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One Year Later: The Andrew Cogliano Trade

Photo: Tim Heitman / USA Today

By Thomas Harrington

One year ago today, the Anaheim Ducks traded forward Andrew Cogliano to the Dallas Stars for forward Devin Shore.

My immediate reaction to this trade was disbelief. Cogliano had long been one of my favorite players to watch. For years he was one of the hardest working and consistent players in Anaheim. However, as I thought about it and read about Shore, I understood why this move was made.

The Ducks had acquired Cogliano from the Edmonton Oilers for a 2013 second-round draft pick in the summer of 2011. Cogliano had primarily played center in Edmonton, but Anaheim used him primarily on the wing, a position that he excelled at for several seasons. While he never became an offensive force in Anaheim, Cogliano did become one of the premier checking wingers in the game. Eventually, he was put on a line with Jakob Silfverberg and Ryan Kesler to form one of the best shutdown lines in the NHL. He played over seven full seasons in Anaheim and he only missed two games, when he was suspended for one of the stranger decisions made by the Department of Player Safety in recent years.

However, Cogliano’s game had taken a noticeable decline in his final season in Anaheim. He was never a big-time goal scorer, but he could be counted on for at least 10 or 12 goals every year. Before the trade, he had played in 46 games and only scored three goals and 11 points. Anaheim’s vaunted checking line had been broken up, primarily because of Kesler’s health, but also because the team wanted to give Silfverberg a more offensive role. With his two longtime partners rarely available to him, Cogliano didn’t really fit in with the Ducks anymore. He was still giving it his all each and every night, but Anaheim was ready to go in a younger direction, and I’m glad they moved him to a team where he could be better utilized.

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The Stars had selected Shore in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. After being drafted, he spent the next few seasons playing at the University of Maine in the NCAA before turning pro in the 2014-2015 season, getting 19 games of AHL experience. He made his NHL debut the following season, but only played in three games for the Stars and spent the rest of the year in the AHL. Shore became a full-time NHL player in the 2016-2017 season, playing in all 82 games and scoring 13 goals and 33 points. Shore had a strong rookie season, but he was never able to really build off of it. He had 32 points the following season and had scored five goals and 17 points in 42 games before Dallas traded him.

At the time of the trade, the Ducks were in a tailspin. They had lost a franchise-record 11 games in a row; something needed to change. The Stars had missed the playoffs the previous two seasons and were looking for some veteran help to get them back to the postseason. For Anaheim, the season was clearly over. By trading a veteran player out for a cheaper, younger player, the hope was that Shore could bring something similar to the lineup that Cogliano did, but at a lower price. For the Stars, they were hoping for a long playoff run, and a player with Cogliano’s experience could go a long way toward making that happen.

The Ducks saved some money on this deal, as Shore is only signed for $2.3 million and Cogliano is signed for $3.25 million. Also, Shore will be a restricted free agent this season, so if the Ducks decide that he’s not a part of their long term future, it will be relatively easy for them to part ways with him. Cogliano is signed for another season after this one, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021.

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When Shore arrived, Anaheim’s losing streak continued; it hit 12 games before the Ducks were finally able to win a game. Shore played in 34 games for the Ducks through the rest of the season and he scored five goals and 12 points. He bounced around the lineup, never really finding a permanent spot for himself, but he was able to play on any line and in virtually any situation. He actually reminded me a bit of Todd Marchant, a player who wasn’t going to score a lot, but would play safe minutes and could be trusted to take a shift on the top line or the fourth line and happily fill in where needed.

Unfortunately, this season hasn’t gone very well for Shore or Anaheim. He’s been a healthy scratch several times and hasn’t scored much. But, when he’s in the lineup, Shore has once again played on every line for the Ducks. Overall, he’s played in 30 games and scored two goals and six points. While he hasn’t replaced what Cogliano once was to Anaheim, I do think Shore’s level of play isn’t too far off from where Cogliano was a year ago. If the Ducks do decide to keep Shore beyond this season, this deal could potentially work out well for them in the longterm.

In Dallas, Cogliano played in 32 games and scored three goals and six assists. He wasn’t getting a ton of playing time with his new team, and he also missed a couple of games because of an injury, the first time in his career that had ever happened. With Cogliano’s help, Dallas did return to the playoffs, and they advanced to the second round, where they lost to the eventual champs, the St. Louis Blues. Cogliano played in all 13 games and scored two goals. This season, Cogliano’s offensive numbers have continued to fall, but he’s still playing solid minutes for the Stars. Overall, he’s scored two goals and nine points in 44 games this season.

Given Cogliano’s declining effectiveness in Anaheim, it made sense for Anaheim to trade him and get a younger player to fill in. However, while Shore has had some good games, he clearly is not a future Cogliano. I wasn’t thrilled when this deal was initially announced, primarily because of my emotional attachment to Cogliano. However, he wasn’t the player he once was, and with Anaheim looking to ice a younger roster, it was the right time to move him. Both got what they wanted in the short term, veteran help for the Stars and a big lineup change for the Ducks while also getting younger, but neither player has brought a ton to his new team as we get further away from the deal. Ultimately, I do give the edge to Dallas in this deal, simply because Cogliano did help them make the playoffs and could do so again this season, while Shore has not been able to help turn Anaheim’s fortunes around.

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January 14th, 2019

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