Can the Anaheim Ducks push a deal for Patrik across the Laine?

Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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Anaheim Ducks
Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Drawing A Laine In The Sand

It’s hard to imagine the Ducks, under Bob Murray, would give away a defensive player for one that requires help defensively. Given Murray has given away players such as Bobby Ryan in his peak, and Kyle Palmieri prior to his, it seems unlikely that he would go to that same well to acquire players now.

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The Ducks over the past decade have been a team which as attempted to have it’s forwards playing defensively and its defense play offensively. Laine simply doesn’t fit the Modus Operandi that the Ducks employ.

With that said, even should the Ducks decide that they really need to go all-in on a scoring player, they are perhaps not in the right place at present to make such a big splashy move. Having traded away prospects and players over the years to maintain their bubble playoff status, the Ducks simply do not have the draft capital from which to deal. Losing a prospect such as Zegras would set their inevitable rebuild back a year or two more. Losing a player such as Lindholm would push their need for a rebuild forward, to needing to commence about three years ago.

Laine is a wonderful player who should easily find a place on any team in the league. In the case of the Ducks, however, the cost to acquire and keep him is simply too great for a team that doesn’t yet know it needs to start rebuilding. Now watch him go to a team on the up and up, such as Carolina, and watch him become a superstar.

All statistics found at naturalstattrick.com unless otherwise stated.

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