BombaysTripleDeke

I think my issue is that you are using an asset like Manson + to get Marner/nylander when it’s not going to move the needle and could be better used to bolster our prospect pool that can better grow and develop with guys like Zegras and Drysdale. Rebuilding teams have to primarily draft their way back to contention, when the Ducks have done that, then I think you explore and try to pull the trigger on a trade like this.

If we had prime years Getzlaf, putting up 70 pts or even his successor already playing for the Ducks then I think it’s a much different conversation. Getzlaf doesn’t have much time left in the league, so who would Marner then play with? He’s also been playing with Tavares and Matthews who are better than anything we have currently. Zegras and Drysdale are very nice pieces together for the rebuild, but I doubt that Drysdale will be in the NHL next year or even the year after that unless he’s Cale Makar/Quinn Hughes level good. Zegras probably spends most of this season in SD. So you are looking at two years from now under the good circumstances before they are playing on the Ducks together, when they will still be developing. By then you have Rakell and Lindholm’s contracts expiring and wanting much bigger paydays assuming they want to stay in Anaheim. Also, by the time you could maximize them with a nylander, you’d likely have to give another, more expensive contract to Nylander. Plus, the Ducks still need additional pieces to go along with Zegras and whoever we draft this year which is why I’d want us to load up on prospects that can help do that. Our veteran core isn’t good enough to carry the team and the young guys currently on the team haven’t shown they are able to carry the team going forward. I don’t see the need for making a major trade is necessary until they have shown they are able to do that. Otherwise, we are going to be spinning in circles longer than we have to, imo.

I think whether the Ducks get Drysdale or not that you have to consider moving Manson going forward. I don’t see what trading for Nylander/Kapanen/Marner does in the long run. IMO, the Ducks still aren’t a playoff team with either of those guys. Certainly not even close to contending. It would be like putting a great paint job on a car that won’t take you 5 miles. The Ducks need an entire engine overhaul and the parts to do it which is what we hope to get in next 2-3 drafts

If we are talking a generational talent like Crosby or McDavid, then yeah, that's a crazy bar to reach. Still think he's a surefire game changer and franchise level player for the Rangers.

They can still go kick rocks getting the 2nd and 1st overall picks in back to back years lol. Of course, I am just bitter because nothing close to that would ever happen to the Ducks. Minnesota deserved it.

Just remember and be sad that the Ducks will have more Cups than first overall picks...forever!

Yeah, he has no trade protection but I don't think it's a moot point, because if he's unhappy going to a bad Anaheim team then he could simply force another trade out of town. Jeff Carter did not want to get traded to Columbus from Phily, made it known, and got the Blue Jackets to trade him within half a season to LA. Though, my guess would be that Eichel would let a team wanting to trade for him know if he wouldn't be interested in going there and not to waste the time or assets on trading for him. If the Sabres do trade Eichel, then they are heading into a rebuild and are going to want young assets and picks to help them do that. The 6th overall pick (is nice but your odds of getting another Eichel are still very low) and Lindholm (who they would have to give a contract extension to soon or lose for nothing) I don't think gets you one of the premier centers in the NHL, who is only 23 years old and under contract for six more years. If I am Buffalo, then I am demanding Zegras in the trade. Luckily, it doesn't make much sense for the Ducks to trade for Eichel, all things considered, and there's no trade to be made, IMO. Newport Beach is nice, but Eichel is from the east coast and has clearly stated that he wants to play in the playoffs. If he wants to live near California beaches, then why not LA? They actually have the assets to trade for him and would still have a top-3 prospect pool even after doing so. To be clear, I don't think LA should make a trade or that Eichel would want to go there, but just that LA has a stronger trade position in terms of assets than the Ducks do to make a trade happen.

I think in your follow up post where the Ducks give up the 6th overall and Gibson is more in the ballpark to get the first overall pick, assuming whoever wins the draft lottery would be willing it. I don't think that goalies, even one as good as Gibson, have extremely high trade values, which is why the 6th overall would need to be involved. Patrick Roy was a star and got a return of Jocelyn Thiabult, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko in the famous Colorado trade! I like Dostal and hope that he his able to come over to North America sometime this season and in 2-3 years, we have another Gibson/Andersen situation on our hands. If Dostal is the real deal, then trading Gibson, possibly in 2022, when the league finances should be stronger and that draft class looks to be absolutely loaded may be a better move, IMO. So, I wouldn't trade Gibson at this point but its likely moot because I think the odds are overwhelming that the pick won't be on the trading block or that the Murray would attempt to trade for it if was lol. I very much agree with the bolded. Not sure why Eichel would be happy to go to a rebuilding Anaheim team that is worse than the Buffalo team that he is currently on. He wants to be in the playoffs now and the Ducks don't provide him a great chance to do that. If there were a theoretical trade to be made for Eichel, I don't think there's any chance that the Ducks could get him without the 6th overall pick AND Zegras being involved.

Haha. Pittsburgh, Edmonton or New Jersey getting 1st overall will be awful, but still not as bad as LA getting #2

Larsson went 8 spots ahead of Aho. It stings lol It’s a very fair question when looking at forwards and scoring. Unfortunately, Murray is still GM.

Yeah, that was tough. If the Penguins are on the brink of bankruptcy then they will get the 1st overall pick for a generational all-time great player (Lemieux/Crosby). I’m bummed now that we could have had Aho!

If only we had drafted Aho instead of Larsson in 2015!!

Only 6 years and 60 mil left on Bobrovsky’s contract. Ouch Florida.

I think that they can be reliable role players but I'm not expecting them to shoulder the offensive burden in the future. Any trade of significance for the next while should be primarily focused on loading up the prospect pool as much as possible, IMO. If done well enough, then we can start moving excess pieces and assets to bolster the roster with more established NHLers.

Yeah, Suzuki has been very good and has some real potential. Definitely helps Montreal's future after getting him in the Pacioretty trade. Hope Murray is taking notes lol. Not too worried about the Pens, unless they lose Game 2, I think they just have too much firepower for Montreal to overcome. That said, Go Habs! Really liking the Coyotes putting a hurting on the Preds early on.

Agreed. The Canes/Rangers game was great, it had everything. It made me sad watching the Vatman quarterbacking their PP though. I remember all the way back to two years ago when we rivaled Carolina with our defensive depth, but oh man, they are so stacked on blueline. We'll know that the NHL is truly back if Edmonton loses to Chicago and then gets the 1st overall pick.

I can see Milano flirting with a 20 goal season if he's really feeling it but even getting more than 12 would be good. The LW position is going to be interesting going forward.

Hope Milano has Pontus Aberg-like production but without the character issues!

Yeah, wouldn't surprise me either. Larsson has done himself no favors. His contract is going to be cheap, so maybe Murray gives him a chance to at least up his trade value. My preference is for the former lol. The Ducks are going to be looking up at most of teams in Pacific for the next two seasons which is noticeably weaker overall than the Central. Missing the playoffs isn't fun but we are paying the price for all of those division titles and two WCF runs. It's just our time to suck. Unless Terry, Steel, Jones, Comtois become major contributors, I don't see them getting back to the playoffs or making deep runs until they get some huge hits (and luck) in the upcoming drafts. I really hope the Ducks weaponize their cap space too but my gut feeling is that the pandemic is going to take such a major financial toll that the Ducks will use most of the expansion money to help cushion the blow. Full arenas aren't happening for a long time so I think the Ducks are going to look to reduce expenditures more than anything.

I'd take on Loui Erikkson's contract from Vancouver for their 2022 1st round pick!

Yeah, that is something and I'd like to know how much money they are letting Murray work with. The Ducks will be in a position to weaponize cap, assuming it's in the budget. Taking advantage of teams needing reduce cap space and payrolls would be nice but I doubt the Samuelis are going to want to add much additional salary, unless they are also moving some out.

Milano signed for two years, $1.7 mil aav. Decent low-risk move. Ducks currently with $4.1 mil in cap space (not including Kesler's LTIR) and only needing to sign Larsson and a back-up goalie for next season. In 2021, cap space is currently projected to be at $32 mil and $55 mil in 2022. They are going to have a lot of fun money at their disposal those years.

I think nylander would be more likely to get moved to help resolve their cap issues, but still don’t think the Ducks should make a play for him either. The timing just isn’t right for to make a blockbuster acquisition. Load up on picks and hope that we crush it at the next couple of drafts. With Terry and Comtois, I think they should be decent players and will have rolls on the Ducks. As far as them being 1st liners or even 2nd line locks, I think there’s quite a bit of development needed if they are going to get there. If either of them are reliable 30-35 point guys then that’s pretty good value, imo.

Maybe, but I think the two things that attract UFA's more than anything are 1) money and 2) a legitimate chance to contend for a cup. With the Ducks not being big free agency spenders (they'd get theoretically get Marner via trade) and clearly rebuilding, I don't think adding Marner changes either of those things because the rest of the roster can't really support him. In Toronto, Marner is paired with Matthews or Tavares and not an aging Getzlaf or Henrique. Pairing him with Terry (I'm assuming Terry shifts to Center) and Comtois assumes that both of those guys are going to take considerable leaps and will able to compliment him. As of now, I wouldn't bet on that happening. Once the Ducks have a capable new core of players, then I am all for looking at signing impact FA's to help make deep playoff runs. Of course, this all assumes that a young, super star player like Marner is even available. I don't think he is and players of his caliber aren't traded very often...unless Peter Chiarelli is your GM. A Marner would likely cost the Ducks a top defensemen, a quality prospect and a high draft pick which the Ducks don't have an excess of. If a top-end player is available for a trade, I'd be more worried about LA getting them because they the pieces to make it work without really hurting their talent pool. As far as Gibson goes, I don't know if his trade value would be enough to land a superstar player. Freddie Andersen, who is one of the better goalies in the league, got the us a late first and 2nd round pick back in 2016. That said, I don't think there is any realistic offer that I would take for Gibson at this point and would only consider moving him if he tries to force his way out of Anaheim. We have a franchise-caliber goalie for the next seven years (knock on wood for the injury Gods), during which I'd like to think we will be able to put together another solid team to give him a chance at the Cup.

Yeah, I agree that a player like Marner improves the Ducks now, but I can't see where it's to the degree that the Ducks window to make the playoffs, let alone contend, opens back up by adding him. They were the 5th worst scoring team in the NHL. That's an awful lot of ground to cover. My other issue is, who is he going to play with down the road? Getzlaf is 35, Henrique will be 31 next season, Rakell will be a UFA in 2022 and Steel, Terry Jones, Comtois have yet to, and may not make the necessary impacts that the Ducks need to become good again. Zegras is likely going to need a couple of seasons before we see what he can become. The drop off after Zegras in the pipeline I think is pretty notable and after him, I think the next best overall prospect that we have is Dostal. The Ducks aren't going anywhere unless they really bolster their prospect pool with more high end players. The upcoming draft will help and maybe Murray will make a bold move such as trying to get the 8th overall pick or moving up like he tried to do last year to get Krebs. Those are the kinds of moves that I hope to see and think we'll need to make going forward. If we did that and then get a top-5 pick in 2022, which might be the next 2003 super draft, then I think we'd have the foundation in place to contend again. The 2022 draft is going to be hyped up the wazoo. I feel so bad for Gibson after what the Ducks have subjected him to for the last 2 + seasons, especially his workload. Maybe he regrets signing that 8-year extension but hopefully he has enough faith and patience in the organization to ride this out. If he wants to stay with the Ducks, then I don't think he has a choice lol.