Why the signing of Dustin Penner does more harm to the Ducks than good

Fantasy Impact: The Anaheim Ducks have signed winger Dustin Penner to a one-year contract worth $2 million.

The Ducks get: one of the most disappointing wingers of the past three seasons. After his breakout 63-point campaign with the Oilers, the 6-5 Penner looked like the next big thing. Size and 60+ point talent? Yes please! But then he came back to earth – and when you’re 6-5 that’s quite the fall. Just 37 points in his last 115 regular season games.

His career started in Anaheim, when he posted 45 points as a rookie. So maybe that will give him a boost.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Here is where I have a problem with the signing. I think there are better hockey players on this team who will lose ice time as a result of Penner’s presence. In some cases, this will be minimal – maybe Emerson Etem averages 15 minutes of ice time, 1:30 of PP time per game instead of 15:40 and 1:40. But in other cases, this could be huge – Matt Beleskey playing 11 minutes or 13 minutes has a pretty big impact on his career. And Penner clone Pat Maroon (but younger and tougher) may not even make the team now, when he finally had a real shot. And if newcomer Jakob Silfverberg loses one second of ice time over this, the team suffers. Add it all up, and the outcome of Anaheim hockey games take a hit.

Potential Line Combos (click here to access all of the historical line combinations for free)

Jakob Silfverberg – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry
Emerson Etem – Saku Koivu – Kyle Palmieri
Matt Beleskey – Nick Bonino – Andrew Cogliano
Dustin Penner – Peter Holland – Daniel Winnik
Patrick Maroon –                    – Brad Staubitz
Devante Smith-Pelly

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. Penner

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Maroon

2. Beleskey

3. Smith-Pelly

4. Palmieri

5. Etem

6. Silfverberg