5 Anaheim Ducks The New Jersey Devils Should Inquire About
The New Jersey Devils and new general manager Tom Fitzgerald have a lot of work to do this offseason. Three 1st-round picks and a plethora of salary cap space will help aid in the roster tinkering, but what, if anything, will the leadership group of this organization actually be able to do?
More than likely, reality will be far less exciting than any suggestions we in the blogging world can make, but it sure is fun having a go at it. Now it’s my turn. Many of my colleagues here at Pucks and Pitchforks have thrown out plenty of plausible moves centered around teams that are either still playing or recently finished playing, however this is going to look at a team that has been off the ice as long as the Devils — the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks completed its 2019-20 season with a 29-33-9 record in 71 games. They played well enough to not finish last in the Pacific Division, but not well enough to make anybody in management happy nor well enough to make any of the current roster feel safe and secure.
General manager Bob Murray was so frustrated with his team’s play that he went so far as blasting his players during a 40-minute postmortem press conference back in June. Murray called out his veterans for their lack of effort and chided head coach Dallas Eakins for not holding the younger players accountable for their actions on and off the ice. Suffice to say the winds of change are blowing in Anaheim and as we all know Bob Murray is going to Bob Murray. Simply put, The Ducks GM is no stranger to making a splash and is always willing to play ball on the trade market.
After seeing first hand just how Anaheim was constructed, some serious tweaking is definitely in order. Now enter the Devils and Fitzgerald. The two organizations have a history of making big-time deals with each other, and this offseason could bring more of that. I think Anaheim has several players that could be pried away for the right price. Here is a quick look at some potential targets the Devils could go after if the Ducks are willing to dance.
Josh Manson
Manson is a rugged right-shot defenseman that many teams would absolutely covet. The Ducks were even dangling him at the trade deadline but instead opted to hold on to their big minute-eating blueliner. The Ducks defensive cupboard was once fully stocked, but the departures of players such as Shea Theodore, Sami Vatanen, and Brandon Montour have reduced the Ducks depth in that department. That said, they still have plenty of young talented d-men in the pipeline. It’s very clear Anaheim is heading towards a full youth movement and the 28-year-old Manson was squarely in the crosshairs of Murray’s veteran rant and he could be the next big piece to go.
The Devils need defense and not everybody on the roster should be under the legal drinking age. Manson would be an excellent addition to an improved back end. What would it take to get him? That’s the real question. Fortunately, it might not take much. Anaheim has less than $3-million in cap space. Manson is slated to make $4.1 million over the next two seasons and the cap relief might be motivation enough for Murray to move on with little more than a pick and prospect going the other way.
Of course, Manson only makes sense as part of a domino scenario in which the Devils have already moved other pieces in other deals, but that’s a story for another day.
Rikard Rakell
The one player in a Ducks sweater that could really benefit from a change of scenery in Rikard Rakell. After scoring 33 goals in 2016-17 and a career-high 34 in 2017-18, his production has fallen off a cliff. He potted 18 in 2018-19 and just 15 this past season.
The 27 year old is by far the Ducks best offensive weapon when he’s on and from what I saw this past season – he’s not on with this team anymore. Rakell is no longer playing the same dynamic game he did two seasons ago and a new home with a new center could be just what the doctor ordered. Rakell would immediately move above Miles Woods down on the left-wing depth chart, which has to be a plus.
Rakell has a $3.789 million cap hit with 2 years left on his current contract. The former 1st-round pick is a consistent point producer and would immediately inject offense into the Devils lineup.
Adam Henrique
The former Devil was one of the most consistent scorers for the Ducks this past season. He led the team in goals with 26 and just signed a new deal that comes with a $5.825 million cap hit for the next four years. There are already rumblings that the flat cap could force Anaheim to buy him out.
The Ducks have stacked the middle with youngsters Sam Steel, Trevor Zegras, and Isac Lundestrom. With plenty of top-level centers in their future, they cannot afford to pay Rico top-six dollars for bottom-six minutes. New Jersey also has depth up the middle, but a versatile Henrique could supplant Travis Zajac and provide more of an offensive kick. Of course, this is just me dreaming, but it’s nice to think about it.
Jakob Silfverberg
Silfverberg was the second-leading goal scorer for Anaheim last season and was the subject of countless rumors as the trade deadline approached. The dynamic winger was really the most consistent forward for the Ducks last season.
His value as a player has never been higher and Anaheim may be willing to sell high while they turn their full attention to the rebuild. It doesn’t hurt that his $5.25 million cap hit for the next four seasons is almost as suffocating as Henriques’ deal. Adding a player of Silfverberg skill would be a massive victory for the New Jersey Devils.
Hampus Lindholm
Easily the Ducks best defenseman, Lindholm is nothing short of a star and at 26 years old he would fit nicely into the Devils window. Again, Anaheim may not be willing to part with another blueliner but Murray has done crazier things. Lindholm plays in all situations and could be looked at as a nice replacement for Sami Vatanen or even Damon Severson if he is dealt to bring in Mitch Marner or Patrick Laine (hehe). With a cap hit of $5.205 million over the next two seasons, he is more than worth at least asking about.
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It’s hard to imagine what it would take for Murray and the Ducks to bite on a deal for any of these particular players, but his track record speaks for itself. If there’s a deal to be made, Murray will make it happen. Remember, that organization once traded Teemu Selanne to a division rival – anything can happen. However, as I said earlier, the Devils offseason might be a whole lot of nothing. But, hopefully by writing out all of these trade scenarios we can manifest something into existence. Regardless of what the Devils do this offseason, I’m excited to go along for the ride.