Examining the Anaheim Ducks relationship with the San Diego Gulls
By Kennyth M
Current Offseason Moves that will Impact San Diego
This offseason, the Ducks have signed Anton Rodin, Luke Schenn, Brian Gibbons, Carter Rowney and Andrej Sustr. They will all have a legitimate shot at making the Ducks roster, but not all of them will do so. Sustr is the only player I’d bet money on remaining with the Ducks all year. Gibbons has the talent to carve out a role as well.
Outside of Rowney, they were all given one-year deals with cap hits that can be buried in the AHL (where they will likely be). Murray understood most, if not all (excluding Sustr), would be spending time in San Diego. While there is much debate on the hows and whys, there’s no need to fret the idea of Carlyle rolling out the third pairing of Schenn and Sustr.
Quickly, everyone Google Carter Rowney
Which brings us back to Rowney. His contract left everyone scratching their heads for numerous reasons. But after extended analysis, it makes sense.
The 29-year-old journeyman with 71 total NHL games received a three-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.133M. Why so much for a guy that has a totaled 12 points? One of the biggest reasons is his ability to play heavy defensive minutes.
More from Pucks of a Feather
- Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
- Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
- Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
- How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?
He started over 75% of his shifts in the defensive zone and played nearly a quarter of his minutes short-handed. Factoring in Ryan Kesler‘s health issues and Adam Henrique potentially centering a scoring line, the Anaheim Ducks needed a player to take some of those defensive responsibilities.
Even with his ability to shoulder the defensive load, his AAV doesn’t appear to make sense for what he brings to the table. Unless it was understood he would spend time between San Diego and Anaheim. He brings value with the role he can play, but it’s not one Anaheim requires every game.
To be sent down, Rowney has to clear waivers. There are several teams that would likely take him on for a league minimum salary. Murray gave the defensive specialist enough term and money to scare other teams off, but his contract can effectively remain buried in San Diego without affecting the Ducks salary cap crunch.
Another aspect to consider is Rowney’s ability to be a high-end scorer in the AHL. The past two seasons he scored 34 goals and 77 points in 100 games. That means the organization is paying Rowney slightly above league minimum to have a defensive role in Anaheim and moonlight as top line player for the Gulls.
Next: Ducks extend Henrique and Roy
What looked like an albatross contract in the beginning, actually makes sense considering what he brings to both of Samueli’s franchises.