Following a nine-game homestand, with a two-and-a-half-week Olympic break between, the Anaheim Ducks will head on the road for a four-game road trip to Canada to face the Winnipeg Jets before taking on the three Eastern Conference Canadian teams: Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens.
The Ducks left Orange County on a sour note, losing 4-0 to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, their fourth time being shutout this season and first time since Jan. 29.
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The Ducks head on the road, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights and three points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, with a game in hand on each.
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In perhaps the most surprising move during the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline and the days leading up to it, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek seemingly recognized an opportunity to win their division and perhaps afford his team the easiest (on paper) road to the Conference Final of any of the four divisions when he parted with a first-round pick and a third-round pick in exchange for veteran defenseman John Carlsson from the Washington Capitals.
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Carlson (36) is a pending UFA in the final year of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8 million. When the trade was made, the Ducks were guaranteed a maximum of 21 regular season games with Carlson in the lineup, in addition to any number of potential playoff games they’d play this spring.
However, Carlson had sustained a lower-body injury on Feb. 5, when he was forced from the ice after logging 7:03 TOI in Washington’s game against the Nashville Predators. He missed the Caps’ three games heading into the Olympic break and the one they played upon return, before he was traded to Anaheim on March 5.
“As soon as we kind of agreed to the deal, in these types of situations, you’re always having the medical staffs reach out to each other,” Verbeek said following the trade. “We actually got permission to go through his medical records, which was important to us.
“We’re not too concerned about it. Hopefully, when we get going on the trip, he’ll be able to join sometime on the trip with us, to be 100% healthy. “When you get in these certain circumstances, would he be healthy enough to play in a playoff game? Yeah, probably. But we don’t want to get in those situations.
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“We want to make sure that John’s 100% and ready to contribute to our group, which we’re really excited to add him to our group.”
Carlson has now been on the Ducks’ roster for two games, but was ruled out for each. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville stated after Sunday’s game that Carlson will travel with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip, but isn’t expected to play until the end of it.
“I would say that we hope he can play at the end of the trip,” Quenneville said. “That’s what we’re kind of targeting.”
Carlson has played 55 games this season, scoring 46 points (10-36=46) and averaging 22:52 TOI per game.
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Carlson will now likely play a maximum of 17 regular season games with Anaheim before his contract expires. Parting with a first-round pick, along with a third, for a player who is that limited in terms of output he can provide for a team is typically reserved for teams that feel they’re in contention to win the Stanley Cup that season. As stated, that may be how the Ducks view themselves at this juncture.
When acquired, Verbeek stated his desire to re-sign Carlson at the conclusion of the Ducks’ season. A contract extension would only further justify the price he paid to acquire Carlson at this year’s deadline.
Another Ducks player who will be unavailable for the foreseeable future is winger Troy Terry, who has only played six of the Ducks’ 23 games since the new year with a confirmed recurring upper-body injury.
He played in the Ducks’ two games leading into the Olympic break and the one following, but has been ruled out for the team’s last six. He’s been confirmed to be on the Ducks’ four-game road trip, but isn’t expected to play.
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“Yes, he is,” Quenneville said when asked if Terry would join the team on the trip. “Not sure he’ll play.”
Despite having been sidelined for 16 games this season, Terry still ranks fourth on the Ducks in scoring, with 45 points (13-32=45) in 46 games and averages 18:21 TOI per game.
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