The Ducks have traded defenseman Cam Fowler to the St. Louis Blues, ending the second-longest tenure in franchise history.
In exchange for Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, the Ducks received a 2027 second-rounder and prospect defenseman Jérémie Biakabutuka.
Fowler, 33, played all his 991 career games with the Ducks, entering the league at age 18 after being the 12th overall selection in the 2010 draft. Fowler’s time with the Ducks over parts of 15 seasons included two trips to the conference finals and the only playoff meeting between the Kings and Ducks, a seesaw seven-game series won by the Kings.
The Ducks had been machinating to find a new home for Fowler in recent months, and managed to upgrade a draft pick in the process. The deal cost them 38.5% retention of Fowler’s remaining salary, which will carry a cap hit of $6.5 million this season and next. While they freed up ice time for their defensemen of the future – Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger should all benefit – they also lost a fixture in Orange County and a player who grew the game with his C4Kids program.
“This was a difficult trade to make considering what Cam has meant to this organization,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “He has been a valuable and respected member of our team for 15 seasons, representing the Ducks with ultimate class. His character and contributions on and off the ice have and will continue to leave a positive impact on our fans and community.”
“After meeting with Cam several times over the last few months, it became clear to both of us it may be time for a change,” Verbeek continued. “As usual, Cam handled the process with professionalism and remained committed to the Ducks. Cam and his family deserve nothing but the best going forward, and we wish them the best of luck.”
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Born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, but raised in Michigan, Fowler represented the United States internationally at least six times, including at the 2014 Olympic Games. He has 96 goals, 361 assists and 457 points in his NHL career, ranking fifth in franchise history for both assists and points.
Biakabutuka, 22, has bounced between levels of the minors as a 6-foot-4-inch defenseman who shoots right-handed and is best described as a mobile rearguard. He is the nephew of former University of Michigan and Carolina Panthers running back Tim Biakabutuka.
More to come on this story.