This would be a hell of a get for the Ducks...
As the Anaheim Ducks continue their rebuild, they are in need of a star player. They do have Trevor Zegras on the roster, and he is improving each season. But he is still pretty young, and for this team to take that next step, they need “the” guy.
They have a plethora of young talent in the pipeline, giving them hope for a very bright future going forward. But the team signaled this offseason that they are ready for the next jump in the process.
They signed some veteran players in free agency to help mentor the younger players, showing that they want to start getting this thing going. While the Ducks won’t be a playoff team this coming season, they could begin moving into the next phase.
Recently, NHL analyst Mike Rupp of NHL Network linked the Ducks with Toronto Maple Leafs star forward William Nylander. Nylander may want to be the primary option somewhere else, and the Ducks make a ton of sense for him.
He is still only 27 years old and fits the Anaheim timeline. Nylander would give the Ducks that star player they have been searching for, and he would immediately help elevate their rebuild.
Last season for the Maple Leafs, Nylander scored 40 goals and had 47 assists as well. He would provide that lethal scoring option for this Ducks offense, which has struggled to create consistency over the last few seasons.
He could pair on a front line with Zegras and Troy Terry, giving the Ducks one of the scariest top threes in the NHL. Their top six would vastly improve if they were able to land a player of his caliber.
This pairing could work out well for both sides and help bring Anaheim back into contention. The Ducks want to get back to being the power that they were in the early 2010s, and this would fast-track that.
It remains to be seen if the Ducks would be open to getting Nylander or if the Maple Leafs would be open to dealing their star. But either way, the fact that Anaheim is being linked to talent like this is a great thing.