When Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray let veteran defensemen Francois Beauchemin walk away in free agency this summer, he was quick to take action on finding a replacement. Murray set his sights on a trade with Vancouver and he brought in another veteran defensemen, Kevin Bieksa.
On paper it made sense, replace one veteran defensemen with another. Bieksa and Beauchemin share a lot of the same attributes, both play a tough physical game and both have served as leaders in their teams locker room’s for many years.
However both have flaws and unfortunately for the Ducks, Bieksa’s are being exposed more than ever with a change of scenery.