After months of handwringing, the Anaheim Ducks suddenly look like the team everyone thought they'd be. They're on a steady climb up the standings in the Western Conference and look not only like a likely playoff team, but, dare we say, a potential Stanley Cup contender. That being said, holes remain in the lineup. GM Bob Murray's move to nab David Perron was a coup - Perron now has 13 points in 13 games as a duck, with six goals and seven assists. But more scoring is never a bad thing and Murray, per a recent report, is hot on the trail of some extra markers.
Per The Fourth Period, Murray has eyes for both Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson and Carolina Hurricanes winger Kris Versteeg.
Eriksson is playing extremely well this season for the upstart Bruins. He's got four goals in his last four games, bringing his season total to 20 goals and 45 points through 57 games. Despite his uptick in play though, he's a pending unrestricted free agent already over the 30 threshold and reportedly looking to cash in long-term.
While the Ducks likely wouldn't acquire Eriksson and then try to sign him to a contract extension, it may be the price tag in trade that keeps the two sides from joining forces. There's been little talk of what Boston GM Don Sweeney is seeking for Eriksson, a player he has repeatedly said he'd prefer to have back than to trade, but the cost of rental players league-wide is said to be down. If Sweeney drives a hard bargain, Murray may look elsewhere, which brings us to Versteeg.
Versteeg is one of those players that garners little in the way of media accolades but yet always seems to find himself on winning teams. Through 56 games in 2015-16 for the Canes, Versteeg has 11 goals and 32 points. He's not a "wow" guy, but he's steady and gritty and does the little things necessary to help teams reach and win in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
With his lower profile and minimal cap hit - $2.2 million - Versteeg represents the cheaper alternative to a guy like Eriksson for the offense-needy Ducks.