Arizona Coyotes re-sign defenseman Cam Crotty to one-year contract

The Arizona Coyotes have signed pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Cam Crotty to a one-year contract extension, the club announced.

The Coyotes had declined to tender Crotty a qualifying offer as a pending RFA with arbitration rights earlier on Friday, setting the stage for him to be able to test the open market on July 1.

Now, Crotty and the Coyotes have agreed to a new deal for the 2023–24 season. The club did not disclose the financial details of the deal, but they did specify that it is a two-way contract.

Crotty collected 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 64 games with the Tucson Roadrunners during the 2022–23 American Hockey League regular season. He added an assist in three playoff games with the team.

Under previous general manager John Chayka, the Coyotes originally selected Crotty in the third round (No. 82 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. The six-foot-three defender, who shoots right, spent three years at Boston University before turning pro with the Coyotes organization in 2020.

Crotty has yet to make his NHL debut. The Ottawa product has collected six goals and 26 points in 164 career games over three AHL seasons with the Roadrunners.

Also on Friday, the Coyotes tendered qualifying offers to five players: goaltender Ivan Prosvetov and forwards Matias Maccelli, Jack McBain, Nathan Smith, and Jan Jenik. They notably did not qualify forward Christian Fischer, who has spent his entire NHL career with the Coyotes since being drafted by the team in 2015.

Crotty will contend with the likes of Steven Kampfer, Michael Kesselring, Vladislav Kolyachonok, and Patrik Koch for playing time with the Roadrunners next season. Tucson finished the 2022–23 season with a 30–33–9 record, just enough to claim the seventh and final playoff spot in the AHL Pacific Division.