After a long standoff during the summer, the deal is finally completed. Mason McTavish signed for an AAV of $7 million for the next six years with a 15 team no-trade clause for final year of the deal, according to PuckPedia. The Ducks finally have their number two center locked up for the foreseeable future, barring a trade.
But what does the signing mean for the future of the Ducks? Verbeek has been markedly tough negotiating with his RFAs; Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras both had trouble getting new deals signed, lost time in camp, got injured during the season, and both were eventually traded to the Flyers. Verbeek will have his hands full with the upcoming crop of free agents.
Leo Carlsson
Unquestionably the number one center of the team, the second overall draft pick in 2023, and a Verbeek regime selection. How high the Ducks rise in the standings and what their future looks like moving forward, rests on Carlsson's shoulders.
Carlsson will be a RFA next summer without arbitration rights though. What does a deal look like for Carlsson? Does the number begin with a 9? Or does that number go higher? Fairly or not, if Adam Fantilli of the Blue Jackets signs before Carlsson, that contract would be used as a comparable. Verbeek would be wise not to enter a prolonged contract negotiation with his number one center.
Jackson Lacombe
Like Carlsson, Lacombe will be a RFA next summer. However, Lacombe will have arbitration rights, which will force Ducks management to make a negotiation before a prolonged contract standoff. Lacombe has already proved himself to the number one defenseman on the team and took a big step last season, after the Cam Fowler trade, as the younger defenseman on the Ducks struggled to find ice time under the previous coach, Greg Cronin.
Olen Zellweger
Zellweger will be a RFA next summer without arbitration rights. Although he struggled last season, Zellweger has shown flashes of being an offensive defenseman, capable of quarterbacking the top power play unit. If Zellweger can shore up his defensive game and flourish under the system established by new coach, Joel Quenneville, Zellweger can improve his value to the team.
Pavel Mintyukov
Mintyukov will also be a RFA next summer without arbitration rights. The 2024-25 season was particularly rough for the young defenseman, as he and Zellweger struggled to find consistent ice time before the Fowler trade.
Like Zellweger, Mintyukov has dynamic offensive capabilities. And like Zellweger, he also struggled defensively under Cronin, which some of those struggles can be chocked up to injury. However, Mintyukov's place in the lineup is even less certain. How many young offensive defensemen do the Ducks need? This has the potential to be an ugly contract negotiation.
Radko Gudas
Gudas will be a UFA next summer, has a 10 team no trade list, and carries a $4 million cap hit for the upcoming season. Even though Drew Helleson is a capable backup option and Tristan Luneau is making a push for more ice time, Verbeek might have a hard time justifying trading his captain in season. However, if Gudas plays as poorly as he did last season, Verbeek could just let the captain walk to free agency without making an offer.
Jacob Trouba
Trouba will also be a UFA next summer, has a 12 team no trade list, and carries a $8 million cap hit for the upcoming season. Like Gudas, there is pressure for Trouba to perform well with other viable right-handed young defensemen on the roster.
Verbeek could sign Trouba at the end of the season for a number much closer to his relative value which, despite all the big hits Trouba throws, he is no longer the number one shut down defenseman. Or Verbeek could let Trouba walk too and replace him with an in-house solution.
The McTavish signing, in all its prolonged headache, gave Ducks fans a glimpse into how next summer could unfold. Hopefully, Verbeek cuts out this hard-nosed mentality and makes important contract decisions with the franchise's upcoming free agents swiftly and intelligently.