The Anaheim Ducks blue line is full of talented, young, and coveted defenders. They have an abundance of what general managers want: young, steady, puck-moving rearguards with experience in the NHL. But ahead of the Las Vegas expansion draft, losing one of these skilled defensemen to your newest Pacific rival would be less than desirable. It is just the situation that the Ducks find themselves in with the 2016 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner.
Having solved the goaltender conundrum by shipping Frederik Andersen to the Toronto Maple Leafs over in the Eastern Conference, attention must now turn to the defensemen.
Anaheim Ducks Blue Line Loaded
The Ducks are lucky in that they have six defensemen that nearly every team in the NHL would like to acquire. Simon Despres, Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen all have seen NHL action in Anaheim over the past few campaigns. All are 25 or younger, and Vatanen’s newly signed $4.875 million annual average value (AAV) contract is the largest contract and all are affordable as well.
Down with the San Diego Gulls at the AHL level, Shea Theodore was a late season call-up for the Ducks and is ready for NHL action. Offensive defenseman Brandon Montour still needs to round out his defensive game but scored an impressive 57 points in 68 games to tie for the Gulls scoring lead in his first full professional season. He was the highest scoring rookie defenseman in the AHL. Luckily for Anaheim, both Theodore and Montour are exempt from the expansion draft.
Preparing For Expansion
However, this blueline bounty is likely to attract some attention. The rules for the Las Vegas expansion draft are that teams can protect its players in one of two ways:
1) Protect seven forwards, three defenders, and one goalie; or
2) Protect any eight skaters and one goalie.
Compounding the issue is the senior member of the defensive corps Kevin Bieksa. The 35-year-old former Vancouver Canuck has a full no-movement clause that will force the Ducks to protect him in an expansion draft. Bieksa’s future as a Duck is inevitable, due to his age, contract, NMC, and declining performance. Along with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler, all three of whom have a no movement clause as well, if Anaheim goes Option #2 from above and protects four defenders, they are half way to their maximum of eight protected skaters. That would mean the Ducks would like leave Jakob Silfverberg, or Brandon Pirri exposed, along with one of their young defenseman.
No, the Ducks will need to go for Option 1, and protect seven forward and three defenders along with goaltender John Gibson. Bieksa could waive his no-movement clause to move now to a team of his choosing or approve his inclusion in the expansion draft. Even if Bieksa would exit on his own, that only allows the Ducks to protect only one of the remaining two young defenders.
Protect Two
So with Despres, Fowler, Lindholm and Vatanen all vying for only two protection slots, who gets them? Lindholm is a slam dunk to get a protection slot, keeping the young Swede from moving to a Pacific Division foe. He is 6’3, 205 pounds of two-way defenseman who has recorded 98 points in 236 NHL games to go with a 57.0 Corsi-for percentage last season, the best of any Ducks skater to play two (yes two) or more games. So who is the third?
If the #NHLDucks could protect only one of the following defensemen from the expansion draft, who is it?
— Zachary DeVine (@zakkthebear) June 23, 2016
That’s a pretty strong win. Vatanen just signed a four-year, $19.5 million contract extension so the cost certainty will help the Ducks, and take Vatanen into his UFA years. Vatanen’s offensive style, ability to run the power play and his above average possession game get the final slot.
If the Ducks protect Vatanen, Lindholm along with the required Bieksa, that will leave Despres and Fowler on the trade block. Fowler is the likely candidate to move, as his stock is probably higher than Despres this off-season. The return on a 24-year-old puck moving defenseman with 178 points in 414 NHL contests to his credit on an affordable $4 million contract for the next two seasons could be very very good.
Several teams interested in Fowler, including Buffalo.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 24, 2016
The Ducks would be wise to make sure they get assets for the talented defender while all the movers and shakers in the NHL are at the Draft. There will be plenty of interest in Fowler and Anaheim should listen well to the offers.
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