Raise, Call, Fold: Anaheim Ducks 2021 Trade Deadline
The 2021 NHL Trade Deadline is officially 10 days away. As the date rapidly approaches, it is likely that phones are ringing off the hook. Several teams are looking for that final piece that will thrust them into Stanley Cup victory. There are several teams that have also opened shop and are taking calls on just about all of their players. Where the Anaheim Ducks fit in that scenario, however, is still unknown.
The Anaheim Ducks obviously won’t be buyers at the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline but it is unknown if they will be big sellers either. Their biggest bargaining chip, Rickard Rakell, is rumored to be trade bait. Nevertheless, we won’t really know how much weight those rumors hold until something does or doesn’t happen.
Anaheim also has a few other players they could use as leverage in a trade, but once again, it’s a wait and see kind of game. In preperation for the big day, however, our staff is dusting off an old game we used to play and putting their thoughts out there on a few speculative trade deadline topics. This is Raise, Call, Fold: Trade Deadline Edition!
The Rules of Raise, Call, Fold
If you are unfamiliar with how the game of Raise, Call, Fold works, let me take this moment to remind you of the rules. Each contributor will be given a list of four scenarios. For each scenario, they must answer either raise, call, or fold.
“Raise” means they agree with the following statement. If they answer “Call”, they are undecided or torn on the subject. “Fold” means they disagree. To further back up their decision, they will explain their thoughts on the statement at hand. We encourage you to play along with us.
The Pucks of a Feather staff will respond to the four following statements:
- Bob Murray will secure another first-round pick at the 2021 Trade Deadline.
- The Anaheim Ducks will have a “quiet” Trade Deadline.
- The Anaheim Ducks will trade Rickard Rakell.
- One of the young guns is on his way out.
Bob Murray will secure another first-round pick at the 2021 Trade Deadline
Brad Senecal: Call— Going into the trade deadline GMBM definitely has an opportunity to secure another pick in the first round but I am unsure if he is willing to make the moves. While people have been critical of his reign, he rarely makes a move that is negative for him. While there are players that could warrant a late first it is unlikely that he will be parting with them.
Redan Lopez: Fold— I don’t see this happening unless Rakell is traded as he’s their only asset still in his prime peak. Seeing his good fit with the team and that he enjoys Anaheim, he’ll stay.
Ben Thomasian: Fold— I don’t really see him making any trades that would constitute getting anything valuable back. Certainly, this is a season where teams would be very likely to want to trade a first-rounder, but the value of them is very low.
There was an article over at PPP that valued this year’s draft, and it was rated as the lowest value since the 2012 draft. While there are certainly some players from that draft, it can arguably be said that it’s one of the weakest in recent memory. It’s a tough call to trade someone who has the value of a first-rounder for a pick that has very little chance of becoming anything but a role player at best.
TJ Watson: Raise— I think this season is done and he’s looking to the future at least he should be
Ciara Durant: Call— This all depends on Rickard Rakell. He is the Anaheim Ducks’ biggest bargaining chip at the moment. Bob Murray has taken calls on Rick Rak, but no one has been willing to pay the price. If a team is desperate enough to secure a piece like Rakell for a deep playoff run, that is the only way I foresee the Ducks getting another first-round pick. I have a feeling, however, that Murray might want to wait until next year to part with his best player. Nevertheless, weirder things have happened at the Trade Deadline.
The Anaheim Ducks will have a “quiet” Trade Deadline
Brad Senecal: Raise— When I think of a quiet deadline it has Murray written all over it as I define it as either making no moves or general depth/minors trades. This has become the Bob Murray specialty.
Redan Lopez: Raise— Murray is not known to make big splashes whether in free agency or the trade deadline. I think the trade deadline will be “quiet” in the sense there won’t be any major moves and moving out multiple veterans or young players to accelerate a rebuild.
Ben Thomasian: Raise— I think the Ducks will make some minor moves, but nothing to write home about. Typically Murray does his work a couple of weeks before the deadline, and that would likely stand to be similar this season with the border restrictions in place. There’s a good chance that we’ve already seen the Ducks deadline deals more or less completed.
TJ Watson: Raise— Refer to answer #1.
Ciara Durant: Raise— Bob Murray is notorious for sitting on his hands at the trade deadline, and in a season that is so bizarre, I can’t see him doing much of anything. He might make a move or two, but it likely won’t have much effect on the team nor be a catalyst that sets the Ducks rebuild in motion. I actually think this is going to be a quiet year for a lot of teams and probably one of the more boring Trade Deadlines in recent memory.
The Anaheim Ducks will trade Rickard Rakell
Brad Senecal: Fold— There will likely be good options out there for him but I have a hard time seeing the trigger being pulled for a deal.
Redan Lopez: Fold— Rakell won’t be traded. Murray seems to be glued at times to his players and sometimes holds on to them too long. He may see if Rakell can have another peak season post-COVID times which will maximize his value.
Ben Thomasian: Fold— Hard Fold. They’re not trading a 27-year-old former 30 goal scorer on a song of a contract. Sure, there are some trades to be made, but it would take a deal that not many teams would take. Jake DeBrusk is one trade that could be a workable solution, but the Anaheim Ducks would have to add to the mix most likely, and I can’t see them doing that.
Murray likes to “win” his trades, and there’s little chance of that happening. Would they take a first-round pick for him? I don’t think so. Besides Murray has seemingly communicated that he’s looking for prime-aged (~23-year-old) players in return. Which team is giving up a 23-year-old who is good enough for the Ducks to want, yet bad enough for the other team to trade? Could only be a reclamation project (eg DeBrusk) and that would be a horrific trade from the Ducks’ perspective.
TJ Watson: Call— I think it can happen but it would have to be the farm to consider it.
Ciara Durant: Fold— With all the talk about Murray taking calls on him, I just don’t see Murray trading Rakell. Besides, these rumors and reports are weeks old at this point; if a team was interested in him and willing to pay Murray’s “outrageous” price, it probably would have happened already.
One of the young guns is on his way out
Brad Senecal: Call— This will be interesting to keep an eye on as the expansion draft is approaching and there is intrigue with many of these players. Max Comtois, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom are showing they could be part of this roster long term, while Sam Steel and Troy Terry may still hold some value that teams may be willing to make a move for that would be better than the team losing them for nothing.
Redan Lopez: Call— I’m unsure if any of them will go as they are still very young and may roll with them one more year to see some consistency. While unlikely, it’s definitely possible someone goes. Jacob Larsson has not panned as a top 4 defenseman. Josh Mahura hasn’t cracked the lineup and everybody with exception of Comtois and Jones has been fairly inconsistent.
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Ben Thomasian: Fold— Murray likes to hold onto prospects a little too long for the most part and with the Seattle expansion coming up and likely to take at least one young player, Murray will probably be a little too cautious. He won’t want to repeat moving Theodore (and expecting Montour to take his place) with this group.
For all the games they’ve played, the current young group still continues to perform with great variability on any given night. Presently Troy Terry is “hot” yet he went an entire calendar year without scoring – what if the Anaheim Ducks moved another one of those forwards and Terry goes cold? It just may not be a risk Murray is willing to take right now.
TJ Watson: Raise— I think Terry and Comtois are safe, Jones is borderline. Larsson has got to go. Lundy and Steel should stay. Mahura is an unknown commodity.
Ciara Durant: Call— With the recent video the Anaheim Ducks put out about the “Future on the Rise” I lean more towards fold. However, I think there are a few young guns who have taken big steps back this season and it might be time for Bob Murray to reassess how they fit into the Anaheim Ducks plans going forward. With that being said, however, I don’t see Murray pulling the trigger unless he gets a return he simply cannot refuse.
Next. 3 Reasons Not to Trade Adam Henrique. dark
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