January marks a significant threshold during the NHL campaign. As teams begin to reach the halfway point of the season, the standings become more fleshed out. By this point, most clubs will know if they are playoff-bound, in need of help, or are completely out of the picture.
Once again, the Anaheim Ducks are entering a calendar year firmly in that third group. At 13-21, they are 18 points behind the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division and 12 points back of the second wild-card spot. This will be the sixth straight season Anaheim has missed the playoffs, marking the longest stretch of futility in franchise history.
Related: Ducks: Season-to-Date Comparison Between Carlsson and Fantilli
The Ducks will be sellers at the trade deadline. While there are a few obvious candidates playing on expiring deals, like Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, and Ilya Lyubushkin, there are only a handful of players that should be considered “untouchable” by the front office.
The following players should be considered non-starters for any trade discussions. This year’s group of untouchables will follow the same rules as a year ago — all players listed are regulars in Anaheim’s lineup.
2023 Untouchables Revisited: Zegras, Terry, McTavish & Drysdale
Last year’s untouchables list was a bit shorter, with most of Anaheim’s prospect pool playing in the lower levels. The only players I considered untouchable on the roster were Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and Jamie Drysdale. I’d still consider all four players untouchable, but with less certainty than a year ago.
McTavish has another year on his entry-level contract (ELC) before any decisions need to be made. But he’s having a breakout year (10 goals, 14 assists in 27 games) while doing a significant amount of the play-driving for Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. Terry signed a seven-year contract in August that practically cements his future in Anaheim. Drysdale, who has spent a majority of the last season and a half dealing with injuries, signed a three-year bridge deal that will end with the team controlling his restricted free agent rights.
Like Drysdale, Zegras signed a three-year bridge deal in the offseason, but he will be eligible for arbitration. Zegras was the first of Anaheim’s top-end picks during this rebuilding era in 2019, and the makeup of the organization has changed significantly in the years since. The Ducks have spent additional first-round picks on centers McTavish, Leo Carlsson and Nathan Gaucher. In a perfect world, McTavish and Carlsson have the top two center spots locked up for the next decade-plus.
Zegras has already been pushed out to the wing. He’s looked dangerous, but the production has yet to manifest (2 goals, 2 assists), and a lower-body injury held him out of the lineup for 20 games. I do believe he gets on the right track and becomes a viable first-line winger, but it’s fair to wonder if that’s the best use of his talents. This could be a sticking point in arbitration. Zegras will be 25 years old, and it wouldn’t be surprising if his camp is looking for a payday more comparable to a center than a winger.
I believe moving Zegras would be a mistake. He’s a first-line talent whose style of play makes him a point producer and a revenue generator. Not to mention, he’s a great plug-in option in case of injury — he’s currently centering the top line because of Carlsson’s MCL sprain. But there is a chance the situation becomes untenable. This shouldn’t happen in 2024, but it is something to monitor moving forward.
The Rookie Defensemen: Mintyukov vs. LaCombe
The Ducks’ blue line has two rookies playing significant minutes. Pavel Mintyukov and Jackson LaCombe are the two most recent graduates of a loaded prospect pool and have helped erase the memories of a unit that surrendered over four goals a game a year ago. LaCombe saw some time with the Ducks in April after his college career at Minnesota came to an end. Mintyukov, the 10th overall pick in 2022, garnered some early-season praise but has cooled off over the last month, recording eight points in his last 20 games after 10 points in his first 14 games.
It’s unlikely the defensive unit pans out with Drysdale, Mintyukov, LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, Tristan Luneau, and Tyson Hinds all breaking through with the Ducks. Even in the unlikely scenario where they all become NHL-caliber defensemen, it’s even less likely the team could fit them all beyond their ELCs. As a result, I’d expect the Ducks to be proactive with their assets to make a deal that meets the team’s needs.
Despite the downturn in scoring, Mintyukov looks like he could be a special player in the NHL. He’s still a teenager, but his two-way game is probably the most refined out of anyone on the roster. I still look at one of his Nov. 1 shifts against the Arizona Coyotes as a showcase for his talents — using his body to deny an entry and to create his own offensive entry, leading directly to a primary assist. It might be irresponsible to suggest less than half a season into his NHL career, but Mintyukov could end up being Anaheim’s first-ever Norris Trophy winner at some point in the future.
LaCombe, while still having a respectable rookie season, will have an uphill battle, especially as more prospects join the Ducks. He’s played both sides but is a natural lefty like Mintyukov, Zellweger, and Hinds. He’s a smooth skater and good with the puck, but he won’t be called on to run the power play over Drysdale. There’s a lot to like about his game, and he likely has a solid NHL career ahead of him. But with the sheer number of high-end prospects in the Ducks system, LaCombe may be the odd man out.
Leo Carlsson: The New Franchise Center
A lot of people were surprised to hear Carlsson’s name called second by the Ducks in the 2023 draft. Adam Fantilli was the more anticipated selection, and the only deviation I made in a mock draft had the Ducks picking Matvei Michkov. But Carlsson has looked every bit like the franchise center general manager Pat Verbeek envisioned. Before his injury, he recorded 15 points in 23 games. As a teenager, he was running the top line, largely without the help of Zegras (20 games missed) and Alex Killorn (10 games missed).
Even at 6-foot-3-inches tall, Carlsson is still growing. Verbeek praised his hockey IQ, which has already translated at the NHL level. He should be a dominant two-way force for years to come. The Ducks should be a more competitive team as he enters his early 20s, so it’s impossible to imagine a scenario where Anaheim would even consider moving him, even for a bona fide star.
The Ducks have a growing number of players on their roster that can be considered untouchable. This is a good sign for a franchise that has spent the last five years rebuilding the lineup to become a playoff contender. With a few more prospects nearing NHL-readiness, the future is bright in Anaheim.
Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference. Salary cap data courtesy of CapFriendly.
