Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray said he had some discussions with Ryan Getzlaf about his future with the organization and a move to another team before Monday’s trade deadline.
Murray said that, while he couldn’t get into specifics, Getzlaf told him if a trade was available that could improve the Ducks, he would be willing to entertain it.
“(Getzlaf) and I had numerous discussions about his future and, to his credit, most of the discussions were about the future of this organization,” Murray said. “He came to me and said ‘look, if you think there’s something there that will help us tremendously going forward’ he would have gone somewhere. He would have done it.
“And we narrowed it down and talked, but it just wasn’t there.”
Getzlaf, who turns 36 in May, has spent his entire 16-year career with the Ducks, including the last 11 as captain. He is in the final year of an eight-year, $66 million contract and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Anaheim is on track to miss the playoffs for a third straight season and entered play Monday last in the West Division with a 12-23-7 record. Getzlaf’s offensive numbers have taken a downturn in recent years and he has just three goals and 15 points in 37 games this season.
Some reports suggested the Vegas Golden Knights or Montreal Canadiens — which would have included a reunion with Corey Perry — as teams interested in Getzlaf but in the end, a trade was not made. Now that the deadline has passed all eyes will be on Getzlaf as he decides whether to return to Anaheim on a smaller contract or to chase a Stanley Cup with another team in the off-season.
For his part, Murray seemed to think his captain wouldn’t leave unless it benefited the Ducks.
“He’s all about the organization and he’s all about what’s best for us,” Murray said of Getzlaf. “I had goals in mind for what I was trying to do here but it did not come to fruition.”
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