Patience for the Ducks
Eric Stephens of The Athletic: The Anaheim Ducks are headed towards a lottery pick – potentially an early pick in the first round. They had been trying to add to their blue line since the offseason – Justin Faulk and Kevin Shattenkirk – and added Erik Gudranson.
It didn’t make sense to offer up first-round pick(s) and prospect(s) for someone like Taylor Hall. Defenseman Torey Krug and forward Chris Kreider would help the Ducks, but moving assets for them wouldn’t make them contenders or much sense right now.
“We’ve got to stay the course of what we’re trying to do,” he said. “So far, Henry and Susan are wonderful with it. We’ll just be patient and stay the course.”
What is Nurse worth on a long-term deal?
David Staple of the Edmonton Journal: Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now brings up comparables for Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse – Winnipeg Jets Josh Morrissey at $6.25 million per over eight years and New York Rangers Jacob Trouba at $8 million per over seven years. Brian Burke when ask if that would be the salary range for Nurse:
“Not for me,” Burke said. “First off, I think most guys feel that Trouba’s deal was an aberration, an overpay given what he brings offensively. Our teams tend to pay for offence and you’ve got to be able to defend, but they pay for numbers, and they don’t pay for guys who don’t put up numbers.
And I like Darnell Nurse. I certainly don’t want to get in the middle of a contract negotiation fight. But I will bet this house that I’m sitting in Toronto that if (Edmonton GM) Kenny Holland called Winnipeg and said to (Winnipeg GM) Kevin Cheveldayoff, ‘Would you trade me Morrissey for Darnell Nurse?’ he’d get hung up on. Morrissey is a better player. What Darnell brings is he’s big, and can really skate and he’s physical, but he doesn’t have the offensive upside that those other guys do. And Trouba in my mind, that contract is an aberration.”
Staple’s doesn’t believe Nurse is worth Trouba’s money but could be worth a deal in the $6 million range. If agent Anton Thun wants more, it may be time move him.