3 players the Anaheim Ducks must trade before the deadline
The Anaheim Ducks need to make a few trades before the deadline.
The Anaheim Ducks are one of the worst teams in the NHL. At 17-30-2, they have 36 points which is good for 30th in the league.
Last spring, they came in second place of the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery which gave them the second overall pick. With that selection, they took Leo Carlsson.
Carlsson is now a part of a young organization. He is surrounded by other studs like Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Troy Terry. Other good players like Cutter Gauthier and Olen Zellweger show a lot of promise as well.
Now, looking at another top-five pick, they should be looking to offload a few players for which they can get something.
There are a few players on expiring deals that should be able to get them something. These are the three players they should trade before the deadline:
It is time for the Anaheim Ducks to move on from Jakob Silfverberg
The Anaheim Ducks have had Jakob Silfverberg for a long time. He was once one of their top point producers. He is not that player anymore but he can still provide a lot for a contending team.
So far this season, he has five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 48 games. The funny thing is that the Ducks are a better team when he is on the ice despite the lack of point totals.
A playoff team might look at that and assume that he'd produce more on a good team. It is fair to think it is possible.
He has the rest of this season left on his contract with a $5.250 million cap hit. The Ducks might be willing to retain on that too which makes him even more attractive on the market.
Moving a guy like this for any sort of draft pick would be smart asset management for a team that isn't going anywhere this season.
Adam Henrique could be sent packing before the deadline arrives
Adam Henrique is someone who could be moved by the Anaheim Ducks. There are already rumors out there about teams calling on him.
He is a good defensive forward who still has some jam left to his game offensively as well. So far this season, he has 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points in 48 games played. That is not bad for a middle-six forward.
Henrique would be good for a contender because of what he brings on both sides of the puck. He can also play both center and wing which makes him valuable. Henrique is good at even strength but can also be on a power play or penalty kill too.
Like Silfverberg, the Ducks might be willing to retain on his deal if he is traded to a team dealing with cap trouble. He has the rest of this season making $5.825 million against the salary cap.
For what he brings to the ice, he is worth considering. If there are teams already calling on him, the Ducks should be able to get something good back for him.
The Anaheim Ducks have a defenseman they could trade away
Ilya Lyubushkin is a defenseman that the Anaheim Ducks have on an expiring contract. He could get moved for a smaller asset if someone needs help on the blue line.
He isn't going to go to a new team and change things dramatically the way someone like Henrique might. Silfverberg might even be more valuable to a team.
The fact of the matter, however, is that depth on defense is a major need in this league. That becomes especially true when the playoffs roll around.
Lyubushkin is the only defenseman that the Ducks have right now who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He is a low-risk-high-reward player for a playoff team to consider.
He isn't going to bring any offense as he has zero goals and four assists through 46 games played. However, he is a capable NHL defenseman in the short term.
In addition to the other two on this list, there is a place on a contending team for him if the right situation comes calling. Losing all of them also makes the Ducks a worse team which increases their chance of being a lottery winner in the spring. There is a lot to think about here.
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