The Anaheim Ducks taking a step with Kreider trade, but toward what?

The trade that just sent Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks for a low-level prospect and a pick swap sends a clear message.

The long-suffering franchise — which hasn't made the playoffs, or even been above .500, since 2017-18 — needs to professionalize itself.

Obviously these are all professional players, many of them well-respected and highly paid veterans, but it's hard to say they haven't fully turned themselves over to the idea of a total tear-down-and-rebuild plan these last several seasons. In a lot of ways that was the right move, but every rebuild has to reach a natural conclusion (unless you're the Buffalo Sabres). The Ducks have amassed a solid roster of high-end young players, and this rumored trade signals the team has now reached the point where GM Pat Verbeek figures it's time