Anaheim Ducks Rumor Rundown: Possible trade(s) with Edmonton
By Ed Stein
For 29 NHL teams, the off-season has already started. It’s a time of year ripe with speculation. This week we take a look at some of the juicier rumors floating around the Anaheim Ducks.
One of the things you have to love about Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray is his ability to keep quiet. 99% of the time, fans don’t know a deal is happening until it goes through. That’s why it’s always best to take Ducks trade and free agent chatter with a grain of salt. That said, I thought it might be fun to break down some of the rumors about the Ducks floating around cyberspace.
Tuesday, we started with Joe Thornton. Yesterday, the series continued with another familiar face, Jack Johnson. Today’s installment concerns two rumored trades with the Edmonton Oilers.
Oscar Klefbom
Rumor one of two deals with Edmonton has the Anaheim Ducks acquiring defenseman Oscar Klefbom. On the surface, it seems reasonable, but in the words of ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, “not so fast, my friend.” There are some variables to consider before bringing the Karlstad, Sweden native to Anaheim.
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Klefbom had a breakout season in 2016-17. He played all 82 regular season games scoring 38 points (12g, 26a), including 16 on the powerplay; was +7, and blocked 146 shots. Unfortunately, the former 19th overall pick in 2011 regressed last year.
Last season, he missed 16 games with a shoulder injury. When he was in the lineup, Klefbom was a shell of his usual self. The booming slap shot Oilers fans fell in love with, lost its steam which greatly diminished Edmonton’s man advantage superiority. They fell to last in the league in power play efficiency. Additionally, he scored only 20 points and fell to -12. Is he on the block because Edmonton feels he is damaged goods?
It would be remiss not to include the positives of bringing in Klefbom. Since his rookie year, the big man has averaged over 22 minutes per game and the Ducks need a minutes eater on defense. Klefbom also has a team friendly cap hit of $4.167M through 2022-23, when he turns 29.
Nowhere have I see what Edmonton wants in return, but he won’t be cheap.
Jesse Puljujarvi for Brandon Montour
The other rumor circulating, on the net, is a swap of 2016 fourth overall draft pick, right wing, Jesse Puljujrvi in exchange for defenseman Brandon Montour. An interesting idea, but a closer look at Puljujarvi is needed first.
Tall and skilled, Puljujarvi has the tools to dominate in the NHL but hasn’t so far. In 93 games, he has 28 points (13g, 15a) and only three on the power play. To start off, Edmonton chose 2017 first round pick Kailer Yamamoto over him on last season’s opening night roster.
Some of his shortcomings played out in the media last year, mostly based on his maturity and ability to compete on the NHL stage as a teenager. First came these comments from Hockey Night in Canada analyst Craig Simpson:
“I’m not worried about the way he’s being handled… Not to be negative on a young kid, I just think he’s got the growing up he needs to do to learn how to be a real pro every day. I don’t think he’s at that level yet. I’m not saying that he’s a lazy player but I would say that part of the teaching and development for him is to keep the chain pretty tight around the neck and the leash pretty short…
My exit meeting with him would not be a warm and fuzzy friendly one. It would be a challenging, to be a man to look at your opportunity you have to really set your career on fire.”
By the end of the month Sportsnet’s Craig Button, in an interview, blamed Puljujarvi’s lack of development back on the Oilers:
“I’ll be very straightforward on this — I thought it was ridiculous to have him over last year in the American Hockey League. I think it’s ridiculous to have him over now and not playing him… I don’t think the Edmonton Oilers have done a real good job of developing Jesse Puljujarvi, and when I watch him play… he looks like his physical strength isn’t quite there, he doesn’t always have his legs underneath him. He can’t assert like he wants to.
But you see him at other times, you see the skill, you see the ability to drive and be determined. But when you don’t have confidence in your physical strength, you’re not going to go out there and assert all the time, because you can’t, and you know you can’t. And you’re playing against men and players who are strong and physically developed and mentally and emotionally developed.”
Whichever side you believe, one thing is certain, the kid has talent. Additionally, if Puljujarvi does need mentoring, Edmonton is not the right place, because the team is very young. The Anaheim Ducks, on the other hand, have a strong core of veterans to bring him along. Additionally, Finnish legend Teemu Selanne is often in town and can help out as well. An uber skilled fast wing is exactly what the Ducks need on their roster.
Put it Together
If there is a deal to be between Edmonton and the Anaheim Ducks, both Klefbom and Puljjuarvi have to be a part of it. Something along the lines of Montour, Nick Ritchie, a prospect (Kevin Roy may be one of the few players that can keep up with Connor McDavid‘s speed) and a second round pick for Klefbom, Puljujarvi, and a sixth-round pick.
Next: Ducks cap status if Kesler misses the season
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