Anaheim Ducks 2020 – Looking into our Crystal Ball
By Ed Stein
Defensemen
Fowler-Manson
Lindholm-Mahura
Pettersson-Larsson
Welinski
Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Josh Manson are all signed beyond the 2020-21 season. All three will be key members of the team. In fact, two of them could be wearing an “A” on their sweater by then. They are part of the Ducks next leadership group.
Defensive pairings might be in somewhat of a flux, but the players should be the same. Fowler is a top pairing defenseman now, there is no reason to believe he won’t be two years from now. Manson gets better and better every season, he should grow into a top two role.
Hampus Lindholm is a solid two-way defenseman who can play in any situation. He is also the type of defenseman that can play with almost anyone. He’ll have to be at the top of his game because the Swede gets paired with up and coming puck handler Josh Mahura. The younger blueliner will be starting what the Anaheim Ducks believe to be a high octane career.
Marcus Pettersson and Jacob Larsson will remain in the same roles they are now. It has nothing to do with how good they can be. Neither of the two is going to be better than Fowler, Lindholm, and Manson. The team will, however, control their contracts and utilize them as such. Andy Welinski hangs on as the seventh defenseman.