NHL Trade Rumors: Anaheim Ducks Should Resist Trading Bobby Ryan

Poor Bobby Ryan. He's really getting sick and tired of all the trade rumors surrounding him, and he said as much to Eric Stephens of The Orange County Register:

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"I'm well aware," Ryan said of the rumors. "It's frustrating because I think my play over the past 10 games has been good enough to where they should cease a little bit and there should be some protection there."

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But Ryan shouldn't fret. If the Anaheim Ducks are smart, they'll resist the urge to trade him.

You see, what makes Ryan so appealing to suitors also makes him an extremely valuable commodity to keep, as Jason Brough noted on Pro Hockey Talk today:

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Of course, there’s also good reason for the Ducks to hold on to Ryan. To repeat: 1) he’s a 24-year-old that’s already scored 30-plus goals three times, and 2) he’s signed until 2015 at a manageable $5.1 million cap hit.

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And as Brough goes on to say, with the possibility of the 41-year-old Teemu Selanne retiring at the end of the season and the 37-year-old Saku Koivu becoming an unrestricted free agent, getting rid of a young, offensively skilled player such as Ryan could leave a big hole in this team come next year.

That doesn't mean the rumors will suddenly dissipate, or that teams will suddenly lose interest in Ryan. The Maple Leafs, for one, are said to have great interest.

But if the Ducks continue to play well—they're 6-0-1 in their last seven games—and a team doesn't absolutely blow Anaheim out of the water with an offer for Ryan, the team would be wise to hold onto the young goal-scorer.

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