According to CapFriendly, there were only four teams with enough cap space to absorb Rico's nearly $6 mil AAV: Detroit ($7.6 mil), Ottawa ($8.4 mil), LA ($9.1 mil), and NJ ($10.5 mil). All four of those teams are in a similar situation like the Ducks, mostly young and rebuilding. Rico was having a terrible season to start. It's pointless for all four teams to pick up a $6 mil talent for the next four seasons (including this season) on a player who may not regain that ability to play.
Going into this off-season, the Ducks have over $22 mil in cap space, shredding a lot of Perry buyout ($4.625 mil) and Backes' contract ($4.5 mil). We also have one year left on Kesler's contract, worth $6.875 mil, which will be used for LTIR relief. Getzlaf won't be returning at $8.25 mil as well. What exactly will a lower cap hit do for the Ducks? Rico proves he can work here, but we have no idea if an incoming FA, who all FA's are overpaid, will gel. Look at Shattenkirk. In fact, Shattenkirk is what the Ducks or any team will be gambling with for free agency - players in their 30's getting overpaid.
Rico turned his game around and continued his good play into Worlds as its captain.
Rico's NHL 2021 Breakdown
| 2021 NHL | | | | | |
| Games | G | A | Pts | PPG | |
| 45 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 0.47 | Total |
| 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.25 | Before Waiver |
| 29 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 0.59 | After Waiver |
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As you can see, his production more than doubled after his final wakeup call. It worked.
Rico's 2021 World Champions
| 2021 WC | | | | |
| Games | G | A | Pts | PPG |
| 10 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 1.10 |
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When surrounded with more talent around him, Rico produced very well.
For the Ducks, Rico was the 4th best scorer on the team and 2nd best goal scorer. For team Canada, Rico was the 2nd best scorer (tied) and 2nd best goal scorer. There's some consistency there with his goal scoring and being a top-5 team scorer. It's obvious that team Canada has better talent than the Ducks. Comtois was also Rico's teammate for Team Canada. Comtois is our best scorer and goal scorer for the Ducks last year, but on team Canada, he was the 4th best scorer (6 pts) and 3rd best goal scorer (4 g) at World's. Two years ago, Rico was our top scorer (26 g) and goal scorer (43 pts).
This is why we should keep Rico while adding more offensive talent. Right now, the only talents we can rely upon are what is in the Ducks' system. The only possible goal scorers in our system no in the NHL are Perreault, who is probably a year away, and Tracey, who is probably two or three years away. We could sign Limoges. We don't have much coming up through our system. Steel and Jones aren't all that when compared to Zegras and Comtois, whom the latter are younger than the former.
Now, I wouldn't mind packaging Rico to get Eichel, which would help absorb about 60% of Eichel's salary for the next three seasons. At least we know we are getting talent worth the $10 mil, if healthy.
I guess my mindset is we can get back to being a playoff competitor sooner with Rico than without. But if you don't think the Ducks are close to vying for a potential playoff run, then I suppose you can just want to shed salary while removing talent to achieve a self-imposed tank. What exactly are you going to do with that salary this off-season? Therein lies the difference in value of Rico. I guess we'll see what transpires. I know GM Murray has kicked around the idea of taking on bad salaries again this off-season, which would project we're in a self-imposed tank mode.
