Fowler focused on play despite trade talk

Should the Anaheim Ducks re-sign top blue-liner Hampus Lindholm, it may be fellow defenseman Cam Fowler who pays the price.

Carrying a $4-million cap hit, Fowler is a valuable left-shot defenseman, but one the cap-strapped Ducks will likely no longer be able to afford.

Despite the speculation, the 24-year-old Fowler remains focused on the task at hand.

"I have a clear mind despite all the stuff that's going around me," Fowler told Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. "At the end of the day, this is a business and decisions have to be made. All I can do is go out and play my game to the best of my ability."

Fowler has been a go-to guy in the early season for Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, with a team-leading 24:46 through five games, recording four points.

"Any time I come to the rink, that’s the only thing on my mind," Fowler added. "Doing the best that I can to help contribute to this team. Whatever happens after that is out of my control."

Trade talk certainly isn't new to Fowler. It's believed he was very much in play on the draft floor, but no deal was consummated to send him out of Southern California.

If the Ducks are to move Fowler, the team has fellow left-shot blue-liner Shea Theodore ready to step in. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut last season, scoring eight points in 19 games.