Coyotes re-sign Morris to 4-year contract

The Phoenix Coyotes have re-signed defenseman Derek Morris to a four-year contract but lost standout defenseman Zbynek Michalek to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Coyotes acquired Morris from the Boston Bruins in one of a flurry of deals by Phoenix at the March 4 trade deadline. The 31-year-old defenseman had played for Phoenix for five seasons before being traded to the New York Rangers in 2009.

The Coyotes, still owned by the NHL, have a restricted budget and knew they would have a hard time keeping Michalek, who signed a $20 million, five-year contract with the Penguins. Michalek made $1.5 million with Phoenix last season.