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The Calgary Flames, like many teams, would like to add another top-4 defenseman.
They have one of the best defense pairings in the NHL in Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton but they need to find a capable partner for T.J. Brodie on the second unit.
Not many teams are in a position where they can move a top-4 guy without making a big time dent on the roster. One of the few that can are the Anaheim Ducks, a rival and a team that has ended the Flames' season two of the last three years.
Generally, teams don't like to make trades within the division, especially when they are of a big magnitude, but it could make sense for the two sides to make an exception this summer.
The Ducks are in an expansion draft bind.
Let's assume Kevin Bieksa waives his NMC and doesn't need to be protected. The Ducks, as it stands, would still have to use the 4-4-1 protection plan to make sure they can keep the big four on defense of Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson.
That's a big problem as they'd have to leave one of Rickard Rakell or Jakob Silfverberg exposed, as well as the underrated Andrew Cogliano and another forward.
They're not going to let go of a 23-year-old who potted 32 goals last season, nor a 26-year-old possession driving winger who put up 49 points, so it's almost certain they will trade one of the big four on defense.
That seems like the best route to take, too, with the likes of Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore showing they are more than capable of taking on bigger roles.
With Fowler seemingly close to an extension, Lindholm signed long-term at a very favorable price, and Manson bringing a perfect combination of skating ability and physicality to the table, it would seem Vatanen is the most likely trade candidate.
In the latest edition of 30 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman wrote a couple notes on the situation Bob Murray and the Ducks are in, as well as how things may play out. Below is an excerpt from number 6 and 7.
They have real potential to hit a home run with this deal, but if you need one of Anaheim’s defencemen to help you make the playoffs next year, are you willing to wait a month into the season for him? What if it’s two, or three?
...
I can’t see him keeping one of these defenders west, unless he covets the third-overall pick from Dallas. I’ve heard the Ducks like Sam Bennett a lot, but would they really want to do this deal with Calgary?
The Bennett bit is really interesting. He had a down season in 2016-17 and definitely didn't produce as much as expected. One reason for that is probably Troy Brouwer (Bennett, like many, fared much better without him) but, even so, you'd expect Bennett to finish higher than 9th in shots per 60 and 10th in points per 60 when looking at Flames forwards.
I believe Bennett has more to give than he's shown but Vatanen, a 25-year-old whose output compares to that of a No. 2 defenseman, would be a great piece to land.
note: graph via OwnThePuck.
For the sake of discussion, let's say a deal centered around Bennett and Vatanen gets done.
The Flames would undoubtedly go with the 4-4-1 expansion draft plan. They'd protect Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik up front as well as Giordano, Hamilton, Brodie, and Vatanen on defense.
This scenario would leave Micheal Ferland, who is very underrated, and Curtis Lazar unprotected. The Ferland bit really bugs me but perhaps the Flames could give Vegas an asset to leave him alone. I don't think all that much about Lazar but giving up a 2nd round pick and losing him after four games would be horrible asset management, too.
If a deal were to happen, the Flames would be in a bit of a pickle expansion wise but a top-4 of Giordano-Hamilton and Brodie-Vatanen would be nothing short of incredible.
The Ducks, meanwhile, would be in a perfect situation where they keep Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry, Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg, Andrew Cogliano and Bennett up front as well as Lindholm, Fowler, and Manson on defense.
Chances are a deal like Bennett for Vatanen never comes to fruition but, if not anything else, it's a fun scenario to think about.
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