Pre-Draft Q&A With Coyotes GM

[Parker]

PITTSBURGH - As a preventative measure against boredom-induced coma while waiting for the draft to crawl forward, Phoenix Coyotes GM and team president Glen Ramsden sat down with "Coyotes Tonight" radio show host Luke Lapinski to answer a few questions. A partial transcript is as follows:

Luke Lapinski: What strategy will the team adopt at the draft this year?

Glen Ramsden: We've always drafted whoever we believe to be the best player available, and we will continue to do so.

LL: Are there any specific organizational needs you have in mind?

GR: We'd still like to get a little stronger up the middle, and more depth on defense is always welcome. After drafting Vladislav Namestnikov and Joseph Labate last year, as well as acquiring Chris Higgins, Toni Lydman, and Ricard Blidstrand, we think we're in pretty good shape for the near future. We don't feel the team has any glaring long-term needs at this time either, as we have a deep pool of prospects to eventually replace departing veterans.

LL: The Coyotes were rumored to be acquiring an extra pick this year in a deal that was said to include Mike Forney. Any truth to this?

GR: It's true that another organization showed great interest in Mike, but in the end we couldn't come to an agreement. Our scouting department loves Forney's upside, and after his impressive performance in limited icetime during the playoffs, we'll be working him in to an increased role this year to see what he can do.

LL: Some critics have pointed to the trade of Sergei Gonchar as a major reason Phoenix wasn't able to stand up to the San Jose Sharks this year. It did seem like odd timing, for a contending team to trade a productive veteran in the middle of the season.

GR: There were a few factors in play regarding that trade. Our actuarial staff brought up a concern that it would not be possible to extend both Shane Doan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Sergei's $6M salary on the books. While we could have kept him to the end of the playoffs, we would've then risked that our possible salary cap issues become public knowledge, and it would've been difficult to move that contract once other teams realized how desperate we were. Obviously, this was a problem I created myself by offering that contract, but without Sergei we don't win that Cup in 2011. In the end, we're very happy with the outcome.

LL: Vladislav Kartayev came flying out of the gate this year, forcing a call-up to Phoenix. He got off to a great start with the Coyotes, cooled somewhat around midseason, and then suffered that horrifying chest injury. What's the plan with him? Will he be ready for the 2012-13 season, and if so, will it be in Phoenix or Portland?

GR: Slava's rehabilitation is going well. Our medical staff expects him to be fully recovered by the end of October, so it's unlikely he'll be in the starting lineup on opening night, but he has definitely earned a spot on Phoenix's roster and we have no plans to send him back to Portland.

LL: That Pacific Division can be a harsh mistress. Do you conduct business differently, knowing the margin for error is so thin in a division with so many strong teams?

GR: Having never managed an NHL franchise in any other division, it's hard to say with certainty, but I'd say that our long-term strategy of continually upgrading the talent level of the organization is a strategy that would work no matter who we faced in our division. If anything, it's the current state of our farm system that allows me to conduct business differently; with such a strong pool of well-regarded prospects already in the system, we were able to adopt a higher-risk/reward strategy. After all the "safe" picks we made in 2010 (as evidenced by their quick ascent through the system and solid NHL contributions) we were confident enough to choose a few "dark horse"-type players like Joseph Labate and Brennan Serville, as well as some guys considered to be less polished and emotionally developed.

LL: Any other thoughts to share?

GR: I'd like to thank everyone in the Coyotes family for their continued hard work; none of our success would've been possible without their valuable contributions. I'd like to especially thank our scouting and player development staff for putting in long hours to build our prospect rankings for the draft, as well as for the outstanding job they do as a whole. I'd like to thank the media for their fairness and accuracy in reporting, and finally I'd like to thank our fans, who are the real reason for this organization's success at the end of the day.

LL: Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to speak with us, and best of luck in the draft.

GR: Thanks, Luke. Always a pleasure.