The Anaheim Ducks were one of the biggest movers and shakers - some might say winners - of the 2015 trade deadline. GM Bob Murray explained his rationale on Monday night, with the main theme being that the Ducks want to be ready for whatever playoff competition comes their way.
“It was more important to address the ability to play different games against different teams,” Murray said, according to the OC Register’s Eric Stephens.
One specific facet Murray expects newly acquired defenseman James Wisniewski to boost is the Ducks’ power play, which he said has “struggled mightily.”
(Sadly Murray didn’t follow that up with a knucklepuck joke.)
Murray believes that he added speed and skill to a team that already had snarl, making them better prepared to deal with a difficult array of Western Conference opponents.
It remains to be seen if these disparate parts come together to finally give the Ducks a deep playoff run, but Wisniewski is thrilled to join a contender (at least whenever he’s healthy to do so, as he’s recovering from a bone bruise).
#NHLDucks @jameswisniewski: "Words can't describe the excitement I have. This is a team w/ a legit chance to win a Stanley Cup." #NHLTrade
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) March 3, 2015
Did the Ducks do enough to back up those words?