
Should Move: Nick Ritchie Devin Shore, Kiefer Sherwood
Call it bias or not, the truth remains. Nick Ritchie should no longer be an Anaheim Duck. If you want to say it’s unfair to hold him to his draft position, fine. If you want to say he was better this season with taking bad penalties, also fine. But the hard truth remains, he isn’t very good, or at the very least the Ducks have better younger players that can fill his role.
Ritchie did post career highs in assists (22) and points (31) and is set to only have a $1.5 million cap hit for the next two seasons. That is extremely enticing to a team for draft picks or prospects in return and could save the Ducks some cap room as well. The free agent class could be a good one and any cap room helps that cause especially for another center with Getzlaf and Adam Henrique. Ritchie could flourish with a change of scenery and if he does good for him, but if the choice is between him and say, Max Jones, the answer is Jones without hesitation.
More from Pucks of a Feather
- Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
- Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
- Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
- How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?
I actually like Devin Shore and think he could fit in well here. But he could simply get caught up in a numbers game. Shore is a good player, but the Ducks have better options. Shore also has perhaps the most enticing contract on the Ducks roster. Set to make $2.3 million in the final year of his deal could make a team want to take a chance on the 24-year-old.
Shore has skills, grit, and a hard-nosed approach to the game. He may just be coming into his own and could be a very serviceable player. If not, his $2.3M doesn’t take up a lot of cap room and he is up following next season. So, if he doesn’t work you let him walk.
At this point, Shore is blocking other players and is worth more to the Ducks as trade bait. Murray should look to move Shore at the draft for perhaps a 3rd round selection, something the Ducks lack and could do damage with.
Kiefer Sherwood is a good player, and if there is one player you could stash in the AHL to save the space its Sherwood. But, if you feel he has gained all he will from the AHL level there simply isn’t room in Anaheim for him. Sherwood is a hard-working, 100% effort player at all times. He is responsible in his own end and has some offensive instincts to put up points as well. Unfortunately, his ceiling is a bottom six player, and the Ducks, like some of the other players mentioned above, have better options. Sherwood will be a good NHL player, it may just not be in Anaheim.
Long summers in the NHL are never a good thing, but as the playoffs continue and we get closer to the actual off-season it will be a busy and interesting summer on Katella Ave. Who would you keep or trade? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter/Facebook!