5 potential trade partners and 5 potential offer sheets for star defenseman.

There is a frankly unreal situation playing out in Anaheim right now, and with every passing game defenseman Hampus Lindholm's negotiating power is increasing as the Ducks defense continues to look abysmal without him.

The reality of the situation between the Ducks and their star restricted free agent is that the team currently has nowhere near the money required to sign Lindholm who is reportedly looking for $7 million per season for the max duration of eight seasons, and the Ducks are currently make him look like he's worth ever penny.

Now Sportsnet's Luke Fox believes the threat of an offer sheet is a real one, and while the cost of such an offer sheet would be tremendous, a 22 year old top pairing NHL defenseman with a great release would be exactly the kind of player one would expect an offer sheet to be used on.

From Luke Fox:

The threat of an offer sheet lingers, but only six clubs have the cap leeway to afford one right now — Ottawa, New Jersey, Florida, Winnipeg and Carolina — and Lindholm has expressed no desire to leave California.

There are a number of teams who have also been connected to potential trade talks with Anaheim including Buffalo, Boston, Detroit, Arizona, and the Rangers, and while those talks are believed to have centered around Cam Fowler, if the Ducks are in win now mode, as their championship window would suggest they should be, giving up a veteran who plays 25 minutes a night for them may not fit with that vision.

Of course any trade involving Lindholm would come at a ridiculous cost, but again a true top pairing defenseman who is just 22 years old may be just the thing that gets the ball rolling. 

The Ducks only have until December 1st to make a decision, and despite Lindholm not playing he knows that with the current showing from the Ducks defense he has all the cards in his hand, and the Ducks have their backs firmly planted against the wall. It's only a matter of time before something has to give.

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