NHL trade rumors 2017: Lightning and Avalanche seem interested in Ducks defensemen

With the NHL trade deadline just weeks away, it’s common practice to pay attention to which NHL executives or scouts are on the road to watch certain teams.

Last Friday, Colorado Avalanche general manager and Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman were both in Sunrise, Fla. to watch the Anaheim Ducks play the Florida Panthers.

Now, it’s possible the two were just meeting to chat about the good old days. But, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman pointed out in his weekly “30 Thoughts” column, both are probably after Anaheim defensemen.

Both men are looking for defence. Anaheim’s got a surplus and it’s been believed for a while now GM Bob Murray will trade one for a forward. Both the Avalanche and Lightning have that.

The more difficult thing to pin down is what specific defender Sakic and Yzerman eyed. Colorado prefers youth and term, Tampa Bay is looking top-four. The Ducks could certainly do either. We know whom the Avalanche have available. Who would the Lightning offer to ease their cap crunch? I’ve got a better chance of getting Donald Trump off Twitter than finding the answer from Steve Yzerman. Still, those are sensible trade partners.

Friedman is right: Youth, term, and top-four talent on the blueline is something the Ducks are swimming in. And considering they might lose some of that talent in the expansion draft, it makes sense for them to move one of them before the deadline for some assets.

One name off the table has to be Cam Fowler. The impending free agent has played himself out of trade rumors this season, becoming the most important defenseman on the Ducks. It’s also unlikely the team will part with Hampus Lindholm, who just signed a five-year extension.

Sami Vatanen could interest both the Lightning and Avalanche, however. The 25-year-old is signed through 2019-20 and could use a change of scenery. Vatanen put up 38 points last year, but is on pace for just 28 this season. He fits both criteria the Lightning and Avs would be looking for.

As would Simon Despres, though the 25-year-old is on long-term injured reserve. Despres is signed through 2020-21 at a lower rate ($3.7 million AAV) than Vatanen.

You’d have to imagine the Ducks would be interested in either Matt Duchene or Gabriel Landeskog. Tampa Bay has a lot of young forwards to help stockpile Anaheim’s future; whether the Lightning would be willing to part with the likes of Anthony Cirelli, Taylor Raddysh, or Brett Howden is another story.

At any rate, it sounds like the market is getting warmer.