Confirmed Trade: [ANA/STL] Cam Fowler and 2027 4th round pick for 2027 2nd round pick and Jeremie Biakabutuka

[Sniperberg]

Wtf is this shit?

 

[FiveTacos]

Letting it bleed out was the wrong move. Out of all of them Lindholm would have returned a haul in 2019 with 3 years left on his deal with no trade protection at the time.

Yup, that could have returned enough young assets to jump start a retool. It may be understandable that they wouldn't throw in the towel one year after a playoff appearance, a common mistake (we're seeing it with a few teams now), but still a mistake.

I dunno, I'm not far behind you. between taking him when Tarasenko was still available, and then later trading both Theodore and Lindholm while keeping him... Left a bad taste all the way around

It was timing ... Fowler was up for his big deal before the others, and it was signed before the team went into decline.

Had they known what was coming, I think they deal him and sign Lindholm to the long term deal.

He's got an extra 2 years @ 6.4M, he's playing like a backup goalie.

I can't see teams taking the risk

With even a little retention, the cap rising, and the way goalie contracts are going, it won't be as much of a risk by next year ... the Ducks will need to retain some for their own cap floor reasons (or take back a contract) which will make it fairly easy to take on.

 

[biturbo19]

I have...absolutely no idea who Biakabutuka is, but this looks like more or less Fowler for a 2nd round pick? That's pretty good value. I'd have been very much onboard with the Canucks paying that for Fowler.

Have to assume either he wasn't willing to go to Canada, or the Ducks just didn't want to retain and/or take back salary. Or both. 'Cause that's a very reasonable acquisition price for one of the better Top-4 Defencemen on the market.

 

[MMC]

 

[Lunatik]

Is he related to Tim Biakabatuka?

No, but he is related to Tim Biakabutuka

 

[Filthy Dangles]

With even a little retention, the cap rising, and the way goalie contracts are going, it won't be as much of a risk by next year ... the Ducks will need to retain some for their own cap floor reasons (or take back a contract) which will make it fairly easy to take on.

It's not just the cap, if he was playing any kind of good i'd agree with you. The bigger factor is that he's so much of an unknown at this point (to put it somewhat nicely). So you'd basically be hitching your wagon to him if you acquire him.

The lack of performance(some of that is team based) with a burdensome contract just doesn't make it realistic right now imo.

 

[sxvnert]

Clearly wanted to get the f*** out since the other teams on his list probably has no interest.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

This trade is a really impressive course in asset management by a budget team.

The real money salary moved out in this deal is roughly the same as the salary moved in with the Trouba deal. Both Trouba and Fowler are different players, but it's close enough to a lateral move on the ice for a team that is just concerned with getting out of this season alive and needs a defenseman who can eat up minutes.

So if they are a budget team, and they weren't going to acquire Trouba without having an avenue to move Fowler, they cancel each other out. Essentially, the Ducks traded two 4ths for a 2nd to end up in a similar spot to where they would be anyways.

Then you factor in that Trouba has significantly less trade protection than Fowler. Trouba is not the player he was thought to be 5-10 years ago, but with salary retention or the Ducks taking back a contract, they will absolutely get another asset for him either in the summer or at the 2026 TDL. That might not have been the case with Fowler, because his list was so limited. Even so, they basically double-dipped by getting an asset for Fowler now, and then opening themselves up to flip his lateral replacement for another asset.

 

[FiveTacos]

It's not just the cap, if he was playing any kind of good i'd agree with you. The bigger factor is that he's so much of an unknown at this point (to put it somewhat nicely). So you'd basically be hitching your wagon to him if you acquire him.

The lack of performance(some of that is team based) with a burdensome contract just doesn't make it realistic right now imo.

To be fair, I think he's looked pretty solid this year. I think he's made some adjustments, playing a little deeper, and it's working better for him than his previous more aggressive style (esp. behind an iffy defense).

If the Ducks retain 25-50% and take back a contract it's not that big a gamble. And he's probably still dump-able as his term gets even shorter.

 

[Petes2424]

Why would we even want to move Parayko? That's absurd.

Do you honestly think they didn’t try moving him last year? If there’s a contract that’s gonna turn into an anchor, it’s likely his. So unless they start showing signs they’ll compete over the next few years, they’ll move him, if they get the chance.

The Blues are pretty good about getting out in front of things. He’s 31. It only takes him losing a little foot speed and he’s toast for the next 5 years at $6.5m. Something that usually happens in your early 30s if you have size, and it happens quickly.

If it does, he’ll end up a real expensive buy out.

 

[Daz28]

Verbeek is about the least wizardly trader out there, but he did ok here. NYR wanted a guy out, Pat said ok, fine, I'll take him. Then he lucked out with Cam wanting out precisely at the moment the boot was heading for his ass anyways. Trouba isn't near as bad as he's made out to be. If you enjoy watching a guy go through every possible partner on his team, and his line is always the sucky one, then you'll have fun with Fowler. It's a shame, he was one of mv faves 10 years ago.

 

[LuGBuG]

Was Fowler good this year? No. Definitely not. He also knew he was being traded at some point. He’s also been the whipping boy on here for a while. I’m confident with a more veteran partner and more reasonable matchups and not have to deal with being hemmed in for an excessive amount of time every shift, he will be a perfectly adequate 4th dman who can play on the penalty kill if need him too. Also will be a great teammate and professional.

Good luck to him, hope he plays well.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

To be honest I think Anaheim could've gotten more from him. And I wanted them to trade him after his 1000th game ceremony and then trade him.

 

[Voight]

Ducks stiffing the Blues for the silver stick eh.

Now the boys in STL are gone a have to cover Cams dinner when he reaches 1,000 games too