Ducks Rumors: 3 trade candidates as changes continue in Anaheim

Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has been busy of late, making a couple of significant trades impacting his blueline. The Ducks acquired New York Rangers' captain Jacob Trouba, and while they initially offered Cam Fowler in trade talks, they ended up moving Fowler to the St. Louis Blues.

The 10-14-4 Ducks continue to rebuild on the fly, and expectation is changes will continue for Verbeek and company:

John Gibson

Gibson is no stranger to trade talks. He's been rumored to be involved in discussions for a couple of years now and with Lukas Dostal showcasing he's the goaltender of the future in Anaheim, the reality is creeping closer. Gibson owns a 4-4-1 record on the year, with a 2.90 goals against average, and .906 save percentage. Gibson is due $6.4 million against the cap through the 2026-27 season, and holds trade protection against 10 teams. Keep an eye on the Carolina Hurricanes and potentially the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are a team looking to also re-tool on the fly.

Frank Vatrano

The 30-year-old Vatrano is one of the many Ducks' pending free agents and if they're nowhere near a playoff spot, look for Verbeek to sell off some assets. Vatrano can score, he's potted seven goals and 14 points in 27 games, and has a history of being a reliable secondary scoring threat. He's due $3.65 million against the cap this season and without any trade protection, could be moved at will. Vatrano was one of the big reasons why Trouba approved a trade to the Ducks, so we'll see if they wind up getting some more time together, or not.

Brock McGinn

While Vatrano provides some top-six help for contending teams, McGinn is a depth option for the bottom six. The 30-year-old forward is on the books for $2.75 million this season and also doesn't hold any trade protection. McGinn's recorded four goals and seven points in 21 games, and is an effective penalty killer. There will be a market for McGinn and with Verbeek showing he's willing to retain salary, it could certainly help sweeten the pot for McGinn's return.