Trading Block: Bobby Ryan
Wow. This is a bit of a stunner, but even Ryan said he thinks he will be dealt. The question is why? We are talking about a 24 year old, 6’1, 210 pound, 35 goal scorer here. These guys don’t grow on trees. But if this is for HOCKEY reasons I can see it being legit. The Ducks have a lot of size on there top line already in Getzlaf and Perry, not to mention a 19 year old power forward already on the roster in Devante Smith-Pelly and 2010 1st round pick Emerson Etem is obliterating the WHL right now. So they have the pieces and can afford to move him. But if it’s for prospects, I don’t get it at all. Sure Bob Murray COULD be thinking with the team struggling that it would be a good time to maximize an asset that while incredible, isn’t a necessity going forward. But I just got to believe he is dangling him out there to see if he can upgrade somewhere else for now.
First thought I had that would upgrade both teams and is an even deal? To Pittsburgh for Jordan Staal. Pens get a power forward to pair with Sid, Ducks get a great number 2 centre to play behind Getzlaf, Ducks save about a million on the cap, maybe Pittsburgh sends a guy like Steve Sullivan in the deal as well, and the Pens have Dustin Jeffrey who can take over as the 3rd line centre. But that makes WAY too much sense…so I look elsewhere.
The Leafs will be interested. Winger isn’t where the Leafs are weak, but they have a very soft top 6 that Ryan would drastically upgrade. Cody Franson is a pretty good d-man who isn’t playing much at all in Leaf land, and they have a lot of candidates for a forward to add (Grabovski, Kadri, Kulemin though Leaf fans will say Kulemin is too much with Franson but it would be worth it).
The Rangers could use a power forward in the top 6. The Rags have a lot of assets to play with here, but I don’t think they could do a “hockey” deal. They could do a future’s deal. Dubinsky (need salary going back), Krieder, and either a 1st or McIlrath.
Montreal is yet ANOTHER good candidate. They should maybe be the team that pursues him more than any other. Clearly the Habs wanted to address there size issue in free agency that’s why there front office got smashed on July 1st and gave a broken down, hasn’t been great in 5 years Erik Cole the world. Here is the problem for the Habs…they got too much tied up in terrible contracts to take on Ryan’s. They have the assets. Leblanc, Tinordi, Beaulieu, all there picks, but a team like Anaheim isn’t going to take on one of Erik Cole, Brian Gionta, or Scott Gomez. So unless they could dump one of those albatrosses elsewhere they can’t fit him in.
And finally I go back to the blog I did on the Calgary Flames, specifically where Jarome Iginla would be a great fit AND the Flames would get a great return,Chicago. Well, they could go this route too. Ryan is much younger, putting up nearly as good of numbers the last 2 seasons, and is less of a cap hit. But again, if the Ducks want to do a “hockey deal”, I don’t see this working. The Hawks aren’t giving up anything off there roster. But if they could add Ryan and give up kids like Olsen, McNeil and Kyle Beach, it’s a big price to pay but may be well worth it. Add some salary into that package of course, but point is that the Hawks are prospect rich, could afford to add a power forward in there top 6, and will have cap space going forward.
It’s a VERY intriguing one to follow. Ryan is a premiere power forward in the league and will get a lot of calls from more than the teams I have mentioned.
Update: 24 hours after posting this of course the Ducks fire Carlyle and hire Boudreau and basically kills the Bobby Ryan trade possibility. However Pierre Lebrun says that this could gain steam again before the trade deadline if the Ducks don’t get back in the playoff race.
