Armchair GM: Kristen's Fire Sale Core Player Trades

Ryan Getzlaf for Jonathan Toews

A captain for a captain. Toews is one of the few players in the NHL that I would be okay with accepting in exchange for Getzlaf. Both men are playmaking centers (even though Toews - an Art Ross candidate - currently has more goals than assists), and proven winners. Both are also known for their intense, physical play. But there is a hunger in Toews' play that Getzlaf has lacked as of late.

Corey Perry for Loui "The Duck Killer" Eriksson

Of the five trades that I've proposed, this is the most plausible. But at first glance, Perry and Loui Eriksson seem like polar opposites. Eriksson was a Lady Byng nominee last season, has never been in an NHL fight, has amassed a mere 4 penalty minutes this season, and tends to disappear on the ice. He doesn't have Corey's edge, which would make him an atypical Ducks player. But this is a good thing. Eriksson is a smart, playmaking, two-way winger who has scored 38 points in 40 games. And he 'disappears' because he takes care of business without drawing attention to himself.

Bobby Ryan for Patrick Kane

Like Toews and Getzlaf, Ryan and Kane have similar profiles - both are American wingers, both were highly-coveted draft picks, and they even played on the same silver medal winning team at the 2010 Olympics. Both are capable of executing a dazzling spinorama. But while Bobby's spinoramas are pretty (and he plays beautiful, finesse hockey), Kane's are often the result of his extraordinary playmaking acumen. Remember this? Yeah, I thought so.

Cam Fowler for Karl Alzner or PK Subban

It was important for me to trade Cam Fowler for another young defenseman, especially considering the age of the Ducks' blueline. PK Subban (more on him later) and Michael Del Zotto were both great suggestions. But if I had my choice of any young defenseman in the league, I'd pick the Washington Capitals' Karl Alzner. He's arguably the best defenseman in the Capitals organization, and is only 23 years old. But more importantly, Alzner satisfies a giant need within our organization: he's capable of playing huge, shutdown minutes. If he keeps developing, he'll be the next Shea Weber.

A note about PK Subban: Subban and Alzner's defensive partner John Carlson are my second and third options for this trade. Both are offensive defensemen in the mode of Fowler, and they would immediately contribute to the Ducks blueline. Chris proposed trading Fowler for Subban in his Fire Sale post, and took some heat for it in the comments section. To be frank, I don't understand why everyone hates Subban. His game is all about antagonizing his opponent - he's Montreal's Corey Perry (and if his name was Chris Pronger, he would be rewarded for this behavior). That doesn't mean he's a "locker room cancer" - he's very polite in interviews, and willingly gives credit to his opponents. But he dives! So does Crosby. So did Gretzky. Subban's only 22, and I imagine that he'll eventually abandon his most egregious diving impulses. I don't want to start a flame war in the comments section, but I think that a lot of the Subban controversy is due to his position as a young, exuberant black man in a league that rewards the contributions of stoic white men. He's an explosive, elite defensman in-the-making, and I would be very glad to have him on our blueline.

Jonas Hiller for Tim Thomas

Yes, Tim Thomas is really old. And as much as I like Thomas, I think that Jonas is the Ducks goaltender of the future. I imagine that as soon as our defensive corps improves, the complaints about Jonas will cease. It just doesn't make sense to trade him for any other netminder in the league (he's only 29!). But if we had to trade him, I'd like to get Thomas in return. Thomas is old, but he's a passionate competitor who will stop a puck by any means necessary. He fiercely protects his own crease (Jonas does allow himself to be bullied too frequently). But beneath Thomas' fire and brimstone, there is stillness and poise. He could be an effective mentor for the Ducks stable of young goaltenders, and a leader on the team. And you don't have to pump his tires.