It was only a matter of time. After the Ducks freed up $6.5 million in cap space by terminating Chris Kreider’s contract last week, it was clear was that general manager Pat Verbeek’s contract negotiations with Cutter Gauthier’s camp were close to reaching a conclusion.
On Tuesday evening, the Ducks announced that they had signed Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million contract extension. This makes him the second-highest paid player on the team behind Leo Carlsson’s $18 million AAV. The extension also buys one year of unrestricted free agency.
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Getting Gauthier signed before the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which kicks in on Sept. 16, allowed the Ducks to front-load his contract with signing bonuses that would not been possible to structure under the new labor deal. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, about $69.5 million of the $81 million is comprised of signing bonuses. Gauthier’s camp reportedly declined an offer of four years at a $13 million AAV last month.
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier (61) is congratulated after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
“We are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time,” Verbeek said in a club statement. “He’s a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.”
“This is a very exciting day for my family and me,” Gauthier said in the same club statement. “I’m so pleased to be able to sign long term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future.”
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Carlsson’s big-money offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers, along with Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar’s monster contract extensions, have changed the financial landscape for players like Gauthier. Even “smaller” deals like that of the Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov or the Boston Bruins’ Fraser Minten, in combination with the continued rising of the salary cap, have put the ball in the players’ court when it comes to collecting larger salaries moving forward.
With Gauthier signed, the Ducks have now completed the biggest tasks on their offseason checklist. Their minimal amount of cap space remains a concern, but they’ll find some short-term relief by placing Troy Terry (out 2-3 months after hip surgery) on LTIR. A shortened training camp and preseason leaves little time for major preparations, but the Ducks’ season opener is also fortunately later than most of the league. A strong start to the season, much like last year, could help give them some cushion as they vie for a second consecutive playoff appearance.
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