The Arizona Coyotes will be without forward Nick Schmaltz for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury, according to an official team announcement on Tuesday.

Schmaltz was off to a red hot start since being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in November and had been out since December 30th.

Originally, it was though that he would only miss a few weeks, but now the news is much worse for the Yotes.

Following the announcement of Seattle as the NHL’s 32nd franchise on Tuesday, there is a shakeup happening in the league’s divisional alignment in the Western Conference to accommodate the addition of the brand new team.

It has been announced that the Arizona Coyotes will officially move from the Pacific Division to the Central Division beginning with the 2021-22 season to accommodate the arrival of Seattle, who will join the Pacific Division, giving the league 16 teams in each conference and eight in each division.

Arizona Coyotes 5th overall draft pick Barrett Hayton will begin the upcoming NHL season on the ice with the Coyotes, according to general manager John Chayka.

“Everything we thought and expected (about Hayton) has come true,” Arizona general manager John Chayka said, according to theScore’s John Matisz. “He’s one of those guys who you think will keep getting better and better every single day. He does a lot of good things, makes his teammates better, and came into camp and did a nice job. He’s going to start off on our opening day roster and we’re just going to take it day by day here.”

“He’s a premium person, (a) premium player, playing a premium position,” Chayka said. “He’s a foundational piece for us. We think he’s a complete 200-foot center.”

Hayton, the young center who who considered a surprise draft pick during the 2018 NHL draft, was held scoreless in two preseason appearances.