Ducks Very Active at Trading Deadline

With the Anaheim Ducks currently posting a record of 31-28-6 and looking as if their Stanley Cup Playoff hopes are in question, first year GM Bob Murray knew his team had to make some moves at the trading deadline. And he didn’t disappoint.

On Wednesday, Murray traded center Samuel Pahlsson, left wing Travis Moen and defensemen Steve Montador and Kent Huskins, in a flurry of deals that brought forward Erik Christensen from the Atlanta Thrashers, center Petteri Nokelainen from the Boston Bruins, defenseman James Wisniewski from the Chicago Blackhawks and two promising prospects from the San Jose Sharks, to Orange County.

The flurry of deals came one week after Murray dealt left wing Chris Kunitz, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for skilled defenseman Ryan Whitney.

The reason for the trades? To get rid of some players, who are unrestricted free agents this July and would likely leave Anaheim.

After preliminary contract discussions involving representatives for Pahlsson, Moen and Huskins all went nowhere, Murray decided to take action himself and gurantee some compensation for their services.

Murray told the media that, “it would have been totally irresponsible of me to not get the best I could for these unrestricted guys.”

But while Murray saved some salary and traded some expiring contracts, the general manager still believes that the Ducks are a playoff team in 2009.

“I fully expect this team to run for a playoff spot,” Murray said. “If I sense that any of our players think we have ‘sold,’ and quit, we will rectify that situation.”

With about a month left in the season, we’ll see of Murray is right and the Ducks are able to not only earn a playoff birth but also make a serious run for the Stanley Cup.