Kesler happy to be in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, CA (The Spread) – After weeks of trade speculation, Ryan Kesler finally has a new home and he couldn’t be happier.
The Vancouver Canucks traded the 29-year-old Kesler and a third-round draft picks to the Ducks in exchange for Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa, the 24th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and a third-round selection on Friday ahead of the 2014 NHL Entry draft.
Kesler has struggled offensively over the last three years in part due to injuries. But he said following the trade that he didn’t want to stick with Vancouver and is eager to start his new life with the Ducks. He had just 43 points in 77 games last season as the Canucks struggled offensively under former coach John Tortorella.
“Last year, the season was tough on all the players who play for the Canucks,” Kesler told NHL.com. “I hate losing, and that season was painful, to be honest. The fact that they’re in a rebuild and looking to get younger, and years away from being a contender, it was just time for me to move on and win, and hopefully take home a championship.”
The Canucks used the 24th overall selection that they acquired from Anaheim to draft Canadian center Jared McCann, while the Ducks took left wing Nick Ritchie from the OHL with the 10th overall pick that they acquired from Ottawa in the Bobby Ryan trade.
“For me and my family, it’s a positive move,” Kesler told the Orange County Register. “We’re excited to be going to Anaheim. At the same time, we’ve called Vancouver home for the last 11 years. We have friends on the team, friends in the city and the organization has treated us very well. Saying that, I’m going to Anaheim to win a championship. That’s going to be my sole goal and my team’s sole goal. That’s basically it.”
Before the draft the Ducks had 14/1 odds to win the 2015 Stanley Cup and 7/1 odds to win the Western Conference, while the Canucks were 55/1 to win next year’s Cup and 22/1 to win the conference according to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI.
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