Anaheim Ducks Poised For 'Franchise-Altering' Move This Summer

The Anaheim Ducks succumbed to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 Thursday night, and their season is done. But what a season it was, as they boldly emerged from their more-than-half-decade-long rebuild with a run to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and the second round, no less.

But they won't be resting on their laurels. Eric Stephens writes in The Athletic that the next step could be a 'franchise-altering' move this summer, as they hope to take yet another big leap.

He mentions the Ducks in the same breath as four potential star-player targets this offseason:

Auston Matthews
Jason Robertson
Robert Thomas
Brady Tkachuk

Any of those four, which include two captains, three first-line centers, a 69-goal scorer and a three-time 40-goal scorer, would certainly be "franchise-altering." And due to varying situations, any or all of them could be available for a trade this summer.

Matthews has apparently not decided on his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs until he meets with the new management team; Robertson is an RFA who's looking for a massive contract that the Dallas Stars can't currently afford; Thomas was on the trade block by the St. Louis Blues at the deadline, and likely will be again this offseason; and Tkachuk has had his name in the rumor mill after receiving a perceived negative reaction in Ottawa after he returned from winning the Olympic Gold for Team USA.

Stephens likened the potential big swing for a player of that ilk this offseason to the one the Ducks pulled off 20 years ago, which led to a Stanley Cup.

"What shouldn’t be ruled out is a move like the Ducks made 20 years ago, when they added Chris Pronger as the massive final piece to their Stanley Cup-winning team in 2007 following a run to the Western Conference final...

"What this can’t be for the Ducks is a one-off... This run needs to be the liftoff."