Alex Galchenyuk is in trouble. The former Canadiens prospect was arrested by Scottsdale police on Sunday, according to sister Katie Strang of The Athletic.
It is obviously this incident that explains why the Coyotes abruptly terminated his contract on Thursday.
According to Strang, Galchenyuk was arrested for, among other charges, hit and run on private property, disturbing public order, resisting arrest and uttering threats. The 3rd overall pick in 2012 was jailed Sunday night, before being released and charged the next day.
Thursday noon, the Coyotes caused an upset when they announced they were releasing Galchenyuk, just 12 days after signing him to a one-year contract.
“The Arizona Coyotes have entered Alex Galchenyuk’s name on waivers in an attempt to terminate his contract,” the team tweeted at the time. The club will not issue any further comment at this time. ยป
According to our information, the NHL Players Association is currently looking into the situation. Once the contract is cancelled, the players’ union then has 60 days to file a grievance.
Galchenyuk had signed a one-year contract, worth US$775,000, when the free agent market opened on July 1.
The 29-year-old American played just 11 NHL games last season, with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring zero points. He had spent the rest of the campaign in the American League, with the Avalanche school club, where he had scored 42 points, including 16 goals, in 42 games.
It would have been a third stint with the Coyotes. In his first stint, in 2018-2019, he scored 19 goals and had 22 assists in 72 games. Then, in 2021-2022, he amassed 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists) in 60 games.
Galchenyuk wore the colors of the Canadiens from 2013 to 2018. It was in Montreal that he had his only two 50-point seasons in the NHL. It was also the CH who had traded him to the Coyotes the first time, against Max Domi.
Since leaving the Habs, Galchenyuk has toured the NHL. He has worn the colors of the Coyotes, Penguins, Wild, Senators, Maple Leafs and Avalanche, in addition to having belonged to the Hurricanes for two days.
