Feb 5, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (31) makes a save in traffic during the second period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Anaheim Ducks find themselves in familiar territory. In early February, the team holds a commanding lead over the Pacific Division. While their seeding could certainly change if the team runs into a losing skid, management and the players do not seem too concerned about their likelihood of missing the playoffs.
Rumor is GM Bob Murray will be looking to add another key piece at the March 2 trade deadline. Last year, the Ducks failed to make a splash at the deadline.
Left wing Dustin Penner was dealt for a fourth round pick. Which was then flipped for depth defenseman Stephane Robidas. Robidas was helpful, but was tragically re-injured his broken leg in the playoffs against his former team, the Dallas Stars.
Rumors regarding then-Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler swirled, but the two parties failed to get a deal done until after the season, at the NHL draft. This failure to acquire another difference-maker hurt the Ducks in the playoffs, as they lost in the second round to the Los Angeles Kings.
Perhaps the most influential player in the series, Marian Gaborik was acquired by Kings GM Dean Lombardi at the trade deadline, for prospect Matt Frattin, a second-round pick, and a conditional third round pick. Gaborik helped spark the Kings’ anemic offense en route to the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.
This season, Murray and the Ducks have the opportunity to show that they’ve learned from their mistakes. The team has obvious needs, and it also has a well-stocked cupboard of prospects, picks, and roster players to address those needs with.
In the upcoming 2015 NHL draft, the Ducks have their first, second, third, fifth, and sixth round picks, and an additional 3rd round pick acquired from Vancouver in the Ryan Kesler trade.
If the price was right, the Ducks could potentially deal younger players like Emerson Etem, Devante Smith-Pelly, William Karlsson, or Shea Theodore.
Additionally, word is out that Matt Beleskey is being shopped by the Ducks.
Beleskey is having a breakthrough season, with a career-high 20 goals. (Read More: Is Matt Beleskey the Real Deal?) However, Beleskey is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the season’s conclusion, and there are concerns that the Ducks may not be able to meet his contract demands.
If a deal cannot get done, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Ducks to “sell high” on Beleskey if he nets the team a significant return.
With the trade deadline less than a month away, here are some potential trade targets to be on the lookout for:
Cody Franson, D (TOR)
Cody Franson is a talented right-shot defenseman in the midst of his prime. Like Beleskey, Franson is in the last year of his contract, and the cap-pressed Maple Leafs are unlikely to be able to meet his contract demands after this season. Since the Maple Leaf’s playoff hopes have all but vanished, management has begun shopping the 27-year old Sicamous, BC native. The Ducks are frequently mentioned as teams interested in Franson.
Pros:
Cody Franson is an excellent two-way player. His impressive 6’5”, 213 pound frame bodes well with his physical style of play Additionally, Franson is no slouch in the offensive zone, combining excellent skating, puck movement. It’s hard to not compare Franson to a player like Chris Pronger, who was the final missing piece on the Ducks’ 2007 Stanley Cup team.
This season, he’s produced quite a bit. He leads Maple Leaf defensemen in scoring (4th overall on the team) with 30 points (6 goals, 24 assists) in 50 games played.
Dec 29, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson (4) against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Franson currently plays top pairing minutes with the Maple Leafs and would fit in nicely alongside Cam Fowler on the top pairing.
Depending on who would be moved to acquire Franson, this could allow Ben Lovejoy to slide down the depth chart in order to face easier competition, reaping exponential benefits for the team’s defense.
Cons:
Franson is currently -7 on the season, and a CF% of only 46.3%.
While these numbers may seem alarming at first, it’s important to recognize the situation in which Franson finds himself.
Franson plays against difficult competition on a Maple Leafs team that is struggling, to say the least—the team has a goal differential of -13.
Despite his low possession numbers, Franson still carries a positive Corsi relative to his teammates (+2.2). He also may be weighed down by his defense partner, Dion Phaneuf. When Franson is paired with Phaneuf, his CF% falls to 45.5%, indicating that perhaps he is being forced to cover for the Toronto captain’s shoddy play.
The Cost:
Franson’s asking price may be a bit of a moving target. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun and others report that the return for the young Toronto defenseman seems to be set at a second-round pick: a premium price to pay for a player set to become a UFA this offseason, but it may be well worth it if it gets the team closer to a cup.
Additionally, the Ducks are going to have to compete with other teams who may be more aggressive in their negotiations for undoubtedly one of the biggest available names this season. That price could forseeably rise, and price the Ducks out of the buyers market.
The Verdict:
This one seems to be a good fit for Anaheim. Murray should try to secure his bid before other teams come calling and inflate the price outside of our limits.
Keith Yandle, D (AZ)
Keith Yandle is a left side, left shooting offensive defenseman currently playing for the Arizona Coytoes. The 6’1, 190 pound Boston native is no stranger to trade speculation. However, this time Arizona finds themselves in the hunt for the #1 pick in the NHL draft, and new ownership that has commanded a fire-sale of sorts. It appears that Arizona may be finally ready to pull the trigger on moving their prize defenseman.
Pros:
Offensive production. Yandle currently leads the team in scoring, with 36 points (4 goals, 32 assists) in 51 games. Yandle has the potential to log top minutes, averaging 20:39/game in Arizona. He would be an immediate upgrade to the blue line, similar to Franson.
Jan 6, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle (3) warms up before facing the St. Louis Blues at Gila River Arena. The Blues won 6-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Cons:
Yandle is an elite puck mover, without a doubt, but is that what the Anaheim Ducks need? They seem to have their own version of Yandle in Sami Vatanen.
Yandle’s usage charts indicate that he needs to be sheltered in order to be effective. His 48.3% CF% (+ 0.9% rel) comes against relatively weaker competition, while starting his shifts in the offensive zone 56.6% of the time.
Yandle is also a left-handed shot, which the Ducks already have five of—Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Francois Beauchemin, Clayton Stoner, and Eric Brewer. Ideally, the team would pick up a right-handed shot so that each defenseman can play to their handedness.
His subpar possession numbers and his team worst -23 rating help support the argument that Yandle is not nearly in his own zone as he is on the attacking end of the ice. While there’s certainly usfefulness for a player like Yandle, it may be that he and the Ducks may not be a very good fit.
The Cost:
Unlike Franson, Yandle has one year left on his contract, and is set to become a UFA in 2016. Because of this, he will certainly be more costly to acquire—a roster player, a top prospect, a first round pick, or some combination of two of the above.
The Verdict:
Thanks, but no thanks. Yandle’s going to make some other team very, very happy, but he just isn’t a good fit for Anaheim.
Tyler Myers, D (BUF)
At 6’8”, 219 pounds, Tyler Myers is quite literally the biggest player available at the trade deadline. The behemoth right-shooting defenseman first broke into the league in 2009-10, when he scored 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 82 games, earning him the Calder trophy at the age of 19.
Myers was an important part of a Sabres squad that won the Northeast division, only to suffer an early exit at the defeat of the Boston Bruins. The following season, Myers scored 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists), and the Sabres were bounced from the first round of the playoffs once again.
Following the 2010-11 season, the Sabres entered a rebuilding period, and Myers stats have suffered. In the past four seasons, Myers has scored only 64 points (22 goals, 42 assists) in 199 NHL games.
The rebuild continues to this day, with the Sabres in contention for the first overall pick. Offloading Myers for picks and prospects would help bolster an already stacked Sabres farm system.
The Ducks have long held interest in Myers, and just this week Bruce Garrioch reported that the two organizations have held regular talks on a deal for the 24-year old blueliner from Houston.
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Pros:
Just about everybody compares Myers to Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins. And it’s hard not too—Myers is the only player that even comes close to Chara’s 6’9” frame, and he plays a very similar game. He can be physical, but his biggest defensive asset is his massive reach. He skates surprisingly well for his size, and has a capable shot.
His numbers, while poor especially of late are undoubtedly the product of a Buffalo team that is unashamedly terrible. Myers eats a lot of minutes, averaging 25:13 against difficult competition. With his confidence back, he’d be an excellent choice to play the top pairing.
Chara was a late-bloomer, so to speak. He didn’t reach his true potential until his tenure in Boston, so it could be that the 24-year old Myers has yet to hit his stride. Once it does, Anaheim may have the best defensive core in the league by a long shot.
Cons:
First, there’s no guarantee that Myers will develop into the Chara-esque defenseman everybody thinks that he is capable of. His development may have been stunted by his time in Buffalo.
Nov 1, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers (57) stands for the playing of the national anthem against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The real question concerning Anaheim is if Myers can contribute now.
Players transitioning from perennial losers to winning teams can go one of two ways—either they immediately begin producing to their full potential (as David Perron has, after his trade from Edmonton to Pittsburgh).
Others may take some time to readjust mentally (as Andrew Cogliano did when he was aquired by Anaheim from Edmonton, or as Tomas Vanek seems to be experiencing in his post-Buffalo/NY Islander playing days).
If Myers falls into the latter category, there’s significant cause for concern. While the team he’s on is admittedly terrible, he’s not played his best hockey lately. He owns the unfortunate title of league’s worst Corsi-for, at just 34.4% (-7.0% rel).
Acquiring Myers is a high risk, high reward kind of move that may not pay dividends immediately—or at all.
His contract is the most attractive, and simultaneously the most terrifying part of it all. If he flourishes by simply playing on a winning team, then the Ducks gain a young, cost-controlled star defenseman for the next few seasons.
But if he can’t prove that his first two seasons were just a fluke, and that his recent play is the product of playing with a poor supporting cast, it will be a very difficult contract for the Ducks to get rid of.
The Cost:
Myers is under contract through 2017-18. Though he carries a $5.5 million cap hit, his contract is structured so that he recieves $5 million this season, $4 million next season, $3.5 million in 2016-17, and just $3 million in 2017-18. While his contract is still large—and still quite risky, it is attractive considering the potential for Myers to break into his potential as an elite NHL defenseman.
The price for Myers therefore, is understandably high. According to Ken Campbell, in talks with Detroit this December, the price was rumored to be top prospect Dylan Larkin, roster player Tomas Jurco, and a first round pick in the upcoming draft.
More recently, Renaud Lavoie of RDS reported that talks between the Ducks and Sabres were centered around a deal involving Myers and Fowler.
. @renlavoietva "The Sabres are looking at another D in return, the name (I'm hearing) is Cam Fowler"
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) February 6, 2015
Lavoie is a respected source, but the Ducks deny his report, according to Eric Stephens of the OC Register.
If the rumors are indeed true, then it says a lot about what the Sabres mentality in this trade. They don’t have to move Myers, and can demand the farm in any deal concerning him. Fowler for Myers isn’t likely, especially if Stephens is correct, but rest assured, the price for acquiring Myers will be very, very high.
The Verdict:
There’s just too much risk involved. Even if Myers could be had for a reasonable price, he’s not guaranteed to become the top defenseman he’s capable of. Especially if the price is as high as Cam Fowler, the Ducks should steer clear.