Ducks' Fowler surprised he wasn't traded at NHL Draft

Cam Fowler was fully expecting to be on the move.

The Anaheim Ducks defenseman was reportedly in play on the trade market at the NHL Draft, and, having been well aware of the speculation, had been preparing himself mentally for a call saying he had indeed been moved.

"I've heard (trade speculation) before even at recent trade deadlines, but this time with the position the Ducks are in and some of the salaries, it just seemed like it was pretty real," he told Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. "I was 100 percent prepared for something to happen. And was honestly pretty surprised when it didn't."

Still, Fowler knows the possibility that he will be traded remains wide open as the offseason continues.

"It's one of those things where I want to be prepared for it to happen, obviously I love playing in Anaheim and being a Duck, I feel like I have a great relationship with (general manager) Bob (Murray). I just know that his hands are tied a little bit with what he needs to do. I just have to sit and be patient and see what happens."

The 24-year-old was drafted 12th overall by the Ducks in 2010, and recorded a career-high 10 goals and 40 points as a rookie the following season. For his career, he's averaging 0.43 points per game, a number that rises to 0.49 in 49 playoff games.

Fowler remains under contract for the next two seasons at a cap hit of $4 million.