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Winds of change headed to Anaheim

June 13, 2018, 2:49 PM ET [36 Comments]
Steve Palumbo
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Anaheim Ducks failed this past season. They failed in so many ways. After falling short of another Cup Final in 2017 the club was expected to be as good, if not better than the team that came oh so close.

It never came to fruition and ended with a pitiful loss to a California rival.

I concede injuries played a huge role in the fall of the Ducks, but not all the blame can be laid upon the shoulders of the injury bug. Simply put, the Anaheim Ducks became a dinosaur in today's NHL and the poster child for their fossilization is none other than Corey Perry.

Perry is holding the Ducks and their salary cap hostage. The 33-year-old is owed $8.625 per year for the next three years. That's a ton of coin for a guy that hasn't cracked the 20-goal mark in each of the last two season. The former 50-goal scorer is in rapid decline. He chipped in zero points in the Ducks four-game sweep by San Jose and appeared to be closer to 40-year-old than 30. All of his advanced stats reached career lows this season and he no longer passes the eyeball test. Watching him skate is akin to watching molasses drip from a tree.

Perry has a no-movement clause in his contract, but the Ducks appear poised to move on from the one-time face of the franchise. It has been reported that the Ducks asked Perry for a list of teams he wouldn't accept a trade to. All indications are that Perry's days as a Duck are numbered.

Let's be real - if the Bob Murray wants to make his team better he has to spend every waking moment this summer finding a taker for Perry.

Obviously, that won't be easy. They only saving grace for the Ducks is that while Perry may not fit their needs any more, he may fit the needs of another team. CP10 could bring another team some much needed toughness with a bit of scoring touch. He cannot be relied on to carry or lead an offense but he can be asked to play a specific role on the offense. There has to be a club out there that puts value in that. Although that value may not be worth nearly $9 million dollars a year.

If the Ducks do find a taker for Perry and with Chris Kelly, Jason Chimera, J.T. Brown and Antoine Vermette all unrestricted free-agents, this team is primed for a significant roster reshuffling among the forwards. That's great news for the Anaheim faithful and for Honda Center playoff revenues.

The Ducks are set on defense and in net. A few tweaks to the forward group and we are talking about Anaheim as a contender again next season. Easier said (typed) than done.

Thanks for reading,
Steve
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