Five Players the Anaheim Ducks Should Consider Moving On From

Carter Rowney

Carter Rowney blew his previous seasons out of the water this season with the Anaheim Ducks this year. Never eclipsing 7 points during his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it seems as though Southern California did him some good. Call it what you will, vitamin D or Bob Murray’s ability to rehabilitate someone’s career, but he certainly impressed with his 20 point season.

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With Ryan Kesler’s struggles this season, Rowney brought some much-needed grit to the lineup this year, and we all know how much Bob Murray loves grit. However, again, as is the story with most of the players on this list, it’s time for the Anaheim Ducks to move away from some of their older players in order to allow their younger players bigger and better opportunities next season.

After almost tripling his previous point total, there is no doubt that a team looking for a bottom 6 forward would willingly take him. The Ducks may not be able to get too much in return, but just remember, they got a 6th round draft pick for Michael Del Zotto. If they move him before the draft, there is a possibility they could pick up an extra draft pick for either 2019 or 2020.

This would also free up much-needed cap space for the Anaheim Ducks as they look to resign a few of their rookies over the next few seasons. There is certainly nothing wrong with Rowney as a player, but like the next player on our list, he seems to be the odd man out.

Nick Ritchie

Nick Ritchie seems to be the Anaheim Duck everyone loves to hate. While he showed vast improvement this season, the power forward remained undisciplined throughout the year. At the beginning of the season, it seemed as though his days of untimely outbursts were behind him. Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before he was racking up penalty minutes and spending an inordinate amount of time in the sin bin.

His offseason training translated well into his point production. Still, he constantly made mistakes that left the Anaheim Ducks shorthanded and allowed for the other team to capitalize on the opportunity.

The good news is, he has value. Another team will likely want to pick him up in the offseason in order to add a physical flare to their lineup. A change of scenery could also do him good as well. It could allow him to mature and develop in order to reach his full potential.

While it is true that it takes a few more years for power forwards to develop, look at Tom Wilson for example, something has got to give. The Anaheim Ducks need to make room for the likes of Troy Terry and Max Jones, and someone has to be traded. Currently, Ritchie seems like the most expendable resource and it wouldn’t be surprising if he is on the move this summer.

Who do you think the Anaheim Ducks should move on from in the offseason? Let us know who and why in the comments below.