Coyotes Ink Roenick

Coyotes Ink Roenick
By Jeff Brown, Phoenix Correspondent

The wait is over. Star center Jeremy Roenick is officially a Phoenix Coyote.
On Monday, Roenick ended his 58-day holdout spanning two teams by finally agreed to a new contract worth $20 million over five years. Roenick dressed that night as the Coyotes looked to extend their winning streak against the Edmonton Oilers. Donning No. 97, Roenick tallied an assist on Mike Gartner's power play goal just under a minute into the third period. But Roenick's debut didn't have a storybook ending as the Oilers defeated the Coyotes, 6-3.
For the last two months, as his peers laced up their skates and hit the ice in preparation for the 96-97 NHL Season, Roenick has laced up his golf shoes and hit the links, working on his chip shot rather than his slap shot. A holdout since before being traded to the Coyotes, Roenick had spent most of training camp in Florida playing golf, his camp and the Phoenix front office apparently nowhere close in contract terms.
Thursday night's injury to Cliff Ronning may have changed all that. With the Coyotes' first-line center out at least four-to-six weeks with a broken right hand, the team seemed to change their tone on the urgency of reaching an agreement with Roenick. Anticipation levels ran high at America West Arena during Saturday nights contest versus Anaheim, as the offense seemed to struggle. Although the Coyotes won both that game and the game in which Ronning was injured,even the players knew something had to be in the works now.
"We've been waiting a long time for this thing to get settled and maybe this will get it done," team captain Keith Tkachuk said, referring to Ronning's injury.
Roenick, a first-round draft pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1988, was asking $4.5 million after becoming an unrestricted Group II free agent at the end of last season. The Blackhawks refused, instead trading his rights to Phoenix on August 16th. The trade sent center Alexei Zhamnov and right wing Craig Mills, plus a 1997 first-round draft pick, to Chicago. Ironically, Zhamnov has yet to report to the Windy City, holding out for a bigger contract.
In his seven-plus seasons with the Blackhawks, Roenick amassed 569 points, scoring over 100 points in three straight campaigns from '91-94, and appeared in four consecutive all-star games. Twice a 50-goal scorer, he should add to an already explosive Coyotes offense. Having played over half of last season at right wing for Chicago, Roenick is expected to eventually team with Craig Janney and Keith Tkachuk on the front line.
But what could possibly be the best news for Jeremy Roenick?
Golf courses are open year-round in Phoenix.