Adam Clendening Signs with Arizona Coyotes
Adam Clendening has signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes worth $650,000. Clendening will join Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta, who were recently traded from the New York Rangers, in Arizona.
Confirming #Coyotes have signed defenseman Adam Clendening to a one-year, $650,000 deal. This is a one-way contract.
— Sarah McLellan (@azc_mclellan) July 1, 2017
The 24-year-old defenseman was signed to a one-year contract worth $600,000 in New York this past season. With the Rangers, Clendening was used as the seventh defenseman. The right-handed defenseman played 31 regular season games and scored two goals, nine assists. Although Clendening helped elevate the Rangers’ weak right side on defense, he was not given more of an opportunity in New York.
Clendening is a great depth defender signing - next to no scoring, moves the puck up ice well. pic.twitter.com/7J6n9oQKPS
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 1, 2017
Whether management agreed with head coach Alain Vigneault on Clendening not being efficient enough defensively, or recognized that their head coach would not utilize him adequately, he did not receive a qualifying offer (for the second consecutive season) and became an unrestricted free agent.
Clendening joins Luke Schenn as the Coyotes’ only right-handed defensemen.
