Canadian forward Steve Sullivan all set to take place of Ray Whitney in the Phoenix Coyotes team
Last year Phoenix Coyotes had also faced an uphill task when one of their star players, Russian goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov left them. They were able to replace him easily as they signed Mike Smith who won 38 of the 67 matches he played.
This year again they are in same situation as one of their best forwards, Ray Whitney left them for Dallas Stars and went there to play alongside NHL legend Jaromir Jagr. To replace Whitney, now they have signed another forward Steve Sullivan and hoping
that he does not make them miss the 40-year-old left winger, who scored 77 points for them last season.
Steve Sullivan, the 38-year-old forward played for Pittsburgh Penguins last season and scored 48 points in the 79 games, 17 of which were goals and 31 were his assists. He has also been playing for Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils
and Nashville Predators.
Don Maloney, the general manager of Phoenix Coyotes trusts in the player, who he signed for $1.85 million for one year and believes that he would perfectly replace Whitney. Talking to Sarah McLellan of Arizona Republic, Maloney praised Sullivan’s skills
and the way the he plays in the powerplay as he thinks the 5-foot-8 player was one of the very few players who would have replaced Whitney. He said,
"He's a very similar player to Ray Whitney. A little smaller player, but very good skill, good power-play skill. So when we lost Ray, there were only a couple names we really could fill a skill position [with], and he was one of them."
Sullivan also has got confident in himself as he thinks he will help the team a lot and will fit in wherever the team will need him the most. Sullivan said to McLellan,
"I'm versatile. I think I can play in any position on the power play. I can play the point. I can carry the puck in, or play the half wall or down low. I think just being able to punch me in anywhere they see fit might be a position they're going to look
at."
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