Blues acquire Cam Fowler, pick from Ducks for Jeremie Biakabutuka, pick
One of the top blueliners of his generation is on the move for the first time.
On Saturday, the St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Cam Fowler and a fourth-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks. In return, the Ducks are receiving defenseman Jeremie Biakabutka and a second-round pick.
Trade details:
To #stlblues: D Cam Fowler, 2027 4th Rd Pick
To #NHLDucks: 2027 2nd Rd Pick, D Jeremie Biakabatuka
Ducks retain $2.5 million on Fowler’s $6.5 million remaining over this year and next.
Like Corey Perry (988), Fowler ends up 9 games short of 1,000 as a Duck.
The move has some financial benefits for the Blues, as the Ducks are retaining 38.5 percent of Fowler’s contract. The Windsor native has one more season remaining on his eight-year contract extension that he signed with Anaheim in July 2017, with a cap hit of $6.5 million.
The move was seemingly fast-tracked shortly after Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek made the deal to receive defenseman Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers last week. For a moment, Anaheim had an experienced D-corps featuring Fowler, Trouba, Brian Dumoulin and Radko Gudas.
This is the first time Fowler has ever been traded in his NHL career. The former Windsor Spitfire has been with the Ducks since the team took him in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2010 NHL Draft. He burst onto the scene that year and quickly became one of the team’s most reliable defenders during its strong years in the early 2010s.
Even as Anaheim started to fall out of relevancy, Fowler continued to perform at a top-notch pace. In 2022-23, he posted career highs in assists (38) and points (48), scoring 10 goals for the third time in his career.
With the Ducks being a consistent bottom-feeder in the Western Conference for the last few years, Fowler’s name had circulated in trade talks, but the team seemingly never found the right deal until now.
So far this season, the 33-year-old has registered just four assists in 17 games, with a plus/minus of -7 while averaging 21:04 of ice time per game.
In 991 career NHL appearances, Fowler has scored 96 goals and 361 assists for 457 points. In 62 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he’s registered six goals and 27 assists for 33 points.
Biakabutuka is a minor-league prospect, having never played a game in the NHL. He signed a three-year contract with the Blues in July 2023, spending most of last season in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears. The story has been similar in 2024-25. Though the 22-year-old appeared in one game for St. Louis’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, Biakabutka has played 13 games for the Florida Everblades.
The former QMJHL veteran has played in five AHL games, registering no points. In 76 ECHL appearances, Biakabutuka has scored five goals and 17 assists for 22 points, including one assist in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
The Blues (14-14-2) are sixth in the Central Division, four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the last Wild Card spot in the West. The Ducks (10-4-14) are at the bottom of the Pacific, four points ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks for the worst record in the NHL.