As the Ducks faced off against the Montréal Canadiens, Pavel Mintyukov watched from the press box. So too did Drew Helleson, a new addition to the brigade forced to watch from above. This is Helleson’s first healthy scratch in the past seven days, but it is Mintyukov’s third consecutive healthy scratch.
The addition of Jacob Trouba plus the recent return of Cam Fowler from injury has created a conundrum on the blue line for Anaheim. With four veterans (Fowler, Trouba, Brian Dumoulin, Radko Gudas) on the backend and none of them likely to be scratched, it leaves just two spots for four young defensemen in Mintyukov, Helleson, Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger.
Zellweger has established himself as a fixture, being healthy scratched just once in the second game of the season. He is part of the Ducks’ top power play unit and leads all Ducks defensemen in points. With Zellweger in the mix among the four veteran blueliners, that leaves one spot for Mintyukov, LaCombe and Helleson.
Related: Ducks Can Count on Olen Zellweger
The decision to scratch Mintyukov for three games in a row is a bit puzzling. While the Russian defenseman hasn’t quite reached the heights that he did during his rookie season, he doesn’t appear to be generating chances off the rush and as a rover in the offensive zone as much as he was last season.
Instead of using his feet or a zippy pass to break out the puck, he seems confined to chipping pucks out off the glass or the boards. His strengths are best utilized when he is using his feet––with to without the puck. Head coach Greg Cronin said before their game on Dec. 6 that Mintyukov can learn by watching the game from above, but at some point, he needs to play too.
LaCombe has displayed some inconsistencies with his decision-making at times, but he has shown that he is a capable defenseman when he utilizes his tools properly. His mobility allows him to move with and without the puck with ease and his ability to activate from the blue line has provided him with a couple of goals this season.
Helleson has looked strong since getting the call from the AHL. Paired with fellow Boston College alum Brian Dumoulin, he has shown poise in all three zones and displayed some offensive upside as well. He has also done a good job of boxing out opponents in front and limiting chances down low. Helleson will be 24 soon and is reaching the point where the Ducks need to decide whether he is part of their long-term future. They can’t do that if he’s sitting in the press box.
So what is the solution? The easy answer would be to find a suitor for Fowler, who has “indicated a willingness to talk to more teams than (those on his four-team trade list) and consider more teams than that,” according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. With players like Zellweger, Mintyukov and LaCombe (all three are left-handed) taking on larger roles, the 33-year-old will see his role reduced.
Related: Report: Ducks Wanted Fowler included in Trouba Deal, Rangers Declined
“My job is to be here and support the team in any way I can,” Fowler said before the start of the regular season. “If that’s taking on a lesser role, then that means stepping in with some of the younger guys and helping them out with that. I’ve been through a lot. I still have a lot left in the tank. I feel like there’s still a lot that I can bring to this team.”
Fowler has been a consummate professional for Anaheim, usually the defenseman who takes on the responsibility of being partnered with a youngster. He was one of the first defensive partners for players like Jamie Drysdale, Tristan Luneau, LaCombe and Zellweger.
“Try and help out the younger generation as best I can because I had guys that really helped me out when I first started and that makes a big difference. So, I’m going to try and be there for these guys with whatever they need and talk to them. We’ll get through it together.”
After this season, Fowler has one year remaining on his eight-year, $52 million contract that he signed in 2017. While many playoff teams won’t be able to handle his $6.5 million cap hit, the Ducks retaining 50 percent of that to bring it down to $3.25 million would make him a more enticing option.
Dumoulin––whom the Ducks acquired this past summer from the Seattle Kraken––has been a steady presence at the back for both Mintyukov and Helleson, his two most common defense partners this season. However, he is a pending UFA and reportedly expressed a desire to play on the East Coast again prior to his trade to the Ducks. As a player with two Stanley Cups and plenty of playoff experience, Dumoulin could be heavily sought after by top teams looking to bolster their blue line. The Ducks have all three of their salary retention spots and could easily retain Dumoulin’s salary.
With both Fowler and Dumoulin out of the picture, the Ducks would be able to accommodate all of their young defensemen and still have room for complementary veterans in Trouba and captain Gudas. Luneau, who is currently in the AHL, will be back in the NHL at some point and need a spot in the lineup. Perhaps he takes the same route that Zellweger did and spends most of this season in the AHL, followed by a stint in the NHL after the trade deadline with an eye towards a full-time spot next season.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek expressed that having this many NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster right now is good for competition, but at some point, push will have to come to shove.
