Anaheim Ducks: Who Stays, Who Goes before Trade Deadline
The Anaheim Ducks find themselves in quite the precarious position. With the team in the midst of a playoff battle but also needing to potentially move on from some veteran players to set up the long-term success of the franchise. And decisions need to be made sooner rather than later as the NHL Trade Deadline is less than 2 months away.
It was supposed to be simple; The Anaheim Ducks were rolling into the 2021-22′ season by and large with the same roster they had the year previously which finished close to dead last in the league. The Ducks would finish in a similar spot, move all their aging expiring free agents and continue the re-build for the future. Well, the Ducks had other ideas. Troy Terry became an All-Star, Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano have taken huge steps and become a dynamic duo, Ryan Getzlaf and John Gibson have returned to form and the Ducks are in the midst of a heated playoff battle. On top of it all the man at helm is no longer Bob Murray but interim GM Jeff Solomon. And he needs to walk the tightrope between standing pat and hurting the long-term course of the franchise and a full sale fire-sale that could cause him to lose the players who feel they can make a run at the post-season and have deserved the chance. So, who stays and who goes and what is the return back to Anaheim?
Hampus Lindholm:
Position: L Shot Defenseman
Age: 28
Status: UFA Season End
Possibly the Ducks most important of the three major UFA’s on their roster, (more on the other later). Lindholm is newly 28 and most likely looking for a big contract. There has been a lot of back and forth on what the Ducks could or should do with Lindholm over the last couple trade-deadlines. And what they should do is re-sign him. While the youth movement is in full swing you cannot have a roster of all kids under the age of 25. Lindholm is a top pairing defenseman, plays in all situations, can handle huge time on ice numbers as well as brings a steading force in big regular season/playoff games. Will he be the next captain of the Ducks, no but he could be a great choice for an assistant for a young Ducks team that is arriving perhaps ahead of schedule, and still has tons of young talent on the way.
Lindholm is on pace to break his career highs in assists and points and yes you could say that is the product of a contract year, but it could be more a sign of a vastly improved team. Lindholms current cap hit is just over 5.2 million, the highest paid defenseman on the team currently is Cam Fowler with a 6.5 million cap hit. With all that said giving Lindholm 6-7 years at a cap hit of 7.5 million would be a good deal. Even if he pushes to 8 million it’s understandable. Lindholm is arguably the Ducks best defenseman and allowing him to anchor through his prime years while the likes of Jamie Drysdale already and Olen Zellweger/ Jackson Lacombe eventually patrol the Ducks blueline.
If you really want a trade with Lindholm it needs to be for an impact player right away. As stated above the Ducks appear to have arrived a year or two early but show no signs of slowing down. You want to maximize and grow with the likes of Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Max Comtois etc. So, with that said who should the Ducks target if they were to trade Lindholm? Alex DeBrincat. It has been reported out of Chicago that only Johnathan Towes, Patrick Kane and Seth Jones are untouchable. So, the Ducks could pluck DeBrincat to add to an ever-increasing skill group of forwards. The Blackhawks could start their rebuild with Lindholm and Jones as the two anchors on the backend.
Rickard Rakell:
Position: R shot RW/LW
Age: 28
Status: UFA Seasons End
Rakell presents an interesting case. His 16-17′ and 17-18′ season showed the Ducks may have found their next great forward. He posted back-to-back great seasons which led to a 67-53-120 line over that span. However, the three following season only led to 103 points combined and Rakell hasn’t looked like the dangerous goal scorer he once did. This season has looked more or less like the last 3 as opposed to the elite seasons of Rakell. It does seem better this season to the eye test as Rakell has gelled well with Zegras and Sonny Milano. However, you could slide most any top 9 forward on that line and they would most likely gel well.
So, what to do with Rakell. His stock has no doubt dropped from where it once was but the right team that feels a change of scenery and already like their core forwards could be takers for the former 1st round pick. Someone like the Boston Bruins. The Bruins window is about to slam shut. With the likes of Patrice Bergeon and Brad Marchand closing in on the end of their careers along with long-time goalie Tuukka Rask the B’s may only have one or two more shots at grabbing that second Cup with this core. Rakell could be a good piece with the likes of Bergeron/Marchand allowing David Pastrnak to slide down to a line with Taylor Hall. The Ducks could look to take streaky goal scorer Jake DeBrusk back who has publicly asked for a trade out of Boston. DeBrusk has shown flashes but struggled with consistency. Putting him on a line with the likes of Zegras or Ryan Getzlaf playing a more up-tempo speed game could do wonders and unlock that full potential.
The Ducks could also look at trading for a young player just about to crack the line-up. Someone like Jake Robertson in Toronto. Robertson had a great first season in the AHL last year, but injuries have plagued him this season. The Leafs could be willing to move a depressed asset as they too look to load up for a Cup run and adding Rakell to their top 6 could be something to help them over the hump. Rakell has been a fan favorite and it will be a tough pill to swallow to trade someone like him who has been a part of some very monumental goals in his history with the Ducks. However, the time may be now before he walks away for nothing or is re-signed to a bad contract and holds the Ducks back.
Josh Manson
Position: R Shooting Defenseman
Age: 30
Status: UFA Seasons End
Josh Manson has done everything and then some the Ducks have asked of him. You are not expected to contribute much when you are a 6th round pick and Manson has turned into a top 4 defensive defenseman. He has been consistent and steadying ever since he has become a mainstay on the Ducks blueline. However, he may be aging out of a role. By the start of next season, he will be 31 and could be blocking younger and more skilled defense prospects on the way up. Especially when you consider if the Ducks resign Lindholm and already having 3 spots committed to Lindholm, Drysdale and Cam Fowler. Manson could again fetch a decent return to another contending team that feels they are a defenseman away.
Not to only single on team but a DeBrusk out of Boston trade could make sense here. The Bruins need a defenseman with a little more grit to go with the likes of Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carol and Matt Grzelcyk. Manson could bring a much-needed physical presence that has been lost since Zdeno Chara was not retained. And his comfort level in Boston is high as he played at Northeastern University. The Ducks also have the ability to take a forward for defenseman trade as the defensive depth the Ducks possess is deep at the moment.
If the Ducks want to look for a similar young player who is on the cusp deal look at Jack Drury in Carolina. The Hurricanes have been building towards something for a couple years now and could use Manson to help with grueling playoff games against the likes of the Rangers ,Penguins, or Capitals to name a few. Last summer the Hockey Writers had this to say about Drury:
“Perhaps the most NHL-ready player on this list, Drury’s game just oozes maturity, confidence, competitiveness, and attention to detail. Drafted as a two-way forward who truly excelled in the defensive zone, Drury has answered all the questions – and then some – about his offensive game. The last two seasons, the first in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) at Harvard, then with Vaxjo of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in 2020-21, Drury has risen from a likely bottom-sixer to a legitimate second-line possibility, thanks to his strong work in the dirty areas, sneaky-good vision, and finishing ability.”
Drury has 21 points in 33 games at the AHL level and even if he projects to a 3rd line center a future of Zegras-McTavish-Drury-Lundstrom looks really good for the Ducks.
Lukas Dostal
Position: Goalie
Age: 21
Status: ELC, signed through 22-23′, RFA following
This could and may get some flack. And it may be way too early to make a trade like this but at the same time it could be the best. Lukas Dostal is another in a long line of great goaltender drafting by the Ducks. Plucked in the 3rd round of the 2018 draft Dostal has been on Ducks fans radars for a couple years as the heir apparent to John Gibson. And if the Ducks arrival hadn’t come this season he very well could have as Gibson may have wanted a trade to a contending team. The opposite has happened, and Gibson looks like his old self on top of wanting to be on this team and battle with these guys. If you need any evidence of that look no further than the Boston game a few nights ago. And because of this the Ducks may need to sell high on Dostal.
Dostal played his first pro season state-side last year and had a great year with the AHL San Diego Gulls. 15 wins in 24 games with a 2.54 GAA and a .916 Sv%. He has been a little up and down with the Gulls this season but has shown well in a couple NHL games. 1-1-1 with a 2.54 GAA and a .929 Sv%. And with showing the rest of the league he can play and compete at the NHL level the time should be now for the Ducks to move him. Gibson is only 28 and not going anywhere as he is entering the prime of his career and locked up through the 26-27′ season. That is another 5 years from now and would put Dostal in the 26–27 age range. That is a little old to become a starting goalie for the first time and Dostal most likely doesn’t want to hang around that long as a back-up. This gets compounded with the fact the Ducks still have goaltender depth in Roman Durny and more so in Gage Alexander as well as anyone they could draft in the next couple years.
So, who do you move him for? The key here is Dostal is a piece for a team’s future which opens up many more teams. Could the Ducks deal Dostal to Columbus for maybe the likes of Max Domi? Or part of a package that brings Jakob Chychrun to Anaheim. It should not be off the table because Dostal may not get much more action in the NHL with Gibson/Stolarz most likely locked in and the Ducks should look to sell high.
Next. Troy Terry; Heart of Ducks and True Hart Trophy Candidate. dark
The trade deadline is in late March and the Ducks should be very active to do some damage in the playoffs this season and set the franchise up for many years to come.