Anaheim Ducks Free Agent Solutions: Does Martin St. Louis Have Enough Left in the Tank?

The Anaheim Ducks may need to replace Matt Beleskey’s scoring,but is an aging superstar the short-term answer?

The other day, Pucks of a Feather’s Griffin Foster discussed the possibility of Anaheim Ducks forward Matt Beleskey testing the waters of free agency.  Beleskey’s 2014-2015 regular (22-10-32) and post season (8-1-9) efforts have earned him a bit of a pay raise, to be sure, but Griffin doubts that Ducks GM Bob Murray will be willing to pay Beleskey $4 million or more per season, meaning that the Anaheim Ducks will be looking for a way to replace Beleskey’s talents this summer.

Let’s assume for a minute that Anaheim does not feel as if prospect Nick Ritchie is ready to assume a top six forward spot just yet.   Should the Anaheim Ducks roll the dice and try to convince UFA Martin St. Louis to end his professional hockey career in SoCal?

There is not much doubt that St. Louis is finished in New York:

Larry Brooks of the New York Post was the first to report that it was pretty much etched in stone that the 40 year-old winger had played his last game as a blueshirt, and rumor has it that St. Louis is currently pondering retirement.

So why would Anaheim want to engage in talks with a player at the tail-end of his career, exactly?

Immediacy and pride are two words that come to mind.

The Anaheim Ducks were a Game 7 away from heading to the Stanley Cup Finals this year . . . as was Martin St. Louis.  The Ducks lost Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals at home . . . while St. Louis and the Rangers lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals at home, as well.   And both the Ducks and St. Louis watched a successful regular season reduced to the equivalent of a car running on fumes as their postseason ended: Anaheim was outscored 10- 5 in Games 6 & 7 of the WCF, while St. Louis after managed to put up only 7 points in the playoffs, compared to 52 in the regular season.

Immediacy and pride.  Both the Anaheim Ducks and Martin St. Louis want to win, now, and both want to erase the bitter taste of their humbling defeats from their mouths.

There’s no doubt each player in this game could help one another.  At 40, St. Louis will not be starting on Anaheim’s top line, but you’re foolish to think that his 21-31-52 from last season would not be a welcome addition to the Ducks in 2015-2016.    And Anaheim is a powerhouse out West, so St. Louis will be joining a team with a legitimate chance to play for the Cup next June, which is the only scenario St. Louis will consider as he ponders retirement.

Of course, there is no guarantee that St. Louis will be able to produce those numbers again, but if Anaheim could convince him to sign a one year deal for around $2 million, is he worth the shot?

Vote below – personally, I’m going with the third option!

Next: Time for the Anaheim Ducks and Matt Beleskey to Part Ways