Sporting News: Ducks’ Ryan tired of trade talks
Bobby Ryan is not at all pleased about his name being floated in trade rumors, and on Friday he spoke out about it.
Ryan said he was taking the rumors “personally” and indicated his preference for a trade destination.
“I heard Anaheim was a little overwhelmed with offers and they only took four seriously, but none of the team were mentioned to me other than Philly,” Ryan said in an interview with the Courier-Post of Camden County, N.J. “Everybody wants to play in your hometown, but it would be tough because a lot of expectations come when you’re put into a situation like that. For me, if I’m moved, Philadelphia would be a very ideal and comfortable place for me.”
The 25-year-old right winger, who has scored 30 or more goals in four straight seasons, is originally from Cherry Hill, N.J., just outside Philadelphia.
The price for Ryan is high, according to CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio. The Ducks are asking for left winger James van Riemsdyk and one of the team’s young centers, Brayden Schenn or Sean Couturier, according to Panaccio’s sources. The team is not willing to move Schenn or Couturier at the moment, according to the report.
“I take things personally,” Ryan told the Courier-Post. “Anaheim, to me, has been a team over the past year that really has shown me nothing to prove that they want me here, unfortunately. Obviously, it’s not the ideal situation. When you get drafted, you want to win championships with that team and every time they look to add a piece to the puzzle, I’m the piece going the other way.
“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.”
Ducks general manager Bob Murray responded Friday night to Ryan’s comments.
“I’d just like to say I’m disappointed at this time at his comments and I intend to talk to Bobby personally when we get back from the draft and clear the air a little bit,,” Murray told the Los Angeles Times.
Murray added that Ryan’s camp had not asked for a trade.
Ryan’s name came up in trade rumors early in the 2011-12 season but the trade talk died down when the Ducks fired coach Randy Carlyle and hired Bruce Boudreau.
The coaching change helped pull Ryan out of an early-season slump. Under Carlyle, Ryan had seven goals and 12 points in 24 games. After Boudreau took over, Ryan flourished with 24 goals and 45 points in his last 58 games.
“Bruce essentially changed my whole season around in Anaheim,” Ryan told the Courier-Post. “It was going downhill very fast. He came in and changed things around and really spoke to me on a level that I could understand. I loved playing for him.
“I thought going into the summer, with the second half that I had, some of the rumors would be put to rest. I don’t know what it is or what I have to do to put them away.”
Ryan is under contract for three more seasons, with a cap hit of $ 5.1 million per season.