The Anaheim Ducks must do better than Henrique on second line
By Ed Stein
Adam Henrique is a nice player for a baseline team. If the Anaheim Ducks want to contend for a championship next year, someone better needs to play the pivot behind Ryan Getzlaf.
Currently, Adam Henrique is second on the Anaheim Ducks depth chart at the center position. He’s a good player, but not a true second line center. If they are to contend for a title next season, General Manager Bob Murray has to get an upgrade.
I think Henrique has some talent and is a nice player to have on a roster. Not a legitimate contending roster, but on an average team, he will be one of the better players. Let me give a few reasons why Henrique shouldn’t anchor the second line.
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Not Enough Bang
In his best season, his rookie year of 2011-12, Henrique scored 51 points for the New Jersey Devils (NJD). That season the Devils went all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before falling to Los Angeles four games to two. NJD had some bonafide scorers on their roster in persons of Ilya Kovalchuck, Patrik Elias, and Zach Parise. All of whom scored 69 or more points.
On a team with that much firepower, Henrique could only muster 35 assists centering a scoring line. Again, that’s good, but aside from Rickard Rakell, whose career high of 69 points last season would have put him third on that Devils team, the Ducks don’t have those type of scorers on the roster. Anaheim needs more from that position to move forward.
Slow on the Draw
If someone wins a faceoff, somebody else has to lose. Unfortunately, over his career, Henrique has lost far more than he has won. His record in the dot is 3,221 – 3,573, good for a 47.4 winning percentage. As a matter of fact, he has only broken 50 percent one season out of seven played.
Without Ryan Kesler in the lineup for possibly the entirety of 2017-18, Anaheim needs a center that can win draws. The numbers say Henrique is not that guy. Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray needs to get someone who can.
Conclusion
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Henrique has not historically provided the kinds of stats the Ducks need from a second line center in his seven-year career. Additionally, he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season. The Ducks probably won’t be able to afford his next contract. It’s better to trade him before the season starts and use his $4M cap hit on a player who better fits their needs.