With the Anaheim Ducks in need of a rebuild, we can expect to see some key players shipped out over the next little while.
In turn, the Ducks will likely continue transitioning to a younger group of players, a process which has already started. So which players from the roster will actually be around long term?
Below, I categorized the current roster into groups, predicting how likely all players are to remain with the Ducks for the foreseeable future. The list doesn’t include any current unrestricted free agents.
UNLIKELY: Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, Adam Henrique, Kevin Shattenkirk, Danton Heinen, Jacob Larsson, Nicolas Deslauriers, Derek Grant, Anthony Stolarz
The eight players listed above are unlikely to be around long term for a number of reasons. In the case of Rakell and Manson, both will likely be dealt before their contracts expire next season, while Henrique could be moved as well. Heinen and Deslauriers were both also rumoured to be in trade discussions this season, while Derek Grant and Kevin Shattenkirk each have two more years remaining on their respective contracts but will likely be replaced by younger players after they expire. Then with Jacob Larsson, he has yet to really take a major step in the NHL and with him now 24 years old, he’s likely to get pushed down the depth chart, as other prospects emerge.
COULD GO EITHER WAY: John Gibson, Hampus Lindholm, Haydn Fleury, Jakob Silfverberg, Max Jones, Sam Steel, Alexander Volkov, Sonny Milano
In the case of Fleury, Jones, Steel and Volkov, all four players are still fairly young and we don’t really know what their ceilings are. All will likely have a chance to become long-term fits with the Ducks but it’s not a guarantee. I’ll put Sonny Milano in that category as well but his injury trouble certainly raises some questions.
With Silfverberg, he still has three years remaining on his contract but is important to the team and may not be dealt in the rebuild, though part of that is due to his contract. It’s possible he could be traded but given how long he’s been with the team and depending on how long he intends to keep playing after his current deal expires, he may also stick around as a key veteran for the Ducks.
Gibson and Lindholm are the biggest names on the list. Gibson is signed long term but given where the Ducks are right now, dealing him for assets could make more sense than keeping him around, as he’d likely be in his 30s by the time the Ducks are competitive again. Lindholm, on the other hand, is on an expiring contract and would bring back a big return for the Ducks. However, given how large of a role he plays on the blue line, he’s probably more likely to be re-signed than fellow soon-to-be UFAs Rickard Rakell and Josh Manson.
LIKELY: Max Comtois, Cam Fowler, Isac Lundestrom, Troy Terry
Max Comtois had a strong first full NHL season and at just 22 years old, he projects as a long-term, top-six forward with the Ducks. Troy Terry stepped up as the season went on as well and while some may be less confident as to whether he’ll be around long-term, he’s one of the team’s young forwards that seems to be capable of making an impact in the middle-six. Lundestrom may have less of an offensive upside but he was already quite good defensively in his first year with the Ducks and while he may not play overly high in the lineup long term, it’s a pretty safe bet that he factors into the team’s plans going forward.
Fowler is in a slightly different boat than the rest, being 29 years old, but he still has five years remaining on his contract. His term could make him somewhat difficult to move in a rebuild and if the Ducks do end up dealing key pieces from their blue line, you have to imagine Fowler is kept around.
THE LOCKS: Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras
The two players who are very safe bets to stick around long term are Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras. While some of the younger players in the ‘Likely’ category could, in theory, be traded at some point if the Ducks wanted to target a huge name, we can be pretty certain that Drysdale and Zegras won’t be included in trade talks for just about anyone.
Drysdale projects as a future top-pairing defender for the team, while Zegras has top-line potential. As a result, we can be confident that both players will remain with the team for a very long time.
***NOTE: We've launched a HockeyBuzz Ducks Twitter account! For anyone interested, you can follow @HB_Ducks for updates on articles, Ducks news, etc.***
Do you think any of the following players won't be with the Ducks long term?
Anaheim Ducks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»