Speculation: 2024-25 - Free Agency/Trade Thread

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Gudas over 20 ATOI would spell disaster because we witnessed it last year. Remember, the premise is trading away Fowler, which would elevate Gudas to the top pairing role with youth Mintyukov. And as shared previously, the Minty-Gudas top pairing didn't work out too well last year and ended up with Gudas getting injured.

The only youth that improved at defense is LaCombe, but many on here don't see him as a core prospect moving forward. Here's how our three rookies finished their seasons, with Minty's season finished early due to injury.

Ducks
Player	Game set	Games	G	A	Pts	PPG		+/-	Hits	Blocks	Comments
LaCombe	49 to 71	23	1	7	8	0.35		1	12	44	From Feb 19 to Apr 18
Minty	41 to 63	23	2	7	9	0.39		-9	29	22	from Feb 13 to Mar 30
Zell	5 to 26	22	2	6	8	0.36		-8	10	33	From Mar 1 to Apr 18

Minty and Zell need more time to develop better defensively at the NHL level as OFD's. They are not there today, but they can be in the future if they're nurtured properly.

Lacombe should be considered a core piece or at least right there…. Kinda a Swiss Army knife piece…. Can pk/pp should end up solid in both zones. He’s a nice utility guy on our backend going forward

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Fowler played top pairing minutes but didn't "handle" them. It's a fallacy to say Gudas and Dumoulin can't play more minutes but Fowler could. He did and it was bad.

Yeah, you totally forgot Gudas playing top pairing minutes last year and it affected him quickly. Eventually, it lead to him getting injured and cut his season short. He cannot handle those minutes, apparently, which is why Gudas has never played over 20 ATOI in the regular season in his whole NHL career. I wished people would stop using unsubstantiated info or using theories when the events have already happened.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Yeah, you totally forgot Gudas playing top pairing minutes last year and it affected him quickly. Eventually, it lead to him getting injured and cut his season short. He cannot handle those minutes, apparently, which is why Gudas has never played over 20 ATOI in the regular season in his whole NHL career. I wished people would stop using unsubstantiated info or using theories when the events have already happened.

No one is suggesting gudas plays more mins other than you to be fair

 

[Arthuros]

No one is suggesting gudas plays more mins other than you to be fair

I mean, that's just a very likely consequence of moving Fowler. I think it's fair points to think that if Fowler is moved, then both rookies and vets are going to see minute increases, and that if guys take on more minutes than they can handle (case in point Gudas), it's not likely to result in a better D corps overall.

If people are comfortable icing a worse lineup for the sake of giving the young'uns more of a challenge, sure. But I really don't think moving off Fowler is going to be a net-zero move - Fowler may not be that guy any more, but the issue is that the other vets we have aren't any more either (i.e. Dumoulin) or have never been that guy (i.e. Gudas).

We will be worse in the short-term without Fowler. Whether or not that is acceptable is the next question.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Lacombe should be considered a core piece or at least right there…. Kinda a Swiss Army knife piece…. Can pk/pp should end up solid in both zones. He’s a nice utility guy on our backend going forward

I'm a big fan of LaCombe. He's got great speed and developed playing defense in the NCAA for four years, learned to become a big time shot blocker. LaCombe does need to be more aggressive and/or decisive because of his speed and build (6'2 and 201 lbs). He can PK and does have some PP skills. Although, it's like he doesn't realize he can play with the big boys. He did it at the rookie tourney and had one of the most memorable big hits like a Gudas hit. We didn't see that type of play during the regular season. Hopefully, we can see that this year.

As for being part of the core, I think Verbeek sees him as a useful bridge defenseman - which is what most of the board sees him. If LaCombe does take it another level, then Anaheim has a great problem.

 

[Deuce22]

Yeah, you totally forgot Gudas playing top pairing minutes last year and it affected him quickly. Eventually, it lead to him getting injured and cut his season short. He cannot handle those minutes, apparently, which is why Gudas has never played over 20 ATOI in the regular season in his whole NHL career. I wished people would stop using unsubstantiated info or using theories when the events have already happened.

I would advocate for a more balanced allotment of the D minutes. If Zellweger got more PP time, he could take fewer minutes 5 on 5. I like LaCombe and think he can hold up playing 19-20 minutes a night. If Fowler's extra 5 on 5 and special teams minutes were more evenly distributed, I don't think anyone would be unduly stressed. Fowler isn't good in his own end, so I don't think Ducks goals against would be worse.

I'm a big fan of LaCombe. He's got great speed and developed playing defense in the NCAA for four years, learned to become a big time shot blocker. LaCombe does need to be more aggressive and/or decisive because of his speed and build (6'2 and 201 lbs). He can PK and does have some PP skills. Although, it's like he doesn't realize he can play with the big boys. He did it at the rookie tourney and had one of the most memorable big hits like a Gudas hit. We didn't see that type of play during the regular season. Hopefully, we can see that this year.

As for being part of the core, I think Verbeek sees him as a useful bridge defenseman - which is what most of the board sees him. If LaCombe does take it another level, then Anaheim has a great problem.

I like LaCombe as well, but it needs to be remembered that he's 3 years older than the younger D that he's being compared to.

 

[All Mighty]

I would have been very interested in Larsson next offseason. Next year’s UFA RHD class isn’t particularly strong (Burns, Ekblad, Savard, Borgen, and maybe Fabbro are the top names).

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I would have been very interested in Larsson next offseason. Next year’s UFA RHD class isn’t particularly strong (Burns, Ekblad, Savard, Borgen, and maybe Fabbro are the top names).

Be great to get Fabbri and Fabbro on the same team.

 

[Deuce22]

Be great to get Fabbri and Fabbro on the same team.

Fabbulous

 

[Rybread86]

Fowler being traded... I don't mind the idea of trading him but a lot of people are thinking he's just so easy to replace. He's not. They will be worse off without him for at least this season, and maybe that's acceptable. But that's a lot of minutes to replace and a lot of years in this organization walking out the door.

It makes room for young guys that the front office probably sees as the future and would rather lose Fowler than one of them. Hopefully he can go to a playoff team or home to Detroit.

If they don't add a minutes eater to replace him, they should steal clear of giving Gudas those minutes. That's probably my biggest question or concern, who takes those minutes and are those players ready/capable of taking those minutes without hurting themselves physically or developmentally?

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Fowler being traded... I don't mind the idea of trading him but a lot of people are thinking he's just so easy to replace. He's not. They will be worse off without him for at least this season, and maybe that's acceptable. But that's a lot of minutes to replace and a lot of years in this organization walking out the door.

It makes room for young guys that the front office probably sees as the future and would rather lose Fowler than one of them. Hopefully he can go to a playoff team or home to Detroit.

If they don't add a minutes eater to replace him, they should steal clear of giving Gudas those minutes. That's probably my biggest question or concern, who takes those minutes and are those players ready/capable of taking those minutes without hurting themselves physically or developmentally?

No they won't. Having a full year of zellweger and myntikov offsets fowler

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Fowler being traded... I don't mind the idea of trading him but a lot of people are thinking he's just so easy to replace. He's not. They will be worse off without him for at least this season, and maybe that's acceptable. But that's a lot of minutes to replace and a lot of years in this organization walking out the door.

It makes room for young guys that the front office probably sees as the future and would rather lose Fowler than one of them. Hopefully he can go to a playoff team or home to Detroit.

If they don't add a minutes eater to replace him, they should steal clear of giving Gudas those minutes. That's probably my biggest question or concern, who takes those minutes and are those players ready/capable of taking those minutes without hurting themselves physically or developmentally?

Literally everyone has essentially said balance out the mins

 

[Yemeth]

As someone who wanted to trade Cam Fowler for Tyler Myers years ago (the breaking point for me was when Fowler avoided a hit in the playoffs instead of taking the hit and getting/keeping the puck, I don’t remember exactly), I now think that would have been a mistake.

Cam Fowler isn't a physical defenseman, but he's underrated with us fans, much like how Lindholm was underrated league-wide.

If the young defensemen were better than they currently are, they would be taking minutes away from Fowler.

He’s still playing way too many minutes, and I agree that they should distribute ice time more evenly to bring his down to a more reasonable level.

However, losing him would make our already subpar defense look even worse. Much worse.

Cutting his power play minutes to a minimum is another story, I'd do that in a heartbeat. A bottom-tier team has almost nothing to lose by giving more power play time to a "youth movement".

 

[SmokeyDuck]

Having Cam on the ice for 24 minutes isnt the boost some of yall think is is, nor would Gudas be tasked with 24 minutes. You literally just spread it out between the million LDH we have.

 

[Static]

Having Cam on the ice for 24 minutes isnt the boost some of yall think is is, nor would Gudas be tasked with 24 minutes. You literally just spread it out between the million LDH we have.

Nobody is arguing with playing him less. We are arguing about trading him with no replacement.

Also, nobody is arguing with what Fowler has been, which is a damage sponge. On the PP, he has actually been probably our most productive player on the roster. The stats back this up, as much as some do not care to accept.

 

[Yemeth]

Having Cam on the ice for 24 minutes isnt the boost some of yall think is is, nor would Gudas be tasked with 24 minutes. You literally just spread it out between the million LDH we have.

Static wrote it better than myself, do not see a delete button.

 

[Static]

If Fowler is traded he will play 0 minutes for the Ducks, this is what many have been repeating. There is a big difference in overplaying a 2-3D and not having him at all.

Thank you.

 

[ZegrassyKnoll]

Before he gets traded, he needs a season with reduced minutes. My guess is that if that actually happens, he finishes out his contract here.

Of course the driving factor will be if he wants to leave to go to a more competitive team.

 

[robbieboy3686]

Before he gets traded, he needs a season with reduced minutes. My guess is that if that actually happens, he finishes out his contract here.

Of course the driving factor will be if he wants to leave to go to a more competitive team.

Or maybe he’s just not a Verbeek style dman, and he will be replaced with a Verbeek style player, all while Verbeek draft picks are now getting more minutes in a verbeek system. Verbeek swung and missed this summer in free agency. That doesn’t mean he will miss the next time the right dman becomes available( most likely via trade )

 

[ZegrassyKnoll]

Or maybe he’s just not a Verbeek style dman, and he will be replaced with a Verbeek style player, all while Verbeek draft picks are now getting more minutes in a verbeek system. Verbeek swung and missed this summer in free agency. That doesn’t mean he will miss the next time the right dman becomes available( most likely via trade )

I'm not sure there is a "Verbeek style dman." For every Noah Warren he drafts, he also drafts a Luneau.

Not to mention, if there was a Verbeek style dman, Cam wouldn't really be far off: 6'1, plays a lot of minutes, is on the PK (whether or not he should be), sacrifices the body, etc. etc.

 

[All Mighty]

Of course the driving factor will be if he wants to leave to go to a more competitive team.

This is the part that I don’t think is mentioned enough. Friedman made it sound like Fowler is just as on board with a trade as Verbeek is. And if that’s the case, I’m totally on board with moving him. I don’t like keeping players here that don’t want to be here.

 

[LeBrun is a Clown]

If/when Cam leaves and Gudas is off the books, I wouldn’t be shocked to see us pursue Ekblad

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Nobody is arguing with playing him less. We are arguing about trading him with no replacement.

Also, nobody is arguing with what Fowler has been, which is a damage sponge. On the PP, he has actually been probably our most productive player on the roster. The stats back this up, as much as some do not care to accept.

Yeah I love how the constant GET RID OF FOWLER bitching turns into oh I just meant only play him 22 minutes a night when confronted with how stupid it is.

This is the part that I don’t think is mentioned enough. Friedman made it sound like Fowler is just as on board with a trade as Verbeek is. And if that’s the case, I’m totally on board with moving him. I don’t like keeping players here that don’t want to be here.

Oh good, a completely made up reason to hate him.

 

[JAHV]

Oh good, a completely made up reason to hate him.

As compared to the others, which are only 99.3% made up.

 

[70sSanO]

Just like Fowler gets too much TOI, he also gets too much TIT (Time In Thread).

John