Anaheim Ducks re-sign three restricted free agents last week
By Ed Stein
It was a “busy work” week at the Anaheim Ducks offices on Katella Avenue. General Manager Bob Murray and staff came to terms with three of the organization’s restricted free agents.
Last week saw another incarnation of Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray. Both “Big Deal Bob” and “Bargain Basement Bob” were on the shelf as “Administrator Bob” took center stage. Three of the team’s restricted free agents signed new one year contracts. Kevin Roy, Kalle Kossila, and Andy Welinski will all be back with the Ducks organization for another go around in 2018-19.
Kevin Roy
The uber-speedy, yet small right-wing inked a two-way contract for next season. His new contract will pay him $874,125 at the NHL level. According to capfriendly.com, he’ll earn $70K for time spent in the minor leagues.
Last year Roy made his Ducks debut on November 9. He showed the team that his game has NHL quality while he was on the main roster. The Greenfield Park, Quebec native scored seven points (6g, 1a) during his 25 game audition. It wouldn’t be surprising if Roy was on the ice opening night in Anaheim.
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Kalle Kossilla
Kossila is another undersized yet fast forward who has been biding his time in the AHL. He signed as an undrafted player after his college career at St. Cloud State ended in the spring of 2016. Since then he has been lighting up the scoreboard in San Diego.
This will be a make or break year for him. At 25 years old there is still time for him to have a quality NHL career, but the sand is running out of his hourglass. Over the last two years, Kossila has played in 11 games with the Ducks scoring two points and going minus four.
His two-way contract pays $650K at the NHL level and $125K when he is in the minors.
Andy Welinski
A third-round draft choice by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011 (83rd overall), Andy Welinski is at a crossroads in his career. He is a good enough player to be called up when the Ducks lost Cam Fowler to injury at the end of the year. Further, he gained valuable experience by appearing in three of Anaheim’s four postseason games last May. Unfortunately for him, he is the team’s eighth best defenseman entering training camp.
Welinski is primarily a puck-moving defenseman but isn’t going to unseat either Fowler or Brandon Montour on the top two defense pairings. He faces stiff competition for a spot on the third pair with incumbent Marcus Pettersson and former 2015 first round pick Jacob Larsson. Either Andrej Sustr or Luke Schenn will get the “stay-at-home” role on that pairing.
The new contract pays Welinski, $125K for time with the Gulls and $690K when he’s in the NHL.
Next: Are the Ducks a better team now?
Three unrestricted free agents remain for GMBM to get under contract. First is defenseman Brandon Montour, who is in the arbitration process. The other two are forwards Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie.