Surprising Pacific Division contenders, Anaheim navigates a unique deadline. Will they upgrade for contention or build for the future?
The NHL’s trade deadline is scheduled for March 6 at 12 PM PST, and this season has a unique landscape as that anticipated date on the calendar approaches.
Typically, around the 60-game mark, the list of “buyers” and “sellers” has been all but solidified, but with the deadline just a week away, all but four teams (New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks) are either in a playoff spot or within ten points of the final wild card spot in their respective conference.
The list of true Stanley Cup contenders (judging solely by the standings) is relatively short as well, with just five teams with a points percentage over .650 (Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars).
The rest of the teams in the NHL will likely conduct themselves as “soft buyers” or “soft sellers,” meaning franchise-altering pieces will likely remain in place unless said piece is seen as a substantial player for whichever acquiring organization beyond the 2025-26 season.
The Anaheim Ducks are currently in line to achieve the mandate set forth nine months ago by owner Henry Samueli and general manager Pat Verbeek: to take the next step in their build and make the playoffs.
As of Monday morning, the Ducks currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division standings and are just one point behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.
A fully healthy Ducks lineup (based on their most recent games) roughly resembles something like this:
Kreider-Carlsson-Gauthier
Killorn-McTavish-Sennecke
Granlund-Poehling-Terry
Johnston-Washe-Viel
Vatrano-Harkins-Strome
LaCombe-Trouba
Zellweger-Gudas
Mintyukov-Moore
Helleson
Dostal
Husso
With the Ducks’ playoff contention window seemingly just opening and their potential cup-contending window still at least a couple of years in the future, it’s safe to assume they won’t be in the market to add significant rental pieces that the front office doesn’t project to be part of the roster beyond this season.
A glance at the roster won’t uncover any glaring holes, just an underdeveloped young core surrounded by mostly post-prime veterans. Again, unless a young or prime-age impact player can be had, minor upgrades here and there may be the focus heading into this trade deadline for Verbeek and the front office.
With just 23 games remaining on their 2025-26 schedule, the Ducks remain one of the poorer defensive teams in the NHL, both in traditional numbers and 5v5 underlying numbers. They rank 31st in goals against per game (3.49) and 21st in shots on goal allowed per game (29). At 5v5, they’re 25th in shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes (59.66), 23rd in shots on goal allowed per 60 (27.85), and 29th in expected goals against per 60 (2.86).
Three areas to focus on heading into Friday’s deadline for Anaheim could be a top-line forward, a depth defensive-oriented forward, and a top-four right-shot defenseman. Let’s take a look at some of the more consistent impact names currently available on various outlets’ trade boards that could fit the bill, to give an idea of what the Ducks could look to add should the opportunities present themselves.
Top Line Forward
The Ducks deploy four dynamic young forwards in their top-six on a nightly basis: Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, and Mason McTavish. Filling in the gaps are Troy Terry, a prime-age complementary scorer, and a trio of savvy veterans with varying skillsets: Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, and Mikael Granlund. Another high-end talent who can become or remain a core piece when the Ducks’ contending window is truly open could round out the top of their roster, especially so if that player provides a positive defensive impact.
Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks)
27, $11.6 Million Cap Hit, Full NMC, Expires 2032
Pettersson is in year two of a massive contract extension, but three years removed from his most productive season in 2022-23, where he notched 102 points (39-63=102) in 80 games. His last three seasons have been full of both on and off-ice turmoil and injury concerns. He can play wing or center, and he can kill penalties, but the question remains if Pettersson can recapture his production from a few years ago. If an acquiring team isn’t 100% certain, that contract becomes the riskiest of risky gambles.
Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues)
26, $8.125 Million Cap Hit, Full NTC, Expires 2031
Over the past four seasons, Thomas has been one of the most consistent and healthy 75-90-point centers in the NHL, who controls the game in all three zones. He’s run into a bit of injury trouble this season, and the Blues seem to be heading in the opposite direction for the talented playmaker. The ask is reportedly high, justifiably and predictably so, but a player of his caliber could round out an up-and-coming forward group. These kinds of players aren’t available often, so if a deal can be made, GMs in Verbeek’s situation would be wise not to hesitate.
Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues)
27, $8.125 Million Cap Hit, Full NTC, Expires 2031
With an identical contract to Thomas’, every point made above can be echoed for Kyrou. He attacks dynamically with pace, and though he doesn’t kill penalties, he produces quality defensive metrics likely due to his team’s possession time when he’s on the ice. His potential fit with Anaheim isn’t quite as obvious as Pettersson’s or Thomas’ due to Terry and Sennecke’s presences, but that would be a good problem to have, and shouldn’t be seen as a deterrent, again, if a deal can be had.
Other Notable Candidates: Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers), Nazem Kadri (Calgary Flames), Steven Stamkos (Nashville Predators)
Depth Defensive Forward
Having a true 200-foot forward that the coaching staff can deploy on the penalty kill, against opposing top lines, and provide offense from the bottom six would relieve some pressure from the LaCombe-Trouba pair, as well as some of the Ducks’ top offensive players who haven’t developed on that side of the puck quite yet.
Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville Predators)
35, $4.5 Million Cap Hit, NO trade protection, Expires 2027
The Preds are suddenly in the playoff mix, but if they decide to sell, O’Reilly is a suitable candidate for several middle-sixes across the league. He doesn’t have an NTC, but Nashville has stated they’re treating him as if he does, indicating he will dictate where he’ll land if he moves. He’s been one of the NHL’s top defensive forwards for most of his long career, and he’s on pace to set a career high in points, as he’s scored 57 points (21-36=57) through 59 games this season.
Blake Coleman (Calgary Flames)
34, $4.9 Million Cap Hit, 21-Team NTC, Expires 2027
For a player who plays as physically taxing a brand as Coleman does, he’s been surprisingly durable through the course of his career, is good for 35-50 points a season, and is a proven playoff performer. Coleman is the type of player who will likely command a sizable return, but his trade protection could mute that somewhat. However, one wouldn’t be surprised if a first-round pick is exchanged in a potential deal.
Warren Foegele (Los Angeles Kings)
29, $3.5 Million Cap Hit, 5-Team NTC, Expires 2027
After back-to-back 40-plus point seasons, Foegle hasn’t been able to find that same level of production in his second season in LA. He had even served as a healthy scratch earlier in the year. The Kings just made a change at head coach, bringing in DJ Smith, and they seem to be interested in making a playoff run in Kopitar’s final year. If Foegele is available, he can provide a versatile middle-six role, blending speed and tenacity, and is one of the first forwards over the boards on the PK.
Other Notable Candidates: Scott Laughton (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jason Dickinson (Chicago Blackhawks), Erik Haula (Nashville Predators)
Top Four Defensemen
Jacob Trouba has elevated his game and has been an impactful defenseman opposite the club’s #1 defenseman in LaCombe. However, he’s unlikely to assume that role, even if re-signed, too far into the future. Similarly, the same could be said for Radko Gudas, who’s in the last year of his deal. Gudas would likely be most effective in bottom-pair minutes at this stage in his career and into the playoffs should the Ducks make it that far.
Tyler Myers (Vancouver Canucks)
36, $3 Million Cap Hit, Full NMC, Expires 2027
The towering 6-foot-8 defenseman is being held out of Vancouver’s nightly lineup in anticipation of a trade ahead of Friday’s deadline. Seemingly a product of environment, Myers has had a rollercoaster career for the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks. His best years were alongside Quinn Hughes with the Canucks as the defensive-oriented half of a dynamic pair. The Ducks have three young, dynamic defensemen on their current blueline (LaCombe, Mintyukov, Zellweger), and if paired next to one, Myers has a chance to recapture some of that magic in the later stages of his career.
Justin Faulk (St. Louis Blues)
33, $6.5 Million Cap Hit, 15-Team NTC, Expires 2027
Faulk has been the Blues’ most consistent all-situations defenseman for the better part of a decade. He moves pucks, kills penalties, and has performed well in his five career trips to the playoffs. The underlying metrics haven’t been kind to Faulk since arriving in St. Louis from Carolina in 2019, but perhaps a slightly lesser role on a contender would iron some of that out. Again, St. Louis probably has phones ringing off the hook due to their volume of tradable assets, as they will hope for a quick reset with plenty of young talent either on the roster or in the way.
Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers)
31, $5.1 Million Cap Hit, NO trade protection, Expires 2027
Another towering right-shot defenseman on trade boards, Ristolainen is coming off an impressive Olympic performance, earning a bronze medal with his native Finland. Injury concerns are real, as he’s barely played more than 100 games (116) over the past three seasons for the Flyers, and a saturated right-shot defense market may drive the price down. However, his lack of trade protection could recoup some of that lost value. He still skates well, he’s still physical in the small areas, and he is still prone to some unfortunate, costly mistakes. It will be interesting to see how his market plays out over the next few days.
Other Notable Candidates: Dougie Hamilton (New Jersey Devils), Luke Schenn (Winnipeg Jets), McKenzie Weegar (Calgary Flames)
Clearing Space
When healthy, the Ducks will have 15 current NHL forwards on their roster and seven NHL defensemen. Frank Vatrano has yet to be activated from IR, and when he is, some type of move will have to be made, one way or another.
The Ducks also have young players in the AHL, with the San Diego Gulls, pushing for NHL ice time at every position: Nathan Gaucher, Sam Colangelo, Nikita Nesterenko, Tyson Hinds, and Tristan Luneau.
For whatever reason, this season has been unkind to Verbeek’s first two UFA signings from when he first took the Ducks’ GM job in 2022: Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. With the emergence of young players, they’ve had a difficult time carving out depth roles for themselves, leaving them as fourth-line or healthy-scratch players. Combined, they make $9.6 million against the Ducks’ cap, so something will have to give at some point, especially with projected expensive contract extensions likely due to young core pieces in the summer.
Verbeek will have his work cut out for him shaping the Ducks’ roster, especially over the summer. However, it’s unclear how much business he’ll get done, if any, before Friday’s deadline.