A “very, very big number,” says Friedman
Cutter Gauthier has finished his entry-level deal. At 21, the Anaheim Ducks winger is a restricted free agent, and his situation has become one of the most closely watched stories of the NHL offseason.
Appearing on NHL Tonight, Elliotte Friedman said he has heard progress in talks. One warning came straight away: this is going to be “a very, very big number.” The big question, he said, is how the Ducks are going to clear the cap space they need over the next two weeks.
According to the chatter, Gauthier has already turned down a four-year offer worth $13 million per season. Those details remain insider talk, unconfirmed by the club.
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Carlsson’s $18 million reset the whole market
The backdrop explains why Gauthier’s camp is pushing hard. The deals signed by the 2022-2023 class have blown the floor out from under the market. Leo Carlsson, drafted right ahead of him, is now on $18 million per season over five years. Under those conditions, it is hard to tell a player scoring 0.717 points per game across 159 appearances that he should settle for five million less.
Gauthier also does not have the option of signing an offer sheet. He does not have enough NHL games to be eligible, which removes a standard bargaining chip from his side, but it does nothing to weaken the price he can ask for.
Anaheim will have to make room
The final number will shape the whole roster build. One route would be to put Troy Terry and his $7 million annual cap hit on long-term injured reserve to start the season. That would only be a temporary fix, though. The Ducks would still have to get back under the cap when the winger returns later in the year.
Other ways to trim the books have been floated, involving Alex Killorn, Chris Kreider or Frank Vatrano. None of those possibilities have been confirmed.
Training camp opens soon and the regular season starts on October 1. Anaheim still has not locked up its young star, still has not cleared the space, and the number keeps climbing around him. Three weeks is not much time for a file that has been dragging on since July.
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