Anaheim Ducks: Could the Hurricanes Solve our Defensive Woes?
It has been said that the Anaheim Ducks are on the hunt for a left-shooting defenseman. Could a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes be the solution to their defensive woes?
Dave Stevenson, of Puck Prose, recently wrote an article about the Carolina Hurricanes and their aggressive search for a top-six forward. Finding a top-six forward at a decent price can be difficult for NHL teams these days. That is why I am here to propose a solution; a trade with the Anaheim Ducks.
The Anaheim Ducks have gotten themselves into a little bit of a pickle recently. Their recent addition of Daniel Sprong, although a fantastic acquisition, has made the team extremely heavy on the right side.
Although the Ducks have been able to manage this in the absence of Rickard Rakell, this is going to pose a whole set of new problems when he comes back. Someone is going to wind up being scratched, and that isn’t fair to whoever draws the short stick. Most likely, that will be Brian Gibbons.
What happens when Patrick Eaves and Corey Perry make their way back into the lineup? They are both right wings, adding two additional players to the already long list.
I am also of the opinion that having Ondrej Kase on the bottom line is a waste of talent. He has great chemistry with both the Getzlaf and the Henrique line. He has proven since his return that he is a crucial piece to the success of this team.
The Ducks are also in need of a defenseman. In the absence of Cam Fowler, the blueline has been doing their best, but something is definitely missing. Jacob Larsson, Josh Mahura, and Jake Dotchin have stepped up in their roles, but at least one of them could benefit from some additional seasoning in the AHL. Plus, neither Andrej Sustr or Luke Schenn has worked out thus far.
So, what is the answer? Which player on the Anaheim Ducks roster would benefit both the Hurricanes and the Ducks in a trade? I can only think of one solution, and although I wish the Ducks could get away without trading him, at this point, it seems inevitable. Why not strike a deal while the iron is hot?
Could Jakob Silfverbeg have a Future with the Carolina Hurricanes?
Jakob Silfverberg is, in my opinion, a perfect fit for the Carolina Hurricanes. They are looking for a top-six forward, and although he has been in a bottom six role so far this season, Silfverberg is top-six material.
With his current position on the Anaheim Ducks shutdown line, he has been able to show off his defensive talent. However, because he has been given the responsibility of being a defensive forward, that has overshadowed his offensive prowess. Most nights, his main focus is to keep the other team from scoring, and not necessarily scoring goals himself.
That is why his point totals since being acquired from the Ducks can be so deceiving. When Ryan Kesler was out at the beginning of the season, Jakob Silfverberg was on a hot scoring streak. For the month of October, he led the team in points for almost the entire month despite being sidelined with a broken finger for five games.
He’s shown that he can be a versatile forward too. During the pre-season, he was switched to his off wing, and he had tremendous success. The 28-year-old forward has also shown remarkable leadership skills. He has been paired with a number of rookies this season, including Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom, and Sam Steel, and he still produced despite the inconsistency in linemates.
His decrease in point production has coincided with being reunited with the shutdown line. I do not think this is a coincidence. Ryan Kesler, although he looks a lot better than last season, has not managed to outrun the effects of father time. He is slowing down and he is dragging his linemates down with him. I feel like the third line is the best place for him right now, and I’m glad Randy Carlyle feels the same.
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Andrew Cogliano is a mystery to me this season. His lack of production isn’t exactly worrisome, but his performance this season has left me puzzled. Plus, again, let’s not mention his inability to score on a breakaway. All in all, Jakob Silfverberg is doing the best with what he has.
It is rather disappointing to see him in the position that he is in. The Anaheim Ducks are doing him a huge disservice having him on the shutdown line, but there’s really nowhere else on the team for him to go. He has a nose for the net, that much we’ve been able to see. Yet, he’s being bogged down by two players who are on the downward slope.
If the Hurricanes were to trade for him, and they put him in more of a scoring role, I don’t feel like he would disappoint them. He’s shown flashes of true offensive brilliance when he’s given the chance to be more effective near the net.
He can score goals if placed in the proper position, and if that’s what they’re looking for, Carolina would be foolish not to jump at the chance to trade for Jakob Silfverberg. Especially before another team realizes what a treasure he could be to their line up.
Do the Hurricanes Have What the Ducks are Looking For?
According to TSN, the Anaheim Ducks are on the hunt to add a player to their blueline. Their eyes have shifted to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadians for a left-shot defenseman.
“Anaheim has been scouting teams like the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes. I wouldn’t say that there’s a connection yet, but Anaheim is pretty specific with what they need. Worst case scenario, they’re looking for a third-pairing guy with a left shot.” -Darren Dreger, TSN Hockey Insider
Although I normally take trade rumors with a grain of salt, at least until they come to fruition, trading for a defenseman would make a lot of sense for the Anaheim Ducks. Currently, with injuries, they have Jacob Larsson, Hampus Lindholm, and Andrej Sustr on the left side.
Once Cam Fowler returns to the lineup, that leaves either Larsson or Sustr on the left. I believe that Larsson has a better upside than Sustr. However, he has really only shown significant chemistry with Josh Manson this season, and we all know that Manson will be paired with Fowler once he’s back in the lineup.
Larsson has shown signs of being NHL ready, but I don’t quite believe he is there yet. He is prone to making mistakes that, at this level, he shouldn’t be making. If he’s “demoted” to the third pairing, he would most likely be paired with Jake Dotchin and until I see them in action together, I have an uneasy feeling about this as the Anaheim Ducks third pairing.
That is why I think it would be extremely smart for the Ducks to go after a left shot defenseman. The Hurricanes currently have two in their system that I think the Anaheim Ducks should take a serious look at. Both are still young, but could potentially be what Anaheim needs to strengthen their shaky blueline.
Haydn Fleury, 1st round (7th overall) 2014 NHL Entry Draft
Haydn Fleury was the Carolina Hurricanes first selection, seventh overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Although he is only 22-years-old, the argument can be made that he has not yet lived up to the expectations of being a first-round pick. Bad for the Hurricanes, maybe good for the Ducks.
Fleury made his NHL debut during the 2017-18 season. He was unable to score any goals, but he had eight assists credited to his name. This is not surprising considering Fleury is considered to be a shutdown defenseman more than anything.
As he grows into his role in the NHL, it would be surprising if he were to produce more than 25 points a season. Nevertheless, the Ducks aren’t necessarily looking for a top-four defenseman at this point, especially on the left side seeing as how they have Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler. It would take an awful lot to replace either of them.
His size paired with his tremendous skating ability could be exactly what the Ducks need to help on the back end. As I mentioned, he plays more of a shutdown role, which could be beneficial for the Ducks. Especially since they’ve had trouble this season keeping the puck out of their own zone.
There are a few downsides to Fleury, however. He is known to put up points, but again, he doesn’t have much of an offensive upside. The Ducks could use a lot of help on the power play, and he is not the kind of player that could offer that help.
He is not extremely physical either, and although the NHL has moved away from being physical and more towards speed, a physical flare is still helpful. Nevertheless, he is still a player the Ducks might want to take a look at.
Jake Bean, 1st round (13th overall) 2016 NHL Entry Draft
Jake Bean is the Carolina Hurricanes first round pick, 13th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. This is his first year in the NHL, and so far, he’s only played two games. During those two games, he has no points and has only registered one shot on goal. Nevertheless, I think he would bring a lot of added benefits to the Anaheim Ducks. Plus, two games is hardly an adequate sample size.
For the most part, he is a seemingly balanced defenseman. He has both tremendous offensive and defensive skills. He has a high hockey IQ and uses his intelligence to make good decisions whether he has the puck or not.
He displays great puck handling skills and is an excellent skater to boot. He is a hard worker and does not settle being a subpar defenseman. Although I am unsure of how he performs on an NHL power play unit, his pure talent makes me think he could be an asset to the Ducks if given the chance.
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He is a regular goalscorer and point producer as well, which would fit Bob Murray‘s criteria a little more than Haydn Fleury. He was a tremendous asset offensively for the Tri-City Americans during their playoff run last season, putting up 18 points in 14 games. In 2015-16, he also scored 24 goals for the Calgary Hitmen during the regular season.
Beans only flaws seem to be his size. He is 6’1” and needs to fill out his frame in order to be even more effective at an NHL role. It would also serve him well to practice being more confident in the defensive zone.
Other than that, he would be a great addition to the Anaheim Ducks blueline. I feel like his skills and personality would mesh well with Jake Dotchin if the Ducks decide to keep him on the blueline as well.
Will the Ducks Get More?
I assume you’re probably all thinking what I’ve been thinking this entire time. Jakob Silfverberg has seven years of NHL experience and Jake Bean and Hayden Fleury both have less than one full season of NHL experience.
This wouldn’t be a one for one trade, Bob Murray could get more. Couldn’t he? Well, in my opinion, he should.
Per Bob Murray’s recent comments, following the announcement of his two-year contract extension, this would give the Ducks the perfect opportunity to negotiate for both a defenseman and another forward who’s got a nose for the net.
However, I’m going to leave the negotiations up to Bob Murray. That is what he was hired to do, and I’m not quite certain how easy it would be for the Hurricanes to let either of these defensemen and a forward go that easily, especially when goal scoring has been the Hurricanes biggest issue this season.
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