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Anaheim Ducks: Looking Towards The Seattle Expansion Draft

By Ben Thomasian

ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 29: Anaheim Ducks center Derek Grant (38) on the ice with his teammates after the Ducks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4 to 2 in a game played on January 29, 2020 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 29: Anaheim Ducks center Derek Grant (38) on the ice with his teammates after the Ducks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4 to 2 in a game played on January 29, 2020 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Anaheim Ducks
NASHVILLE, TN – JANUARY 16: Anaheim Ducks left wing Adam Henrique (14), defenseman Erik Gudbranson (6) and right wing Ondrej Kase (25) talk during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks, held on January 16, 2020, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Defensemen

The Anaheim Ducks have done a good job of dismantling a young defensive unit that was once considered one of the best in the league. Shea Theodore, Brandon Montour, Sami Vatanen, and Marcus Pettersson were all traded away. Simon Despres was lost to injury. The remaining players of the Ducks much-vaunted drafting are Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Josh Manson.

Fowler and Manson will each be in their 30’s when the first expansion draft selection is to be made. Lindholm will be 28. Yet, the Ducks have very few defensive prospects which are likely to take over and wear their giant-sized skates. Jacob Larsson is currently in the NHL, and while he appears to be a steady 3rd pairing skater, the upside to move into a top-pairing role is not there. Josh Mahura is another player who has seen limited NHL time, and while he has impressed, it does not look like he’ll be securing a top pairing role. Thus, the Ducks need to protect Fowler, Lindholm, and Manson.

Of the other present-day NHL group, Erik Gudbranson has had a miniature career resurgence in the eyes of the fans. Currently, Gudbranson is putting up the 3rd best Corsi numbers of his career, and perhaps more importantly, the highest points per game of his career (0.69 per game). It is also one of his best seasons ever for goal prevention – currently, in his 10th season, only 4 have seen better defense. The Ducks will have all of next season to decide whether Gudbranson’s current level of play is sustainable and whether, at 30 years of age, he’ll be a player they foresee moving forward with into the future.

Korbinian Holzer and Michael Del Zotto are veterans on the current roster, their contracts end prior to the expansion draft, and this will not be part of the equation. There is perhaps a small chance that these players will be extending their time in Anaheim, however, they will not be protected, and they will not be selected by the Seattle club.

Jacob Larsson, Brendan Guhle, and Josh Mahura round out the other players who the Ducks may consider holding onto. All three are young and would fit into the age bracket of a team looking to rebuild. However, none of the three looks, at least at present, to be the type of player that requires a protection slot in an expansion draft. That isn’t to say the Anaheim Ducks would like to lose them, and in fact with so few defensive prospects, and such a thin NHL blue line, I’m very certain that they would love to keep them.

However, in the end, it may come down to which players they like more. The young forwards that are currently on the roster, or these young defencemen. Given these defencemen do not look like being 1st pairing players, and the relative ease in the league of finding 2nd and 3rd pairing defencemen, it would be likely that these young players are left exposed with the potential to be taken in the draft.

Protect: Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson

Expose: Erik Gudbranson, Korbinian Holzer, Michael Del Zotto, Jacob Larsson, Josh Mahura, Brendan Guhle

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