Leo Carlsson Out Against Blue Jackets
When the Anaheim Ducks made a somewhat unexpected choice at the 2023 NHL draft to select Swedish pivot Leo Carlsson over Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli, many had circled today as a date to watch on the NHL calendar. That’s because Carlsson’s Ducks are set to play Fantilli’s Blue Jackets tonight, and with both players likely to be in the NHL today’s contest was viewed to be the first chance to watch the two players go head-to-head.
Fans will have to wait to get that chance, though, as Ducks team reporter Aly Lozoff confirms that Carlsson will not dress for today’s game. Carlsson began this season dealing with an injury and the Ducks have reportedly been attempting to “ease” Carlsson into the rigors of the NHL schedule. That means he’ll sit tonight, and as a result, fans will have to wait until the Blue Jackets travel to Orange County in February to get the chance to see Carlsson and Fantilli face off.
Ducks Expected To Place Jamie Drysdale On IR
Although no official announcement has come from the team, CapFriendly indicates that the Anaheim Ducks have placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale on injured reserve retroactively to October 15th. Drysdale has not played in the following three games for the organization, as he has put up two assists while carrying a +2 rating.
As expected, the Ducks are not getting off to a hot start to this season, carrying a 1-4-0 record into tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, there is still plenty to be excited about in Orange County, as the team was able to sign both Drysdale and Trevor Zegras to separate three-year contracts shortly before the start of the season, as well as seeing the second-overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft, Leo Carlsson, score a goal in his first ever professional game.
Nevertheless, even without indicating any effort to compete for the playoffs this season, Drysdale’s presence will be missed on the blue line. Thin on depth throughout the defensive core at the top level of the organization, there is an argument to be made that Drysdale represents the best of what the Ducks have to offer on defense.
Jamie Drysdale Day-To-Day With Injury, Luneau To Play
NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky has shared that Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek will likely both miss New Jersey’s Friday night game with an upper-body and lower-body injury respectively. Haula was the only one of the two to play in the team’s most recent game, being named the game’s third star after a two-point performance. Head coach Lindy Ruff told Novozinsky that the duo will likely not travel with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip.
The absence of Haula and Nosek leaves a dent in New Jersey’s bottom six that’s expected to be filled by Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. Bastian has been with the Devils for five of his six NHL seasons, briefly joining the Seattle Kraken for 12 games of the 2021-22 season before the Devils claimed him off waivers partway through the year. Lazar is a much more recent addition, joining the Devils via trade ahead of the 2022-23 trade deadline. He’s only played six games with the Devils between last season and this season and has yet to record a point. New Jersey could also turn towards summer signee Chris Tierney to fill an empty role. Tierney has yet to make his debut with the Devils.
Other injury notes:
- Jamie Drysdale is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss Anaheim’s next game. In his spot, rookie Tristan Luneau is expected to make his NHL debut. Luneau was a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and has spent the last three seasons with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques, winning the league’s ‘Defenseman of the Year’ award last season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins’ injury woes continue, with head coach Mike Sullivan sharing that Kris Letang is being evaluated for a lower-body injury. Noel Acciari is also dealing with an upper-body injury. Both players missed the team’s Thursday practice.
Leo Carlsson Hopes To Make NHL Debut Thursday
- 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.
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.