DUCKS MOVE MCMILLAN TO LAND LOMBARDI
The Anaheim Ducks acquired forward Matthew Lombardi from the Phoenix Coyotes for forward Brandon McMillan.
What does it give the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim is a somewhat surprising contender this season so it makes perfect sense for them to bring in a savvy veteran forward with Lombardi's tools. He adds excellent speed to their forward depth, and while his production has tailed off considerably the past few seasons Lombardi is a quality forward with playoff experience. His speed should provide a nice boost, and his experience may prove invaluable. A solid risk here by the Ducks, who can let Lombardi leave after this season via free agency if he doesn't pan out.
What does it give the Phoenix Coyotes
The 'Yotes are in seller mode and in the short term, moving pending unrestricted free agent Lombardi saves them some cash; Lombardi wasn't a core player for them and they're on the playoff bubble. In the longer term, McMillan is still a somewhat-promising forward prospect who just happens to be having a down campaign in the AHL. Eventually McMillan showed flashes of NHL promise a couple of seasons ago with Anaheim and may prove to be a solid addition to one of Phoenix's top three lines. It won't be surprising if he's called up soon by the Coyotes.
Fantasy impact
Lombardi has been showing some recent signs of regaining his former scoring touch, so it won't be surprising if he finds his way onto one of Anaheim's top three lines soon. That doesn't bode well for the fantasy fortunes of young players such as {P Emerson Etem}, {P Peter Holland}, and/or {P Matt Beleskey} down the stretch. In Phoenix this deal makes McMillan a deep sleeper to keep on the radar, although don't expect big scoring totals even if he gets called up soon.
