As NHL training camps begin, the big Zegras shaped question is looming over the Ducks, and nobody wants to really talk about it. Last time we saw something like this was William Nylander, and it's entirely possible he waits till the last minute, but the fact they dished out 6 to Killorn and refuse to give anything over 4 to Zegras is rightfully making him upset.
Now this AGM would require Verbeek to be active in the trade market, and we've only seen Verbeek do so towards the trade deadline. But regardless, here we are with what is a rather unrealistic, but not impossible AGM.
Firstly, before we deplete Anaheim's offense, we pick up Mathieu Joseph from the Ottawa Senators. It's rumored it will take a 1st round pick to take him on and a B-C level prospect going back, so we send back Benoit Oliver Groulx. French Canadian, gets sent back closer to home. After 18 games in 21/22, struggled to get NHL time in 22/23, and as Anaheim gets younger, older prospects like Groulx get forgotten about, former 1st round pick has the pedigree, and is likely to get games in Ottawa.
Next up is the Zegras trade, going off of a previous AGM and building on it. Zegras, the NY native, is clearly upset with management after tough negotiations finally gets out. On the way back is Panarin, and while he could very swiftly waive his NMC, this trade would be under the promise he'd be gone by the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign. My potential landing spot would be a place like the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially if Stamkos walks in FA, Panarin gets flipped at 50% retention or maybe even 75% with a 3rd team broker and plays out the final 2 years of his deal with fellow Russians in Vasi, Kuch & Serg. In addition, Panthers also have money coming off the books, could be an option, but as the season has started already, tough to do 11 mil+ salary trades mid year, unless its a team like Anaheim. Panarin, with a Russian in Lyubushkin on the team, can sit in Anaheim for the year, to his credit, great location. Garand comes back the other way as ANA slowly loads up on goalie prospects, Silfverberg goes the other way to NYR, Jesper Fast-esc player, likely his last year in NA before playing in Sweden full time, allows him for 1 last try at lord Stanley.
Next up, we go to Columbus where we complete the long awaited John Gibson trade. As the goalie carousel took its course this offseason it was hard for me to pinpoint a team for Gibson, but landed on CBJ. Clearly, with the acquisitions of Severson & Provorov on the back end, they're ready to load up, Fantili making the jump and a long term commitment to Gaudreau, they probably want to start to win. Elvis Merzlikins did not have a great season and struggled greatly, with the trade of Korpisalo too, the work load was too much for him. In comes Gibson, the Pennsylvania native, returns close to home, tandems (albeit expensive) with Elvis as CBJ competes for the wild card. In return, CBJ parts ways with 2 defencemen, 1 NHL ready and 1 project. Jake Bean could be the odd man out with the new additions on defence. As for Ceulemans, a defensive prospect in CBJ, could be projected on the outside looking in with Severson, Jiricek and Boqvist all on the RS long term. He seems expendable and helps the value cross the finish line for ANA.
The starting lineup could look like so. Bean & Lundestrom are starting the year on IR which is why they're there. I see Leo getting his 9 games at least before going to the AHL or SHL. As for an Adam Henrique for example, I would likely trade him for a capable goalie before the deadline, just so Dostal doesn't get over worked as a rookie. Drysdale agrees to 3 mil for 2 years, Panarin sucks it up for 1 year, and the rebuild continues!
Elvis would likely have to go the other way in a Gibson trade for Columbus. Can't have $12M committed to a goalie tandem with the players they need to re-sign over the next few years. Doubtful they'd make that move though until after this year at the earliest. Elvis is getting one more shot to earn his contract after all the work they did to set him and Tarasov up for success.
Here come the "ZeGrAs Is ElItE aNd WoRtH mOrE" brick walls
Elite in hype and also propping him up to be the upcoming face of the franchise, going to need a haul and a win, not to have heads role. If it goes bad, actual value and return going to be interesting.
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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