Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler emerges as an intriguing new trade candidate for NHL clubs looking to win now or push for the playoffs.

As the start of NHL training camp approaches, a notable new name from the Anaheim Ducks emerged last week in the dying days of the off-season rumor mill.

In his Sept. 6 32 Thoughts episode, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Cam Fowler was engaged in discussions with Ducks management regarding his future. The 32-year-old defenseman has two years remaining on his contract, with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a four-team list of preferred trade destinations, per PuckPedia.

Friedman believes the Ducks will start taking away playing time from Fowler in favor of giving their younger blueliners more time to develop. He indicated there was a positive working relationship between the two sides.

Six days later, Fowler confirmed his talks with the Ducks to The Athletic's Eric Stephens, admitting his career has reached a transitional stage that could lead to a trade. He's now in the second half of his career and acknowledged his younger teammates will carry the Ducks back to contention. 

Stephens noted Fowler's limited trade list but reported the veteran blueliner has expanded that list to double-digits, increasing the number of potential landing spots. He suggested the Detroit Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars could use Fowler but also noted there were hurdles to overcome to make a deal happen, most notably salary cap space.

The Hockey News' Patrick Present also weighed in, suggesting Fowler might interest teams in “win-now” mode like the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers. He observed that salary cap space also would be an issue for those teams, proposing the Ducks might have to retain part of Fowler's cap hit or acquire one or two salaried players as part of the return. 

Stephens pointed out that trades involving a player of Fowler's caliber rarely occur at this time of year. He speculated the Ducks could hang onto him for the start of the season and see how the trade market unfolds.

Teams could prefer to wait until close to the March 7, 2025, trade deadline, when most of Fowler's salary for this season will be paid out by the Ducks. 

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