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Anaheim Ducks Sign John Klingberg

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The market for John Klingberg this offseason never did materialize as he had hoped, so he will try again next summer after signing a one-year, $7MM contract with the Anaheim Ducks.  GM Pat Verbeek released the following statement about the signing:

We are extremely excited to add John to our group. John is a gifted player who can quarterback a power play and give us needed scoring from the blueline. He also adds veteran leadership and character to our team.

It didn’t take long for Klingberg’s new agency to get a deal worked out, after he switched to Newport Sports Management earlier this week. The 29-year-old defenseman had been looking for a seven-year deal on the open market but after two weeks of waiting, he’ll have to settle for a one-year, high-money contract to set himself up for next season.

There’s little doubt that Klingberg can be a difference-making offensive weapon but with a history of inconsistent defensive play and a tough season results-wise (he finished a -28, the worst of his career), there may have been hesitation from teams willing to hand out long-term deals. Players like Ben Chiarot and Erik Gudbranson, two heavy, physical defensemen, were able to secure multi-year contracts at a hefty price but the offensive-minded Klingberg will have to settle for the one-year deal and try to prove he can still be a top-pairing option.

Heading to Anaheim is an interesting choice, given what the team already has in place. Kevin Shattenkirk and Jamie Drysdale are already good puck-moving options on the right side, and Cam Fowler was the team’s leader on the powerplay in 2021-22. While Shattenkirk has just one year remaining on his deal and Drysdale is still just 20 years old, one has to wonder how the team will fit Klingberg into the mix, at least in terms of deployment.

In terms of potential upside? The Ducks are certainly that, with plenty of young talent buzzing all over the ice and a need for some veteran playmakers to add to the mix. The team already brought in Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano in free agency, showing that they’re ready to start competing again after adding some top prospects to the mix.

Most notably for Anaheim, perhaps, is that Klingberg could potentially be a top trade chip at the deadline, should the team not be quite ready to make the playoffs this season. Adding that kind of chip–a trade with retained salary would likely net at least a first-round pick–for nothing but a little offseason cap space is a savvy move from Verbeek. It’s worth noting that the deal only contains a no-trade clause until January 1st, PuckPedia reports. After that, it turns into a 10-team no-trade clause. The team wasn’t in any danger of putting themselves in a tricky cap situation, as before signing Klingberg they had nearly $26MM in space. It makes perfect sense for the team to spend some of it to add an asset to the organization, even if it will be for only a few months.

There is also the chance that Klingberg could sign an extension in Anaheim, though that would have to wait until January 2023 now.

Overall, this seems like a player who is trying to make the best out of a disappointing free agent result, and a team capitalizing on having cap space in a market that is so tight.

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Anaheim Ducks Sign Nathan Gaucher

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The Ducks signed Pavel Mintyukov, the first of their two 2022 first-round picks, earlier this month. Now, per a team announcement, the Ducks have inked Nathan Gaucher, their second first-round pick, to his own entry-level deal.

Gaucher, 18, was the 22nd pick at the 2022 draft, a pick that belonged to the Ducks thanks to the team’s trade of Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins.

Gaucher has spent the past three seasons playing for the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJHL. The big six-foot-three, 207-pound forward had 57 points in 66 games last season and 31 points in 30 games in the COVID-impacted 2020-21 QMJHL season.

Gaucher’s size, pro-ready playing style, and overall polished game is what makes him an intriguing NHL prospect. While he may not have true top-of-the-lineup offensive upside, his addition to the Ducks’ prospect pool gives them an even more promising future down the middle, where they have two talented centers in Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras already in the mix.

With this entry-level deal signed, Gaucher will likely head to training camp and have the chance to make the Ducks’ opening-night roster. If the way the team handled McTavish’s development is any indication, if Gaucher has a strong camp he could get a nine-game trial at the NHL level before being sent back to the Ramparts for a fourth season there.

With Zegras, McTavish, Ryan Strome, Isac Lundestrom, and Derek Grant all already on the Ducks, the Ducks’ center corps is a bit crowded at the moment. But Gaucher will get his chance soon enough, and this entry-level deal indicates that the Ducks are hoping Gaucher takes an accelerated path to the NHL similar to their other recent top picks.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Olli Juolevi

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season, per the team. PuckPedia reports the contract has a $750K NHL salary and a $175K minors salary with $200K guaranteed. Juolevi will be a restricted free agent upon the contract’s expiration.

Since the Vancouver Canucks drafted Juolevi fifth overall in 2016, the Finnish defenseman simply hasn’t been able to make an NHL impact. His 2021-22 campaign may have been the most challenging and disappointing yet, registering no points in 18 games split between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.

Now on his fourth NHL team at age 24, Juolevi was actually left unqualified by Detroit this offseason, choosing to move on from the former top prospect. Injuries bogged down Juolevi in the minors and slowed his development, but the Ducks are hoping there’s something left in the tank for the all-around defenseman.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Isac Lundestrom

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The Anaheim Ducks have avoided arbitration with restricted free agent Isac Lundestrom, reaching a two-year agreement worth a total of $3.6MM. Lundestrom was scheduled for the first arbitration hearing of the summer on Wednesday and would have had to file salary figures later today. That hearing will no longer be required.

While everyone was watching Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Jamie Drysdale in Anaheim this year, Lundestrom quietly had a strong season in his own right. He actually ranked fourth on the team in goals with 16 despite tough defensive deployment and showed he could be a real difference-maker on the penalty kill. His four short-handed tallies trailed only Alex Formenton and Trevor Moore (who both had five) for the league lead, and his other 12 goals all came at even-strength.

In more than 1,000 even-strength minutes, Lundestrom was on the ice for only 43 goals against despite starting just 135 of his nearly 1,500 shifts in the offensive zone. With Ryan Strome joining the team in free agency, it appears as though the 22-year-old will stay in that defensive role, for the time being, giving the Ducks a rather deep group down the middle.

At a $1.8MM cap hit, there is a real opportunity for some surplus value in this case too, especially if his knack for goal scoring continues. It also gives the team a chance to sign him to a longer deal down the road, as he’ll still be a restricted free agent at its expiry.

The Ducks don’t have many long-term commitments at this point, with only Strome, Cam Fowler, Frank Vatrano, and John Gibson signed to one-way contracts through 2024-25. With Zegras, Terry, and Drysdale now eligible for extensions, that could be changing soon. Getting Lundestrom locked in at a relatively low price will give the team a little more understanding of how much they have to work with next season.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the news on Twitter. 

Anaheim Ducks Extend Three Players

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The Ducks have gotten a chunk of their outstanding offseason business done, signing three of their restricted free agents to extensions. The team announced deals for defensemen Simon Benoit and Urho Vaakanainen as well as for goalie Olle Eriksson Ek. 

Vaakanainen, 23, received a two-year extension, the terms of which were not fully detailed in the announcement. Vaakanainen came to Anaheim as part of the mid-season Hampus Lindholm trade, and got into 14 games with the Ducks after being dealt there. Vaakanainen was the 18th overall pick at the 2017 draft and has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL defenseman. In that limited sample with the Ducks, Vaakanainen played in nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game and got a sprinkling of ice time on both the power play and penalty kill.

Vaakanainen may never develop into the shutdown top-four force he was drafted to be, but there is hope that he can become a defense-first bottom-pairing piece in Anaheim.

Benoit, 23, is an undrafted player who got into an impressive 53 games for the Ducks last season. Benoit got a one-year, two-way deal. A hulking six-foot-three, 200-pound physical force, Benoit steadily earned coach Dallas Eakins’ trust and eventually saw time on the Ducks’ penalty kill. There isn’t much offense to Benoit’s game, and he had just five points in 53 games, but he’s got four seasons of professional hockey under his belt and should be in the mix for a similar role in Anaheim this fall.

Eriksson Ek, 23, is the brother of Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek and has been a developmental goalie project for the Ducks organization since he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. Eriksson-Ek served as the backup goalie for most of the season playing for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. He got into 26 games and went 7-15-2 with an .880 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against-average. He got a one-year extension.

Latest On Anaheim Ducks Offseason

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A little under three months remain until the start of the 2022-23 NHL regular season, but with the conclusion of the NHL Entry Draft and the first few days of free agency, things feel as though they’re mostly wrapped-up for many teams. At this point, signing some RFA contracts, evaluating what happened at development camp, and making a few more behind-the-scenes hires are all that is left for many organizations. However, as Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek made clear to Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register, his team is not done with their offseason additions (link).

Verbeek mentioned that he would like to add another forward and defenseman to the organization, but before doing so, he wants to make sure the players he brings in are a good fit. Whoever the Ducks add, if anyone, wouldn’t be the first of this offseason, the team making a splash on the opening day of free agency, signing forwards Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome to three and five year contracts respectively. Signing the two veterans seems to mark a turning point for Anaheim, who has been pretty clearly categorized as a rebuilder for the better part of the previous four seasons, last making the playoffs in 2017-18.

Regardless of whether Verbeek wants to add more talent, the Ducks are going to have to look to add salary considering they currently sit just under $9.3MM below the salary cap floor. Anaheim’s cap situation is not for a matter of trying, considering their signings of Vatrano and Strome, but they will have to find additional salary to take on. before the start of the season. Many of the most prized UFAs on the market have since signed, but two, who will command a significant salary, remain: forward Nazem Kadri and defenseman John Klingberg. However, neither has been connected to Anaheim thus far.

With the talk of Anaheim needing to add salary, failing to give qualifying offers to forwards Sonny Milano and Sam Steel would seem to be a counter-intuitive decision. However, Verbeek told Teaford, “It boiled down to role. What role would they play and did it make sense with the dollars?” The GM added that their individual mixed results also played a role in his decision. Both former first-round picks, Steel finished this season with six goals and 14 assists in 68 games, while Milano had a somewhat of a breakout season, tallying 14 goals and 20 assists in 66 games.

Finally, Verbeek discussed his hiring of Craig Johnson as an assistant coach, noting that he felt Johnson would be a key piece in developing their players. As Verbeek said, “I don’t subscribe to the idea that once you’ve made the NHL that development time is over.” That sentiment is of course very relevant for Anaheim as they work their way out of this rebuild, expecting to be lead by a young core including Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and Jamie Drysdale.

Isac Lundestrom Files For Salary Arbitration

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The National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) announced that 24 players have filed for player-elected salary arbitration, the deadline for which came this afternoon. This list is not necessarily the final and complete list of players headed for arbitration, with clubs now eligible to elect salary arbitration until tomorrow, July 18th at 5:00 pm ET.

Mason Appleton (WPG)

Ethan Bear (CAR)

Jesper Bratt (NJD)

Lawson Crouse (ARI)

Morgan Geekie (SEA)

Mathieu Joseph (OTT)

Kaapo Kahkonen (SJS)

Kasperi Kapanen (PIT)

Keegan Kolesar (VGK)

Oliver Kylington (CGY)

Maxime Lajoie (CAR)

Steven Lorentz (SJS)

Isac Lundestrom (ANA)

Zack MacEwen (PHI)

Niko Mikkola (STL)

Andrew Mangiapane (CGY)

Matthew Phillips (CGY)

Jesse Puljujarvi (EDM)

Tyce Thompson (NJD)

Yakov Trenin (NSH)

Vitek Vanecek (NJD)

Jake Walman (DET)

Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Pavel Zacha (BOS)

Notably out of this list, Mikkola had previously filed for arbitration, but the two sides were able to settle on a one-year, $1.9MM contract that will leave the defenseman an UFA after next season.

A key distinction to add is that any player who has filed for arbitration is no longer eligible to sign an offer sheet, effectively taking the players on this list off the market. Three notable names that did not file for arbitration are Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine. Though contract talks have been quiet on Dubois and Tkachuck, word of amicable discussions between Laine’s camp and Columbus has been made known. Once tomorrow’s club-elected salary arbitration deadline passes, teams and players will have time to prepare their cases before hearings begin, running from July 27th through August 11th.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Pavel Mintyukov

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6:00 PM: The Ducks have now officially announced Mintyukov’s signing.

5:30 PM: Per his agent, Dan Milstein, Anaheim Ducks draft pick Pavel Mintyukov has signed his three-year entry-level deal. The official announcement from the Ducks has not yet been made, but it should be coming soon, along with the financial details of the deal.

Mintyukov, 18, was the tenth overall pick at last week’s draft and comes to the Ducks organization after a successful debut season in the OHL. Mintyukov was one of the lone bright spots on the Saginaw Spirit, one of the worst teams in the OHL. Mintyukov led Saginaw with 62 points in 67 games, including 17 goals.

Mintyukov was the Spirit’s number-one defenseman, and head coach Chris Lazary utilized him heavily in all situations. Mintyukov ate significant minutes on the Spirit’s penalty kill, power play, and handled the Spirit’s toughest defensive matchups. He was a true all-situations defenseman and it’s his overall skill and versatility that got him drafted so high.

Mintyukov signing his entry-level deal so quickly is relatively significant since Mintyukov is a Russian player and had spent most of his career before this past season climbing the developmental ladder with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. With the suspension of the NHL-KHL agreement and NHL teams having more and more difficulty getting their Russian players into the United States, cementing Mintyukov’s place within their organization and keeping him on North American ice ensures the Ducks will have maximum control over Mintyukov’s entire development process.

Mintyukov could return to Saginaw immediately for next season, or the Ducks could opt to give him a nine-game trial run at the NHL level if he impresses at training camp. If Mintyukov’s draft-year performance is any indication, the Ducks won’t be left waiting for too long before their prized prospect makes their big-league roster.

Anaheim Ducks Announce Five Contracts

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While Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano may take most of the headlines, the Anaheim Ducks have signed a number of other free agents for organizational depth. The team has announced contracts for Chase De Leo (two years, two-way), Glenn Gawdin (two years, one-way in 2023-24), Justin Kirkland (one year, two-way), Austin Strand (one year, two-way), and Colton White (two years, two-way).

Ducks fans will remember De Leo, who played several seasons in their minor league system and even appeared in three NHL games a few years ago. The 26-year-old forward stands just 5’9″ but is an excellent AHL scorer, who put up 56 points in 55 games for the Utica Comets this year.

Kirkland meanwhile broke out in the minors this year, scoring 25 goals to nearly double his career total. The 25-year-old was the 62nd overall pick in 2014 but never has made it to the NHL, instead spending his entire career with the Milwaukee Admirals and Stockton Heat to this point.

Strand, 25, played eight games with the Los Angeles Kings this year, lending his huge frame to the defensive end of the rink. The 6’3″ undrafted defenseman became a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer because he has only played in 21 games so far but offers a potential injury replacement for the Ducks if needed.

White is the same, as he actually played in 27 games for the Devils this season but still didn’t reach the Group VI cutoff. A fourth-round pick in 2015, he has just 38 games to his name and is likely headed back to the minor leagues.

As we profiled yesterday, Gawdin is perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, given his strong play in the minor leagues, ability to play center, and partial one-way contract. The 25-year-old might get a look with the Ducks at some point in the bottom six, something he rarely was given in Calgary.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Ryan Strome

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The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available from the Ducks, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the contract carries a $5MM AAV. With plenty of cap to spend and a few weapons needed to compliment a young and talented core, the Ducks have begun to make their moves, Strome representing a key veteran to add to their rebuild. Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga had previously mentioned Anaheim as. a team to watch in the Strome bidding.

With the New York Rangers signing of Vincent Trocheck earlier today, it became apparent Strome was on his way out of New York after an incredibly successful tenure which saw him completely rebuild his career. Before coming to the Rangers, the former fifth-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft had struggled after a strong showing in a 50-point sophomore season with the New York Islanders, the team that had drafted him. Following a couple of disappointing seasons on Long Island, he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers one-for-one for Jordan Eberle, but after struggles in Edmonton, he was then sent back to New York, this time to the Rangers, now one-for-one for Ryan Spooner.

The Rangers had been hoping to keep Strome in the fold, given not only his success with the team, but especially his chemistry with superstar Artemi Panarin, whom Strome teamed up with on the second line to create a formidable offensive weapon. Anaheim will hope to recreate some of that magic, bringing Strome and former Rangers teammate Frank Vatrano in to compliment a talented group of young players including Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and electric young prospect Mason McTavish.

Strome isn’t the kind of superstar that Johnny Gaudreau is, and Anaheim likely won’t be competing for a Stanley Cup just yet like the Rangers were this season, but the match seems to be perfect for both sides. For Anaheim, they will get a veteran, talented top-six forward who has shown that he can make the players around him better. Additionally, Anaheim does have a crop of young players like Max Comtois, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom who were all once highly-touted prospects that Strome could influence when it comes to reaching their potential, even if a bit later than expected. For Strome, he will have an opportunity to play alongside another superstar, one who is only approaching his peak in that of Zegras, as well as other dynamic names like McTavish and Terry, just as he had the opportunity to do so with the Rangers.

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