The Anaheim Ducks got plenty of work done over the weekend in advance of Monday afternoon’s trade deadline. Many familiar faces are no longer with the team as general manager Pat Verbeek left his first substantial mark on the organization since taking on the role in early February.
Ducks Ship Lindholm Up to Boston
The first major deal for the Ducks leading up to Monday’s trade deadline was shipping Hampus Lindholm off to the Boston Bruins.
After it was clear that the Ducks and Lindholm weren’t going to get a contract extension done prior to the trade deadline, the writing was on the wall for the defenseman’s time in Anaheim.
Related: Bruins Acquire Hampus Lindholm From Ducks
The full package for Lindholm was as follows: a 2022 first-round pick, second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 and defensemen Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore. Defenseman Kodie Curran also made his way to the Bruins along with Lindholm. Finally, the Ducks retained half of Lindholm’s salary in the deal.
Deslauriers Traded to Wild
Nicolas Deslauriers, who is also a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) this summer, was dealt to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick.
The rugged winger was originally acquired by the Ducks in 2019 for a 2020 fourth-round pick. A fan favorite, and a respected figure in the Ducks’ locker room, Deslauriers will now get the chance to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in his career.
Rakell Swaps Bird Uniforms
The last homegrown player to depart the Ducks prior to the trade deadline was Rickard Rakell, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forwards Dominik Simon and Zach Aston-Reese, goaltending prospect Calle Clang and a 2022 second-round pick.
Related: Penguins Acquire Rickard Rakell From Ducks
Rakell will add goalscoring depth to a team that has struggled to find any while the additions of Simon and Aston-Reese will shore up the Ducks’ bottom-six depth for the time being.
Dadonov Traded to Ducks, Maybe
Verbeek’s last major move on trade deadline day was moving the recently acquired Moore and Ryan Kesler’s contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov and a conditional second-round pick in either the 2023 or 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
However, there have been a few snags with officially finalizing the deal thanks to a snafu in Dadonov’s contract. Originally acquired by the Golden Knights from the Ottawa Senators in the summer of 2021, Dadonov’s contract that he originally signed with the Senators apparently included a 10-team no-trade clause. One of the teams on that no-trade list was the Ducks.
It appears though that the list was never actually submitted, so when the time came for the Golden Knights to deal away Dadonov, no one was aware that he was not supposed to be traded there. Predictably, this has caused a delay in finalizing the deal as Dadonov likely doesn’t want to be in Anaheim while the Golden Knights feel that the trade is legitimate given the absence of the finalized no-trade list.
The issue is now in the hands of the NHL and the NHLPA and it will be interesting to see how it all gets sorted out.
Ducks Claim Mayhew Off Waivers
Perhaps lost in all of the trade mayhem was the Ducks claiming winger Gerry Mayhew off of waivers. The 29-year-old had 6 points in 25 games this season for the Philadelphia Flyers prior to being placed on waivers. He played on the Ducks’ top line on Monday night against the Nashville Predators alongside Max Comtois and Adam Henrique.
It will be an uphill battle for Mayhew to stick on the NHL roster once the likes of Simon and Aston-Reese are ready to go, but he did make a positive impact in his first game with the Ducks. The forward drew four penalties and saved a goal with a terrific shot block in front of an open net.
Others like Buddy Robinson and Vinny Lettieri will also be fighting alongside Mayhew for a bottom-six role with the Ducks for the remainder of the season.
Terry Accomplishes First 30-Goal Campaign
Troy Terry already has an All-Star appearance and 50 points in a season. Now, he can add a 30-goal campaign to his list of accomplishments too. The shot which netted him his 30th goal was a sneaky maneuver, as he opened up and baited Juuse Saros into covering the high short side before he beat the goaltender on the far side, top corner.
Related: Ducks Prospects: Drew, Helleson & More
Terry’s breakout this season coupled with the continued progress of Trevor Zegras gives Ducks fans two dynamic players to look forward to for the next several years. The pair are eligible to receive contract extensions this summer and you can bet that Verbeek will have those two pegged at the top of his offseason priorities.
Silfverberg Week to Week with Blood Clot
One of the few veterans to remain with the Ducks past the trade deadline, it was announced on Monday that forward Jakob Silfverberg has a blood clot in his right leg and is currently week to week because of it.
The blood clot isn’t something the Ducks’ medical staff is overly concerned about, but there’s a good chance that Silfverberg has played his last game of the season.
With the trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, the Ducks now have an idea of what their team will look like for the remainder of the season. Verbeek has already imprinted his influence on the team in a myriad of ways in just barely two months’ time and will have the chance to do even more once the season is over.
