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The Anaheim Ducks announced yesterday that they’ve acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Buffalo Sabres, in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2025.
Lyubushkin is 29 years old and managed 14 points in 68 games with the Sabres, while averaging 15 minutes per game in ice time. He has a single year remaining on his contract, which carries a $2.75 million cap hit.
The move comes a little over a week after the Ducks also signed goaltender Alex Stalock to a one-year contract.
While he’s not going to provide much at all in the way of offense, Lyubushkin can be fairly effective in a small, defensive role. We can likely expect him to slot in as a third-pairing, shutdown defender.
With the trade, the right side of the Ducks' blue line is pretty much solidified for next season, with Radko Gudas and Jamie Drysdale likely to take the top two spots ahead of Lyubushkin. That said, the addition means Drew Helleson will have a tough time earning a full-time role with the team for the season.
On the left side, it still remains a bit more of a toss-up. Cam Fowler will take on the largest role of any left-handed defender, but after that, it’s up to which prospects can make the jump. Jackson LaCombe will have a strong case for a roster spot, and either of Olen Zellweger or Pavel Mintyukov could possibly earn a role out of camp. If the two remaining spots on the left side aren’t taken up by a combination of prospects making the jump, we can expect a mix of Robert Hagg, Urho Vaakanainen and Colton White to get into action.
Regardless, this is a solid pick-up for the Ducks. Last season, while the team had a mix of defenders who could chip in offensively, the Ducks desperately lacked defensemen who could just be relied upon to eliminate chances against. With the additions of Gudas and now Lyubushkin, the organization has taken steps to address a major area of weakness and the defense group does look more well-rounded.
I’m not a huge fan of Anaheim giving up draft picks for short-term help given their probable position as a non-playoff team, but I think in this case it works. The Ducks will almost surely be able to retain salary at the trade deadline and flip Lyubushkin for the same return, if not more.
Lyubushkin also buys the Ducks a bit of time, so the team doesn’t have to rush prospects into the lineup before they’re ready, and allows the team to be a little more competitive this season. With a year remaining on his contract and minimal risk attached, adding Lyubushkin is a solid move.
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