Partway through trade deadline day, reports of interest from the Vegas Golden Knights in Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf surfaced. It wasn’t clear at all how the Golden Knights would fit the veteran forward into their cap situation, given that he carries an $8.25M hit this season, but as a pending unrestricted free agent on a team unlikely to make the playoffs, it did make sense for Getzlaf to potentially join a contender for a stretch run. When it didn’t happen, reports, including one from David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, emerged that Getzlaf would have been willing to go to Vegas had a deal been worked out.
Monday, Ducks GM Bob Murray confirmed the reports, essentially saying that Getzlaf was willing to waive his no-move clause in order to help the organization should Murray be offered a substantial return. Tuesday, Helene Elliotte of the Los Angeles Times spoke to Getzlaf, who said the same but noted that he never actually had to make a decision on whether to waive the clause, suggesting that a trade was never all that close.
Now the question for the 35-year-old Getzlaf is what happens after this season is over. He has been a member of the Ducks for his entire career, winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 2007. His play has dropped off a cliff this year with just three goals and 15 points in 37 games, and so has his enjoyment. He told Elliotte it “hasn’t been that fun” to play without fans. The veteran center plans to make a decision later on about his playing future.
It makes sense that the Ducks couldn’t find a deal of any real significance given Getzlaf’s enormous cap hit and trade protection. The Buffalo Sabres, for instance, were unable to get more than a second-round pick for Taylor Hall because of a similar financial and contractual situation, meaning the Ducks would likely be ending Getzlaf’s tenure with the team for a mid-round selection. For a legacy player like him, who has played 1,090 regular-season games in an Anaheim uniform, that certainly doesn’t seem worthwhile.
If Getzlaf does return to the Ducks next season, it will undoubtedly be at a much smaller cap hit, but his role on the team will also likely be diminished. It already appears as though the club’s hopes will soon be tied to Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, with other young players there to support the retool. The team did acquire 24-year-old defenseman Haydn Fleury at the deadline but will have some tough decisions to make on players like Josh Manson, Rickard Rakell and Hampus Lindholm in the near future. All three are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after next season and hold considerable trade value.
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