The Phoenix Coyotes not only recognized their need for scoring, they did something about it during the NHL trade Deadline by acquiring Colorado forward Wojtek Wolski for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter.

The Coyotes need for scoring existed all season, but was elevated when leading goal scorer Scottie Upshall went down with a knee injury (torn ACL).

Wolski will fill that void as well as provide an added scoring threat on the Coyotes power play which has struggled during their current stretch which has seen the team lose three straight. he is also very strong on shootouts as he is among the leaders in conversion percentage.

Wolski joins the Coyotes with 47 points in 62 games with 17 goals and 30 assists and is a +15. He will be tied with Shane Doan for the Coyotes team lead in scoring with similar numbers.

“Wojtek Wolski is a terrific young offensive player,” said Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney in a press release. “He is a talented goal scorer that will help us offensively and on the power play. He has great size and is just entering the prime of his career.”

Mueller has had a similar career path to Wolski. Mueller was drafted 8th overall in 2006 and Wolski was selected 21st overall in 2004. Both scored 22 goals during their rookie season. Mueller seems to have lost some of his fire, a claim that could be placed on Wolski following his rookie season, but the Poland native has shed that image since then although he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations of a first-round pick.

Mueller, 21, has appeared in 54 games with the Coyotes this season, recording 4-13-17 and eight PIM. In 207 career NHL games with the Coyotes, the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Mueller has registered 39-68-107 and 64 PIM. As a rookie in 2007-08, Mueller collected 22-32-54 and 32 PIM in 81 games, all of which remain career-highs.

Wolski is a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney has two months to get a close look at him to decide if he wants to resign the talented forward.

Kevin Porter hasn’t found his way in the NHL since being drafted in 2004 out of the University of Michigan where he was a contender for the Hobey Baker Award. Porter, 23, has played in four games with the Coyotes this season and has also registered 15-25-40 and 31 PIM in 52 games with San Antonio of the American Hockey League (AHL). The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Porter recorded 5-5-10 and four PIM in 34 games as a rookie with the Coyotes last season while also collecting 13-22-35 and 14 PIM in 42 games with San Antonio.

This move follows the reacquisition of defenseman Derek Morris earlier in the day. Maloney has addressed both of the Coyotes primary needs without giving up too many “assets” as he calls his players.

Wolski will immediately have his new loyalty tested as the Coyotes play Colorado Thursday night.