It might seem strange for the Anaheim Ducks—currently in a playoff spot and playing some of their best hockey this season—to consider moving a 22‑year‑old puck‑moving defenseman, but with Joel Quenneville firmly installing his own approach, some players once pegged as part of the Ducks’ future core are struggling to find their place, and Pavel Mintyukov is one of them.
Mintyukov has been a healthy scratch a few times this season and is entrenched on the team’s third pairing after fellow young defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger leapt over him on the depth chart.
Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this season that Mintyukov was open to a move, yet he’s still logging steady minutes—nearly 18 per game—and is being used in all situations.
Still, the Russian is not meant to be a third-pairing defender, and a player at his age and skill level would not come cheaply for a team enterprising enough to make a competitive offer for him.
While a rebuilding team might be tempted into targeting him, he could be a sneaky good pickup for a club in need of a youthful injection of depth to grow on.