The Anaheim Ducks saw their 2017-18 regular season come to a close on Wednesday when the rival San Jose Sharks completed an easy four-game sweep in the opening round of the playoffs.
But it doesn't just feel like another playoff meltdown by the Ducks, who have become one of the most consistently dominant regular season teams over the past 15 years. It truly feels like the curtain has closed on the championship window for the Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf regime.
As the two Ducks superstars prepare for their 33rd birthdays in May, the pair of future Hall of Famers may also want to get a headstart on packing their bags. That's because if the Ducks play it right, Perry and Getzlaf have played their final games in Anaheim Ducks uniforms.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and TSN's Darren Dreger (h/t Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports), thought about what kind of changes the Ducks would make before their season ended.
Here's what Dreger had to say:
“I think the biggest question in Anaheim is that Perry hasn’t been great for a couple of years. Getzlaf is still really good. And you guys know Kesler. I mean, the biggest problem he’s got is his body is just completely breaking down.
I just think that they’ve had a lot of patience with Perry. I think he’s still got a no-move clause. But I do wonder if they start to look and see is it time for some of the guys who have been there a long time.”
It doesn't take an Einstein to see how much Perry has fallen off, but his household name means the 2011 Hart Trophy winner, Stanley Cup champion and Olympic Gold medalist could be very attractive to rival teams.
Perry had scored over 25 goals and 50 points every year from 2007-08 to 2015-16, with the exception of the 48-game 2012-13 season. But at this point, the six-time 30-goal scorer is easily past his prime.
He had just 19 goals and 53 points last season, followed by 17 goals and 49 points in 2017-18. Perry also had a porous 47.7 Corsi For percentage, so bad puck luck cannot be blamed. He's simply a deteriorating asset.
Perry is under contract for three more seasons at an $8.625 million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.com. His value is only going to plummet more, so general manager Bob Murray (assuming he keeps his job), has to move him now.
The list of takers will be limited, no doubt. Rebuilding teams like the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks have no reason to absorb that contract.
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Championship contenders like the Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning aren't taking on more unnecessary salary.
But teams in need of offense with cap space like the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild could consider taking on Perry's deal, especially if Anaheim eats some of the space up.
Anaheim could still get a nice package for Perry. It could include draft picks, one or two good prospects and a young NHL roster player. But even if their return for him isn't great, the Ducks would be wise to escape his bad contract before it gets even worse.
As for Getzlaf, he's easily the more valuable of the two. With his big size and body frame, the 6-foot-4, 223-pound centre continues to dazzle with the slick assists and play-making abilities.
Unlike Perry, Getzlaf hasn't began to significantly decline. He put up 61 points and had an excellent 52.6 Corsi For percentage. That being said, it is the second time in three years where he failed to reach the 70-point mark, something Getzlaf has hit six times in his illustrious career.
Getzlaf has three years left on his contract at an $8.25 million cap hit (per CapFriendly), and seems to have plenty of gas left in the tank. But is he really a superstar anymore? At this point, Getzlaf would best be suited as a second-line centre for a playoff contender.
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Much like Perry, the suitors for Getzlaf would be limited (don't think they'll go together in a package deal, that's not happening). But teams like Montreal, Ottawa and the New York Islanders (if John Tavares leaves), could be fits. Why not the Carolina Hurricanes, who could use veteran leadership and have the cap space to take on Getzlaf's deal?
A wise man once said that "Insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." And if the Ducks choose to keep Perry and Getzlaf, they'll be seeing the same results.
That means more playoff appearances, and no championship to show for it. Anaheim got their Stanley Cup in 2007, when Teemu Selanne, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer were leading the way - while Getzlaf and Perry were secondary players.
Anaheim's window has closed. The Sharks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights will be reigning supremacy in the Pacific Division for a while, the Ducks will not.
The Ducks have some good young players in sniper Rickard Rakell, star goalie John Gibson and quality blueliners Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Montour. They don't have to rebuild, but a retool is in order.
And that means trading away Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. It doesn't matter what they've done for the Ducks over the past 13 years. It comes down to "What have you done for me lately".
Making the playoffs nine times since their 2007 Stanley Cup championship without a trip back to the Finals isn't good enough. As such, it's time for the Ducks to move out Perry and Getzlaf, if they want to get back into long-term contention.