Anaheim Ducks: 3 Reasons Not to Trade Adam Henrique

The Anaheim Ducks made a bold statement when they placed Adam Henrique on waivers in mid-February, just two seasons into his big $29,125,000 contract ($5,825,000 AAV). The 2020-21 season did start off slowly for the 31-year-old veteran center, but just a season prior, he proudly led his team in points and goals. This brought about a lot of speculation concerning Henrique’s future with the Ducks.

Bob Murray went into the season expecting his team to compete, and when they did everything but, he had to make an example of somebody. We’ve seen Murray do this with players before; see the Andrew Cogliano trade. While it has not been confirmed, many have suggested that Murray may have attempted to move Henrique, but the price of his contract was just a bit too much and other GM’s weren’t willing to pay.

So, Murray and co. placed Henrique on waivers. He was then sent to the taxi squad for a short stint, called up, and then scratched for several games. It is clear that there was something about Henrique’s game the Ducks weren’t happy with, but benching Rico over a guy like Derek Grant seems asinine.

The Waiver Guy (all credit for this nickname goes to Khalid) dealt with the situation gracefully, however, and upon his return, has been one of the most constant point producers for the Anaheim Ducks. In 17 games, he has 12 points, which includes 7 goals. He is now 3rd on the team in points (16 pts) and is tied for first, with Max Comtois, leading the Ducks in goal scoring (10 g).

Whether you’re of the camp that believes waiving and benching Henrique lit a fire under him or you believe he would have heated back up on his own, in the eyes of the fans, one thing is for certain, this isn’t a very good look for Bobby. The joke is on Murray and Adam Henrique and his fans seem to be the ones having the last laugh.