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Anaheim Ducks: Recent trades change balance of power in the Pacific

By Ed Stein |
OTTAWA, ON: Guy Lafleur and Daniel Alfredsson participate in the ceremonial puck drop, along with Max Pacioretty #67 and Erik Karlsson #65, prior to the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens at Lansdowne Park on December 16, 2017 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON: Guy Lafleur and Daniel Alfredsson participate in the ceremonial puck drop, along with Max Pacioretty #67 and Erik Karlsson #65, prior to the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens at Lansdowne Park on December 16, 2017 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Two high profile player trades have changed the balance of power in the NHL Pacific Division. Can the Anaheim Ducks keep pace?

A month ago the Anaheim Ducks appeared to be the favorites to win the Pacific Division for the sixth time in seven years. I even wrote how I thought the Anaheim Ducks would be the only team in the Pacific that would break 100 points in 2018-19. After a few recent trades of high profile players to division rivals in the last week, I have to rethink my position.

Max Pacioretty

Max Pacioretty was the Montreal Canadiens captain and a very unhappy camper. He had been rumored to leave Montreal since last season. Entering into the final year of his contract, he gave the Canadiens an ultimatum at the end of August. Pacioretty said once training camp starts he would not negotiate a new contract no matter what team he was on.

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Actually, it was smart business on his part. Patches knew that if he went to training camp with the Canadiens, his refusal to negotiate would have killed his trade value. He forced Montreal GM Marc Bergevin‘s hand. Now the Connecticut native is a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.

VGK had a good second line last year but lost David Perron, and James Neal to free agency. To replace the pair, Vegas signed another American, center Paul Stastny, and have now traded for Pacioretty. Two historically streaky players gone, and two steady all-stars brought in. I’d consider that a huge upgrade.

Erik Karlsson

I’d been beating the drum for months that the Anaheim Ducks should go all in for the best defenseman in the NHL. It was obvious after all that happened in his personal life the past year, Erik Karlsson wasn’t going to stay in Ottawa for the final season of his contract. It was now or never for the Senators to maximize the return. Whether they accomplished that is debatable.

Meanwhile, Karlsson finds himself in San Jose on the same team as another top five blueliner, Brent Burns. The Sharks now have a power play unit with the best puck mover in the league, Karlsson. They also have one of the hardest shots in the world, Brent Burns, sending 100 mph slap shots from the point. An all-time great passer, Joe Thornton, and their choice of scorers with Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, Evander Kane, and Tomas Hertl.

San Jose was fast last season and have added Karlsson. They have a solid defense beyond the two all-stars and have a good goalie in Martin Jones. If Antti Suomela and Dylan Gambrell can hold down the third and fourth line center spots, the Sharks are the team to beat in the division.

Now that both Vegas and San Jose are better, any margin of error the Anaheim Ducks had to win the division has disappeared. They will be fighting once again to make the playoffs.

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Other teams in the division have gotten better while the Ducks have stood still.

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