The Ducks had a solid first-round pick in this year’s draft but not a first overall pick, and they needed one for their pick at the NHL Entry Draft.
The Ducks were also trying to improve their blue line in a tough division, and while they had some legitimate NHL prospects, they were not a powerhouse.
They didn’t need to spend top-five picks to land a star.
They could have simply drafted a defenseman that had an edge over the top-three picks in the upcoming draft, but that’s a risk that they took, especially considering they still needed to sign their first- and second-round picks.
In this case, they could have selected an experienced NHL defender like defenseman Dylan McIlrath or center Michael Del Zotto.
Both players are very good and are very close to the NHL level, and the Ducks could have landed a big piece in the middle of the second round if it had been their chance.
Instead, they got two players that have potential and are good prospects, while not necessarily in the top five.
The Ducks also have a lot of assets to improve in their bottom-six.
If they could sign a player who could play at center, that would give them another scoring center who can play in a defensive role and can help the Ducks improve on their goal differential.
The trade also helps shore up the blueline because it gives the Ducks another option to make up for the loss of Ryan Getzlaf.
The biggest loss in this trade is not necessarily one of the top prospects.
Instead it is the Ducks blueliner.
He was a good defenseman last season and had good offensive numbers, but the Ducks are still searching for a true center.
While he was solid last season, he had trouble with consistency and wasn’t really a player that was good enough to be a top six defenseman.
He is going to be paid in the future to be that player.
The trade also brings the Ducks down a level, as they lost a defenseman who was a strong leader and a player with a strong defensive game.
He will be missed, but it will be a welcome addition to the team.
The loss of Del Zotta was also a positive, because he was a big part of their offensive success last season.
It is a great trade for the Ducks, but there are a lot more things to consider than just the trade value.
The team did lose some assets in the deal that they might have been better off to have, and it was a risky move.
The real question now is how they can build on that and get better.