Bob Murray played Old Mother Hubbard last season with his forwards. He has only eight established NHL forwards under contract right now for the 2018-19 season. Antoine Vermette, Derek Grant, J. T. Brown, Jason Chimera, and Chris Kelly are all unrestricted free agents on July 1. Certainly, RFA Ondrej Kase will be signed and be a member of the AnaheimDucks next season. Fellow RFA Nick Ritchie will be signed or traded. That still leaves three to four roster spots open for forwards. These are the forwards to watch for on the northbound San Diego Freeway.
Nic Kerdiles
At the age of six, Kerdiles moved to Irvine. It’s time for a kid who learned hockey in Orange County to have a roster spot in Anaheim. Last season he had 34 points in 49 games for San Diego. The 6’2″ left wing plays with skill and speed.
Murray needs to bring the local product home. If you have something bad to say about Nic while you’re at the game, just remember his family is probably sitting in your section. He is also an RFA, so he’ll need a new contract to make this story happen.