Extra Ideas
As an aside to the draft, I can’t help but wonder if the Ducks should look into acquiring Lias Andersson from the New York Rangers. The former #7 overall selection in 2017 has yet to impress the Rangers in any facet of the game. He doesn’t have an elite shot, nor is he a strong playmaker. Yet the Rangers find themselves at an impasse, with him returning to Sweden and at this stage unlikely to return the Rangers.
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Given his thus far underwhelming results, it seems likely that his next NHL contract would be a relatively inexpensive one. The only real issue, is what would the Rangers take in return for his acquisition, and could the Ducks protect him in the 2021 expansion draft?
Nonetheless, it seems like a prudent option to explore, should the Anaheim Ducks think he has the skillset to become the well-rounded player he was projected to be.
Assuming the Ducks could make this trade work, without giving up too much, the weight of expectation should fall from the shoulders of the player and hopefully free him up to enjoy the game and push towards his draft day potential.
The Wrap Up
All in all, the Anaheim Ducks are presented with an opportunity to remake their roster. They could sit tight and make the easy choices to walk up and use their selection as is, or they can attempt to leverage their position into greater assets.
If the Kings trade is available, then the Ducks should absolutely move up and take Byfield without blinking. However, if it’s not (and it won’t be), then I truly believe that the Ducks might be better trading down to accrue further assets.
It’s very likely that they will still be able to select a player that they love if they only shift a few spots and in doing so would allow them to maximize this early stage of talent acquisition. For a team that has barely, if at all, commenced their rebuild, this coming draft offers an opportunity to fast track that ideal.
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