Elliott: Ducks point to future while Kings’ hope for boost from return of injured players

In six weeks because the Geese’ normal supervisor Pat Verbeek has made important progress towards erasing 5 seasons’ stagnation beneath predecessor Bob Murray.

The Geese have begun a large overhaul that’s being engineered by Verbeek, who concluded a flurry of strikes by buying and selling winger Rickard Rakell to Pittsburgh simply earlier than Monday’s NHL commerce deadline. Having appropriately determined to show the keys to the franchise over to the youngsters, Verbeek went all in. It’s the one strategy to go along with a crew that’s out of the playoffs however has a core of excellent younger gamers (suppose Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Isac Lundestrom and Jamie Drysdale) who have to change into leaders and develop in a extra optimistic surroundings than they’ve had.

The Kings, attempting to carry on to second place within the Pacific Division, are hoping for a lift from the return of key injured gamers after they welcomed defenseman Alex Edler (damaged ankle) again final Thursday. Normal supervisor Rob Blake, who stated he checked out some potential trades however “we additionally understood the scenario we will get ourselves into the subsequent few weeks when gamers begin coming again,” acquired skilled defenseman Troy Stecher from Detroit on Sunday for the modest value of a seventh-round draft decide.

“We have been fairly younger on the again finish the previous couple of video games,” stated Blake, who added that Tobias Bjornfot (lower-body damage) and ahead Viktor Arvidsson (lower-body damage) would possibly be a part of observe by the top of the week.

Blake additionally stated he’s uncertain if defenseman Drew Doughty, who suffered an upper-body damage on March 7, will return through the common season. That’s worrisome. “It’s just a little early to say. We’ll exhaust each possibility doable,” Blake stated. “He’s on the market skating now however not collaborating in drills. There will probably be an evaluation with the physician in subsequent few days to grasp subsequent steps.”

For the Kings, making the playoffs is about giving their younger gamers expertise at enjoying beneath duress for an eventual Stanley Cup run. The stakes are increased for Stanley Cup contenders Florida, Tampa Bay and Colorado, which added influence gamers the previous few days. So did Minnesota in buying goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in alternate for a conditional first-round decide.

The Geese’ strikes have a for much longer payoff timeline.

Verbeek received a large haul for Rakell, defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson and ahead Nicolas Delauriers, impending unrestricted free brokers who have been going to be too costly and need longer contracts than would match with a crew nonetheless years away from turning into a playoff pressure. His return: seven picks within the first three rounds of the subsequent three NHL drafts, together with a first-round decide this 12 months from Boston for Lindholm plus a former first-round decide in 23-year-old defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.

For Manson they received strong and poised protection prospect Drew Helleson, who performed for the gold medal-winning U.S. world junior crew in 2021 and U.S. Olympic crew at Beijing. For Rakell, who hasn’t come near the 33-goal manufacturing he had in 2016-17 or the 34 he scored in 2017-18, they received a second-round decide this 12 months; forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik Simon, who each convey expiring contracts; and 20-year-old goaltending prospect Calle Clang. The change of surroundings and improve in surrounding ability degree may revive Rakell. Deslauriers introduced a third-round decide in 2023. Verbeek can simply leverage a few of these picks into roster gamers this summer time and proceed the rebuild.

Verbeek additionally did the Vegas Golden Knights a favor by taking the remaining 12 months and $5-million wage cap hit of winger Evgeni Dadonov off their arms, however he acquired a conditional second-round decide in 2024 and received off the Geese’ books the contract of Ryan Kesler, who had a debilitating hip damage and hasn’t performed in additional than three years. John Moore, acquired by Anaheim within the Lindholm commerce, additionally was despatched to Vegas. Does he qualify for future Geese alumni golf tournaments?

Among the many largest winners across the NHL the previous few days have been the Florida Panthers, who acquired former Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux and defenseman Ben Chiarot from Montreal. The Panthers, who’ve the NHL’s second-best report, don’t have any first-round picks within the subsequent three drafts. Their commerce timeline was brief. The identical for Tampa Bay, which is attempting to change into the primary crew to win the Cup in three consecutive seasons for the reason that New York Islanders received 4 straight beginning in 1980. The Lightning, which is up in opposition to the wage cap restrict, paid a excessive value — conditional first-round picks in 2023 and 2024-to purchase ahead Brandon Hagel from Chicago. However he’s arising on restricted free company, so he’s not a rent-a-player.

The Toronto Maple Leafs did nicely to accumulate regular defenseman Mark Giordano from Seattle for 2 second-round picks and a third-rounder however didn’t fortify their goaltending, which has been tormented by accidents. The Cup drought within the Heart of the Hockey Universe is almost 55 years lengthy, and the strain to finish it’s intense from followers and media.

The Geese are years away from competing for the Cup however not less than they’ve a optimistic route with Verbeek in cost. The overhaul is beginning late however the stagnation is lifting.