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Adam Henrique

Edmonton Oilers Acquire Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick

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2:31 pm: The Ducks have made the trade official per a team announcement.

12:23 pm: The Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks are working on a trade that will send both Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to Alberta. With the full trade details before either team has confirmed, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is reporting that Anaheim will acquire a 2024 first-round selection as well as a conditional 2025 fifth-round selection that can be upgraded to a fourth-round pick if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup.

Although the Ducks are already retaining 50% of Henrique’s salary in the deal, the Tampa Bay Lightning were also brought in to retain 25% of the salary as well, earning a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick from the Oilers in the process. Aside from Henrique and Carrick, Edmonton will also be acquiring Tampa Bay’s 2024 seventh-round selection and goaltender Ty Taylor, who is currently rostered on the Evansville Thunderbolts of the SPHL.

Further reporting has indicated that Anaheim will be retaining 50% of Carrick’s contract as well, bringing his total salary with Edmonton down to $425K for the remainder of the season. Because the Ducks retained money on both players, they no longer have any retention spots available for any remaining trades they may make leading up to the deadline.

With Henrique now in the mix, Edmonton will have the opportunity to get creative in their top six. Understandably, they will likely keep their first line together heading into the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs but now can move either Evander Kane or Mattias Janmark around the lineup to create a more balanced offensive approach.

Speaking of balance, that is exactly what Henrique brings to the table for the Oilers as one of the more consistent two-way forwards in the NHL. Formidable offensively, Henrique has scored 18 goals and 42 points in 60 games for the Ducks this season but also boasts a 52.9% faceoff win rate.

Aside from helping out both offensively and defensively at even strength, Henrique should also be able to improve the Oilers’ pedestrian penalty-kill percentage this year. Centering Anaheim’s top penalty kill unit for much of his tenure in California, Henrique should be able to slide next to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the team’s top penalty kill unit or be the focal point of the team’s second unit.

Carrick, on the other hand, gives the Oilers an upgrade to a portion of the offensive unit they have been craving for much of the season. Experimenting with Connor Brown and Adam Erne on the team’s fourth line, Carrick gives Edmonton a more bona fide player to utilize in that role.

In 61 games for Anaheim this season, Carrick has scored eight goals and 11 points in total as well as throwing 137 hits against his opponents. Carrick has mostly played down the middle for the Ducks this season but does give the Oilers some flexibility to move Dylan Holloway to the wing on the bottom line.

With the inclusion of a first-round pick going to Anaheim in this deal, General Manager Pat Verbeek has added yet another top selection for the 2024 NHL Draft, with the Ducks now having seven total selections in the first three rounds of this upcoming summer’s draft. With 11 picks in total for 2024, the Ducks will now have added 20 new players to the organization via the draft in the last two years alone.

In Tampa Bay, even by retaining a total of $1.45MM of Henrique’s salary, they will still have plenty of cap maneuverability to make a big splash come deadline day. Essentially purchasing a later-round pick from the Oilers, the Lightning could use this extra draft selection as a sweetener of their own in a few days.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports images. 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report trade talks heating up between Edmonton and Anaheim. 

The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was the first to report the trade had been completed. 

TSN’s Chris Johnston was the first to report that draft picks would be headed to Anaheim. 

Avalanche, Oilers Pursuing Adam Henrique

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The Avalanche and Oilers are among the teams that have expressed interest in Ducks forward Adam Henrique ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said Monday. Now on an expiring deal with a $5.825MM cap hit, the 34-year-old Henrique is nearly guaranteed to be moved in the coming days after receiving strong interest from contenders going back months.

Both teams have 2024 first-round picks to dangle for Henrique, and Edmonton has made it known theirs is on the table. However, it appears they’re more likely to leverage that asset for a defenseman – meaning, speculatively, that their offer for Henrique revolves around a high-end prospect, not a pick.

Henrique would immediately slot into a second-line role for either team, although he’d more likely be utilized as a center in Colorado. He, along with Valeri Nichushkin, would anchor the Avs’ second line behind their top unit of Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. That’s not considering the potential return of captain Gabriel Landeskog from back-to-back knee surgeries during the postseason, which could give them an absolutely dominant two-way trio of Henrique, Lehkonen and Nichushkin backing up their stars.

The Ducks are expected to retain 50% of Henrique’s salary in a potential deal, bringing his cap hit down to $2.91MM. Colorado and Edmonton would need to carry a third party into trade talks to retain an additional 25% of his salary to remain cap-compliant. The Avs have $2.23MM in projected deadline space, while the Oilers have $2.37MM with an artificially small 21-player roster. At a 75% discount, Henrique would cost $1.46MM against the cap.

For Edmonton, Henrique would help stabilize a second line alongside Leon Draisaitl or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at center. He also helps shelter Evander Kane on the opposite wing, whose possession impacts have been considerably worse than his linemates.

Henrique is among the Ducks’ scoring leaders with 18 goals, 24 assists and 42 points in 60 games. In addition to logging 17:35 per game and winning 53% of his draws, Henrique has some of the better possession stats on the team, boasting a 48.2 CF% at even strength. The Brantford, Ontario, native reached the Stanley Cup Final as a rookie with the Devils in 2012 and earned Selke Trophy votes in 2013 and 2016.

West Notes: Henrique, Nichushkin, Dewar

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Teams’ interest in the services of Ducks center Adam Henrique continues to intensify ahead of next week’s trade deadline, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports. “It’s a matter of when, not if, he’s traded,” Pagnotta said, also reporting it’s “all but certain” the Ducks will retain up to half of Henrique’s $5.825MM cap hit in a deal.

That would bring Henrique’s cap hit down to $2.91MM without needing to get a third team involved, which would still be out of reach for contenders pondering adds on offense like the Oilers, Avalanche and Kings. Los Angeles would be able to stomach Henrique’s cap hit if Adrian Kempe lands on LTIR for the rest of the regular season, however. He’s out with an upper-body injury sustained Monday against the Oilers, and the team hasn’t finished evaluating his recovery timeline.

All signs are pointing for the Ducks potentially adding a first-round pick in the next nine days after centers Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan fetched first-rounders a few weeks back. Henrique, who can also seamlessly shift to a left-wing role, has 16 goals and 38 points in 57 games this season. His 0.67 points per game are the third-most of his career, trailing the pace he set with Anaheim in 2021-22 (0.72) and the Devils in 2011-12 (0.69).

Other updates from the Western Conference:

  • Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is nearing a return after being cleared to resume practicing with the team by NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program administrators earlier this week. While he hasn’t been approved to play in game action, that will come soon. Head coach Jared Bednar said on 92.5 FM Altitude Sports Radio on Wednesday morning that the Avs are targeting one of their first home game after their current road trip for Nichushkin’s return (via Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now). That rules him out of a return tomorrow against the Blackhawks or Saturday against the Predators, but he will return sometime during the week preceding the March 8 trade deadline. Nichushkin had 42 points in 40 games before taking leave from the team last month, a career-best scoring pace.
  • Wild depth forward Connor Dewar may join fellow Minnesota bottom-sixer Brandon Duhaime on the move in the coming days, as Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic posit. Duhaime, a pending UFA, is drawing trade interest from a few teams (namely the Canucks, per a report earlier this week) and is a decent candidate to be moved regardless of the Wild’s postseason intentions. Dewar may also fall victim to a roster crunch caused by the return of Mason Shaw from reconstructive ACL surgery and the arrival of Russian center prospect Marat Khusnutdinov, a younger, higher-ceiling replacement for Dewar in the fourth-line center role. The team controls Dewar’s signing rights as he’s an RFA this summer. He has 16 goals, 36 points and a -16 rating in 169 games with Minnesota since making his NHL debut in 2021.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Rangers, Pacioretty

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The Devils have been pondering about making a big push to acquire Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.  After a rough 2022-23 campaign, the 34-year-old has bounced back nicely this year, posting a .914 SV% in 31 starts to keep Calgary within striking distance of a Wild Card spot in the West.  Markstrom is signed through 2025-26 with a $6MM cap hit and has a full no-move clause, giving him control on where he goes if he decides to accept a move; Pagnotta notes that Markstrom would seriously consider approving a trade to New Jersey should talks get that far.  The Devils have a team save percentage of just .881 this season, tied with Ottawa for last in the NHL so a significant upgrade between the pipes like Markstrom would be would give them a huge boost for the stretch run.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • The Rangers are believed to have interest in center Adam Henrique but are not willing to part with the first-round pick the Ducks are seeking, reports USA Today’s Vince Z. Mercogliano. The 34-year-old is the best rental middleman left on the trade market, giving Anaheim some extra leverage in discussions.  Henrique has 15 goals and 18 assists in 49 games so far this season while winning 53.4% of his faceoffs.  However, he carries a $5.825MM cap hit, one that the Ducks will need to pay down half of to maximize his value.
  • When Max Pacioretty signed with the Capitals in free agency, he landed a full no-move clause as part of the contract, seemingly hoping to stick with them for the full season. However, Pierre LeBrun notes in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription link) that his sense is that the 35-year-old might waive that trade protection for the right fit and a chance to go for a Stanley Cup.  Pacioretty has a base $2MM cap charge, plus another $2MM in games played bonuses.  Half of those bonuses have been met already while another $500K will be earned when he plays his next game which should come on Saturday versus Boston.

Adam Henrique Could Reunite With The New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have expressed interest in Anaheim Ducks centerman Adam Henrique, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast. The Devils were the team to draft Henrique, taking him in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft. He played out his rookie season in 2011-12, appearing in 74 games and scoring 51 points – the seventh-most a Devils rookie has ever scored. Henrique would go on to play eight seasons and 455 games with the Devils, serving in a pivotal role as the team’s second-line center and averaging around 18 minutes of ice time. He even served as an alternate captain for the team from 2015 to 2017.

The Devils dramatically parted ways with the centerman in November of 2017, trading him to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Sami Vatanen and a 2019 third-round pick used to select Daniil Misyul. Joseph Blandisi and a 2018 third-round pick used on Blake McLaughlin were also sent to Anaheim. Henrique has been with the Ducks ever since, playing in seven seasons and 423 games with the club. That includes 48 games this season – with Henrique boasting 15 goals and 32 points, ranking him third in scoring on the Ducks and, if he joined them, the Devils. The 33-year-old has scored at least 40 points in every season where he’s played at least 50 games – a mark he’s on pace to continue this year.

The Devils would relish in the chance to find an apt replacement for absent centermen Jack Hughes and Michael McLeod. Their missed games have left team captain Nico Hischier with a lot of responsibility – though he’s managed it in stride, with 28 points in 36 games this season despite facing injuries of his own. Still, Henrique would relieve Erik Haula as the team’s second-line center, and provide yet another goal-scorer to a Devils team that already has seven players with 10 or more goals on the season.

Henrique is in the last year of his five-year, $29.125MM contract signed with the Ducks in 2018. He carries a manageable $5.825MM cap hit.

Ducks Receiving Strong Interest In Adam Henrique

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Now less than two months before the trade deadline, teams are starting to get a sense of what might be out there on the trade front.  Early indications are that it’ll likely to be a relatively thin center trade market on the trade front.  Between that and his strong track record, the Ducks are receiving a lot of trade interest in middleman Adam Henrique, reports ESPN’s Kevin Weekes (Twitter link).

The 33-year-old has been a consistent second-line center for the past decade, reaching the 20-goal mark six times, the most recent of which was last season.  He’s on pace to come close to that this year with 12 goals and 14 assists in 44 games; his 26 points rank fourth on Anaheim.

Of course, Henrique is also known for his two-way play as he has been a dependable matchup center and penalty killer for most of his career, a trend that has continued this season.  He’s averaging nearly three minutes a night shorthanded and is over the 50% mark at the faceoff dot for the sixth straight year.

With an ability to play up and down the lineup, it comes as little surprise that the interest in Henrique has been strong.  He’d slot in nicely on the third line on several contenders and could fit on the second line on a team that’s a bit more balanced while also giving a big boost on the penalty killing side.  Players with the ability to do that are often coveted for the stretch run.

However, it must be noted that Henrique is on the pricey side from a salary cap perspective as his cap hit checks in at $5.825MM, an amount that matches his salary this season.  While Anaheim can hold back half of that to help facilitate a trade, that would only pay down the pro-rated cap charge to $2.9125MM, an amount that would be difficult for some cap-strapped teams to take on.  Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ducks get asked to take a player back to help offset the rest of the cost or to try to get a third team involved to hold back another chunk of Henrique’s contract.  Either way, expect his name to be in the rumor mill for the foreseeable future as he’s a strong bet to be moved by the March 8th deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Jarry, Cozens, Timmins

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Josh Yohe of The Athletic is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry left their game last night against the Anaheim Ducks after being bumped in the back of the head by Adam Henrique and then having his mask dislodged. This was just the beginning for Jarry as he was then struck in his unprotected face by a Ryan Strome shot. NHL officials quickly signalled to the Penguins bench and Jarry was rushed off the ice and did not return.

Up to that point, Jarry had been solid for the Penguins making 21 consecutive stops to preserve a 1-0 Penguins lead late into the second period. With Jarry sidelined, the Penguins’ turned to their third-string netminder Magnus Hellberg who made 11 straight saves to maintain the rare two-goalie shutout.

No updates have been given yet on Jarry, but Yohe did report that he was present in the Penguins’ dressing room after the game, which is certainly an encouraging sign. Jarry has struggled to start the year after signing a massive five-year contract extension this summer that was heavily criticized for being too long and too expensive. The Penguins are already without backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic until later this month and can ill afford to lose Jarry for any length of time.

In other injury notes:

  • Times Herald Reporter Bill Hoppe is reporting that Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens is back at practice today sporting a full-face shield as he makes his return to the ice after missing two games with an upper-body injury. No specifics have been given about Cozens injury but given that he is sporting face protection and a large bandage on his nose, it would appear to be an injury to that region. Cozens was engaged in a fight with Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway back on November 3rd, a game the Sabres lost 5-1, and acknowledged that this incident was the cause of the ailment. Cozens has three goals and four assists in 11 games thus far this season.
  • David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is unlikely to get back into the lineup for at least a couple of weeks. Alter spoke with Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe after Timmins practiced with the team this morning, Keefe told the reporter that Timmins will travel with the team to Sweden next week but is unlikely to play. However, the plan is to have him ramp up in practice and he could re-join the lineup after they return from the extended road trip. Timmins has been on LTIR since the beginning of the season after suffering a lower-body injury and has yet to play a game.

Anaheim Ducks Activate Adam Henrique from IR

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The Anaheim Ducks announced today that they have activated centre Adam Henrique from the IR. Henrique has been sidelined with a sprained MCL since February 21. He has been effective this season for the lowly Ducks scoring 19 goals and 14 assists in 57 games.

The 33-year-old appeared on a lot of trade bait boards prior to the NHL’s trade deadline but was effectively removed from it when he went down to injury. He will likely remain a trade target for a lot of teams this summer as he enters the final year of his contract with Anaheim. Henrique is set to count $5.825MM against the cap and has a modified no trade clause. With the Ducks in the middle of a long rebuild Henrique would likely welcome a move to a contender.

It’s been a long road for Anaheim, they haven’t made the playoffs since they lost in the first round in 2018 and are currently in the running for the first overall pick, with the chance to draft Connor Bedard. Anaheim is tied for last place in the league with the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets. The Ducks do have some intriguing young pieces in place and some solid veterans that can be moved for additional draft capital and prospects. Henrique is likely to be at the top of the list of pieces the Ducks would like to move.

Ducks Notes: Henrique, Stolarz, Nesterenko

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Ducks center Adam Henrique was originally designated as out week-to-week but Eric Stephens of The Athletic clarifies (Twitter link) that the actual timeline for him to recover from his sprained MCL is five-to-six weeks.  Accordingly, it’s possible that the 33-year-old is able to return late in the season.  Henrique has 19 goals and 14 assists in 57 games in 2022-23 and Stephens notes that there was some legitimate interest in him at the trade deadline although the injury certainly cooled that off.  He’ll be featured in plenty of trade speculation again next season when he’ll be in the final year of his contract, one that carries an AAV of $5.825MM.

More from Anaheim:

  • Goaltender Anthony Stolarz was initially listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury but Stephens reports (subscription link) that the veteran is actually out for the rest of the season. That took away any chance that the Ducks had of moving him before yesterday’s trade deadline.  Stolarz will hit the market this summer coming off what was a disappointing year that saw him put up a 3.73 GAA with a .897 SV% in 19 games.  Lukas Dostal, the presumptive backup next season to John Gibson, should get an opportunity for more regular playing time down the stretch.
  • While new prospect Nikita Nesterenko has one more year of college eligibility remaining, don’t expect him to use it. Speaking on a team podcast following the trade deadline (audio link), GM Pat Verbeek indicated that the plan is to sign the 21-year-old to an ATO agreement to allow him to play in the minors after his season at Boston College comes to an end and will work on an NHL contract from there.  Nesterenko is eligible to opt for free agency this summer since it has been four years since he was drafted.  He has 30 points in 33 games with Boston College this season.

Anaheim Ducks Activate Troy Terry

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The Anaheim Ducks have swapped some forwards, activating Troy Terry from injured reserve and moving Adam Henrique to take his place. Justin Kirkland, who cleared waivers earlier today, has also been loaned to the AHL.

Terry, 25, played just three shifts in his first game back after the All-Star break before going down to injury, meaning he hasn’t finished a full NHL game yet in February. The talented forward can now return to continue another strong season, with 42 points in 51 games.

More concerning for the Ducks is the status of Henrique, who has been ruled out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He was one of Anaheim’s trade chips heading into the deadline, as even with another year on his contract, his experience and versatility was drawing interest from several clubs.

Now, with some uncertainty around his health, it’s hard for contenders to jump into a Henrique if he costs a prime asset. The 33-year-old carries a cap hit of $5.825MM through 2023-24, and isn’t producing at quite the same rate as last season. Still, with 19 goals in 57 games, a decade of experience at center, and strong two-way tendencies, perhaps someone will welcome the risk at an injury-reduced price.

Injured on Tuesday, he technically could be activated to play in the Ducks’ final game before the deadline if he is healthy enough to get back on the ice.

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