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Coyotes sign O’Donnell to three-year deal

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Phoenix Coyotes signed free-agent defenseman Sean O’Donnell to a $6 million, three-year contract Tuesday.

O’Donnell had one goal and 10 assists last season while playing every game for the Boston Bruins. He has scored 21 goals and 119 assists in 693 career games while playing for Los Angeles, Minnesota, New Jersey and Boston.

General manager Michael Barnett considers O’Donnell’s play on the blue line essential to the Coyotes’ return to respectability. They were 22-36-18-6 last season and missed the playoffs.

“He handles the puck well, he’s difficult to deal with around the net and he has a calming effect on his teammates when the going gets heavy, and we needed that on this team,” Barnett said. “We put together a list of free agents, and we pursued Sean from Day 1.”

The Coyotes also traded defenseman Radoslav Suchy and a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2005 draft.

AP-ES-07-06-04 1738EDT