With last season officially behind us, it is time for the Anaheim Ducks to look towards the next. There are many areas this team needs to revamp in preparation for the next season. However, the Ducks need to first look at improving their defense.
There are many NHL players who are fast approaching free agency. This is the perfect time for the Anaheim Ducks to strike while the iron is hot. It would be a good move to pick up a player or two that will add where our team is lacking.
In my personal opinion, General Manager Bob Murry’s first order of business should be focused on filling the gaping hole in our defense.
Francois Beauchemin’s retirement opens up a spot in our defense. The likelihood of Kevin Bieksa being resigned for a contract extension looks bleak. This leaves yet another spot to fill.
What Should The Ducks Look For?
Ideally, Anaheim needs another anchor on the blue line. Cam Fowler is essentially the only defensive veteran leadership the team has. Hampus Lindholm is right on the cusp, with five seasons in the NHL under his belt. It still leaves a serious deficit.
It would be in the best interest of the team to find another defensive leader. There is a significant need for a veteran defenseman who is still in his prime. We need a player who can easily adapt at a moments notice. Having the ability to play successfully in a different pairing is something this team lacks.
With Bob Murray’s newly merited “need for speed” mentality, Anaheim needs to bring in another agile defenseman. This team cannot afford any more “flat footed” players who cannot keep up. Obtaining a strong asset on the power play unit would be another bonus.
Internal Solutions
The good news is, Anaheim will likely resign 24-year-old defenseman, Brandon Montour. However, it is still very early in his career. He still has a lot of growing left to do. He stepped up tremendously at the beginning of the season, earning his rightful place in the top four. Nevertheless, we saw him struggle significantly this season when he wasn’t playing in the shadow of Cam Fowler.
The Anaheim Ducks can always consider bringing one of the Ducklings up from San Diego. This would be the perfect opportunity to bring in players like Jacob Larsson or Marcus Pettersson for full-time duty. However, the issue with this is, neither of them has enough NHL experience to play successfully together as the third d-pairing.
After much research and serious deliberation, I have narrowed down the options. Here are the top five NHL defensemen I think the Ducks need to consider looking at.