Congratulations to the Nashville Predators who are moving on to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.
The Preds are Western Conference champions as a result of their Game 6 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
To the victors go the spoils.
To the losers go very tough roster decisions in the days and weeks to come.
Ducks GM Bob Murray has done his dead-level best to keep his core roster intact for the past five seasons. Murray won't be able to rub his genie lamp to ask for more wishes.
It's the end of the line.
Now it's finally time for Murray to deconstruct the rock solid roster that he created via the NHL draft, free agency and the trade market. Murray must subtract a quality player or two from his talented roster.
Which player or players will it be?
Murray is scraping his 2017-18 salary cap ceiling. Murray already has $70.7 million of his $73 million salary budget committed. Murray has three key unrestricted free agents to sign in forwards Patrick Eaves and Nate Thompson. Murray must also find a solution to his fragile goaltending battery.
Is the injury-prone John Gibson the long term answer for the Ducks, who owe their starter $2.3 million for the next two seasons. Gibson went 9-5 in 16 playoff games that he started. His 2.59 GAA and .918 save percentage were pedestrian. Gibson allowed 38 goals on 466 shot attempts.
Then there is the question of who will serve as under study to Gibson. Jonathon Bernier and Jhonas Enroth will both become UFA on July 1.
Like 30 other NHL GMs, Murray also must pay the piper in terms of giving an exceptional player to the Vegas Knights at the expansion draft next month.
When the sting of the loss to Nashville subsides, Murray will be tasked With having to decide whether to protect seven forwards and three defensemen, OR, protect four forwards and four defensemen.
The Ducks Defense corps is one of the best groups in today's NHL. Like
Vultures on a desert cactus, 30 NHL GMs are eye balling Anaheim's impressive blue line waiting for a quality D or two to be made available to the trade market before the expansion draft.
Murray will immediately protect Hampus Lindholm And Sami Vatanen. Thankfully for Murray, young puck moving stars Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour are not eligible to be selected by Vegas. What becomes of veteran D contributors Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, and Kevin Bieksa?
Fowler, 25, just completed his best NHL season. He has only has one season remaining on his current contract. Fowler had a career best with 11 goals (5 PPG) and 28 assists in 80'gamea played. Fowler averaged 24:50 TOI in 2016-17. In 13 playoff games, Fowler managed an amazing 26:30 TOI per game. He also added 2 goals and 7 assists in 13 playoff games.
Manson, 25, plays a rugged, robust game and will be RFA on July 1. Murray would be wise to extend Manson with a three to four year deal with a $3M AAV.
Bob Murray will finally have to trade Fowler because he won't be able to pay him the $6 million to $6.5 million per season over seven seasons to keep Fowler in SoCal.
Murray and Randy Carlyle may want to keep Fowler but the economics and market forces will not allow it. Look for Buffalo and New Jersey to be all over Fowler trade opportunities.
Ducks forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler all have NMC in their contracts. The Ducks will not be exposing their two Swedish snipers Rickard Rakell or Jakob Silfverberg.
Rakell scored a team-leading 33 goals and 18 assists in 71 games in 2016-17. He potted 7 goals and 6 assists in 15 playoff games. Silfverberg scored 23 goals and 26 assists in 79 regular games this season. In 17 playoff games, Silfverberg scored 9 goals and 5 assists.
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