Speculation: 2025 Trade/Free Agency Thread (TDL is March 7th)

[duckpuck]

Moving Minty at all is a mistake waiting to happen. I still firmly believe he'll be better than Lacombe in the long run. Zell I could see for a good young winger.

I agree moving him would be mistake unless the return is a premiere young forward. He's having a typical sophomore slump, but I think he eventually works through it.

Wild that anyone would be willing to trade Zellweger or Minty in order to facilitate keeping Dumoulin.

Like. Absolutely mind blowing.

I just don't see a role for Dumo. I'd rather see them open up a space for the young guys. Trouba and Gudas are enough of a veteran presence.

I'd like to see the ducks give all of the young d more time to develop before trading, That being said, to me Zell is the one I might trade now in the right deal. I think he really struggles on D due his lack of size. I don't see that changing.

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Only 25% retention, too. Given the circumstances, that’s about as well as I think Davidson could have done

 

[AngelDuck]

why would Florida do that? Odd

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

why would Florida do that? Odd

Ekblad’s a UFA July 1. Perhaps they’re not optimistic with negotiations?

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Fair.... but who really knows whats being discussed by PV

Weve been told for years Gibson/Zegras are on trade block... and they are here.

We had no idea that Drysdale was on the block to move, or that we were even really in on Gauthier.

Maybe hes talking deals... and there is a possibility

It’s not that guys can’t be moved at any time. It’s that when you start talking about replacing them on the blueline specifically with Dumo, you are by default forcing a deal to be done to accommodate keeping Dumo as a fill in. Not a good idea IMO.

 

[tomd]

Ekblad’s a UFA July 1. Perhaps they’re not optimistic with negotiations?

With Ekblad's injury history and the number of miles on him, I don't think I'd want to sign him to a long term contract at this point.

 

[All Mighty]

Ekblad’s a UFA July 1. Perhaps they’re not optimistic with negotiations?

I think it’s more that they believe Jones is better than Ekblad right now. The injuries have really affected Ekblad the last couple years.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Wild that anyone would be willing to trade Zellweger or Minty in order to facilitate keeping Dumoulin.

Like. Absolutely mind blowing.

Not my thought process

Mine is if you don't believe they're going to be what you thought it's not a bad idea to gauge the market while value is high

 

[Gliff]

Not my thought process

Mine is if you don't believe they're going to be what you thought it's not a bad idea to gauge the market while value is high

Trading 21 and 22 year old defensemen with their pedigree and with what they have shown at the NHL seems like a good way to keep the whole “Ducks trade away good defensemen” trend.

12 months ago Minty was touted as the future #1 for the Ducks because he was playing like he had that potential at 20. Half a season shouldn’t change anything.

 

[Static]

I hope we find a way to add players with term.

An interesting parallel trade strategy I'd like to emulate would be our 2009 season when we made the following moves at or around the deadline:

Sutherby for 6th rounder
May for a 6th rounder
David McIntyre (prospect goalie) for Sheldon brookbank
McIver for Mike Brown
Kunitz for Whitney
O'Dell for Eric Christensen
Moen/Huskins for Bonino and picks
Pahlsson for Wiz
Montador for Nokelainen

Now, not all of these deals aged well, obviously, but the goal was to redo pretty much our entire fourth line and bottom pairing while also trying to get younger. Some of the deals were absolute home runs.

The kunitz deal doesn't really apply, that was because our forward core pretty much stalled after the cup win and Bob wasn't patient enough to let them regroup.

But, I would like to see this type of mentality. It is possible to sell guys we don't plan on keeping and look for bottom six forwards that other teams either don't have room for or have run out of patience with. It takes creativity, but there is no reason verbeek shouldn't be looking at stuff like this.

 

[tomd]

I hope we find a way to add players with term.

An interesting parallel trade strategy I'd like to emulate would be our 2009 season when we made the following moves at or around the deadline:

Sutherby for 6th rounder
May for a 6th rounder
David McIntyre (prospect goalie) for Sheldon brookbank
McIver for Mike Brown
Kunitz for Whitney
O'Dell for Eric Christensen
Moen/Huskins for Bonino and picks
Pahlsson for Wiz
Montador for Nokelainen

Now, not all of these deals aged well, obviously, but the goal was to redo pretty much our entire fourth line and bottom pairing while also trying to get younger. Some of the deals were absolute homeruns.

The kunitz deal doesn't really apply, that was because our forward core pretty much stalled after the cup win and Bob wasn't patient enough to let them regroup.

But, I would like to see this type of mentality. It is possible to sell guys we don't plan on keeping and look for bottom six forwards that other teams either don't have room for or have run out of patience with. It takes creativity, but there is no reason verbeek shouldn't be looking at stuff like this.

The fact that they missed the playoffs in 2 of the 3 following years after the 2009 TDL tells me that it isn't a strategy I'd want to follow.

 

[Static]

The fact that they missed the playoffs in 2 of the 3 following years after the 2009 TDL tells me that it isn't a strategy I'd want to follow.

What exactly is the correlation you are making with those trade deadline moves and missing the playoffs in two of the next three years? I'm curious.

 

[Static]

Anyways, the wiz trade was an absolute home run in the near-term and the bonino trade an absolute home run in the long-term. A great example of flexibility at the deadline to not be stuck exclusively in "buyer" or "seller" mode.

 

[mighty Stanley Duck]

we should only move Zell/Minty if a bonafide 1st line forward is coming back that fits the age of the core and is signed long term. If that deal isn't there, then Dumo needs to be moved or just let him walk in free agency.

I wouldnt trade Zell/Minty...but I would move Terry + and + for Rantanen.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Anyways, the wiz trade was an absolute home run in the near-term and the bonino trade an absolute home run in the long-term. A great example of flexibility at the deadline to not be stuck exclusively in "buyer" or "seller" mode.

BM was good at those on-the-fly retools.

 

[Rooch]

I wouldnt trade Zell/Minty...but I would move Terry + and + for Rantanen.

Only if Mikko is interested in signing here long term, which I doubt strongly. (See: Stamkos, Marchessault, etc.)

 

[tomd]

What exactly is the correlation you are making with those trade deadline moves and missing the playoffs in two of the next three years? I'm curious.

Maybe I missed your point of the trades. If they were made to improve the team in the following years...they didn't. The team got worse. So I'm struggling to see how all of that trade activity can be viewed positively given the results that occurred afterwards. Seems more like shuffling deck chairs to me but, again, maybe I'm missing your point.

 

[Static]

Maybe I missed your point of the trades. If they were made to improve the team in the following years...they didn't. The team got worse. So I'm struggling to see how all of that trade activity can be viewed positively given the results that occurred afterwards. Seems more like shuffling deck chairs to me but, again, maybe I'm missing your point.

The only trade there that made them worse was kunitz for Whitney, which I touched on.

Other than that, I completely disagree with you, given the context. The team was better directly after the trade and they went on a run in the playoffs that could have led to a cup if not for a bad game 7 bounce.

The team missed the playoffs in two of the next three years due to underperformance of our best forwards, pronger being traded, and niedermayer retiring. Of course making moves at the bottom of the roster is not going to make up for that, but that isn't the point of doing it and doesn't mean the trades shouldn't have been made.

I don't see how almost every one of the moves made at that deadline cannot be seen in hindsight as net wins.

 

[Emerald Duck]

I may be in the minority but I don't want Ratanen if his only motivation is coming here for an oversized payday that other teams refuse to give him. He definitely has skill, but as far I as I know, he doesn't appear to have any of those intangibles that you build a team around or can market to the fanbase.

I probably would say and feel the the same thing about Marner.

 

[tomd]

The only trade there that made them worse was kunitz for Whitney, which I touched on.

Other than that, I completely disagree with you, given the context. The team was better directly after the trade and they went on a run in the playoffs that could have led to a cup if not for a bad game 7 bounce.

The team missed the playoffs in two of the next three years due to underperformance of our best forwards, pronger being traded, and niedermayer retiring. Of course making moves at the bottom of the roster is not going to make up for that, but that isn't the point of doing it and doesn't mean the trades shouldn't have been made.

I don't see how almost every one of the moves made at that deadline cannot be seen in hindsight as net wins.

Gotcha...now I understand where you're coming from and to the extent that the 2009 Ducks team was a pretty legit SC contender I agree. But this team isn't so any TDL deals should continue to focus on next year and beyond. I think we can both agree on that.

 

[Static]

Gotcha...now I understand where you're coming from and to the extent that the 2009 Ducks team was a pretty legit SC contender I agree. But this team isn't so any TDL deals should continue to focus on next year and beyond. I think we can both agree on that.

Of course this team isn't, but there is no reason verbeek cannot look to both buy and sell at the deadline like Bob did in '09. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

 

[AngelDuck]

The ducks need to sell the expiring contracts, and see if Gibson wants to go somewhere else/if there’s a suitor for him that’s willing to give us a decent asset.

Aside from that, I don’t think we should do much of anything until June/July

I think we’ll be very aggressive this offseason looking to get better and add pieces to the puzzle.

 

[tomd]

Of course this team isn't, but there is no reason verbeek cannot look to both buy and sell at the deadline like Bob did in '09. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

I don't disagree if the opportunities present themselves. That said, prices are at their highest at the TDL so being a buyer is expensive. But again, if an opportunity is there I don't have any fundamental disagreement. But I can't criticize Verbeek for not being a buyer at this time of year. Last night probably put the final nail in that coffin.