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The Anaheim Ducks have an expansion draft problem.
They have too many quality defensemen to protect and, even if Kevin Bieksa agrees to waive his NMC, they'd have to expose one of Rickard Rakell or Jakob Silfverberg in order to keep the big four of Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, and Sami Vatanen.
They are obviously not going to sit on their hands and willingly lose a 23-year-old who scored 32 goals this past season, nor a 26-year-old who put up 49 points and posted solid underlying numbers, so safe money is on them trading a blue liner. Should that be the case, there's no decision to be made with Rakell and Silfverberg and they'd also have enough room to keep Andrew Cogliano and, perhaps, Patrick Eaves if he re-signs.
Fowler led the Ducks in ice time during the regular season and playoffs (and is already working on an extension), Lindholm finished 2nd in ice and has quietly developed into an elite -- yes, elite -- defenseman and Josh Manson can skate and brings a big time physical presence while mostly playing alongside Lindholm on the shutdown pairing.
Add in the fact offensively gifted defensemen Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore are more than ready for full-time duty and it seems Sami Vatanen will be the odd-man out.
I know some people are throwing away the possibility now that it's been announced he needs surgery and will be out 4-5 months, if not a little more, but I don't think it's a big deal.
Injured players can still be traded so there's no issue there and, again, someone almost certainly has to go.
Several have asked about Montour but he is extremely promising and doesn't even need to be protected so why would the Ducks move him? It doesn't solve any problems for them.
For the sake of discussion, let's say Vatanen misses five and a half months with his injury. That timeline would lead to a return in November. Are the Devils going to shy away from Vatanen, assuming he's a target, because he'll miss a handful of games at the start of the season? I would very much doubt that.
The guy is 25 years old and signed for three more seasons. The Devils, or any team, would be acquiring him as a long-term piece.
I just can't imagine any decision makers shying away because he'll miss, say, 10 games at the beginning of the season. Also, Vatanen's injury doesn't mean his trade value is going to drop like crazy, if at all.
Teams always have to pay up for quality defensemen and that will the case for Vatanen or any other blue liner the Ducks decide to move.
Whether or not the Devils end up acquiring Vatanen remains to be seen but, if they don't, I very much doubt the injury will play a role. Nor should it.
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