Who The Anaheim Ducks Should Move
Ryan Kesler: The first move that I would make is moving Ryan Kesler. The hard part, however, is convincing him to waive his No Movement Clause, but it’s not impossible. He’s been a great addition to this team. The fact that we didn’t win the Cup in 2015 or 2017 after we made the Conference Finals is disappointing because he has helped us out tremendously, especially considering he used to play for one of our division rivals, the Vancouver Canucks.
He’s been injured the last few seasons, his hip getting the best of him, and this year has been no exception. Although he’s picked up his game lately, it’s quite evident that the Anaheim Ducks need to part ways with the veteran center if they really want to get younger and keep up with the other teams who rely on speed.
Nick Ritchie: Another player who I would move on from is Nick Ritchie. Though he has improved drastically and hasn’t been taking as many penalties. However, bringing up Max Jones has shown that there are other players who are better for the vision of the Anaheim Ducks going forward. If Ritchie does stay, I would definitely suggest that Jones move up the forward depth chart.
Ritchie has shown all of us that he can improve, and he will probably continue to do so as the season winds down as well as in the offseason. Nevertheless, if we can get someone in the offseason that’s better in the scoring department, as well as faster, that would be yet another reason why I would consider moving him.
Where Does This Leave Getzlaf and Perry?
Now, some people have been asking whether or not the Ducks should keep Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, and honestly, I think we should. Yes, Perry hasn’t done much this year, but he’s been out with an injury for most of the season. Though his production has dwindled some in the past few seasons, I think a bottom 6 forward role, or a least a checking line move, would be better, particularly if the Ducks bring in someone who is faster and can match the other team’s top two forward lines.
As for Getzlaf, it is true that he hasn’t been completely perfect, but he’s the captain for a reason. He’s tried to keep the team together and we can’t blame all of the struggles on him. He cannot carry the entire team on his back, so the Anaheim Ducks should, without a doubt, consider bringing him back next year.