Coyotes' Schenn happy to play in pressure-free market
Luke Schenn is ready for a fresh start.
The 26-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, his fourth team since being drafted fifth overall in 2008.
Schenn is taking the opportunity to play in a more subdued environment, having only played for pressure-packed teams throughout his career: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, and Los Angeles Kings.
"I'm just looking forward to coming to a market where I can just worry about playing hockey and not outside added pressure," Schenn told Dave Vest of Coyotes.NHL.com. "I'm looking forward to hopefully growing with the team. I know they have a lot of upside and I still feel like I've hopefully got some upside, too, and (I'm) still at a good age where I can continue to grow and evolve."
Coyotes general manager John Chayka likes what Schenn brings to the table for his team.
"I think there have been a lot of segments in Luke's career where he has been very impactful," Chayka said. " ... He's a physical player that separates the man from the puck and makes plays in the areas of the ice that we want to make plays. (And) he's been an effective penalty killer throughout his career, and that's another area that we needed to address."
In 72 games last season split between the Flyers and Kings, Schenn recorded 16 points.