“Fowler - just had the best season of his promising young career. No reason to expect the trend to change.” - sniper 11
“Fowler-Great but doesn't have the right partner when it comes to inflated minutes.” - selanne4pres
“You don't think Fowler is a #1? I think he's ready to make the jump.” - Only_A_Ladd
Reading your comments on the forums, Cam Fowler is somewhat of a lightning rod. The consensus is that Fowler is a talented defenseman with a promising future. Most of you feel that he is a legitimate top-pair player. You also feel that his current play and future development would greatly improve if he had a better partner on the blueline. I agree and would like to explore further.
My ideal top pairing on defense is:
Player 1 - A quick puck moving defenseman, with superior on ice vision and hockey IQ. In other words, not only is he talented, but he has the intelligence and skill to see the play develop. This player has an innate sense to know when he needs to make things happen as opposed to letting things happen on offense. In his own zone, he is able to play passing lanes, get loose pucks and start the play out of the defensive end.
Player 2 – He is almost the antithesis of player 1. This guy thinks defense first. His mindset is “I will protect my my house from all would-be attackers”. In the defensive zone, while his partner may be scrambling for loose pucks and starting the rush, he is keeping the front of the net clear for his goalie, crushing opponents into the boards and is a physical presence. This doesn't mean he is void of offense, its just not his focus. This guy has a hard shot and plays well in open ice.
My favorite example of this type of tandem was Brian Leetch and Jeff Bukeboom of the 1994 Rangers. Leetch made the plays and Buke made it possible for Mike Richter to do his job in net. Again this is my ideal top-pair, I'm sure you all have your own opinions.
Cam and Who? Who is NOT the mythical first-baseman of the St. Louis Wolves. Nor is Who a pipe dream of a player that isn't getting traded to the Ducks this year (i.e. Brent Seabrook, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber). Who is a player the Ducks have, can be signed as a free agent, or is at least being rumored as tradeable.
On the Ducks current roster, the choices are somewhat limited.
No doubt a healthy Sheldon Souray in his prime would have been ideal. Since Souray is neither healthy or in his prime he is out.
Francois Beauchemin just had another knee surgery and time will tell weather he can play at last season's level. Honestly I think Beauchemin is better suited to play on the second pair with someone like Lindholm or Vatanen, in a “lite” version of the top group.
Bryan Allen's +20 rating last season aside, he is not top-pair (or at times top-four) material.
Clayton Stoner possesses some of the attributes to compliment Fowler, but doesn't have the talent to keep up with him.
Vatanen and Lindholm are more like Fowler than a compliment to him. That said, in a season or so Lindholm will be the second best defenseman on the team.
Free Agents
If there was a free agent that good, he would be signed already. Christian Ehrhoff would have been nice.
Trade Targets
The top targets would be Keith Yandle, Dion Phaneuf, Dustin Byfuglin, and Alex Edler.
I'm a Yandle supporter and I believe Brian Burke's comments not only kept him off the US Olympic team, but they also devalued worth on the market. Yandle is a great skater and puck handler. The Ducks can afford him, but he isn't necessarily the best fit. Yandle and Fowler have a similar skill set and although I believe Yandle brings some extra punch to the power play, his long-term presence would slow Fowler's development.
Dion Phaneuf certainly fits the role of a hard hitter and can be a physical force when he needs to be. When I brought up the possibility of the Ducks going after Evander Kane in a previous blog, many of you were concerned with the extra baggage that would come with him. Phaneuf brings as much if not more than Kane. I also believe his asking price from Toronto is more than the Ducks should pay for his services.
Dustin Byfuglin is the best choice of this bunch. He is big, strong, and skilled. He can play several positions and is force on the ice. Buff is primarily an offensive minded defender, but the physicality he brings is a good compliment to Fowler. He is another player that comes with his share of baggage. The Ducks more than likely have the assets to trade for Byfuglin. The cost to get him from Winnipeg is very high, as it should be. Do the Ducks want to dig that deep? At this point, its a wait and see. It depends on how well the Ducks start the season or if Boudreau, Murray, etc feel like he is the missing piece of the puzzle.
The long-shot is Alex Edler. I like his game and despite a poor 2013-14 season, he is a top tier player. There are various reports as to whether he is on the Canucks' trade block, depending on the source. I say he is a long-shot because, he probably would have been traded to the Ducks along with Kesler when the latter arrived before the draft. Additionally, Vancouver wants to use him as the centerpiece to acquire a young defenseman like Tyler Myers.
Not a plethora of great options here. Finding the compliment to a top pair, puck moving defenseman is like finding a quality left tackle in football. There is limited quantity and every team wants a good one.
Unless he suffers a setback in his rehabilitation, Beauchemin is probably Fowler's partner to start the year. As the season progresses and teams fall out of the running, the market will change and GM Bob Murray will likely make a move to acquire someone.
-Ed
Anaheim Ducks Blogger • 
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