his scoring ability came a bit out of the blue.
Keep Upshall in the back of your mind come draft time. If the Coyotes continue to succeed next season, this winger will be right in the middle of the action.
