The distraction that can often undermine the process instead encouraged it for Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler.
It's no coincidence that Fowler's delivered perhaps his best hockey at a time where his value to the Ducks, as well as prospective buyers, has been thrust under the media spotlight.
But his impetus amid trade chatter wasn't to prove his value to the team that will determine his future ahead of the looming expansion draft. Rather, Fowler took it as an opportunity to have the entire league recognize his capabilities.
"It kinda helped me stay in my lane. It gave me a little motivation, to be honest with you. I wanted to show teams, if they're interested in me, they'd be getting a good-quality player. It pushed me in the summer and even at the start of the season," Fowler told Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
"Five games into the season, (general manager Bob Murray) pulled me in and said, 'Hey, I was a player before, too. I heard my name tossed out there all the time.' He just said, 'I'm not shopping you. Teams are calling. Teams are gonna call.'"
The reason is twofold. First, he is that competent puck-moving defenseman all teams covet, and his talent is made only more enticing by the modest $4-million salary he'll earn through next season. Fowler ranks third in goals on a top-10 scoring team with nine, and has produced a clean 0.67 points per game scoring rate.
But second, it's no secret that, as it stands now, Anaheim's expansion draft strategy could all hinge on the decision to protect, or to expose, Fowler. If both he and Sami Vatanen remain on the roster at the time of selection, the cost to protect the pair is likely talented winger Jakob Silfverberg.
For his part, Fowler's done all he can: Muddle the situation further.
Because everything else is beyond his control.
"We're a team people are pointing at might lose a real quality player with the way the numbers are working," he said.
"It's not something we focus on, but in the back of our minds we understand that."
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