Forget about the hoopla that surrounds the annual trade deadline. Bob Murray has been active at that in recent years, but the general manager’s real reconstructing of the Ducks occurs at the NHL entry draft.
Murray is with all the other GMs preparing for Friday’s first round and Saturday’s subsequent rounds at Buffalo’s First Niagara Center, but it won’t be just about adding prospects to the organization. He’s already made a big deal and seems ready to make another.
Cam Fowler could be calling the moving van. The sixth-year defenseman, who went straight from the draft to their roster and stayed there, has generated serious interest from several teams, and Murray may be ready to part with the smooth-skating puck mover.
Fowler may be expendable. Murray signed Sami Vatanen to a four-year, $19.5 million contract extension and needs to sign Hampus Lindholm. Fowler has two years and $8 million left on his contract. If his money is moved, it could go toward a long-term deal for Lindholm.
And with Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour set to make the jump, the time to deal Fowler may be right. Being able to deal equally pricey veterans Kevin Bieksa or Clayton Stoner would be preferable, but teams want one of the young guys – Fowler, Lindholm or Vatanen.
Among those Murray is talking to is Buffalo GM Tim Murray. Sources told The Buffalo News that the Sabres covet Fowler – whom they’ve reportedly had interest in for years – and might offer up the No. 8 overall pick.
Other parts could be in the deal, with the Ducks moving one of their two first-round picks and the Sabres possibly sending a scoring winger. The two Murrays, who aren’t related, are expected to talk again Friday morning.
“Thanks to Tim Murray, everybody is calling,” Bob Murray said Thursday. “I have no idea if we will make a trade tomorrow.”
Murray relishes having a deep defense corps, but when asked earlier this week about being able to keep his surplus, the Ducks GM said: “We’re looking at that, but I’m still taking phone calls. We’ll leave it at that.”
The Ducks had just five draft picks coming into this week, but Murray gained some added currency in trading goalie Frederik Andersen to Toronto, getting a second first-round pick along with a 2017 second-rounder.
Now the question is whether he’ll use those two firsts – the 24th and 30th picks – to help beef up a system devoid of higher-end forward prospects or use one in a deal to move up or include in a trade for a proven forward. Murray is on record in saying that he wants a left wing.
If the Ducks keep the picks, they’ve got a plan they usually stick to.
“It’s always been a philosophy to take the best player available in the first couple of rounds, but, saying that, you have to be strong down the middle of the ice,” Murray said. “I’m never going to pass up on a good defenseman or good centerman. That’s just how I think.”
But the draft has seen Murray do more than pose for pictures with wide-smiling teenagers. The last two has seen him trade for Ryan Kesler and Carl Hagelin. One trade worked, the other didn’t.
ALSO
The Ducks re-signed defenseman Andrew O’Brien and centers Michael Sgarbossa and Joseph Cramarossa to one-year contract extensions. All were restricted free agents who played for the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, last season. … Former Ducks assistant Bob Woods was hired by Buffalo to serve on the staff of Sabres coach Dan Bylsma.
Contact the writer: estephens@ocregister.com
