Anaheim Ducks: Moves Bob Murray Could Make During Offseason

The Ducks are in a prime position to make a big splash on the trade market, will Bob Murray pull the trigger?

Brad Senecal: I’ve gone through a lot of these scenarios over the past little while, coming for trades for the likes of Josh Manson, Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell, even John Gibson but that is for another day. While I was disappointed with Murray’s lack of moves at the trade deadline I think it will be more advantageous holding until after the expansion draft while teams look to recoup lost assets. One team that I look at that could intrigue the Ducks is the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes are in a great position as they were one of the most exciting teams in the NHL while winning the competitive Central Divison. Also, looking at their team going into the expansion draft, the Canes are in a safe spot as they likely will be able to move on from either Brady Skjei or Jake Gardiner‘s contract. While the team does have to make a decision on Dougie Hamilton, who is a free agent this summer, they will be a team looking to continue improving their d-core.

Lucky for them, Bob Murray has two fairly good defensemen who can be had for the right price and looking at the prospect depth at forward, the Anaheim Ducks GM should be pursuing a move. The Canes would be a great spot for Josh Manson as they currently have a glut of high skilled puck-moving defensemen. Adding the Ducks hard-hitting blueliner would be a welcomed addition, similarly to how Jani Hakanpaa has fit in since he joined the team. Manson obviously has better two-way skill than his former teammate, making him a great fit in Raleigh.

A trade that stands out to me would be sending Manson to Carolina in exchange for young Swede Noel Gunler along with a second-rounder in the 2022 Draft.

Ben Thomasian: I think the Ducks should make a play for Nolan Patrick. At present, he’s not getting top-6 opportunities with the Flyers and is in danger of becoming a draft bust. Yet, there have been times when he looks every part of the two-way threat he was drafted to become. He likely won’t realize that potential with his current team, but the Ducks can afford to take a gamble here and there.

The Flyers could really use a top-4 defenseman after losing Niskanen to a sudden retirement, and the Ducks could stand to trade one before the expansion draft (and lose one for naught). Naturally, there are moving parts to any deal, and salary structure is certainly one of them.

However, the Ducks and Flyers could come together to make the bulk of the trade prior to the draft, get a little creative, and complete a second trade after the draft in order to make the money work.

It could be something like: Rakell + Manson for Nolan + Voracek + a second-round pick (2022). Sure Voracek is signed for a few more years, but that should overly inconvenience a rebuilding Ducks team given that he is still somewhat productive.

Adam Tenenbaum: I’d like to see Manson traded for scoring help. If we don’t go in that direction, I think we could shake the roster up a bit and send Henrique and/ or Silfverberg packing for younger pieces and picks. I think if Murray is truly on board with rebuilding he will find more players similar to Zegras & Drysdale’s age range and build around them.

Ciara Durant: Josh Manson seems to be everyone’s favorite whipping boy. However, as much as I love Manson, I just don’t think his skill-set really fits with the direction the Anaheim Ducks should be going in. Plus, with the emergence of Jamie Drysdale and the acquisition of Haydn Fleury, something’s got to give and the Ducks could use scoring help in a bad way.

There have always been rumors of Manson going to Toronto for someone like William Nylander. There were also rumors that the Carolina Hurricanes showed interest in him at the trade deadline. The Winnipeg Jets might be a good option too. It is possible that one of these teams could be swayed to trade for Manson. Nevertheless, we know Murray is holding him for a king’s ransom, so this could be a difficult trade to make if Murray doesn’t lower his expectations.

Will Murray pull the trigger? Probably not during the offseason. He thought this team was a contender last year and I have a feeling he’s going to go into 2021-22 singing the same song until he’s sent packing at the conclusion of his contract. But, if he does pull the trigger, my faith in him might be restored just a little bit. Enough to want him back? Absolutely not. However, making unexpected moves that benefit the team would be a good way for him to go out.

Redan Lopez: Rickard Rakell or Josh Manson for Jake Debrusk in Boston. Would help unleash the Ducks, get slightly younger, and open things up for Debrusk struggling to get in the top 6.