E.L. wrote:
Hanzal retires. Dallas signed him for 3 years and got 40 games for their trouble. The big dude just couldn't stay healthy. Weirdly consistent his first 5 years in the league. Plateued at 41 points in the desert.
I remember when he was coming up through the ranks in Phoenixdale around the same time as Mueller, he more or less broke out while Mueller's concussions ultimately did him in. Kinda endemic as to why the Coyotes have never really had great success--they just never seem to get the elite level talent to pan out. It's always these decent-to-good two-way talents leading the way.
I can kinda appreciate Hanzal's talent but he was also one of the dirtiest fuckin' players in the league when he still actually played. I'm glad he played a part in the Minnesota Wylde losing a 1st rounder for practically nothing as a result of them making a panic trade at the deadline.