Speculation: 2025 Trade/Free Agency Thread

[JAHV]

I understand the dilemma. But what worries me is that if we try and force the issue to make the playoffs next year, we may be trying to thread the needle on how to improve immediately while not holding back some of our future guys. Quite the balancing act. And just as importantly it could require moving someone out now that we will regret moving 2 or 3 years from now.

I want to make the playoffs next year too. But we won't be cup contenders next year. We shouldn't do anything dumb for the sake of just making the playoffs next year.

I'm not saying I have the answer, but I don't want to see us move too quickly, pay a high price, and then regret it almost as quickly.

I'm about done with not making the playoffs. If the Ducks want to make it next year, let's throw some money or assets at a proven RD who isn't going to be hamburger meat in two years (i.e. Ekblad) and let everything else fall where it may. If that means Helleson is a 7D for most of next year, that's fine. If that means Luneau and Moore spend most of next year in the AHL, that's fine too. One thing that's only been mentioned a little bit is how extraordinarily healthy the team was this season, especially on D. I don't expect them to go through next year with the same 6 guys playing 95% of the games.

I don't know how many 1st pairing RHDs are going to be available (not many, I'm assuming), but I think making the playoffs is worth the risk if the right guy is out there. The Ducks have money and assets to spend. Let's spend 'em.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

I just don’t see how you can roll a defense with Lacombe, Minty, Zellwagon, Helleson, Luneau/Moore, Trouba/Gudas. Way too young and not enough sandpaper. I’m all for upgrading Helleson for a RHD that can eat mins with Lacombe. Let Trouba be #4, and Gudas #6. Then in a year, let Gudas or Trouba go and see if Luneau is ready. But at that point, you’re not running a bunch of young guys

This is the safest way forward IMO. Just kinda sucks for Helleson.

 

[quackquackquack]

Our GM says a lot of things, out of both sides of his mouth.

He’s boxed himself in with the Trouba and Gudas contracts. There’s no space for Helleson and Luneau if he signs a veteran RD, and it would seem quite premature to be moving youth for mid-level veterans. He either sucks it up next year and rolls with what he has, or potentially makes a huge mistake for the future.

I’m praying he’s not extending the veterans. Trouba on the 3rd pairing after next year would be fine…IF we had legitimate top 4 guys to shelter Luneau, Moore, Warren, etc who should ideally be starting on the 3rd pairing…

PV has been pretty consistent lol He expected the team to compete for the playoffs this season and has said the same thing about next season. Firing Cronin on like offseason Day 3 supports his messaging.

We absolutely have flexibility on Trouba (1 year left and we can retain) and he will be in demand in the offseason.

I still think the priority is by far upgrading the top 6 Fs with a scoring winger by a metric mile despite the apparent gap on RHD

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I don't know how many 1st pairing RHDs are going to be available (not many, I'm assuming), but I think making the playoffs is worth the risk if the right guy is out there. The Ducks have money and assets to spend. Let's spend 'em.

I'm not opposed to spending Henry's money and I'm not opposed to moving assets (that will need to be done soon anyway). But I worry we are trying to draw to an inside straight with the bolded. I just don't like the odds.

 

[GiveYouABagOfPucks]

I want to try to pry Marchment from Dallas. Fingers crossed we get to see Z being used on a competent PP1 with a coach that can use his creativeness. This would be our best way to get his confidence and swagger back. I think Z needs to work on lower body strength for cycling and not being so easily knocked off the puck. For whatever reason injury/training program he hasn’t been improving his mobility. (Can’t leave him on the point with his mobility on the PP) He needs to improve at face offs if he wants to stick at C. I would be surprised to see a big D acquisition this offseason. If Helleson improves and reduces Gudas/Troubas minutes a touch each night I think they will perform better throughout the season. We rode them too hard this season. I have a feeling PV swings for Marner and misses and likely ends up for better or worse with Bennett. Bennett and Marchment would force our vets down the lineup into more appropriate ice time situations and bring some talented nastiness from our forward group.

 

[JAHV]

I'm not opposed to spending Henry's money and I'm not opposed to moving assets (that will need to be done soon anyway). But I worry we are trying to draw to an inside straight with the bolded. I just don't like the odds.

My thought is that they're going to need that guy anyway. I'm bullish on Luneau, but all of the RDs in the system have some sort of flaw where they're probably not ideal partners on a first pairing. Luneau is an offense-heavy guy and seems better suited for a more limited 2nd pairing role unless LaCombe takes another step forward next season. None of Moore, Helleson, Warren, or others have that kind of ceiling; those guys are all 2nd/3rd pairing types at best. I think the only one who, if he reaches his potential, might work really well is Solberg, but he's got at least an AHL year and probably a lower responsibility NHL year before we even think about it.

So if we think there's a decent chance we might need that guy anyway, why not get him now? I'm not talking about throwing $10x8 at Ekblad or trading a bunch of picks for Erik Karlsson. But I wouldn't mind overpaying in dollars for a guy like Rasmus Andersson. Or trading our next three 1st rounders plus Zegras plus Zellweger plus whatever for Quinn Hughes.

I'd just love to see Verbeek go out and get some good talent, even if that makes the room a little crowded next season.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

My thought is that they're going to need that guy anyway. I'm bullish on Luneau, but all of the RDs in the system have some sort of flaw where they're probably not ideal partners on a first pairing. Luneau is an offense-heavy guy and seems better suited for a more limited 2nd pairing role unless LaCombe takes another step forward next season. None of Moore, Helleson, Warren, or others have that kind of ceiling; those guys are all 2nd/3rd pairing types at best. I think the only one who, if he reaches his potential, might work really well is Solberg, but he's got at least an AHL year and probably a lower responsibility NHL year before we even think about it.

So if we think there's a decent chance we might need that guy anyway, why not get him now? I'm not talking about throwing $10x8 at Ekblad or trading a bunch of picks for Erik Karlsson. But I wouldn't mind overpaying in dollars for a guy like Rasmus Andersson. Or trading our next three 1st rounders plus Zegras plus Zellweger plus whatever for Quinn Hughes.

I'd just love to see Verbeek go out and get some good talent, even if that makes the room a little crowded next season.

Well, I'm all on board with your Hughes proposal. But I think most people expect him to find his way to Jersey.

Andersson is 28. If he doesn't extend this summer I'd expect a trade to happen only at the deadline. He'd pretty much be 29 and wanting an 8 year deal to sign.

I'm more than willing to try and improve this teams asap. I just don't know how that can happen. Is Verbeek capable of threading a needle? That's a tough ask for any GM in the cap era. It won't be long before we find out though. I guess time will tell.

 

[JAHV]

Well, I'm all on board with your Hughes proposal. But I think most people expect him to find his way to Jersey.

Andersson is 28. If he doesn't extend this summer I'd expect a trade to happen only at the deadline. He'd pretty much be 29 and wanting an 8 year deal to sign.

I'm more than willing to try and improve this teams asap. I just don't know how that can happen. Is Verbeek capable of threading a needle? That's a tough ask for any GM in the cap era. It won't be long before we find out though. I guess time will tell.

Isn't Andersson a UFA this summer?

We agree on most things, I just don't think what I'm talking about is threading a needle. It's just acquiring talent. It might take an overpay and I'm okay with that, to an extent.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Isn't Andersson a UFA this summer?

We agree on most things, I just don't think what I'm talking about is threading a needle. It's just acquiring talent. It might take an overpay and I'm okay with that, to an extent.

The first article I found said he had a year left.

Rasmus Andersson’s future with the Flames up in the air

Heading into another offseason filled with question marks, Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson added to the uncertainty with his end-of-season press conference on the weekend.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[All Mighty]

I like Andersson, but he had a very weird season. From December 1 to the end of the year, he had 6 goals and 11 assists in 55 games. And, somehow, he was -41 in those 55 games (he was -38 on the season).

EDIT: I also think Calgary would be looking at Zegras as a requirement for an Andersson trade.

 

[SmokeyDuck]

I would prefer Dobson to Andersson imo. If we are trading for a top4 RHD that is.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I wonder if one of Mintyukov/Zellweger/Luneau gets moved in the off-season? I'm not sure I see a defence featuring all three of them plus LaCombe, unless Anaheim is deadset on turning Mintyukov into a defensive defenceman (which would be a tradegy).

Personally I feel like Zellweger is most likely to be moved to allow Luneau to come onto that 3rd pairing next season. Not that Zellweger is bad at all, definitely has good potential but feels the 'worst' fit among the three young defencemen for me.

It's disturbing what they've done to Mintyukov they're doing exactly what we did to Fowler

The emergence of LaCombe gives us options, I do think Anaheim has to make a decision soon you want to capitalize while all these guys have good value. We need a first line player

 

[SmokeyDuck]

We need a high end right hander on our PP. Seems like good PPs have em. We have Terry (hot and cold) and Strome.

 

[DavidBL]

What do people think of Pulock from NYI if we could land him?

 

[Ducks DVM]

PV has been pretty consistent lol He expected the team to compete for the playoffs this season and has said the same thing about next season. Firing Cronin on like offseason Day 3 supports his messaging.

We absolutely have flexibility on Trouba (1 year left and we can retain) and he will be in demand in the offseason.

I still think the priority is by far upgrading the top 6 Fs with a scoring winger by a metric mile despite the apparent gap on RHD

Trouba has a full NMC. We have only the flexibility he allows us.

We will simply have to agree to disagree on Verbeek. I don’t believe anything he says at this point.

 

[Ducks DVM]

I wonder if one of Mintyukov/Zellweger/Luneau gets moved in the off-season? I'm not sure I see a defence featuring all three of them plus LaCombe, unless Anaheim is deadset on turning Mintyukov into a defensive defenceman (which would be a tradegy).

Personally I feel like Zellweger is most likely to be moved to allow Luneau to come onto that 3rd pairing next season. Not that Zellweger is bad at all, definitely has good potential but feels the 'worst' fit among the three young defencemen for me.

I’d say that Luneau is least likely to be moved. The right side is considerably weaker than the left, and Luneau is the only one of the three you’d think is top pairing material at this point.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Trouba has a full NMC. We have only the flexibility he allows us.

We will simply have to agree to disagree on Verbeek. I don’t believe anything he says at this point.

According to puckpedia Trouba has a 12 team no trade list next year.

 

[Ducks DVM]

You’re entitled to your opinion but you’re essentially saying that you think McTavish is maxed out at his ceiling at 22 years old. That’s pretty unlikely to be true in my eyes

And I literally couldn’t possibly disagree with the bolded anymore. He’s been the line driver on every line he’s been on the past 2 seasons. He’s already proven he can drive a scoring line with mediocrity around him.

He’s one of the few players on the team that isn’t a passenger

…for 25 or so games a season. Aside from those streaks, he’s been a passenger.

He needs to put together more than 30 games in a season of looking great before he’s a legitimate 2nd line threat. He's not maxed out by any means, but he’s absolutely not a reliable player at this point of his career either.

 

[Ducks DVM]

According to puckpedia Trouba has a 12 team no trade list next year.

My bad, didn’t realize it went away. That can very easily be tailored to be a NMC by picking the right 12 teams though.

 

[All Mighty]

What do people think of Pulock from NYI if we could land him?

I don’t mind him, but he has a full NTC.

 

[AngelDuck]

This offseason could be the last chance to trade Gibson for an acceptable return (likely to Edmonton)

I think you have to do it.

 

[AngelDuck]

I don’t think we’d be interested since he’s probably too similar to Luneau and Mintyukov, but how about Simon Nemec as a buy low candidate?

Guy was a 2nd overall pick and it just hasn’t worked out for him in NJ. Still only 21 years old.

 

[Masch78]

I don’t think we’d be interested since he’s probably too similar to Luneau and Mintyukov, but how about Simon Nemec as a buy low candidate?

Guy was a 2nd overall pick and it just hasn’t worked out for him in NJ. Still only 21 years old.

Is Nemec really a buy low candidate? Thing is what should go the other way and I would love him here but I would not part with Luneau.

 

[AngelDuck]

Is Nemec really a buy low candidate? Thing is what should go the other way and I would love him here but I would not part with Luneau.

Not sure I just heard rumors that NJD is probably looking to move on and maybe he’s unhappy there?

Yeah the challenge would be what to send back and IMO Nemec’s play style doesn’t really fit what we’re looking for since we already have those types of guys. We need someone who’s primary instinct is to obstruct the other teams offensive - that’s not going to be Nemec/Minty/Luneau’s game

 

[mightyquack]

Not sure I just heard rumors that NJD is probably looking to move on and maybe he’s unhappy there?

Yeah the challenge would be what to send back and IMO Nemec’s play style doesn’t really fit what we’re looking for since we already have those types of guys. We need someone who’s primary instinct is to obstruct the other teams offensive - that’s not going to be Nemec/Minty/Luneau’s game

Warren and Moore project as that in our pool as RHD. I know I'm more bullish then most on Warren, but I really do think he projects as that physical, defense-first top 4 RHD we are looking for, he's just at least another year from the NHL (though hopefully he gets some NHL games next season). He just really stood out to me, especially being able to move like he can at his size.

And having watched Moore across San Diego and Anaheim this season, while it's a small sample size, can see him being that type of defenceman for Anaheim next season.

As you said, Nemec is probably a bit redundant given what we have in the pool already. Plus, I thought part of the reason Nemec was unhappy in NJ was that he was playing in the AHL, which is what he'd be doing here next season too.

Issue is going to be in the short term definitely, if we could somehow find a top 4 RHD and then that leaves Luneau/Moore/Warren as options after that, we are looking in a good spot. It sure would be nice if Trouba wasn't washed as he'd be the perfect stopgap otherwise.