Anaheim Ducks' Top 2022-23 Trade Candidate

The Anaheim Ducks have nine upcoming UFAs and five RFAs on their roster which means they may have a significant amount of turnover by next season. This also means they have a number of potential trade candidates on their team that they can leverage for assets to build a strong team in the future. But the team's top trade candidate this season is John Klingberg.

I don't believe the Ducks thought they would be competing for a playoff spot this season as they are still in the rebuilding phase while their prospects and young players develop. It may still be a couple more years of finishing at the bottom of the standings, but the pool is strong.

The Ducks signed one of the top free agent defencemen from this past free agency in Klingberg to a one-year, $7 million contract. He was looking for a long-term deal, but with the flat cap, nothing came his way that he liked. His mind hasn't been changed and he will once again be looking for a long-term deal to cash in on. That isn't likely with the Ducks even though they have the cap space. The team isn't in the spot to compete yet and they would get Klingberg on the back half of his career when it's time to compete rather than in his prime.

This is why he is the team's top trade candidate. He is a high-class player on the back-end that has scored 10-plus goals in a season four times and recorded at least 40 points in five out of his eight NHL seasons. He has also finished a season top-six in Norris Trophy voting on two occasions. Klingberg is strong offensively despite the down season, but has improved throughout his career in the defensive zone.

Klingberg is a legitimate top-four defenceman that there will be interest around the league to acquire as a rental. He will also bring in the highest return from a player on the Ducks' roster.

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