Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that the Anaheim Ducks and defenseman Cam Fowler are “working on what his future could look like.”
Report: Ducks and Fowler ‘Working on What His Future Could Look Like’
Fowler (32) has two years left on his contract that carries an AAV of $6.5 million and includes a no-trade clause restricting the number of teams to four to which he can accept a trade.
“What I’ve heard is that Fowler has indicated a willingness to talk to more teams than that and consider more teams than that,” Friedman reported. “Fowler has a lot of respect around the league. There will be interest.”
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NHL training camps are set to get underway later this month and teams have their rosters mostly set for opening night in October. Significant trades don’t often occur this close to camp, but players with Fowler’s notoriety aren’t usually made available at this time of year.
While it’s unlikely he’ll be moved before the season, injuries are inevitable and unpredictable. If Fowler were to be traded this season, let’s take a look at some potential destinations that could benefit from adding the veteran blueliner:
The Oilers are as “win-now” as an NHL team has ever been. They were one goal away from a Stanley Cup and improved significantly early in July, but were later hit with a pair of offer sheets for forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg.
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In the aftermath of the offer sheets, the Oilers lost Broberg and fellow defenseman Cody Ceci, yet managed to bring in young defenseman Ty Emberson.
Their defensive depth chart still leaves a lot to be desired after their top pair of Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. Fowler would provide needed puck-moving from a middle pair role and add a layer of versatility the Oilers could benefit from as the long 82-game regular season schedule takes its toll.
Edmonton currently has just under $1 million in cap space with a 22-man roster but is expected to place forward Evander Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.
An issue could be price as the Oilers don’t have a particularly deep or potent prospect pool. They possess four picks in the upcoming draft (rounds 2,3,6, and 7) as well as all their picks in the 2026 draft.
If a deal could be reached, the potential fit for Fowler in Edmonton is undeniable.
The Canucks are coming off a playoff run in which they took the eventual Western Conference Champion Oilers to seven games in their second-round matchup.
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Vancouver’s situation in net is uncertain due to the injury concerns for both their rostered goaltenders, Thatcher Demko and Artus Silovs. Though there’s mystery around Demko’s injury, Friedman did report surgery wouldn’t be the answer and he’ll have to learn to play through it. Silovs missed Latvia’s Olympic qualifying tournament with the team announcing a knee injury and even going as far as to say he’d be questionable for the start of the NHL season.
Silovs participated in an informal team skate in early Sept.
The Canucks lost defenseman Nikita Zadorov in free agency to the Boston Bruins, leaving a hole on their middle defensive pair next to Tyler Myers. They have Derek Forbort and Carson Soucy under contract, but Soucy hasn’t played top-four minutes in his career and Forbort hasn’t in three years.
Vancouver is currently right against the salary cap ceiling, so a potential Fowler trade would likely involve full salary retention ($3.25 million) and money heading back to Anaheim.
Vancouver could be in the market for a depth puck-moving option behind Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes and a deeper defensive core in front of a crease brimming with uncertainty.
The Canucks hold seven draft picks in the 2025 Draft, including their own first and second-round picks.
The Panthers are fresh off their first Stanley Cup in franchise history and their contending window is seemingly wide open.
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They lost one-third of their championship blueline in the 2024 offseason with the departures of Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Montour featured on their first power play unit and averaged 23:27 TOI in 2023-24. Ekman-Larsson featured on the team’s second power play unit and averaged 18:24 TOI.
In free agency, the Panthers signed defensemen Nate Schmidt and Adam Boqvist.
The Panthers will attempt to be the third team in ten years to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, but beyond the 2024-25 season, they’re future becomes murky. Three significant pieces will require new contracts after this season, forwards Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe as well as defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
If Florida intends to maximize their current core and push their chips in for a second-straight Stanley Cup, they may not be satisfied with second and third defensive pairs consisting of Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Nate Schmidt, and Adam Boqvist.
Cam Fowler could soften the blow of losing two depth puck-movers on their blueline and provide stability to their bottom pairs.
Florida, like Vancouver, is approaching the salary cap ceiling and will likely require maximum salary retention and to send money back in a Fowler trade.
They hold six draft picks in the 2025 Draft, but zero in the first three rounds.
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Fowler’s future in Anaheim was once thought to be as solid as they come. With his trade limitations and significant cap hit, Friedman’s report came as a surprise to be sure.
The NHL landscape is unpredictable. With injuries all but certain and new teams surprisingly emerging as contenders year after year, the list of teams who may desire the services of a player like Fowler may increase as time progresses.
What is predictable is what Fowler provides on the ice and in the locker room. He’s only missed seven games in the past three seasons. He uses his elite skating to evade pressure and open up lanes to efficiently move pucks up ice while providing a steady, effective yet not imposing defensive presence.
While the possibility of Cam Fowler playing for another team may take some getting used to, it may be best for all parties involved.
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