The St. Louis Blues have acquired veteran defenceman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2027 second round pick, and minor league defender Jeremie Biakabutuka. Also headed to St. Louis in the deal is a 2027 4th round selection.
Originally a 1st round pick of Anaheim back in 2010, Fowler has spent the entirety of his professional career with the Ducks organization after winning a Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires. His 96 career goals, 361 assists, and 991 games played are all franchise records for a blue liner in franchise history.
“After meeting with Cam several times over the last few months, it became clear to both of us it may be time for a change,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “As usual, Cam handled the process with professionalism and remained committed to the Ducks. Cam and his family deserve nothing but the best going forward, and we wish them the best of luck.”
Anaheim will retain 38.5% of Fowler’s salary moving forward, which currently carries a $6.5M cap hit and runs through the 2025-26 NHL campaign.
“This was a difficult trade to make considering what Cam has meant to this organization,” Verbeek said. “He has been a valuable and respected member of our team for 15 seasons, representing the Ducks with ultimate class. His character and contributions on and off the ice have, and will continue to leave, a positive impact on our fans and community.”
Since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach of the St. Louis Blues, the club has gone 5-2-1 and suddenly find themselves back in the mix for a wildcard spot. After relieving Drew Bannister of his duties back in November, the Blues front office was aggressive in looking for win now type moves that could help their lineup. Evidently GM Doug Armstrong believes that Fowler’s experience and durability can help insulate a St. Louis blue line which has seen its share of injuries over the first half of the season.
The 33 year old has appeared in 81, 82, and 76 games for the Ducks over the last 3 NHL campaigns. He’ll now join a defence core that also includes the likes of Colton Parayko, Philip Broberg, Justin Faulk, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, and Ryan Suter.
The club is next in action against the Dallas Stars in a Saturday night affair. It’s unclear whether Fowler will arrive and get settled in time for the 8pm ET contest.
Photo: Sarah Connors. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.