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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?)

Toronto sent Minten, plus a first and fourth-round pick, to Boston in exchange for Brandon Carlo.

John Tavares and his two sons will surely miss Fraser Minten.

The 20-year-old lived with the Tavares family at the beginning of the 2023-24 season after Minten had made the Maple Leafs out of training camp. Throughout last season, Tavares mentioned how much his two boys, Jace and Axton, enjoyed having Minten around.

However, on Friday, Toronto shipped Minten (plus a first and a fourth-round pick) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Brandon Carlo, who will help the Maple Leafs on the back-end. Although Tavares hasn't been home, he's spoken with his kids several times, but hasn't brought up the news about Minten.

"Actually, I haven't told them yet," Tavares said on Wednesday with a grin.

"We'll get there. I think I'm just happy to get home and to see them. And usually when I call home during the road, they're not too interested too long. So, I'm trying to grab as much attention with them as I can. So, yeah, we're not there yet."

Toronto selected Minten in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. Since then, he's played 19 NHL games with the Maple Leafs, registering two goals and two assists for four points.

Coming up in the organization, Minten spent a lot of time with Toronto forward Matthew Knies. Knies is two years older than Minten, but admitted on Wednesday that he was "a little upset" when he heard the news.

Marner, Minten, Knies and Woll at the Kygo concert this week 🎤 pic.twitter.com/RL0NP3gkuO

— katie (@itsmitchmarney) January 26, 2025

"Obviously, he was around here. He was a younger guy. Got to know him pretty well," Knies said. "I'm excited for him that he has an opportunity to play. I think he's going to have a good chance there to play in the NHL. It's really sad to see him go."

Minten spent most of his playing time this season with the Toronto Marlies. He centered their second line and scored six goals and seven assists in 26 games. The forward was on track to soon be a strong bottom-six forward for the Maple Leafs.

"Amazing person, first and foremost. Tremendous maturity and (it's) part of the game, part of the business," Tavares said.

'He Talks Really Like A Vet On The Bench': How Fraser Minten Is Impressing Maple Leafs Early In Young NHL CareerMinten had a goal, five hits (the third-most on Toronto) and played 13:05 of ice time in the Maple Leafs' win over Chicago.

"Obviously, a team like us that's trying to set ourselves up for, obviously, a deep spring and to do something special and bring people in with their experience and their pedigree and the type of skill sets that they have.

"Sometimes, you lose prospects or obviously players that have tremendous potential. So, obviously, you're going to miss them. But it's obviously part of it (the business)."

Minten will debut with the Providence Bruins on Wednesday against the Marlies at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto.

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