Arizona Coyotes recall Zbynek Michalek, Laurent Dauphin before road trip

The Coyotes added options to their roster Sunday on the brink of a five-game road trip, recalling defenseman Zbynek Michalek and center Laurent Dauphin from the American Hockey League.

Arizona had been carrying enough healthy players to field a lineup (20) but after a 3-0 loss Saturday to the Blues, coach Dave Tippett anticipated the team having to make a recall before its trip – which starts Monday in Nashville against the Predators before wrapping the following Monday in St. Louis.

Captain Shane Doan missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury he suffered Thursday, and defenseman Kevin Connauton (upper-body injury) and center Alexander Burmistrov (upper-body injury that looks like a concussion) remain sidelined. Center Brad Richardson is also still on the mend from fracturing tibia and fibula bones in his right leg.

Tippett expected all injured players to accompany the Coyotes on their trip. He also mentioned the uncertainty surrounding defenseman Anthony DeAngelo’s availability as a potential reason for adding reinforcements.

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DeAngelo was assessed a five-minute boarding major and game misconduct 1:56 into Saturday’s game for his hit into the boards on Blues winger Zach Sanford. Tippett thought the NHL would review the sequence to determine if supplemental discipline was warranted.

“I don’t think there was any malicious intent to it,” Tippett said. “But when a player hits his head on the dasher board and you got a bad cut, that’s the call you’re going to see every time. That call, it’s unfortunate it happened. Like I said, I don’t think Tony meant it that way. But that’s probably the right call at the right time.”

After making these moves, the Coyotes have only one recall left the rest of the season. The team was issued four after the NHL trade deadline and immediately used up two on winger Brendan Perlini and DeAngelo – paper transactions that recalled the two after they were shifted to the organization’s AHL roster prior to the deadline so that they retained their eligibility for the AHL playoffs.

Michalek counts as another, but Dauphin doesn’t as he was an emergency recall. It’s unclear who else might be ailing as the Coyotes did not practice before departing for their trip.

This will be Dauphin’s fourth stint with the Coyotes this season as he’s totaled two goals and three points in 24 games in addition to 14 goals and 22 points in 31 games with the Roadrunners.

But this is Michalek’s first look with the Coyotes after spending the entire season with the Roadrunners.

The 34-year-old veteran of 781 regular-season NHL games was assigned to Tucson in October after clearing waivers. Michalek was the odd-man out during training camp after an offseason of revisions to the back end that brought in Alex Goligoski, Luke Schenn, Jakob Chychrun and DeAngelo. Michalek is a right shot like DeAngelo, Schenn and Connor Murphy.

“It is what it is,” Michalek said last month. “Whether I like it or not, I have to take it as it is. I’m a professional and take it as it goes and make the best of a bad situation. I still like to play. I still like to compete. It’s fun. When the puck drops, it doesn’t matter where you play or which league or which team. You’re going to do your best and help your team win. It hasn’t been different for me.”

In 43 games with the Roadrunners, Michalek chipped in six goals and amassed 14 points. The gritty, shot-blocking defenseman is in the midst of his third tour with the organization that’s spanned a total of 10 seasons.

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It’s unclear if this season will be Michalek’s last as he planned to discuss his future with his wife and agent this summer.  He said he’d have to determine if he wanted to continue playing first and if he did, the NHL would be his top choice but Europe is another option. But he stressed his family is his No.1 priority and he wants to do what’s best for his wife and two children.

“Whether I like it or not if the right situation doesn’t come around,” Michalek said, “I might have to think about retirement.”

With less than three weeks left on the schedule, Michalek could end up concluding this season – and maybe even his career – with the Coyotes. But he seemed content with his hockey career and what he accomplished when it looked like his journey, which includes more than 1,000 professional games, may end in the minors.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” he said last month. “I’m very fortunate and lucky to be able to play for this long. You reflect on your whole career and how hard I had to work to get to where I am now, it’s a very humbling experience. It’s something I’ll be proud of for the rest of my life.”

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8276. Follow her at twitter.com/azc_mclellan.