[Ed. Note: All weekend, the AC staff will be trading the same five core players for another team(s) core player(s) of equal value. Thanks for forcing us to write this, Bob Murray.]
Bob Murray’s ill timed decision to put the entire team up for auction will certainly have the desired effect around the blogosphere: trade speculation for everyone! We at Anaheim Calling are no different, and in that spirit I’m embracing this assignment as best I can. Mostly, because I get to trade Bobby Ryan and that makes me happy.
Bobby Ryan for Brooks Laich
Before everyone jumps up and down shouting, “you’d trade a top line player for a borderline second line player?”. Laich brings back all my nostalgia from the Cup team. I love everything about his game. He puts in effort, he’s defensively responsible and he has a decent scoring touch. With the right linemates, I firmly believe he can be a 60-70 point guy. The guy can can anchor a line from the wing or the middle. To this team, he’s a younger, upgrade to Koivu. He’s exactly the player we’d need to help bring up guys like Emerson Etem, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Kyle Palmieri. Other Thoughts: P.K. Subban, and Joffrey Lupul
The fact that the Blackhawks pay that guy less than 5 million should be considered cap circumvention. He has a great shot, plays center and the wing, and is just an all around great player. He’s the only type of player I’d want to replace Perry. Ok, that one hurt a little. Other Thoughts: Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla
The younger Koivu is also a great playmaker like his brother, and might benefit from playing for a team with some better wingers. Not that Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi are light weights, but I think Mikko and Perry could be a solid combination. Other Thoughts: Anze Kopitar
Cam Fowler for David Krejci
The Bruins want an offensive defenseman, and we have one. Krejci makes good sense considering we need another good center. Krejci would look great shoring up a line behind Getzlaf. Losing Fowler hurts…tons, but we have Justin Schultz in the pipeline and we need to retool the D anyway. Krejci for Fowler is a good move for all parties. Other Thoughts: P.K. Subban and Milan Lucic
Jonas Hiller for Erik Karlsson
This is a tough one. Of all the players on this list, I might consider Hiller to be the one the Ducks absolutely shouldn’t move. There really isn’t another goalie in the system, so it makes it hard to consider moving him for anything other than another goalie. That would mean the only legitimate option is a Hiller for Ryan Miller deal that I don’t necessarily love. Karlsson is another offensive defenseman and that would give the Ducks 3 young ones and make Sami Vatanen all but superfluous. This guy is putting up points that put a lot of forwards to shame. His career -34 in 3 seasons of work is a little terrifying, but it’s something that can hopefully be improved upon. Other Thoughts: Ryan Miller