Anaheim Ducks: Too many good players available to sit on the sidelines

The Anaheim Ducks want to get faster and better, so far they’ve done nothing to accomplish that goal. There are still good players available they can trade for.

NHL summers are filled with player movement. The free agent frenzy is over but there are good players available for trade around the league. So far the Anaheim Ducks have been very quiet, which is no surprise considering how their GM Bob Murray does business. If they are serious about upgrading this team, its time to make some deals.

Pucks of a Feather has done recent articles on acquiring Max Pacioretty and Erik Karlsson. Those are the headliners, but there are other players available who can help the team. The Anaheim Ducks have plenty of assets in their system to make a trade.

More from Pucks of a Feather

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• Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

For all intents and purposes, unless he’s a game changer like Karlsson, the Ducks don’t need a defenseman. Therefore the focus here will be on acquiring forwards. Preferably ones that can score and bring much-needed speed.

Artemi Panarin, Columbus Blue Jackets

Talk about a major score if “Big Deal Bob” can pull it off. The 2016 Calder Cup winner, as rookie of the year, hasn’t scored less than 74 points in his three-year NHL career. He has one year left on a contract which pays him $6M per/year. So far Panarin and Columbus are at an impasse on an extension.

He checks off all the boxes for the Ducks, speed, scoring, talent. They could take a flyer on Panarin as a one-year rental. The Ducks should be able to get a good return for the Russian winger if he doesn’t work out in Anaheim.

Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes

We’ve been down the road with Skinner. He makes slightly less than Panarin and can also be an Unrestricted Free Agent after next season. The same situation applies on the Anaheim Ducks end, however, Panarin has a much higher upside.

Gustav Nyquist, Red Wings

Nyquist is in the last year of a four year, $19M contract. The Red Wings have told their talented Swedish right wing they want to see how the first half of the season goes, before talking extension. Sounds very like a lukewarm endorsement by the Wings. That’s consistent with his lukewarm career in Detroit.

If the Ducks want to move on Nyquist, they likely wouldn’t pay top dollar, but have enough prospects and picks to make it happen.

Kevin Hayes, New York Rangers

I’m a big Kevin Hayes fan. A trade with NYR could be a deal of a necessity for both teams. Without Ryan Kesler, the Ducks are short a pivot, New York has a glut of them. On the other side, NYR is in a rebuild and Anaheim has plenty of quality talent in their system.

Hayes is currently a Restricted Free Agent. He is coming off a two-year, $5.2M contract. Anaheim can sign Hayes for four years or so in the neighborhood of $5M per season. The former Boston College Eagle is also comfortable playing on the wing if RK17 does comeback in 2018-19.