The Anaheim Ducks had a relatively quiet NHL trade deadline period, as was expected given their current roster construction and their position in the standings during the month leading up to the deadline.
When the NHL resumed play following the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Ducks were nine points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. The closest they got to that spot was six points. Heading into Friday’s trade deadline, they were seven back with 21 games left to play after not capitalizing on significant opportunities against the lowly Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 25 and Mar. 1 as well as a Vancouver Canucks team they had been chasing on Mar. 5.
The Ducks only had three pending unrestricted free agents on their roster heading into the deadline period: Brian Dumoulin, Robby Fabbri, and Brock McGinn. McGinn and Fabbri remain on IR, so the likelihood of trading them was slim to none. With not much to sell and no reason to buy, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek pulled the trigger on a somewhat expected Dumoulin deal and made a couple smaller acquisitions on the fringes.
Recap
Out: Brian Dumoulin (50% contract retention) $1.575 million
In: 2025 second-round pick (the better of Edmonton’s or Winnipeg’s), F Herman Träff (19), D Oliver Kylington, G Ville Husso
Patrick
Given the number of teams still firmly in playoff contention and that the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft is projected as one of the weaker ones, this market set up well for sellers. Verbeek said he held on as long as he could, but after losing to the Canucks on Wednesday, he made the decision to trade Dumoulin.
Pat Verbeek Speaks Following Trade DeadlineAnaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek addressed the media following Friday’s trade deadline. Friday was quiet for the Ducks, who didn’t get any deals done, but were active on Thursday when they shipped Brian Dumoulin to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and prospect Herman Traff (91st overall in 2024). They also brought in depth defenseman Oliver Kylington from the New York Islanders for future considerations.
Dumoulin was acquired for a fourth-round pick on July 2, so getting 61 games out of him and flipping him for a second-rounder and a player drafted in the third round in 2024 is a quality return. Dumoulin plays a position that isn’t one of the most sought after and the most substantial boost it gives the Ducks is the long-overdue relief of the defensive logjam.
Kylington is a nice addition as a seventh defenseman who can seamlessly be inserted in the lineup should the need present itself. Husso was a San Diego Gulls-driven move, but has talent and NHL experience if he’s needed in a pinch.
Derek
From speaking with several players, it’s clear that Dumoulin had a significant impact on and off the ice, even in such a short time with the Ducks. The trade that sent him to the Devils was a mutually beneficial transaction, with Dumoulin getting to play closer to home again and his departure opening up the ability for head coach Greg Cronin to deploy all three of his young left-handed defensemen (Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger) on a regular basis. The return package for Dumoulin also surpassed what Verbeek initially gave up to acquire Dumoulin this past summer, making this deal a home run.
Kylington, a mobile, puck-moving defenseman was added at zero cost to be the seventh defenseman. Similar to William Lagesson last season, the left-handed Kylington can play both his strong and off-side and seems like a better fit for Cronin’s system than Lagesson was.
Husso struggled during his nearly three-year tenure with the Detroit Red Wings, but has righted himself in the AHL. He was acquired to solidify the San Diego Gulls’ goaltending depth after Calle Clang went down with an MCL injury, but he’s been getting well-accustomed to heading up and down I-5 thanks to multiple recalls and reassignments.
Trevor Zegras and John Gibson Stay
“I took calls on John Gibson, so there’s an active market for him,” Verbeek said on his recent episode of “The Beeker” on the Ducks Stream Podcast Network. “At the end of the day, we have probably (a) top-five goaltending tandem in the league. Unless it makes sense for me and for our organization to improve the team, it doesn’t make sense for us to move John Gibson at this time.”
Patrick
For fans worried they’d perhaps seen the last of John Gibson and/or Trevor Zegras in a Ducks’ sweater, fear not. And for opposing fanbases thinking they’re “buy-low” candidates and hoping to acquire each or either of their services at a bargain, it likely isn’t in the cards.
Verbeek didn’t answer any questions on Zegras’ future with the organization, but stated Gibson wouldn’t be on the move unless it made sense for the organization. The Ducks are in a position where the need to trade either isn’t prevalent, so if a team is interested, Verbeek seems to be sending a message that they would have to make a substantial offer.
Derek
Once it became clear that the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes—two teams heavily rumored to be interested in acquiring Gibson—were not going to pay the high price set by Verbeek, any chance of Gibson being anything but an Anaheim Duck past the 2025 trade deadline became zero. There isn’t any incentive for Verbeek to move Gibson—who’s signed for two more years after this season—for anything lower than the price he’s set. Lukáš Dostál and Gibson have formed a dynamic duo in net that has been a large reason why the Ducks are even in the (fleeting) playoff conversation.
For a player that so many talking heads and socialites claim is a “TikTok merchant” and “washed”, so many fans sure are interested in their teams acquiring Zegras. The player has worked hard to improve his two-way game, an initiative given to him by both Verbeek and Cronin. While the point totals haven’t been there lately, it’s clear that his overall game has improved and that the team is better whenever he’s in the lineup.
Ducks Not Involved in Bigger Names on the Market
“There’s a lot of talk,” Verbeek said when asked if he had any other moves he’d been working on. “Nothing ever got to where I would consider serious and start negotiating. Really, nothing.”
Patrick
Signs have been pointing toward, and reiterated by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman specifically, Verbeek and the Ducks’ desire to make a splash at some point soon. Mikko Rantanen was the big name on the move this deadline period, which seemed like a long shot at best for the Ducks. Elias Pettersson’s future seems up in the air in Vancouver, but he remains with the team for the time being at least.
Dylan Cozens, Josh Norris, and Brandon Carlo were also impact players with term beyond this season that moved and could have been seen as fits for Anaheim, but if talks were started, they didn’t go anywhere. We’ll just have to see if that awaited splash is in the cards at the draft or in free agency.
Derek
It would have made more sense for the Ducks to make a splash or add if they were right in the thick of the playoff hunt. They’re on the fringes with this season being the first time in a good while that games in March have mattered to them for something more than a high draft pick. Verbeek is still seeking a top-6 forward, which could come as soon as this summer. (Mitch Marner, anyone?)
