Expansion Draft Preview: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are in the midst of a major overhaul.
They bought out @Corey Perry a couple of years ago and captain @Ryan Getzlaf is an unrestricted free agent.
Anaheim has missed the playoffs in back-to-back-to-back seasons now but they’ve stockpiled a lot of quality young talent over the past few drafts. Top picks Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and Jacob Perreault join the young group of Sam Steel, Max Jones, and Josh Mahura who the Ducks hope can turn things around.
Protecting young talent is going to be something the Ducks consider as they approach the expansion draft.
Eligible Forwards
@Ryan Getzlaf, @Ryan Kesler, @Adam Henrique, @Jakob Silfverberg, @David Backes, @Rickard Rakell, @Danton Heinen, @Sonny Milano, @Derek Grant, @Troy Terry, @Carter Rowney, @Nicolar Deslauriers, @Isac Lundestrom, @Max Jones, @Sam Steel, @Chase De Leo, @Alexander Volkov
Eligible Defencemen
@Cam Fowler, @Hampus Lindholm, @Josh Manson, @Kevin Shattenkirk, @Haydn Fleury, @Jacob Larsson, @Brendan Guhle, @Josh Mahura
Eligible Goaltenders
@John Gibson, @Ryan Miller, @Anthony Stolarz
Exempt Players
@Trevor Zegras, @Jacob Perreault, @Maxime Comtois, @Jamie Drysdale, @Brayden Tracey, @Benois-Olivier Groulx, @Lukas Dostal
What should they do?
This is a challenging situation for the Ducks. They have a few veterans in Fowler, Rakell, Lindholm, and Manson who are no-brainers to protect. After that, the Ducks have a handful of quality players under the age of 25 that they’ll have to make a decision on.
No matter what path they take, protecting the standard seven forwards, three defencemen, one goalie, or the non-standard eight skaters, Anaheim will be leaving a solid young player open for Seattle. There’s no way to fit all of Heinen, Steel, Jones, Terry, Volkov, Fleury, and Mahura under their protection list unless they opt to expose their veterans.
The Ducks are a prime candidate to make a side deal with Seattle.
Back in 2017, they gave away Shea Theodore so that the Golden Knights would take on Clayton Stoner’s contract. That deal obviously worked out poorly as Theodore is now one of the better defenders in the NHL.
This time around, the Ducks could ask the Kraken to take on Adam Henrique, who’s owed $5,825,000 annually for four more seasons. Henrique scored just 21 points in 45 games and passed through waivers unclaimed this season. If the Ducks are going to lose a quality young player regardless, it would be worthwhile to package such an asset with Henrique’s contract to open up some cap room.