Speculation: 2024-25 - Free Agency/Trade Thread

[cheesymc]

You want to pay someone 9.5 mil to play on the 3rd pair? Hard no.

If we are going to be a “playoff” team, guys like Gudas should be the high end bottom pair guy. Playing sub 18 minutes of highly effective physical play.

Trouba should be playing mid pair at best… and he was considered below average at that on the Rangers.

So for us to be a contender, we need a really top RHD. Helleson/Luneau should be a bottom depth guys. We need this player via UFA or trade. I’m just looking at current options.

 

[cheesymc]

I think I'd pass out from laughing at the idea of having 21.5m of our cap tied up in Gudas, Trouba and Jones. We'd have one of the most expensive (the most?) trio of RHD in the NHL, coupled with probably one of the worst trio of RHD in the NHL.

That would be very on brand for this era of the Ducks though.

We are the Buffalo of the West… lol

 

[Hey234]

Well its better than paying $4-5+ million on bottom guys that Verbeek typically does… like a Nick Perbix, or worst… a long term contract for a much older player…

Seth isn’t a #1 guy and he definitely can’t carry a bottom team (like the Blackhawks), but he would be the best RHD on our team and likely the defacto top dman until our prospects reach that level. 3 years isn’t that long for someone who just termed 30. If we can get an asset, why not? Otherwise we will just be waiting… or overpaying if someone like Ekblad is willing to join and he is a riskier proposition with his regression and injury history.

On the the other hand, his play will not likely elevate in Anaheim as the support around him isn't much better. His quality of play is not that much better than what's already on the team. Additionally, there is a space issue: Trouba, Gudas, Helleson, and Luneau. Between the cost of acquisition, blocking young players, marginal improvement of play, and size of cap, it just doesn't make sense.

IMO, I don't think the Ducks should be adding any defenseman unless it's a clear, long-term upgrade. Mintyukov, Zellweger, LaCombe, Helleson, Luneau, & Solberg are the clear future and any additional defenseman should be an upgrade on them.

We are the Buffalo of the West… lol

I would say that we are too early for this line of thinking. However, if the young players don't improve, then this will happen eventually. IMO, Buffalo's biggest mistake was not committing harder when it was time to take a step and trading away players too early. Verbeek seems to be more aggressive in that sense even if it hasn't worked consistently.

 

[tomd]

Chicago fans literally want to blast Seth Jones to the moon...

 

[Gliff]

We are the Buffalo of the West… lol

Buffalo has made the playoffs 4 times in 23 seasons, including 14 years straight of not making it. We are not the Buffalo of the west.

 

[Boo Boo]

We are the Buffalo of the West… lol

Somehow in the last 10 years we still have the most pacific division titles though lol

 

[cheesymc]

Somehow in the last 10 years we still have the most pacific division titles though lol

Whatever helps numb the pain for you. We are entering year 7 of consecutive uncompetitive non playoff hockey. That’s a really long time (in sports and especially in life…) that good organizations would find unacceptable, and it’s actually really hard to do for teams making any sort of effort.

Let’s hope the Senators curse continues or else we are taking their place at 3rd for longest draught joining Buffalo and Detroit. If that happens why not proudly raise that with the pacific titles in the rafters… because it’s really difficult to aspire to be crap for so long.

We need to move on from fantasy hockey and collecting prospects and actually start to play better hockey…

 

[Boo Boo]

Whatever helps numb the pain for you. We are entering year 7 of consecutive uncompetitive non playoff hockey. That’s a really long time (in sports and especially in life…) that good organizations would find unacceptable, and it’s actually really hard to do for teams making any sort of effort.

Let’s hope the Senators curse continues or else we are taking their place at 3rd for longest draught joining Buffalo and Detroit. If that happens why not proudly raise that with the pacific titles in the rafters… because it’s really difficult to aspire to be crap for so long.

We need to move on from fantasy hockey and collecting prospects and actually start to play better hockey…

Oh yeah to be clear I completely agree with you lol

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Lol I'm sorry but that contract is one of the worst in the league. If all it would take to move was a late 1st he would have been moved a long time ago.

Lol we did pay for trouba who was kinda on the same lvl of jones contract

Would not surprise me if PV did it.

He seems content on trying to average 2 goals a night

 

[quackquackquack]

You guys keep talking about D...we need scoring help big time. We need to push the chips to the middle and trade for an impactful scoring top 6 winger.

In my mind the immediate needs for the team are:
1) top 6 scoring winger
2) Bottom 6 face off specialist
3) depth D that can cycle in and out of lineup
4) Trade Gibson and get a suitable back up for Dosty

 

[cheesymc]

You guys keep talking about D...we need scoring help big time. We need to push the chips to the middle and trade for an impactful scoring top 6 winger.

In my mind the immediate needs for the team are:
1) top 6 scoring winger - We aren't trading assets when we are out of the playoffs. Verbeek is going to try and overpay for that in the offseason but will likely fail due to his personality and the current Ducks reputation.
2) Bottom 6 face off specialist - This is probably the easiest fix. Unfortunately we probably won't resign Lunderstrom who is one of our better FO centers. But there's likely many options in free agency to get that FO guy (like Kevin Stenlund last year).
3) depth D that can cycle in and out of lineup - Another easy fix if we can sign veterans willing to take 2-way deals to shuttle between the Ducks and Gulls (or do 1 way deals like the Harkins one, but I don't think Samueli would approve). But with graduating prospects (Konor Smith and Vojtech Port) I don't see too much room. It would be nice to have better veterans than Mckeon and Heatherington (like a Dipenta/Huskins, etc. back in the days when we mined for gems), but we haven't been good at that for a while.
4) Trade Gibson and get a suitable back up for Dosty - Our window to trade Gibson appears to be almost shut baring injuries. Gibson's no longer riding hot. Avs went with Blackwood. Frederick just returned for the Hurricanes. Oilers appear to be ok going with Skinner. Our best chance was when these cup aspiring teams were treading water earlier in the season. They all seem to have recovered.

 

[quackquackquack]

Controversial Opinion but we SHOULD be trading assets right now. We have stockpiled a top 2 system in the league for a couple years now and PV has stated multiple times that he expects(ed) the team to compete for a playoff spot this year. Underperformance means a call to action. Also, for the first time in a long time, we have a ton of defensive prospects

On the Gibson front, the East is so tight that its not inconceivable for a team like PIT to breakdown and trade for a proven veteran goalie because they believe they are contending this year.

 

[robbieboy3686]

Controversial Opinion but we SHOULD be trading assets right now. We have stockpiled a top 2 system in the league for a couple years now and PV has stated multiple times that he expects(ed) the team to compete for a playoff spot this year. Underperformance means a call to action. Also, for the first time in a long time, we have a ton of defensive prospects

On the Gibson front, the East is so tight that its not inconceivable for a team like PIT to breakdown and trade for a proven veteran goalie because they believe they are contending this year.

Definitely not controversial, this has to start happening in verbeek world. Fing guy needs to go out there and create for us

 

[cheesymc]

Controversial Opinion but we SHOULD be trading assets right now. We have stockpiled a top 2 system in the league for a couple years now and PV has stated multiple times that he expects(ed) the team to compete for a playoff spot this year. Underperformance means a call to action. Also, for the first time in a long time, we have a ton of defensive prospects

On the Gibson front, the East is so tight that its not inconceivable for a team like PIT to breakdown and trade for a proven veteran goalie because they believe they are contending this year.

Be careful for what you wish for... Verbeek hasn't shown that he wins on trades... Sure we might get someone like Cozens, Tage, or Nemec but at a cost of someone like Sennecke+....

 

[robbieboy3686]

Be careful for what you wish for... Verbeek hasn't shown that he wins on trades... Sure we might get someone like Cozens, Tage, or Nemec but at a cost of someone like Sennecke+....

Cutter g trade has been a huge win so far. That’s the only trade of real significance. Also the manson trade so far has been huge. The rakell trade too ( given who we drafted with the picks ) I would say he’s been a pretty big winner in the trade market. Also, sennecke is untouchable even for someone like tkachuk

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

We don't lack offensively skilled players. We lack any kind of coaching to bring out the best in our offensively skilled players. I have no interest in trading for other offensively gifted players who will not produce to those levels on this team.

 

[MCB]

We don't lack offensively skilled players. We lack any kind of coaching to bring out the best in our offensively skilled players. I have no interest in trading for other offensively gifted players who will not produce to those levels on this team.

While I think we should be trading for a top six scoring winger, I agree there is no point in this offensive system. We have offensively gifted players who aren't producing, and I know the Cronin faithful will say the players need to get better and older and more developed, but they've gotten worse as time has gone by. If it was on the players then they should be slowly getting better as they develop. Lacombe is the only one showing any progress.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

While I think we should be trading for a top six scoring winger, I agree there is no point in this offensive system. We have offensively gifted players who aren't producing, and I know the Cronin faithful will say the players need to get better and older and more developed, but they've gotten worse as time has gone by. If it was on the players then they should be slowly getting better as they develop. Lacombe is the only one showing any progress.

The bolded are nothing more than trolls. I have no time for the shit they spew.

 

[tomd]

I'm all for improving the team in a realistic way but there is a lot of delusion going on here...