2012 NHL Draft: Why the Anaheim Ducks Will Draft Mathew Dumba

This article wouldn't exist if it were at all likely that Ryan Murray would be available when the Ducks pick sixth in this years draft at Pittsburgh.

Murray is said to be the best available defender in a draft class that boasts an incredible amount of talent at the position, and will likely be gone by the time Anaheim is on the clock. Even so, the Ducks will still be looking to draft a blueliner. 

For an Anaheim Ducks team that still seems to be recovering from the loss of Scott Neidermayer and Chris Pronger, taking a defender at number six seems to be all but certain. Since Murray is almost guaranteed to go in the top five, the Ducks will look to grab Mathew Dumba from the Red Dear Rebels.

With Cam Fowler already making his presence felt in the Ducks lineup, adding Dumba's speed and physicality to an already offensive minded Fowler would give the Ducks two solid blueline prospects moving forward. While Dumba is small (6'2'', 172 lbs.), he's incredibly physical, making him the complete package on defense and an excellent complimentary piece for the less physical Fowler.

With veterans like Lubomir Visnovsky, Francois Beauchemin, and Toni Lydman already anchoring the Ducks' blueline, the addition of Dumba would all but complete Anaheim's defensive overhaul and would have the potential to make the days of Neidermayer and Pronger seem weak by comparison.

Of course, the possibility of Anaheim drafting a forward is always there. Nevertheless, the Ducks, who already have 5 million dollars in cap space, could be adding another 9.5 million if they don't bring back Teemu Selanne, Jason Blake, or Niklas Hagman.

With that kind of money to spend, expect GM Bob Murray to be much more active in free agency than he has been in recent years. Make no mistake, the Ducks need offense, but it's far more likely they'll be looking to obtain it via free agency.

A lot has been made about the Ducks' lack of defensive ability in recent years, and with a draft class so rich in defensive talent, it would be a bit of shock to see the Ducks pass up the chance to build around the steal that was Fowler. Adding Dumba to the mix will have the Ducks well on their way to completing their defensive rebuild.