The second half of the season is about to begin, and the Anaheim Ducks are firmly in the middle of what should be a great playoff race in the Pacific Division. And with the trade-deadline only 6 weeks away new GM Pat Verbeek needs to take advantage of deals that could help this team do some damage in the post-season as well as help in the long term.
Are the Anaheim Ducks true Stanley Cup contenders this season? The fan side of me wants to always say yes, the realistic side of me says no not this season. This is not me saying the Ducks are a bad team, this is not me saying the Ducks cannot make a Cinderella run all the way to the Cup. Hockey more than any other sport, is unpredictable in the playoffs and if you’re in you have a shot. With all that said new Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is in a tricky spot. From listening to his introductory remarks, he clearly understands this team is still in the midst of a rebuild even if it may be closer to the end as opposed to the beginning. And while that is a fair and candid assessment of the team Verbeek has a tougher time of it due to the fact the Ducks have played themselves into the post-season battle. The last thing Verbeek wants to do is trade away a bunch of veterans for picks/prospects and risk losing the room. This team is playing for each other and deserve the ability to make a run. So, what is Verbeek to do.
You need to target the right player that satisfies both needs. A young player that provides a needed boost now and one that can help and be part of the “new core” for years to come. And a player that fits that bill is Ottawa Senators forward Adam Gaudette. I would be remiss to not mention I have been a fan of Gaudette since his college days. Living in Massachusetts and going to Northeastern University hockey games my entire life it was incredible to watch Gaudette at the collegiate level. He had a prolific career posting 142 points over 116 games and collecting a Hockey East Championship, Beanpot Championship, and winning the Hobey Baker award as the nation’s best college hockey player.
Since making his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2018 his career has had its ups and downs. He was thrust into a Vancouver line-up that was ravaged by injuries at the time and before he was truly ready. Without finding a strong foothold in Vancouver, the Canucks traded him to Chicago last April for Matt Highmore in a deal that looked to be more a change of scenery for both. It was difficult to assess his time in Chicago as it only lasted 15 games before he was waived and claimed by the Ottawa Senators.
Since arriving in Ottawa Gaudette has 2 goals and 5 assists in 10 games playing with a depleted and bottom of the standing Senators team. And per an article from the Ottawa Citizen Gaudette feels the best he has since entering the league.
"“(The confidence) is the highest since I’ve been in the league, but it took a lot of work to get to this point, for sure….“Maybe it’s surprising to some of you guys, but I expect that out of myself,” he told reporters. “I hold my myself to high standards and I want to be best I can be, always wanting more. You guys might think it’s great to have seven points in 10 games, but I’m thinking, ‘I should have scored on that one-timer last night.’ I should have 10 points in 10 games.”"
Thats the kind of sentiment I want from young players especially. And per the article the Senators appear to be big fans of Gaudette but that doesn’t mean he is untouchable. This is not from a rumor site or any inside information. Merely a look around the league at someone the Ducks could absolutely use and fit a specific need. Especially with the next wave of centers in Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish the Ducks would love a young sniper to pair on a line with either of them. Gaudette plays the exact style the Ducks have succeeded with all season. Fast, creative, net driving on the rush. But also, not afraid to play the cycle game and score garbage goals as well. Gaudette has also had a nose for the net and can never have too many goal scorers.
So, what can the Ducks give to entice the Senators? The Sens are much further away in their return to Cup contention and the tricky thing in trading with a team like this is they covet similar things to the Ducks. But the Ducks have some surplus in areas they could utilize. Trading someone like Olle Eriksson Ek or even Lukas Dostal could be enough to entice the Senators.
The Sens crease has not been a strong point this season and while they have a lot of money tied up in Matt Murray, he has not been the same goalie he once was, and they may look to move him in the off-season. The goalie prospect pool is not something to write home about either as their best prospect is 21-year-old Mads Sogaard who is having a good year in the AHL but not a great one.
Eriksson Ek is having a similar year in the AHL but attaching a 2nd or 3rd round pick could be enough to see if the Sens would take a shot on him. Dostal may fetch a draft pick coming back the other way from Ottawa as he would instantly become the Sens best goalie prospect. It is challenging to part with any goalie prospect, but John Gibson isn’t going anywhere. And by the time he could look to hang up the pads Dostal will be in his late 20s. Not terribly old for a goalie but chances are he wants a real shot. The best move the Ducks could look at is acquire Gaudette and a 2nd/3rd for Dostal. The Ducks get a young, gritty sniper and the Sens get their goalie of the future.
I know there are a lot of people who don’t want to trade Dostal but he proved he can play at the NHL level in a limited sample size this season. Wit that the Ducks could take advantage and sell high. Trades are always a risk but the knock on the previous front office was it was always and only “hockey trades”. they This is far from a “big splash” but could be a shrewd move from GM Verbeek and allow the team to continue being competitive now as well as contenders in the near future and then some.