I'm working off what I'm hearing. I am not saying it is gospel, only what is getting around. Per Elliotte, ducks are w/in reason looking for a vet or 2 to help the kids.
Elliotte may be wrong, wont be first time
but
if true you could do worse than Vesey 1 yr 800k
but again, not a big whoop if most of yr base feels same as you.
Ducks might be looking for vets, but more of a top 6 guy or a cap casualty that they can get cheap (think Toews trade to Avs). To make it simple, here's the what the Ducks need and what has been said by legitimate sources (that I can remember):
- Verbeek has taken calls on Zegras but none of the teams can offer what he wants. There are only specific things he'll move Zegras for, and I doubt the Rangers have that (Othmann would not be a starting point).
- Vatrano can be had but the asking price is "a boat load"
- Ducks do not need quantity, the bottom 6 is full, bottom 4 D is full, and there are a ton of prospects in and coming to San Diego. Ducks may actually need to trade quantity for a higher quality prospect.
- Ducks needs are a top 6 forward (RW/RHS preferable) and defensive RD.
- Ducks are NOT looking to trade prospects for players that won't contribute post-rebuild or for guys who are redundant. They need guys that will push players down into spots they should be in.
- Ducks are not desperate to shed cap, they won't pay someone to take a contract. Just because they have cap space doesn't mean they'll give it away cheap for cap dumps either.
- Ducks are looking for hockey trades where possible, not just selling players for futures (not counting upcoming FA's like Henrique).
- Ducks are willing to wait for future picks for a better deal... like a 2025 1st and a 2024 3rd would be better than a 2024 1st (I think I remember that from something).
- The system lacks a legit top pairing RHD... that's pretty much it (Luneau might get there, but is more likely a middle pair guy).
- Ducks have too many LHD... Fowler (short term), Minty, LaCombe, Vaakananen, Zellweger have all shown they are NHL ready or are close.
Having good 3rd and 4th liners is never a problem for even terrible teams. The problem with terrible teams is those 3rd and 4th liners are playing in the top 6 for them. But offering more of what they already have doesn't fix their real problems. It's like offering good 3rd pairing guys to bad or rebuilding teams, as if that's what they need ... they already HAVE good 3rd pairing guys, the problem is those guys are playing top 4 minutes and running the PP and PK units for those teams.
Yeah, the Ducks have a lot of good 4th liners and 3rd pair guys... the problem is some are playing in the top 9 or top 4. Hopefully that fixes itself as young guys start forcing people down the lineup and the team gets healthy next season.