Manson Trade First of Verbeek's 'Hard Decisions' Before Trade Deadline

Since assuming his new post as Ducks General Manager in February, Pat Verbeek has been particularly clear about one thing: He's going to have to make some tough choices very soon.

"I have to make some hard decisions," he told fans at a recent exclusive Orange Alliance member event, specifically highlighting the situations of a trio of longtime Ducks and pending unrestricted free agents, forward Rickard Rakell and defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson.
"I'm trying to sign these players but, if it doesn't work out, I might have to make some tough decisions and trade them. I would be worried to let one walk out the door and not getting anything in return. I would not be doing my job well if I let that happen. We're going to do our best to get it done and if not, then we'll have to go a different direction."
Verbeek finalized the first of those tough decisions Monday, trading Manson to the Colorado Avalanche for defense prospect Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick.
"We thank Josh Manson and wish him the absolute best," Verbeek said in a statement. "He is a character person and player, and will help Colorado down the stretch."
A fan favorite for his rugged style, intense passion and fierce willingness to stick up for his teammates, and a beloved teammate for many of the same reasons, Manson played 453 games as a Duck across eight seasons. He served as an alternate captain for three years and leaves Anaheim fifth in club history in games played by a defenseman.

"We knew this was possible with names floating around our team all year," Kevin Shattenkirk said. "Now that it has happened, we're handling it well. The main thing is to stay in touch with the young guys on the team because this is new for them. You build a chemistry with a teammate on and off the ice, and then they're gone at the drop of a hat. [Manson] was obviously a big part of our lineup, so a lot of guys will step into that role hopefully and have a chance to grow."
"Losing a guy like Josh is tough," admitted rookie Trevor Zegras. "From day one, he took me under his arm. I remember when I got here for my first summer, he had me over for dinner and showed me around...I've got nothing but good things to say about him. He was an unbelievable teammate and he'll be missed in the locker room for sure."
Helleson, a 20-year-old defenseman who spent the last three seasons at Boston College, signed his entry-level contract Wednesday, a three-year deal that begins next season.
The 6-foot-3 Minnesota native offers a unique piece to Anaheim's rebuild as a sturdy right-shot defender touted for his blend of size, hockey smarts and puck-moving ability. Helleson joins a prospect pool headlined by a pair of small but skilled blueliners, Jamie Drysdale and Olen Zellweger, and assists with Verbeek's stated goal of building a bigger defensive corps.
"I think he's got a chance to be a very good player for the Anaheim Ducks and I'm excited to get him," Verbeek said. "He's 6-foot-3, a defenseman who can play physical, but I consider him a very smart player in the sense that he moves pucks really well. This year, I've seen more offense at of him than in prior seasons. His game has really progressed well over the last year and a half."

Helleson represented Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and also helped guide the Americans to gold at the 2021 World Junior Championship alongside Zegras and three other Ducks prospects.
"I've known Drew for pretty much my entire youth hockey career," Zegras said of his longtime friend. "He was one of the most underrated guys in our age group. He's always been that righty defenseman that's got skill and can play the game so smart. I've been texting with and hopped on a call with him. He's definitely excited."
Helleson is expected to report to AHL San Diego and get his first taste of professional hockey down the stretch with the Gulls before competing for a full-time role in the organization next season.
Verbeek's attention now turns to the impending deadline and those other two difficult decisions. The GM said he continues talks with Lindholm, trying to close the gap for a potential contract agreement before March 21st.
"We're working towards that," Verbeek said. "I'm not sure at this point if it will or will not happen. Things can change in three or four days. pressures are brought to both sides. We'll see."
On his other prominent free-agent-to-be, Rakell, Verbeek said the upper-body injury that has kept the forward out of the lineup is still under evaluation, but he does not foresee it becoming a significant deterrent to potentially interested clubs.
Verbeek added he's not exclusively targeting either picks or prospects when looking for pieces to add to Anaheim's rebuild, rather than taking it on a move-by-move basis.
"We have a young group being assembled here and I'd like to add to that, but I'm always looking for what I think will help the team the most," he said.