Speculation: 2024-25 - Free Agency/Trade Thread

[Duckesh]

You have to have a good team for a highly valued player, especially a vet, to sign.

In a few years we will hopefully be in a position to sign that piece to get us there. Not now.

John

I feel like people don't understand that its not... Anaheim, California, Taxes, Liberal politics, homeless... or whatever gripe they have with Orange County Specifically.

You are a player. You are in demand. You field 5 different offers of similar value. Assuming no crazy disparity in value or term, do you pick:

1) One of the four offers for playoff contenders/competitive teams that will for sure be in the playoffs the next 5 years of your contract and not just in the playoffs, but also have a good chance of going multiple rounds.

or

2) A struggling bottom 2-3 team who is not just out of the conversation for a championship, but also a longshot to make the playoffs next year.

And we aren't just talking about a winning mentality. You go to team #2 you are going to be working twice as hard. Team #2 is a bottomless pit of your time and energy just for you to be personally successful, carry weaker line mates, and potentially push the team to slightly better success than if you weren't there.

Joining any team in the #1 category means you aren't going to have to carry them, you can focus on you and excelling at your game. You will likely also get a more defined role with a better supporting cast, less minutes, more focus on success.

 

[Reveille1984]

Would have loved Konecny here, but he was always going to be extremely expensive to acquire.

This is also why it's kind of a fallacy when fans think "yeah free agents suck this year, but next year (or in year XX-YY) it's going to be a lot better!" The vast majority of good players sign extensions with their current teams. The best players in FA usually end up as guys like Stamkos/Marchessault who are older and/or priced out.

I'd bet that before the ASB, Rantanen, Marner, Boeser, and Draisatl are likely all going to sign fat extensions to stick with their current teams and it will be a similar situation in 2025 with the "gem" of FA being old ass John Tavares and a bunch off middle of the road scrubs.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

This is also why it's kind of a fallacy when fans think "yeah free agents suck this year, but next year (or in year XX-YY) it's going to be a lot better!" The vast majority of good players sign extensions with their current teams. The best players in FA usually end up as guys like Stamkos/Marchessault who are older and/or priced out.

I'd bet that before the ASB, Rantanen, Marner, Boeser, and Draisatl are likely all going to sign fat extensions to stick with their current teams and it will be a similar situation in 2025 with the "gem" of FA being old ass John Tavares and a bunch off middle of the road scrubs.

This is why it's better to raise your trade capital via the draft and developing prospects. Anaheim nabbed Kesler and Rico via trade. VGK loves drafting so they can trade them for actual NHL players.

 

[All Mighty]

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Picks and prospects? Yeah, good luck with that.

 

[nbducksfan19]

I think it meant to say "blue jackets likely seeking giving draft picks, prospects for Laine."

 

[ZegrassyKnoll]

Picks and prospects? Yeah, good luck with that.

I think it meant to say "blue jackets likely seeking giving draft picks, prospects for Laine."

From the sounds of it, there are multiple teams interested in him. I sure Columbus will get something decent out of it, especially if they retain.

I would be surprised if we weren't one of the teams involved.

 

[tomd]

The most likely destinations for Laine might be teams like Carolina, Utah, or Buffalo who have the cap space and want to compete this year. IMO the Ducks have no business being in the conversation for him.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

From the sounds of it, there are multiple teams interested in him. I sure Columbus will get something decent out of it, especially if they retain.

I would be surprised if we weren't one of the teams involved.

Interested? Sure. But you've seen the crap offers on the MB for Z. There's no way teams are giving up much of anything for a legitimate question mark still owed $8.7x2 and who has asked for a trade.

I'm not a fan but I've accepted that we can afford him for 2 years if the price is right. Anything more than a 4th and I'm out. I would not give up LaCombe.

 

[terranraida]

I feel like people don't understand that its not... Anaheim, California, Taxes, Liberal politics, homeless... or whatever gripe they have with Orange County Specifically.

9 times out of 10 it's "we do not want to play on a garbage team" and unfortunately we are a bottom feeder. at the moment

 

[JonathnTaylorTavares]

Laine sounds like a Rob Blake target

 

[Terry Yake]

we're still trying to use politics as a cope for why this team doesn't attract FAs?

lmao

 

[70sSanO]

Laine has a 10 team no-trade list so what Columbus is seeking is a bit tempered... you'll take what they give you and like it!

Of course, he will probably waive it if he decides a team is a good fit for him. With the Ducks there can't be any less pressure to perform, how can he not like that?

I don't know why teams have 10 team no-trade lists as the Ducks seem to always be on all of them. It is really a Ducks plus 9 other teams no-trade list.

John

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

we're still trying to use politics as a cope for why this team doesn't attract FAs?

lmao

How do you know it’s not a factor?

we're still trying to use politics as a cope for why this team doesn't attract FAs?

lmao

 

[DavidBL]

Interested? Sure. But you've seen the crap offers on the MB for Z. There's no way teams are giving up much of anything for a legitimate question mark still owed $8.7x2 and who has asked for a trade.

I'm not a fan but I've accepted that we can afford him for 2 years if the price is right. Anything more than a 4th and I'm out. I would not give up LaCombe.

If you're confident in Laine returning to form I don't see how Lacombe isn't on the table. Just for the LD Kids he's 4th on the depth chart long term and vaaks provides a lot of the D side of the game you hope to get out of Lacombe. That doesn't include guys like Fowler or Dumoulin. Before last year Laine was 1 pt shy of a PPG in Columbus. If Z can have an injury year why can't Laine? Granted there are a lot of questions for Laine but if the staff has done their due diligence and are still interested than I don't see how if Our 4th LD on our depth chart is the difference between getting the player and not how he should be off the table. Do you really see Lacombe here in 2 years either?

 

[duckpuck]

If you're confident in Laine returning to form I don't see how Lacombe isn't on the table. Just for the LD Kids he's 4th on the depth chart long term and vaaks provides a lot of the D side of the game you hope to get out of Lacombe. That doesn't include guys like Fowler or Dumoulin. Before last year Laine was 1 pt shy of a PPG in Columbus. If Z can have an injury year why can't Laine? Granted there are a lot of questions for Laine but if the staff has done their due diligence and are still interested than I don't see how if Our 4th LD on our depth chart is the difference between getting the player and not how he should be off the table. Do you really see Lacombe here in 2 years either?

How could you be confident in that? I agree Lacombe is unlikely to be here in a few years and it would be wise for the ducks to consider trading him, but he probably is worth more than Laine at this point.

 

[tomd]

If you're confident in Laine returning to form I don't see how Lacombe isn't on the table. Just for the LD Kids he's 4th on the depth chart long term and vaaks provides a lot of the D side of the game you hope to get out of Lacombe. That doesn't include guys like Fowler or Dumoulin. Before last year Laine was 1 pt shy of a PPG in Columbus. If Z can have an injury year why can't Laine? Granted there are a lot of questions for Laine but if the staff has done their due diligence and are still interested than I don't see how if Our 4th LD on our depth chart is the difference between getting the player and not how he should be off the table. Do you really see Lacombe here in 2 years either?

Step back and think about this from a monetary POV. Laine is a $17.4 million gamble. That makes the Klingberg disaster look like small change. Still being treated for mental health issues. I'm not even sure that teams can do due diligence on him until he is out of the program. His performance has been extremely inconsistent over the past 5 seasons. Has had injury issues. And in 2 years he is a UFA. How in the world does PV sell that to ownership?

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

If you're confident in Laine returning to form I don't see how Lacombe isn't on the table. Just for the LD Kids he's 4th on the depth chart long term and vaaks provides a lot of the D side of the game you hope to get out of Lacombe. That doesn't include guys like Fowler or Dumoulin. Before last year Laine was 1 pt shy of a PPG in Columbus. If Z can have an injury year why can't Laine? Granted there are a lot of questions for Laine but if the staff has done their due diligence and are still interested than I don't see how if Our 4th LD on our depth chart is the difference between getting the player and not how he should be off the table. Do you really see Lacombe here in 2 years either?

I'm not. You missed (but quoted) the part where I said I was not a fan. I'd rather let Lacombe earn his way on or off the team than give him away today for something I don't want.

 

[Terry Yake]

How do you know it’s not a factor?

because if it was, the kings and sharks wouldn't be signing anyone either

not to mention that the ducks sure didn't seem to have trouble signing FAs during the 2010s when they were winning the division every season. its almost like players don't want to sign with a team that has an uncertain future ahead of it and has been in the basement for the last few years

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Laine sounds like a Rob Blake target

Also for Laine playing on the sunny coast is better for mental health, be it North Carolina or Southern California. If he ends up on Anaheim, Selanne will be happy to see the team with a Finn again lol and I imagine the team PR wouldn't miss on the chance to have Selanne welcoming him to OC/Anaheim.
I think Carolina is the best fit for him, they got several Finns already and they are playoff bound and North Carolina has sunny beaches as well.

 

[Ducks DVM]

because if it was, the kings and sharks wouldn't be signing anyone either

not to mention that the ducks sure didn't seem to have trouble signing FAs during the 2010s when they were winning the division every season. its almost like players don't want to sign with a team that has an uncertain future ahead of it and has been in the basement for the last few years

I think politics is always a factor in a life move, but it’s usually well well below most of the other ones. There are some people where it’s near the top though, so unless we targeted the same players as the Sharks and Kings, those players signing in California doesn’t mean that the ones we targeted might not have politics as a factor high on their list. I agree in that don’t think it’s the case, but what the others team’s targets did isn’t proof of anything other than those players’ opinions.

Nobody can speak definitively on this, but the fact there’s an argument about how much it matters is kinda my point -it’s a personal thing, not a blanket thing.

 

[DavidBL]

How could you be confident in that? I agree Lacombe is unlikely to be here in a few years and it would be wise for the ducks to consider trading him, but he probably is worth more than Laine at this point.

I think if you're trading for Laine you have a degree of confidence in him rebounding. The rumors I've heard suggest teams are interested but want to talk to the player which makes sense. None of us actually know why he's in the PAP. To me if the Ducks are making that trade they see Laine as closer the the PPG player than the player from last year, otherwise why do it? At least that is my perspective. Agreed on the likelihood that Lacombe has more value but he's also a surplus asset while Laine as a scorer is a need.

Step back and think about this from a monetary POV. Laine is a $17.4 million gamble. That makes the Klingberg disaster look like small change. Still being treated for mental health issues. I'm not even sure that teams can do due diligence on him until he is out of the program. His performance has been extremely inconsistent over the past 5 seasons. Has had injury issues. And in 2 years he is a UFA. How in the world does PV sell that to ownership?

Fair point on the monetary cost, but I'd say 2 things, 1. You have a budget, If you're within it you're looking at the team as a whole. It's not wasted money unless you have something else to spend it on, which we don't. 2. Laine fills an actual need, a top 6 younger RS scorer. Klingberg was a guy who while a top 4 D man his style of play was more of what we had and not what we needed, IMO.

I'm not. You missed (but quoted) the part where I said I was not a fan. I'd rather let Lacombe earn his way on or off the team than give him away today for something I don't want.

Sorry, when I said you I was speaking in general terms, not you specifically, that's my bad for being unclear. For me I just don't see a future for Lacombe here. I'm not against keeping him and I do like him as a player but if he was the cost to get something we actually need I'd trade him. Obviously that's where we disagree and that's fine. We have enough trouble getting players apparently. This is a potential opportunity to get a player who can outplay the cost to acquire quite substantially.

 

[Terry Yake]

I think politics is always a factor in a life move, but it’s usually well well below most of the other ones. There are some people where it’s near the top though, so unless we targeted the same players as the Sharks and Kings, those players signing in California doesn’t mean that the ones we targeted might not have politics as a factor high on their list. I agree in that don’t think it’s the case, but what the others team’s targets did isn’t proof of anything other than those players’ opinions.

Nobody can speak definitively on this, but the fact there’s an argument about how much it matters is kinda my point -it’s a personal thing, not a blanket thing.

always? i'll have to disagree on that

for most NHL players, i think its safe to say winning and money are the two most important things. and the ducks as they currently stand, aren't in a position to offer either of those things. like i said, the ducks didn't seem to have any trouble attracting FAs last decade when they were winning the division every season. hell, you even had the ducks regularly showing up on lists of players' preferred destinations. and its not like the state has seen a dramatic political shift since then. is it just a coincidence then that the ducks were a preferred destination when they were a winning team and no longer today when they've been finishing in the basement the last few seasons? i think the answer is pretty obvious

there are a number of other states with similar politics to CA. i don't see any of those teams struggling to attract players

 

[Static]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816871751902499183

 

[All Mighty]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816871751902499183

Get Teemu on the phone.