Avalanche acquire Mikkel Boedker from Coyotes for Alex Tanguay, prospects

The Arizona Coyotes spiced up the 2016 NHL trade deadline on Monday, trading winger Mikkel Boedker to the Colorado Avalanche.

In return, the Coyotes received winger Alex Tanguay and prospects Connor Bleackley and Kyle Wood. Tanguay, a 36-year-old veteran, has spent eight years of his career with the Avalanche.

Boedker is an unrestricted free agent and was looking for more than $6 million in contract demands despite never scoring more than 20 goals in a season. The Coyotes reportedly pulled their last contract offer just five days ago, meaning his days in Arizona were numbered.

The eighth overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, Boedker has amassed 213 points and 80 goals in eight seasons with the Coyotes. His best season was in 2013-14, when he registered 51 points. Boedker is considered a power play specialist with terrific speed.

The trade became a necessity for both teams. Arizona is slipping farther and farther from the playoff race, and the Avalanche are on the cusp of the final two Wild Card spots in the Western Conference.