![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.prohockeyrumors.com\/files\/2026\/05\/leo-carlsson-ducks.jpg\")
<\/a>F Leo Carlsson<\/a> \u2013 Let\u2019s start with a big one.\u00a0 The second overall pick in 2023 showed plenty of promise in his first two seasons but took a big jump forward in 2025-26.\u00a0 He finished second on the team in scoring with 29 goals and 38 assists in just 70 games.\u00a0 He saw some shorthanded ice time.\u00a0 He upped his faceoff success rate.\u00a0 Basically, he took steps toward being the two-way top-line center the Ducks thought they\u2019d be getting when they picked him.\u00a0 Now, he\u2019s about to be paid like he is that player.\u00a0 A long-term deal would probably run the Ducks past the $11MM per season mark which would set the new benchmark for Anaheim\u2019s forwards.\u00a0 A bridge deal, meanwhile, would keep the cost lower in the short term but even that could land in the $8MM range per year.\u00a0 GM Pat Verbeek has held a firm line in talks with core youngsters before.\u00a0 This could very well be another of those negotiations.<\/p>\nF Cutter Gauthier<\/a> \u2013 That last sentence may wind up applying here as well.\u00a0 Gauthier led the Ducks offensively this season, notching 41 goals along with 28 helpers to finish two points up on Carlsson for the team lead.\u00a0 He even averaged a point per game in the playoffs while playing through a back injury.\u00a0 Wingers don\u2019t often get the type of premium money that centers do and it should be noted that, unlike Carlsson, he isn\u2019t eligible for an offer sheet after only playing once in the first year of his contract.\u00a0 Still, a long-term deal could approach the $9MM territory while a bridge pact would likely check in around the $6.5MM range.\u00a0 Carlsson is the headliner but Gauthier\u2019s next deal is going to be a significant one as well.<\/p>\n D Pavel Mintyukov<\/a> \u2013 The young blueliner hasn\u2019t had quite the impact Anaheim hoped when they made him a top-ten pick back in 2022.\u00a0 An offensive dynamo in junior, the production hasn\u2019t quite materialized in the NHL yet as he put up 28 points in his rookie year in 2023-24 and hasn\u2019t returned to that mark since, notching 22 this season.\u00a0 Meanwhile, a lack of playing time earlier in the year had him believed to be amenable<\/a> to a trade.\u00a0 With that in mind, there\u2019s a solid case to make that a short-term bridge contract would make more sense for both sides, allowing for more time for him to make his case for a higher spot on the depth chart and improve his production.\u00a0 The price tag for that type of deal should check in around the $3.5MM mark.<\/p>\n D Olen Zellweger<\/a> \u2013 There are some parallels to Mintyukov here.\u00a0 While he wasn\u2019t a lottery pick, he was still a prolific producer in junior who has yet to establish himself offensively in the NHL and even spent a lot of time in the playoffs as a healthy scratch.\u00a0 Zellweger had 22 points in 76 games this season but saw his ATOI drop by nearly two minutes a night.\u00a0 He could also find himself in trade speculation this summer if Verbeek wants to reshape the back end a bit.\u00a0 Accordingly, a bridge deal makes a lot of sense here too.\u00a0 With Zellweger not having as much of a track record as Mintyukov, a short-term agreement should check in a little lower compared to his counterpart.<\/p>\n Other RFAs: D Jeremie Biakabutuka<\/a>, G Vyacheslav Buteyets<\/a>, G Calle Clang<\/a>, D Tyson Hinds<\/a>, F\/D Ian Moore<\/a>, F Jan Mysak<\/a>, F Sasha Pastujov<\/a>, F Jaxsen Wiebe<\/a><\/p>\n Key Unrestricted Free Agents<\/p>\n D Radko Gudas<\/a> \u2013 The three-year deal he received in 2023 ultimately worked out pretty well for both sides.\u00a0 Gudas got to play a more prominent role than he was accustomed to early although he slowed down a fair bit this year and was banged up at the end of the season.\u00a0 It\u2019s certainly possible that Anaheim could look to bring back their captain but it would have to be with the understanding that he\u2019d be more of a sixth defender moving forward.\u00a0 Turning 36 next month with his rugged style of play, he\u2019ll be a little more hard-pressed to command a multi-year deal although he is eligible for incentives in a one-year pact.\u00a0 After making $4MM per season on this last contract, there\u2019s a good chance that ticks down by at least a million this summer.<\/p>\n D Jacob Trouba<\/a> \u2013 Acquired in a cap-clearing move from the Rangers last season, the change of scenery worked out nicely for the veteran, especially this year.\u00a0 Head coach Joel Quenneville elevated Trouba\u2019s role and he made the most of it, putting up his best offensive numbers since the 2021-22 campaign while the last time he played more than his 22:30 ATOI was back when he was in Winnipeg.\u00a0 Now, was this a late-career resurgence or a one-time blip?\u00a0 That\u2019s a key question heading into free agency but again, given the limited right-shot impact options available, teams are likely to be offering contracts that suggest they believe this year is repeatable.\u00a0 The 32-year-old probably won\u2019t hit the $8MM mark again but something in the $6MM to $7MM range on a multi-year pact could very well happen.<\/p>\n F Jeffrey Viel<\/a> \u2013 Score one for stick-to-itiveness.\u00a0 A regular in the minors until this season, Viel got a chance to play more regularly following an early-season trade from Boston.\u00a0 The 29-year-old got to play above the fourth line at times, a rarity for someone who was basically on the roster in case a fight was needed.\u00a0 He then impressed in the playoffs with four points in 12 games while still averaging more than four hits per game.\u00a0 It\u2019s unlikely that he\u2019s going to command a huge deal this summer but doubling his $775K current price tag isn\u2019t unfathomable either.\u00a0 At a minimum, he should have much more financial stability after bouncing around on two-way pacts for a lot of his pro career.<\/p>\n Other UFAs: F Jansen Harkins<\/a>, F Ross Johnston<\/a>, G Petr Mrazek<\/a><\/p>\n Projected Cap Space<\/p>\n The Ducks enter the offseason with a little over $40MM in cap space.\u00a0 Their RFA class should easily take up more than half of that number, assuming that they can work out long-term agreements with Carlsson and Gauthier.\u00a0 Beyond that, they will have a fair bit of flexibility to work with although Verbeek will be dealing with re-signing or replacing the right side of his back end.\u00a0 When all is said and done spending-wise, they may not be too far off the Upper Limit.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/john-carlson-ducks-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>D John Carlson<\/a> \u2013 The Ducks were the surprising winners of the Carlson sweepstakes, adding him at the trade deadline to aid their playoff run.\u00a0 He wound up averaging nearly a point per game down the stretch at over 24 minutes per night of playing time.\u00a0 The production dipped in the playoffs to six assists in a dozen contests but he again was over the 24-minute mark.\u00a0 While he\u2019s 36, Carlson has shown that he can still be a top-pairing player, at least for now.\u00a0 How quickly the potential drop-off could be will always be a concern for players his age but with the UFA market not being particularly deep, it wouldn\u2019t be shocking to see him land a price tag in the $7MM range while getting two or three years on the contract.\u00a0 With demand for right-shot impact blueliners set to be quite high, he\u2019s in great shape heading to free agency.<\/p>\n