NHL Rumors: Ducks Could Trade Top Defenseman

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Anaheim Ducks will likely trade defenseman Hampus Lindholm if they are unable to sign him to an extension before the deadline. This is still the case even with them currently having a playoff position.

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— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 2, 2022

At this juncture of the campaign, the Ducks have a 23-16-9 record and are second place in the Pacific Division. They have been a very pleasant surprise and have a true shot of making the postseason this year because of it. However, like Friedman noted, they also can't afford to lose Lindholm for nothing as a free agent during the offseason. They are still very much in a rebuilding mode and would be able to land a sweet return for the veteran defenseman - if he's against signing an extension, of course.

It's also been another solid season for Lindholm this year. In 46 games, he has five goals, 14 assists, and a plus-6 rating. His ability to produce offense but remain defensively responsible is exactly why many teams would enter the sweepstakes if he's made officially available.

It will be interesting to see what the Ducks end up doing with Lindholm. It's truly a difficult decision, but it also has to be made by mid-March once the deadline is here.