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Josh Manson

Josh Manson Expected To Re-Sign With Avalanche

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One of Colorado’s key trade deadline acquisitions is set to stick around.  As first reported by Peter Baugh of The Athletic (Twitter link), the Avalanche have agreed to terms on a new contract with defenseman Josh Manson.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that it’s a four-year, $18MM contract which results in a $4.5MM AAV.

The 30-year-old was brought in from Anaheim just before the trade deadline in exchange for defenseman prospect Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick in an effort to shore up the back of their defense corps.  Manson was able to do just that, playing a key role in helping Colorado win the Stanley Cup last month and was ranked 16th in our Top 50 UFA list.

Last season, Manson played in 67 games between Anaheim and Colorado, picking up six goals and ten assists.  While he had a 37-point season back in 2017-18, the 16 points he had in 2021-22 is closer to the typical production that he puts up which limited the upside of his market.  However, he was still able to land a small raise from the $4.1MM he had on his last contract with another four-year commitment.

The Avalanche will have an impressive back end next season with Manson sticking with an impressive young core that features Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, and Bowen Byram that are all 24 or younger and Devon Toews who has emerged as a high-end defender in his own right since joining Colorado.  With Erik Johnson still in the fold, that’s one of the stronger and deeper defense corps in the league which should give plenty of support to new starter Alexandar Georgiev.

With this agreement and the one given to Darren Helm earlier today, Colorado now has a little over $9MM in remaining cap space per CapFriendly with Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky both set to hit the open market in less than an hour.  Barring a significant trade, it’s unlikely that either of them will re-sign with the bulk of their remaining camp room likely being earmarked for restricted free agent winger Artturi Lehkonen.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

More On Josh Manson Trade

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Of course the team to jumpstart a stagnant trade market is none other than the NHL’s very best. The league-leading Colorado Avalanche made a big move on Monday night to acquire defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks. They weren’t the only team looking to pry the big blue liner away though. A number of clubs have been linked to Manson, including the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs, the latter of whom seemingly got close to adding him. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga reports that Manson was unwilling to waive his trade protection to go to Toronto, which implies that the Leafs got close enough that the Ducks approached the veteran defender about the possibility. Manson has just a limited No-Trade Clause – a twelve-team no-trade list. It seems that the Maple Leafs were among those dozen undesirable landing spots. It is unclear whether the team has been a long-standing member of that list or a more recent addition given their current struggles.

  • The Manson trade shows that the Anaheim Ducks are officially sellers. The team has exceeded expectations this season and have continued to stick around the Western Conference playoff picture, but of late have slid outside of a reasonable chance of reaching the postseason this year. Any question as to their deadline position is now over, but the unknown remains to what extent they will sell. While Manson is a very talented player, he is not even among the top two potential rentals in Anaheim. That would be fellow defenseman Hampus Lindholm and skilled forward Rickard Rakell. Both of these players are core pieces for the Ducks and critical to their success and at 28 years old could each continue to play a major role for years to come. If Anaheim feels that they are close to contending following their strong start this season, then they could opt for extensions rather than trades for Lindholm and Rakell. Alas, Alberga reports that there are no ongoing contract negotiations with either player right now, which could imply that they will soon follow Manson out the door.
  • If and when the Ducks do move Lindholm, they have set the bar high for the rental defenseman market. Manson is the first and only proven top-four defenseman to be dealt so far this season and in return Anaheim landed a 2023 second-round pick and a well-regarded 2019 second-round pick in Boston College defenseman Drew Helleson, a top-five scorer for the Eagles. Though a solid defensive asset, Manson pales in comparison to the more well-rounded Lindholm, who might be the best defenseman on the trade market. An A-level prospect and a second-round pick, or even two second-round picks, is now the baseline to which Anaheim can refer when commanding a much better return for Lindholm. Around the league, the Canadiens, Kraken, and possibly the Stars will be happy to see the Manson return knowing that their top-four rentals – Ben Chiarot, Mark Giordano, and John Klingberg – may also garner an equal or greater return.
  • The Colorado Avalanche are not done either. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was quick to note that the Manson acquisition is not all that GM Joe Sakic has in mind as he chases the Stanley Cup. Especially given the cap flexibility afforded by recent injuries to Gabriel Landeskog and Samuel Girard, the door is open in Denver. LeBrun still expects the team to take a swing at Philadelphia Flyers star Claude Giroux and have their eyes on other forwards as well.

Colorado Avalanche Acquire Josh Manson

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The Colorado Avalanche were rumored to be preparing for a big move, and a big move they have made. The Avalanche have acquired Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round draft pick. The Ducks are retaining half of Manson’s remaining cap hit.

When it was announced over the weekend that Gabriel Landeskog is going to undergo surgery and Samuel Girard will be out at least a month, there was an immediate buzz around the Avalanche. Moving either of those players to long-term injured reserve would open up some significant cap space for Colorado to make an addition at the trade deadline. While they may not even be done, adding Manson show just how serious the Avalanche are this season as they chase the Stanley Cup.

In fact, even without moving players out the Avalanche can fit in Manson given the salary retention. The 30-year-old defenseman carries a $4.1MM cap hit in the final season of a four-year, $16.4MM contract signed in 2017. By keeping half, it makes Manson a relatively inexpensive financial asset for the Avalanche with just a small chunk of the season remaining.

A move like this also shines some light on what the market prices are like around the league, as even with the retention the Ducks were unable to secure a first-round selection. While the second-round pick is a good one–especially in 2023, a draft that is being heavily targeted in trade talks–the most interesting part of this trade might be the inclusion of Helleson. Selected 47th overall in 2019, the 20-year-old right-shooting defenseman has turned into a star at Boston College and recently took part in the Olympics for Team USA. Helleson still needs to be signed to an NHL contract after his college career comes to an end, but the Ducks very well could have found a direct replacement for Manson in the deal–one that is a decade younger.

Notably, Manson also held a 12-team no-trade clause, so he had some control over his deadline situation. New Ducks GM Pat Verbeek had been clear recently that while he hoped to re-sign his big pending free agents, if he wasn’t able to there would be no hesitation in trading them away. That’s in spite of the fact that Anaheim has been better than expected this season and could potentially still make the playoffs; Verbeek has a bigger prize than just the postseason on his mind when making deals like this.

Manson himself has taken a bit of a step backward in recent seasons, but is a prototypical playoff-style defenseman, always looking to use his physicality to wear down the opponent. He doesn’t provide nearly the same kind of offensive upside that a player like Girard brings, but he’ll immediately add some depth, toughness, and defensive acumen to the Avalanche group.

Kevin Weekes of NHL Network broke the news, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed the salary retention and draft pick details. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Rumors: Lindholm, Manson, Lehkonen

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With just a week now until the 2022 Trade Deadline, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun took the liberty of compiling a recap of the current standing of many big names who are in conversation to get moved within the next eight days. As injuries have complicated the trade potentials of players like Jakob Chychrun and John Klingberg, LeBrun notes that Anaheim Ducks blueliner Hampus Lindholm is now generating the most interest among pending UFA defensemen. The 28-year-old has stayed healthy this year and is once again playing in a top-pairing situation in Orange County. While some advanced metrics suggest his two-way play has taken a dip this season, he remains a great penalty killer and has experience playing against quality competition. LeBrun notes that general manager Pat Verbeek is likely to take “one last run” at an extension with Lindholm before focusing on a trade, though. If available, he’s likely one of the few rental defensemen on the market that can comfortably step into a top-four role on a contending team and provide his new club with an upgrade in that department. LeBrun singles out the Florida Panthers specifically as a team that’s “kept tabs” on Lindholm.

Some more notes on some deadline assets:

  • Josh Manson is another Duck on an expiring deal who could find a new home next week, likely with some added value as he’s a right-shot D. LeBrun says the Carolina Hurricanes are one of the teams that have checked in on Manson, but with their limited salary cap space at this point, getting a deal done may be tough. Any Manson/CAR trade would likely require a third team to broker the deal, adding to the acquisition cost for Carolina. At this moment in time, that acquisition cost is too high for the ’Canes, according to LeBrun.
  • As the Washington Capitals continue to putter, now likely locked in as the second Wild Card in the Eastern Conference, they’re looking to add to their forward group that’s seen significant injuries this year. LeBrun says Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen is a name that makes sense, but with Montreal not in a rush to trade the pending RFA, it’ll likely mean Washington (or any other team) needs to yield a first-round pick to acquire him. Between that and a potential first-round pick that could head the other way in a Ben Chiarot trade, Montreal could be called up to the podium many times at their hometown 2022 NHL Draft.

Anaheim Ducks Activate Josh Manson, Place Sam Steel On Injured Reserve

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The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have activated defenseman Josh Manson off of injured reserve, and in a corresponding move, have placed forward Sam Steel on injured reserve. Manson will immediately draw back into the lineup as the Ducks play tonight at the New Jersey Devils.

Getting Manson back in the lineup is an important step for the Ducks, who are openly interested in either re-signing or trading the defenseman at the trade deadline. While an injured Manson is certainly not a barrier to an extension, getting him healthy and playing again allows the Ducks to show that he is fully healthy and ready to help another team, as well as an opportunity to showcase his talent once more before the deadline. The free-agent-to-be currently has seven points in 43 games for the Ducks while averaging 19:44 time-on-ice per game.

As for Steel, this will be his first stint on IR of the season. The 24-year-old forward is in the middle of what appears to be the best season of his career, totaling 17 points in 51 games, however this injury will force him to hold-off on his development for a little while.

Deadline Notes: Ducks Defensemen, Hagel, Giordano

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Earlier today on TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Anaheim Ducks’ defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson were hot topics. The Athletic writer and Insider for TSN, Pierre LeBrun, reported that Manson was nearing his return from injury and is being watched closely by teams around the league. LeBrun also noted that there have not been any contract talks yet between the Ducks and Manson, as the Ducks have been focusing on negotiations with Lindholm.

Speaking of those negotiations with Lindholm, word continues to be that Anaheim is unwilling to give out big-time term. The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli notes the Ducks’ unwillingness to give out term to any of their pending UFAs, and mentions this might be in-line with the trends of Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek’s previous boss, Detroit Red Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman. Not beginning extension talks just yet with Manson may not be a concern for the Ducks, who currently have many cards to play at the deadline. In fact, Anaheim does leave itself in a preferable position, having both Lindholm and Manson as potential extension candidates and trade chips. This could allow Anaheim to try to negotiate an extension to their liking on one or both, but if that contract does not materialize, there will almost certainly be a strong market for both defensemen.

  • Also during the Insider Trading segment, TSN’s Darren Dreger provided an update on Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Brandon Hagel. Dreger mentions that while Chicago would like to keep Hagel as part of their rebuild, they would not be opposed to moving him. However, the return would have to be at least a first-round draft pick and something else. Hagel has been one of the better producers for the Blackhawks this season, scoring 17 goals along with 14 assists in 51 games entering Tuesday night’s game against the Ducks. While the asking price on Hagel might seem a bit excessive to some, the 23-year-old Hagel is viewed as part of the long-term solution in Chicago, and carries just a $1.5MM cap hit through the 2023-24 season, where he will still be a RFA.
  • During the second-intermission of the Toronto Maple Leafs game, Dreger again gave his thoughts on several key trade deadline topics, including Seattle Kraken defensemen Mark Giordano. Dreger reported that the Kraken would like to explore the trade market for Giordano, but their asking price on the veteran is at least a first-round pick. While this price may be steep for a 38-year-old with a $6.75MM cap hit, Giordano still produces at a high level, putting up 23 points in 52 games this season for the struggling Kraken. Giordano is also a responsible defenseman who can provide veteran leadership that is always valuable on a team looking to make a long run in the postseason. If Seattle is willing to retain some of Giordano’s cap hit, which would seem likely as they will have $36.66M in cap space on trade deadline day, they may be able to sweeten the pot to acquire that first-round pick at least.

Anaheim Ducks Prefer To Re-Sign UFAs

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9:15 pm: In his 32 Thoughts segment on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday evening, Elliotte Friedman reiterated the Anaheim Ducks desire to extend Hampus Lindholm if possible. However, he notes that the organization has expressed concern regarding the potential term of a Lindholm extension.

6:41 pm: With the trade deadline soon approaching, and the Anaheim Ducks on the outside looking in of the Western Conference playoff picture, speculation about the Ducks trade chips has started to heat up. Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register reports that Ducks’ General Manager Pat Verbeek made clear to season ticket holders yesterday that his primary intention was to re-sign his impending unrestricted free agents, including defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson, and forward Rickard Rakell.

Verbeek had stated at an event for season-ticket holders that while he is working on extending those players, he would look to trade them if he did not believe he could extend them. Verbeek’s primary concern, he said, would be allowing those players to leave in free agency, not having gotten something back for them, or of course re-signing them. Teaford also added that while Verbeek mentioned having ongoing discussions with Lindholm on an extension, he did not mention any of the Ducks’ other unrestricted free agents by name.

If the Ducks do choose to re-sign the trio of Lindholm, Manson, or Rakell, it could come at a high cost. Lindholm is currently in the final year of a six-year, $31.5MM contract he signed with the Ducks in 2016, carrying a cap hit just north of $5.2MM. Lindholm has been one of the Ducks’ best defensemen the past few seasons, even during some lean years in Anaheim. This season, Lindholm has put up 20 points in 53 games, and is second on the team to Cam Fowler in average time-on-ice at 22:43 per game. Lindholm is expected to received a fairly significant raise over his $5.2M cap hit, however if he is dealt, the price for the 27-year-old could be rather significant as well.

Manson is in the final year of a four year, $16.4MM contract he signed with the Ducks in 2017, a contract which has seen Manson emerge as a sturdy, reliable defender for the Ducks through their rebuild. Manson could expect a similar contract this offseason, however a veteran, right-handed, shutdown defenseman like Manson could certainly be a valuable asset to sell on the trade deadline market.

Rakell has been a name mentioned in recent rumors and by Teaford here as well. The forward could be an intriguing name on the deadline market, as a proven point-producer carrying a cap hit just below $3.8MM. However, he may be a player the Ducks could look to extend at a reasonable cost. Rakell is in the final year of a six-year, $22.8MM contract he signed in the fall of 2016, before he began to truly break-out for Anaheim. However, Rakell’s production has dissipated since his stellar 34 goal, 35 assist 2017-18 season. While Rakell is almost certainly due a raise this time around, he may be a player the Ducks could keep at a fair price for a proven scoring touch.

In addition to this trio, the Ducks unrestricted free agents also include Ryan Getzlaf, Sam Carrick, and Nicolas Deslauriers.

More On Anaheim Ducks Deadline Strategy

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Since the beginning of the season, even before Pat Verbeek took over as general manager, the Anaheim Ducks have been one of the most talked-about teams in the league when it comes to potential trades. Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm, all on expiring contracts, could be huge pieces that move at next month’s deadline. The Ducks meanwhile are still in a playoff hunt, even with their recent struggles. The team is at 25-21-9 on the season and just three points out of a divisional playoff spot, let alone the wildcard race.

Recently, reports emerged that the team has reached out to Lindholm’s camp to try and make progress on a potential extension. The question then became whether the team would try to continue those negotiations through the trade deadline if a deal hadn’t yet been hammered out. Verbeek made it pretty clear how he feels about that while speaking with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic:

I think going into this, I’m looking at it like we could make the playoffs, we could miss the playoffs. At the end of the day, there’s no guarantee I can get those three free agents back. I’m going to attempt to sign them, if it doesn’t happen, I just can’t let them walk out the door free.

With just three weeks to go before the March 21 deadline, the Ducks have nine games to show Verbeek whether they’re true playoff contenders–though that may not even matter. They could win all nine and it seems as though the new GM would have to move on, should extensions not be on the table with Rakell, Manson, and Lindholm.

For Anaheim, this isn’t just one crucial player that they might normally keep for a stretch run. These are three sought-after talents that could bring back assets that could drastically change the direction of the franchise. Lindholm alone will bring back a huge package if he’s dealt, especially if an acquiring team believes they can sign him long-term. At 28, he is still in the prime of his career as a true first-pairing defenseman capable of playing in all situations. Averaging nearly 23 minutes a game, Lindholm has 20 points in 53 games, plays hard defensive matchups, and logs plenty of time on the penalty kill.

Manson and Rakell too could bring back substantial packages, if lesser ones than Lindholm. The former is a tough-as-nails defensive defenseman that punishes attackers in front of the net and in the corners, though his offensive upside is limited. The latter, a two-time 30-goal scorer, is having a nice bounce-back season with 14 goals and 25 points in 45 games and could likely slot into the top-six on several contenders. The fact that all three of them come at reasonable cap hits–Lindholm at $5.2MM, Manson at $4.1MM, and Rakell at $3.8MM–makes them a possible target for almost anyone, especially if the Ducks ate a bit of salary for the post-deadline stretch of games.

The Ducks already have a wave of young talent making an impact at the NHL level, making this a crucial set of decisions for Verbeek that could have a serious impact on the league’s playoff picture for years to come. There’s no guarantee that any future picks or prospects ever turn into someone like Lindholm, and taking him out of this lineup could have serious ramifications. Fans of the team should be happy to hear that their big assets aren’t going to be allowed to walk away for nothing though, which would certainly seem like the worst of the three possible outcomes in this situation even if they do make a playoff run this season.

Anaheim Ducks Place Josh Manson On IR

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The Anaheim Ducks announced via a team release today that they’ve placed defenseman Josh Manson on injured reserve, with The Orange County Register’s Elliott Teaford reporting Manson is week-to-week with a finger injury. The team recalled defenseman Greg Pateryn from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls to take Manson’s spot on the active roster.

Manson has continued to play a top-four role with the Ducks in his eighth NHL season. After what was a rough season defensively for him last year, as it was with most of the team, his play has rebounded in 2021-22.

Many expected the big-bodied, aggressive defender to be a large trade chip at this year’s trade deadline, but with the Ducks continuing to remain in the playoff hunt well into February, Manson could remain in Anaheim for the rest of the season if the situation proves right. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent with a $4.1MM cap hit.

Playing in 43 of Anaheim’s 48 games this season, Manson has registered three goals and four assists for seven points while averaging 19:43 per game. In his absence, expect more usage for younger Ducks defensemen like Jamie Drysdale and Josh Mahura.

Pateryn will likely serve as an extra body during the length of his call-up. The team’s shuffled him up and down this season, but with Anaheim, he’s gotten into just eight games, averaging 13:53 a night.

Injury Notes: Stars, Ducks, Golden Knights, Devils

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Dallas Stars digital manager Kyle Shohara reports from team practice that defenseman John Klingberg and center Radek Faksa took the ice today after missing time with an upper-body injury and non-COVID-related illness, respectively. Klingberg missed the team’s last game, a 5-1 win against the New Jersey Devils, while Faksa missed that game and the night prior against the Philadelphia Flyers. Both would be huge returns to the Stars lineup, especially Klingberg. With the Swedish defenseman reportedly requesting a trade out of Dallas, every game (and every good play) matters for Dallas to recoup as much value as possible if a trade occurs.

A busy night in the NHL yields more injury news:

  • The Anaheim Ducks get two key contributors back tonight versus Montreal, activating center Adam Henrique from injured reserve and defenseman Josh Manson from COVID-19 protocol. Both return to prominent roles in the lineup, with Henrique’s 16 points in 24 games likely to help boost a stagnating Ducks offense as of late. To make room on the active roster, the team reassigned defensemen Jacob Larsson and Greg Pateryn to the taxi squad and Brendan Guhle to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.
  • Two gigantic contributors are returning to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup, as wingers Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith make their returns tonight, per the Las Vegas Sun’s Justin Emerson. Pacioretty’s rarely been healthy this year, but when he has, he’s scored at a torrid pace, netting 12 goals and 21 points in 16 games. Smith, coming off COVID protocol, has a respectable 29 points in 41 games.
  • The New Jersey Devils got some good news with defenseman Ty Smith coming off injured reserve today, but he’s been replaced on the list by center Michael McLeod. Despite Smith’s strong rookie campaign last season, he’s having a serious sophomore slump with poor defensive numbers and just 10 points in 33 games to show for it. Hopefully, a reset can help jumpstart an improvement in play for the 21-year-old. The Devils will miss McLeod and his 11 points and 41 games in a depth role.

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