The Ducks re-signed forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year deal worth $81 million on Tuesday, locking into place perhaps the final piece of an offseason of tumult and turbulence ahead of Thursday\u2019s opening of training camp.<\/p>\n
Gauthier, 22, led the Ducks in goals (41) and points (69) last season, and now joins 21-year-old Leo Carlsson among Ducks with an eight-figure salary cap hit<\/a>. He and Carlsson are the first such salaries for the Ducks in the cap era, which began in 2005. The only other sum that crossed that threshold was paid to Paul Kariya for four seasons between 1999 and 2003.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time,\u201d Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. \u201cHe\u2019s a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.\u201d<\/p>\n While Gauthier and Carlsson were always viewed as foundational components of the future, the tandem will earn more combined next season than the established superstar duos like Edmonton\u2019s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or Colorado\u2019s Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very exciting day for my family and I,\u201d Gauthier said in a statement. \u201cI\u2019m so pleased to be able to sign long term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future.\u201d<\/p>\n While Verbeek was no stranger to protracted negotiations \u2013 he went to the mat with Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in 2023 and then Mason McTavish last fall<\/a>, with all three missing much of training camp before signing and ultimately being traded later<\/a> \u2013 this offseason was uniquely daunting.<\/p>\n There was some level of intentionality with Zegras and Drysdale, neither of whom he viewed as cornerstones commensurate with their high draft standing. Similarly, McTavish\u2019s footing never felt entirely firm despite being a No. 3 overall pick, even higher than his pals Zegras and Drysdale.<\/p>\n Yet Gauthier, Carlsson and, to a lesser degree, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov<\/a> were seen as lottery picks that were long-term pillars for the Ducks. Though Verbeek was quick to get top defenseman Jackson LaCombe locked down last fall with terms that have already aged well<\/a>, he saw an entire season pass and all three of those remaining restricted free agents go past July 1\u2019s opening of free agency without contracts.<\/p>\n That proved costly.<\/p>\n Carlsson, who rejected early offers before his camp \u201cslow-walked\u201d the Ducks in Verbeek\u2019s words, did give Verbeek a final chance to sign him on more favorable terms before inking an onerous offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers. Although he\u2019ll soon be surpassed by Makar and San Jose\u2019s Macklin Celebrini, who signed more lucrative extensions that kick in next year, Carlsson became the NHL\u2019s highest-paid player ever in terms of guaranteed annual salary. His five-year deal is worth $90 million and loaded with up-front payouts.<\/p>\n For much of their time with the Ducks, Mintyukov was neck-and-neck with Olen Zellweger, who was traded to Buffalo and signed a three-year contract worth $9.3 million. Yet Mintyukov ended up costing the Ducks $7.2 million a year for the next five seasons.<\/p>\n Gauthier\u2019s $13.5 million cap hit will tie Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel for the fifth-highest in the NHL next season. He had reportedly turned down a $13 million per campaign offer earlier in the process.<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s date loomed large because it was the last day before the NHL\u2019s new collective bargaining agreement took effect. Creative structures, bonus payouts and contract lengths were all set to become more restrictive at midnight ET, less than three hours after the deal was announced. Gauthier\u2019s deal is roughly 85% bonus money, $69 million of the $81 million total, and Carlsson\u2019s was nearly 95% bonus cash.<\/p>\n The Ducks started the offseason by trading Zellweger and also McTavish, jettisoning the forward\u2019s $42 million contract ($7 million AAV) that he signed just a year earlier. What seemed like luxury cap space for a team that had plenty proved essential, even after all three of the Ducks\u2019 veteran right defensemen strolled away in free agency.<\/p>\n So tight against the cap were the Ducks that they not only had a very tempered free-agent foray, but they also ended up having to work out a mutual contract termination with winger Chris Kreider<\/a>. He played significant minutes last season, often on Carlsson\u2019s flank, and will now pursue a Stanley Cup with one of the last year\u2019s Eastern Conference finalists, the Montreal Canadiens.<\/p>\n With this move, the Ducks appear to have their roster set for opening night, save perhaps for a peripheral addition or waiver claim. Carlsson, Gauthier, LaCombe and second-year sensation Beckett Sennecke will all be counted on to grow up fast as they seek to return to the playoffs after their first appearance in eight years last season and their first playoff series win since 2017.<\/p>\n