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Ducks Feathering The Nest

October 6, 2016, 9:05 PM ET [15 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
I've been saying for months that the Anaheim Ducks will have to move out money in order to sign their two prime restricted free agents in defenseman Hampus Lindholm and forward Rickard Rakell.

On Thursady afternoon, Ducks GM Bob Murray began the process of opening up salary cap space when he placed veteran defenseman Clayton Stoner on waivers.

Stoner played fifty games for the Ducks last season and was Sami Vatanen's defense partner.

If Stoner clears waivers at Noon on Friday 10/7, Murray will create needed salary cap space.

Stoner is scheduled to earn $3.25 million in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Stoner signed a four-year, $13-million contract with the Ducks on July 1, 2014.


It's likely that Stoner will pass through waivers to AHL San Diego.

Stoner's roster spot in Anaheim would likely be filled immediately by one of their two organizational defense stars Shea Theodore or Brandon Montour, who have played exceptionally well for the Ducks during their training camp.


On Thursady night, Murray's game of duck, duck, goose continued when he assigned Theodore and Montour to AHL San Diego. Murray also assigned center Calle Kasila to San Diego. The Ducks also released Sean Bergenheim and Kyle MacKinnon from their professional tryout contracts. MacKinnon will play in San Diego while Bergenheim was released outright.

The Ducks are currently as a 28 man training camp roster.

So, what do all of the roster moves mean to Bob Murray?


I fully expect Murray to trade away veteran puck mover Cam Fowler and his $4 million contract (next two seasons). I've had Fowler on the trade radar dashboard since last September. I think that it is very likely that Bob Murray will be trading Fowler in teh next six days before teh start of teh 2016-17 season.


Without Lindholm in their training camp, the Ducks still have serious depth on their blue line with Fowler, Sami Vatanen, Kevin Bieksa, Simon Despres, Josh Manson, and Korbinian Holze.r When Fowler trades Fowler he can immediately recall Theodore and his entry level contract from San Diego. Theodore has more than passed his audition to replace Folwer in their top four defense core.


Murray can also lean on defense prospects Brandon Montour and Jacob Larsson in times of need.

Murray is only working with $7.5 million in available salary cap space.

If and when Stoner clears waivers he will get more cap relief.

Murray will have to clear out more cap space in order to ink Lindholm to his reported six year, $6 million to $6.5 million annual average value. Rakell has been seeking a six year, $24 million contract that will carry a $4 million AAV.



I've said it before, and I will say it until he is finally traded:


Cam Fowler is on the move.


Bob Murray has an embarrassment of riches in terms of NHL-ready defensemen on his organization depth chart.

Trading Fowler will hurt in the short term but will be remedied in the long run with Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour stepping into the NHL lineup. These kids are better than alright. Simply put, they are too talented and too skilled to be biding time in the AHL. They have proven their consistency and ability to play the NHL game. They are ready to make the transition to the NHL.

Fowler is the owner of a $4 million AAV for the next two seasons.

Theodore filled in admirably for the exceptional puck mover Folwer when he injured his knee in December 2015 and was forced to sit our six weeks of game action. Theodore opened the eyes of Bob Murray and validated his position as the Ducks' top organizational defense prospect.

The Ducks made an amazing transformation and literally saved their season and their playoff aspirations in the time that Fowler was injured to the time he returned to the starting lineup after his injury had healed. When the Ducks limped out to their 12-15-6 record to begin the 2015-16 season, whispers of a Fowler trade became louder. After Christmas, the Ducks took flight and finished the season with a remarkable 34-10-5 record. There was no way that Bob Murray would shake up his Ducks roster while it's players had risen from the NHL outhouse to the penthouse atop of the NHL standings.


No way in Hell.

Buffalo, New Jersey and Boston are interested in acquiring Fowler.




**

The Buffalo Sabres practiced on Thursday in preparation for their seventh and final exhibition game in Ottawa on Friday night.

Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma gave a post-practice update on his waking wounded veteran players.

In no particular order, here's the latest on the injuries that have been sabotaging the Sabres:


Ryan O'Reilly- Bylsma said that ROR suffered back and midsection spasm in the first period of Wednesday night's shootout loss to Carolina. ROR played half the first period before retiring to the locker room as a precautionary move.


"Ryan O’Reilly mostly left the game for precautionary reasons but had a spasm in his back and midsection, is still obviously off the ice with that," Byslma said.

"Day-to-day, precautionary really at this point in time. He will not be playing tomorrow in the game, then we’ll have the 8th off, so he should have a few good days here of rest, treatment and rehab.



Kyle Okposo- Bylsma called the injury a knee bruise and said that it is improving. Okposo took a slap shot off his left knee during a power play drill at the end of Monday's practice.


Bylsma said that Okposo has been making progress every day this week since the injury first occurred.


Zach Bogosian- suffered a groin strain last week. Bylsma said that Bogosian skated on his own on Thursday.


Dmitry Kulikov- suffered an injury last Friday night when he was body checked into the open door gate inside the Toronto Maple Leafs bench. Bylsma called the injury a "butt bruise".


Kulikov may skate on Friday.

"I don't like talking about the bruised butt that he has", Bylsma quipped.



Thanks, Buffalo News



***



Bylsma was asked to comment on the status of the ongoing negotiations between Rasmus Ristolainen and Tim Murray.

Will Ristolainen sign his long term contract extension between now and the puck drop on the season opener on October 13?


"I think it will get done".

Ristolainen is a high profile unsigned restricted free agent in the same situation as Johnny Gaudreau, Hampus Lindholm, Jacob Trouba and Richard Rakell.

Despite not having a contract, Ristolainen joined his Sabres teammates last week. Ristolainen played for Team Finland at the World Cup of Hockey. Since Finalnd was eliminated from the World Cup, Ristolainen has been skating with his teammates during training camp practices. He cannot play in preseason games.










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