- 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson has returned to practice for the Ducks after missing the first two games of the season with a leg injury, writes Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Carlsson told The Sporting Tribune’s Derek Lee Tuesday that he wants “to be 100% [for] the first game,” of course referring to his first NHL appearance. He hopes to be ready for the Ducks’ next game, a Thursday showdown against the Stars. Carlsson is currently on season-opening injured reserve but can be activated at any time.
Ducks Rumors
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Anaheim Ducks
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2023-24 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Anaheim Ducks
Current Cap Hit: $75,316,667 (under the $83.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Leo Carlsson (three years, $925K)
D Jackson LaCombe (one year, $925K)
D Tristan Luneau (three years, $897K)
F Mason McTavish (two years, $894K)
D Pavel Mintyukov (three years, $918K)
Potential Bonuses
Carlsson: $3.25MM
LaCombe: $925K
Luneau: $80K
McTavish: $2.5MM
Mintyukov: $550K
Total: $7.31MM
Carlsson was the second-overall pick back in June and while he opens the season as a cap-exempt player on SOIR, that won’t be the case for long. With Anaheim’s depth down the middle, they have the luxury of easing him in at center if they want or to start him on the wing. It’s far too early to forecast a second contract but he’s a big part of their future plans. McTavish is also a key cog for them for the long haul. The third-overall pick in 2021 had a strong first full season and is expected to play a bigger role this year. If he stays on that upward trajectory, he could command a long-term deal around the $8MM range that other young middlemen have landed. That is, if GM Pat Verbeek is willing to break from his tendency of sticking with bridge deals. In that case, something around $6MM could be the target.
LaCombe made his NHL debut late last season, burning the first year of his deal in the process. He was quite productive with the University of Minnesota in his college career, particularly the last two years. However, with him really only having one year to base his second contract on, it’s almost certain to be a short-term agreement. If he holds a regular role this year, it could check in around the $1.5MM mark. Luneau and Mintyukov both broke camp with the team but might not be up for too long. Two of the top blueliners in major junior last season, both have considerable offensive upside which will serve them well on their second contracts.
Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level
F Sam Carrick ($850K, UFA)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx ($775K, RFA)
F Adam Henrique ($5.825MM, UFA)
F Brett Leason ($775K, RFA)
F Isac Lundestrom ($1.8MM, RFA)
D Ilya Lyubushkin ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Max Jones ($1.295MM, RFA)
F Jakob Silfverberg ($5.25MM, UFA)
D Urho Vaakanainen ($850K, RFA)
Get used to hearing Henrique’s name in trade speculation throughout the season. When healthy, he has shown he can still play on a second line although his role on a contender might be a bit lower. Henrique’s injury trouble will limit his value on the open market, however. He’s still capable of putting up 20 goals – he did so just last season – but as he starts to look more like a third-liner moving forward, his value will drop accordingly. Something in the $3.5MM range might be the right spot. Silfverberg is another trade deadline rental candidate assuming the Ducks retain a sizable portion. He has struggled the last few years and is more of a role player at this point in his career. In free agency, those players typically get about a third of what he’s making now.
Lundestrom’s platform year isn’t off to a good start as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon back in August, keeping him out for the first half of the season at a minimum. Between that, the fact he’s coming off just a four-goal showing, and the fact that he filed for arbitration on his last deal, it’s possible that he becomes a non-tender candidate. Otherwise, a one-year agreement at or very close to this price tag is where his next deal should be. Jones has also battled injuries on his current deal but is coming off a career-best showing last year. If he can build on that, he could land a bit more than his $1.5MM qualifying offer next summer.
Carrick had 11 goals back in 2021-22 which helped him earn this deal after being primarily an AHL regular before that point. He’s a pure fourth liner which will cap his earnings upside unless he’s able to put up another double-digit showing offensively this season. Groulx is the beneficiary from Lundestrom’s injury as he was able to break camp with the team. He has primarily been in the AHL so far which doesn’t give him much leverage in negotiations but if he can lock down a full-time role, he could come in close to the $1MM mark. Leason was claimed off waivers last season and played a somewhat regular role. Similar to Groulx, if he can become an every-game player, he could land a small raise next summer as well.
Lyubushkin comes over following a late-summer trade as Verbeek continues to add grit to his roster. He’s a third-pairing blueliner with some limitations but if last summer was any indication, it’s quite possible that he lands a similar-sized multi-year agreement in 2024 given the desire for right-shot blueliners around the league. Vaakanainen just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Anaheim picked him up as part of the Hampus Lindholm trade, hoping he could be a part of their future plans on the back end. That still could happen but with how much time he has missed, a one-year deal next summer is likely, one that should check in near the $1MM mark.
Signed Through 2024-25
G Lukas Dostal ($812.5K, RFA)
F Brock McGinn ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Frank Vatrano ($3.65MM, UFA)
Vatrano’s first season with Anaheim was a successful one as he set a new career high in points with 41 while topping the 20-goal mark for just the second time. At the time the deal was signed in 2022, this looked like a bit of an overpayment but if he can sustain those numbers, they’ll get a good return on the contract while the veteran will have a strong case for another multi-year pact in the $4MM range. McGinn was a salary dump from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline but while he’s overpaid for his role, he’s still a serviceable checker. His market value is around $1MM less than what he’s making now.
Dostal is in his first full NHL season after being up and down between Anaheim and AHL San Diego the last couple of years. If he can hold his own as a backup, he should easily double this price tag. If he can push to play more than just a typical backup, something closer to $3MM becomes potentially plausible.
Signed Through 2025-26
D Jamie Drysdale ($2.3MM, RFA)
D Cam Fowler ($6.5MM, UFA)
D Radko Gudas ($4MM, UFA)
F Ross Johnston ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Trevor Zegras ($5.75MM, RFA)
It took a while for Zegras and Anaheim to come to terms on the bridge deal that many expected but an agreement was reached just before the season. The contract gives both sides more time to assess if he can become a true number one middleman. If so, it’s possible that his next contract is closer to the $9MM mark while even if he stays around the 60-point mark that he has reached the last two years, he’d still be well-positioned for a decent raise with arbitration rights in 2026. Johnston was just claimed off waivers this week, giving the Ducks a true enforcer, further enhancing their grit. He had a very limited role with the Islanders and will need to lock down a regular spot by the time this deal is up if he wants another seven-figure AAV.
Fowler isn’t a true number one blueliner from the standpoint of being a high-end offensive producer who also plays on the top penalty kill. But he’s not far from that either. He is typically Anaheim’s best offensive weapon each season while logging big minutes in all situations. For the contract that he’s on relative to the role he fills on their back end, this deal has aged well for the Ducks so far. Fowler will be turning 35 soon after his next contract begins, however, which will hurt him a bit. Performance-wise, there’s a case to be made that he’s worthy of a fair-sized raise. However, his age will negate that. Accordingly, a multi-year deal around this price point might be where his next deal lands assuming his recent level of performance holds up.
Gudas was another addition made with an eye on upgrading team toughness. He has shown that he’s best suited to play on a third pairing but that he can log bigger minutes if needed. This is an overpayment for that type of role but with so many of their blueliners being youngsters that could legitimately be a couple of years away, the term shouldn’t hurt them much. Drysdale’s deal also just came together recently; his contract was more complex after he missed almost all of last season with a shoulder injury. He’s going to be part of the long-term core but with just 113 games under his belt, it’s still hard to assess how much of an impact he’ll be able to make.
McGinn Placed On Injured Reserve
- CBS Sports is reporting that Anaheim Ducks forward Brock McGinn has been placed on injured reserve effective October 13th. The move means that the earliest McGinn can return from his lower body injury is October 21st. McGinn had been on a day-to-day timeline with the injury but was downgraded yesterday and will likely be replaced in the lineup by recent waiver claim Ross Johnston. McGinn was acquired at the 2023 trade deadline along with a third-round pick in exchange for defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. He is expected to be a regular in the Ducks lineup despite his struggles in recent seasons. Last year McGinn posted 12 goals and seven assists in 75 games and was essentially a cap dump for the Penguins as he still has another year on his contract after this season at a cap hit of $2.75MM.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Simon Benoit for the second time this week. This comes on the heels of the club loaning Benoit to the AHL Toronto Marlies just two days ago. The moves are of little financial consequence to Benoit as he is on a one-way contract and is paid $775K regardless of whether he plays in the NHL or AHL. Benoit is certainly capable of playing in the NHL having dressed in 78 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks where he posted three goals and seven assists. However, given the Maple Leafs precarious salary cap situation he could find himself shuffled back and forth between the NHL and AHL throughout the season as the team tries to maximize salary cap space.
Scott Harrington Signs AHL PTO With San Diego
- Scott Harrington is still looking to land a full contract for this season. After failing to secure a deal with the Ducks in training camp, he’ll remain with the organization for now on another tryout agreement, this time of the AHL variety as their affiliate in San Diego announced they’ve inked him to a PTO deal. The 30-year-old has primarily been in the NHL over the last six years but he’ll have to work his way back up this season. In the minors, a PTO can last for 25 games and a player can sign two of them in a playing year.
Latest On Leo Carlsson, Brock McGinn
Although 2023 third overall pick Adam Fantilli is making his NHL debut tonight for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks fans may have to wait a little while to see 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson suit up. The Sporting Tribune’s Derek Lee relayed word from Ducks head coach Greg Cronin that Carlsson is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. As a result, he is likely to miss the team’s opening-night contest against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
- Another Ducks forward currently out with a lower-body injury on a day-to-day timeline is winger Brock McGinn. The 29-year-old veteran forward played in 75 games last season, scoring 12 goals and 19 points. Playing on a $2.75MM AAV cap hit, McGinn has been expected to play a regular role in Cronin’s bottom six, but that will have to wait as he works his way back to full health. Recent waiver claim Ross Johnston may slide into the opening-night lineup as a result of McGinn’s absence.
Ducks Sign Tomáš Suchánek To AHL Deal
- Goalie prospect Tomáš Suchánek, 20, has signed a one-year AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls, according to a team announcement. Suchánek made a name for himself at the 2023 World Juniors, leading the tournament in save percentage (.939) and earning a silver medal for Czechia. He was a WHL Second-Team All-Star as the starter for the Tri-City Americans as he posted a .912 save percentage in 46 games played. Now, he has a definite landing spot in pro hockey after a successful tryout with the Ducks organization.
Anaheim Ducks Claim Ross Johnston From New York Islanders
The Anaheim Ducks have made their second waiver claim this preseason, nabbing winger Ross Johnston off of the waiver wire from the New York Islanders according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
This claim is a genuinely surprising one at least from a financial perspective, as Johnston is owed $1.1MM against the cap through the 2025-26 season.
A rugged six-foot-five enforcer, Johnston has simultaneously avoided playing in the minors for the past half-decade while also playing in fewer than 32 games in each of his seasons spent on an NHL roster. One of the few enforcers left in today’s game, Johnston has compiled 283 penalty minutes in 134 career NHL games.
From Anaheim’s perspective, this move comes as the Ducks have been looking to forge an identity under GM Pat Verbeek and new head coach Greg Cronin.
Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast yesterday that “this year isn’t about winning for Anaheim” and instead is more focused on adding “an attitude” to the Ducks, presumably making them a grittier and more difficult team to play against.
While much has been made about the limitations of Johnston as an NHL player, something he undeniably offers in abundance is grit and the type of “attitude” Verbeek and Cronin are looking to instill in their players.
There’s also a pre-existing connection between the Ducks and Johnston that likely played a role in the team feeling comfortable making this claim. Johnston’s former head coach at AHL Bridgeport was Brent Thompson, who is now an assistant coach on Cronin’s staff.
Under Thompson’s guidance, Johnston was able to accomplish the daunting task of breaking into the NHL as an undrafted player. Perhaps with that connection between player and coach re-established, the Ducks will be able to get more out of Johnston than what he offered late in his tenure with the Islanders.
It’s not exactly the safest bet to make — $1.1MM is a lot to commit to an enforcer-type player in an NHL environment where cap space is a uniquely prized asset — but the Ducks still have quite a bit of cap space banked away moving forward and Johnston’s deal expires at the exact time Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale’s bridge deals expire.
In any case, although the merits of carrying an enforcer in today’s NHL are still hotly debated it’s no question that rival NHL teams won’t feel the same level of comfort seeing the Ducks coming up on their schedule as they may have before this claim was made.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Anaheim Ducks Send Agozzino, Stalock to AHL
- Anaheim has assigned Andrew Agozzino and Alex Stalock, both NHL veterans, to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.
[SOURCE LINK]
Senators Re-Claim Lassi Thomson Off Waivers From Ducks
3:25 p.m.: No other team put in a claim for Thomson, and he has been reassigned to AHL Belleville, according to a team announcement.
1:09 p.m.: The Ottawa Senators have re-claimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks today after losing him on the waiver wire just days ago, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. If the Senators were the only team to put in a claim for Thomson over the past 24 hours, they can assign him directly to AHL Belleville without having to waive him again.
If Ottawa cannot immediately assign Thomson to Belleville, that will put them in quite the pickle. They need clarity within the next two hours, as claiming Thomson puts them over the salary cap Upper Limit by approximately $800K. They don’t have room for any healthy extras with center Joshua Norris on injured reserve to start the season. Thomson requiring waivers to go to the AHL again would require Ottawa to paper down one of two waiver-exempt players on their opening night roster – center Ridly Greig or defenseman Jake Sanderson – to submit a cap-compliant roster.
Ottawa selected Thomson, 23, with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He spent most of the 2022-23 season in the minors but did receive a two-game call-up with Ottawa, scoring a combined seven goals and 33 points in 58 contests across the two levels. The right-shot defenseman failed to overtake veteran Travis Hamonic for a regular roster spot during Senators training camp this year and, if he ends up back in AHL Bellville, will play leading minutes there once again.
Waivers: 10/08/23
Oct. 9: Four players on this list were claimed today: A.J. Greer (Calgary), John Ludvig (Pittsburgh), Ivan Prosvetov (Colorado), and Lassi Thomson (Ottawa). All others have cleared and are expected to be assigned to their team’s respective AHL affiliates, aside from Boyd, who PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports remains on the Coyotes’ active roster for now.
Oct. 8: It’s expected to be a busy day on the waiver wire, as NHL teams are making their final adjustments to the roster they’ll bring into the start of the 2023-24 season. There have already been numerous notable names exposed to the waiver wire thus far this preseason, and that list could only expand today. All players from yesterday’s waiver wire have cleared.
Anaheim Ducks
D Lassi Thomson
G Alex Stalock
F Andrew Agozzino
Boston Bruins
Arizona Coyotes
F Travis Boyd
F Zach Sanford
G Ivan Prosvetov
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
F Raphael Lavoie
F Lane Pederson
D Ben Gleason
Florida Panthers
F Zac Dalpe
D John Ludvig
D Casey Fitzgerald
Los Angeles Kings
Montreal Canadiens
F Joel Armia
D Gustav Lindström
Ottawa Senators
Pittsburgh Penguins
G Magnus Hellberg
F Colin White
D Mark Friedman
F Vinnie Hinostroza
F Radim Zohorna
St. Louis Blues
F Mackenzie MacEachern
D Calle Rosen
G Malcolm Subban
F Nathan Walker
Tampa Bay Lightning
D Zach Bogosian
F Gabriel Fortier
Toronto Maple Leafs
G Martin Jones
F Kyle Clifford
F Dylan Gambrell
D William Lagesson
D Maxime Lajoie
Vancouver Canucks
F Jack Studnicka
D Christian Wolanin
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
D Kyle Capobianco
G Collin Delia
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby
The big surprise here out of Arizona regards Boyd. The versatile 30-year-old veteran doesn’t have an exorbitant contract (just $1.75MM through the end of the season) and has scored 69 points across the last two seasons.
He’s been something of a breakout player for the Coyotes as his 17-goal, 35-point 2022-23 was far and away his best season in his career, so it’s definitely a surprise to see him exposed on waivers.
For Anaheim, the move to waive Stalock likely means that Lukáš Dostál has won the Ducks’ backup goalie job behind John Gibson, as should Stalock clear the Ducks will have the option to send him down to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.
In Edmonton, it comes as a little bit of a surprise to see Lavioe waived. The 23-year-old power forward was drafted just outside of the 2019 first round, and took a real step forward in his development last season. He became a genuinely impactful AHLer, scoring 25 goals and 45 points. He’s a name to watch in terms of players with the potential to be claimed out of this group.
Anderson-Dolan finally made the NHL on an extended basis last season, and scored 12 points in 46 games. He even got some playoff action under his belt, but seeing as he was a near-point-per-game scorer in his last season in the AHL, it seems the Kings could prefer to have him start the season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.
Rosen appears the likeliest candidate from the Blues’ group of waived players to be of interest to other teams, as he’s owed just a $762.5k cap hit this season and impressed in 49 games of NHL action last season. He scored 18 points in that span and could interest teams in need of some additional defensive help.
Out of Tampa is Bogosian, and it’s reported that the Lightning are hoping to put the veteran blueliner in a position to land on another team where he can play a bigger role than he’d be offered in Tampa. The 33-year-old won a Stanley Cup for the Lightning and it seems that the organization is looking to do right by the player while also turning to other options to staff their defense.
One of the biggest names on waivers comes out of Toronto, as Jones played in 48 games last season but now finds himself exposed to 31 other clubs. With an $875k cap hit, the veteran netminder could end up claimed by teams in need of instant goaltending support, such as the Lightning who don’t have much depth after the injury to superstar Andrei Vasilevskiy.
This page will be updated throughout the day.