Arizona Coyotes place forward Zach Sanford on waivers

A veteran is potentially heading back to the minors.

On Friday, the Arizona Coyotes placed forward Zach Sanford on waivers. This is the second time this season the 29-year-old’s name has popped up on the wire, as he was first put on waivers right before the regular season started, when he was assigned to the Coyotes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.

Sanford has played in just 11 games with Arizona, picking up two assists. He has played in the team’s last 10 games, after making his season debut back on Oct. 27.

Sanford has struggled to find a consistent job in the NHL, with most of his work coming during his four seasons with the St. Louis Blues, where he was a member of the 2019 that won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. Last season, Sanford played 16 games with the Nashville Predators, spending the majority of the season with their top farm team, the Milwaukee Admirals.

The former Boston College product is on a one-year contract with the Coyotes worth $800,000.

In 316 career NHL games, Sanford has 49 goals and 51 assists, picking up his 100th point on Dec. 19 against the Ottawa Senators.

If he clears, he can go back to Tucson. In 16 games with the Roadrunners, the Salem, Mass. native has scored a goal and three assists. Tucson is scheduled to play a pair of games against the Chicago Wolves on Friday and Saturday.

The Coyotes’ next game will be this coming Sunday when they host the Winnipeg Jets. Arizona (19-16-2) is still in the Western Conference playoff race. Currently fifth in the Central Division, the ‘Yotes are nine points back of the Dallas Stars for third in the division, and just one point back of the Seattle Kraken for the second Wild Card spot.