Ducks have plenty of comings and goings
Between the conclusion of the Ducks' eight-game homestand that bore little fruit with just one win and their also season-long swing of six away games that'll continue against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, there was no shortage of big developments.
First, they traded an integral component of their defense for a prospect they believe will be a foundational forward. They traded Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick to Philadelphia for Cutter Gauthier, then they recalled experienced defenseman Robert Hagg from San Diego on Monday as well.
Then, in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the Predators in Nashville, they lost star forward Trevor Zegras to a significant lower-body injury (along with another key player, perhaps). And the following morning they made a waiver claim to add former Montreal defenseman Gustav Lindström, who had NHL experience with the Detroit Red Wings and, most recently, the Montreal Canadiens.
That list might leave readers out of breath, and the Ducks were holding theirs when Zegras went down in the first period. They mounted a 5-0 lead and fended off Nashville in garbage time, though they also saw rookie standout Pavel Mintyukov get banged up in the final period. Neither player practiced Wednesday.
“It was kind of a bad omen when `Z' got hurt, but we fought through it,” said Ducks coach Greg Cronin, who added that Zegras would be “out for a while.”
According to a confirmed report from Sweden, rookie Leo Carlsson could make his return as soon as Saturday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. His presence could alleviate some of the offensive burden created by Drysdale's departure and the absence of his best pal, Zegras, as well as Mintyukov potentially.
Three Ducks recorded multipoint efforts Tuesday: Jackson LaCombe on his 23rd birthday, veteran Alex Killorn and
The Ducks' Trevor Zegras crumples to the ice after suffering a lower-body injury during the first period of Tuesday night's game against the Nashville Predators.
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Today: Ducks at Hurricanes, 4p.m., BSSC
Troy Terry, who has heated up to score 11 points in his past 11 games.
Adam Henrique's assist on Terry's second-period goal was his 500th career point.
“I've certainly come a long way and played with a lot of great teammates over my career so far. I certainly couldn't have done it without those guys, and family and friends have been big, too,” Henrique said.
Henrique, 33, is in the final year of his contract and could be an attractive trade target near the deadline. He'd come off a roster that has not been complete all season due to injuries and already lost one of its best defensemen in exchange for a prospect.
Among the potentially interested parties will be teams in positions like Carolina's. The Hurricanes sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division and in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference. Their goaltending situation has stabilized with Pyotr Kochetkov winning his past four decisions and posting a 7-1-2 record in his past 10. They've been spearheaded offensively by Sebastian Aho, who has 18 more points than the next most prolific Hurricane.