With the NHL trade deadline just a few weeks away and the Ducks yet again sitting towards the bottom of the standings, it is time to take a look at their pending unrestricted free agents to see if they will be moved at the deadline for assets.
Adam Henrique
Henrique is in his 14th NHL season, his seventh in Anaheim, and he just celebrated his 34th birthday last week. There is some slowing in his game, but overall, Henrique is aging with a little more grace than other 34-year-olds tend to do.
Henrique currently has 15 goals, 20 assists, and 35 points in 51 games played this season and has played much better since being put on the top line with rookie phenom Leo Carlsson and a very good Troy Terry. In the eight games that he has been on the top line, Henrique has four goals, seven assists and 11 points.
Henrique is a very responsible player that can chip in offensively and can be a great addition to a contender’s middle-six. He’s played a mixed role this season by primarily being a left-winger but still having a 53.6 FO% in 752 draws.
There have been plenty of trade talks and rumors surrounding Henrique already; Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has him third on his trade target board.
His value is tough to judge. He is obviously a consistent 40 to 50 point player who can play center and wing, be a solid net front presence, good hockey IQ and seems to be well respected in the locker room. The tough part is his age and his contract. Henrique’s cap hit is $5.825 million and that will be tough for contenders that are close to the salary cap.
One thing that works in the Ducks’ favor is that the current trade market lacks centers, so that will drive up Henrique’s value as well as if the Ducks choose to retain salary. The Ducks also have three third-round picks in this upcoming draft and can add in one of those picks for a better return.
Overall, if the Ducks can get at least a second round pick for Henrique, the Ducks will be satisfied.
Jakob Silfverberg
Silfverberg is having himself a fine season. His five goals, eight assists and 13 points in 51 games played will not tell you the type of impact he has had on the Ducks this season.
The 33-year-old is having the best defensive season in his career. His 5.6 xDef is tied for seventh-best in the league and fourth-best among forwards, according to Evolving Hockey. Silfverberg’s defense is also rated at the 98th percentile on Evolving Hockey. After dealing with hip surgery and blood clots in his leg over the past few seasons, Silfverberg’s offensive production and speed have sharply declined, but he has become far more defensively responsible.
With a $5.25 million cap hit, it is hard to imagine an aging Silfverberg is on the trading block, no matter how good his defense has become. It seems safe to say that Silfverberg will be finishing the year with the Ducks.
As for the offseason, it is looking like the Jakob Silfverberg era in Anaheim is nearing an end with the Ducks influx of young talent. The further along this rebuild goes for the Ducks, the harder it is to fit Silfverberg in the lineup.
Sam Carrick
Carrick is another player that does not seem to be on the move. Carrick has been the Ducks’ fourth line center the majority of the season and has seven goals, three assists and 10 points in 52 games played.
Carrick plays a physical brand of hockey and has the second most hits on the Ducks with 111 and is tied with the fifth most fighting majors in the league with six, which is second on the Ducks as well. His physicality can be used to his advantage in puck battles along the boards, and he can be a net-front presence, but that is the extent of his offensive capabilities.
A player of that archetype generally does not garner that much attention in the trade market, and there have not been any rumblings of him being on the move, so, as of now, a Sam Carrick trade feels highly unlikely. Similar to Silfverberg, it is hard to make room for Carrick on the roster moving forward with all of the younger and more talented options at center the Ducks have moving forward, and I am not sure if the Ducks will look to bring him back in the offseason.
Ilya Lyubushkin
Lyubushkin is a shock-blocking, physical defenseman that has served as Pavel Mintyukov’s defensive partner when both are healthy. He has no goals and only four assists, but offense has never been his strength.
The advanced metrics do not love Lyubushkin, however. His -5.9 xDef is the eighth worst in the league and third worst among defenseman, and his -4.6 xOff is tied for seventh worst in the league, according to Evolving Hockey. Lyubushkin also has the worst expected goals above replacement in the league at -11.5 xGAR.
Despite the poor play, there are teams are reportedly interested in Lyubushkin, according to The Fourth Period. Hard to imagine there is much value there that the Ducks can get, but it is better than nothing. For reference, the Ducks acquired Lyubushkin over the summer for a fourth-round pick.
Episode 127: The Ol' Meat Sweats – Late Arrivals: An Anaheim Ducks Podcast
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