The tallest order on the Anaheim Ducks’ late-summer “to do” list has been completed, and just in the nick of time. On Tuesday evening, the team announced they’d signed star forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $13.5 million.
The timing of this signing was significant because not only was this contract signed hours before the expiration of the previous CBA, which limited aspects like maximum number of years and bonus structures, but pen was put to paper two days before the Ducks were set to open their 2026 training camp, thus avoiding a fourth contract negotiation in four years with a high-profile RFA extending into camp.
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Ducks Sign Cutter Gauthier to Six-Year Contract Extension
Takeaways from the 2026 Ducks Rookie Camp/Tournament
This will be yet another pivotal year in the Ducks’ build toward true contention, as they’ll now hand the majority of responsibility over to their young, blossoming core and battle the repercussions of losing several key contributors to their successes a year ago.
The Ducks released their training camp roster and details on Wednesday morning, and they’re inviting 48 players, including 29 forwards, 14 defensemen, and five goaltenders.
Training camp will both raise and answer several questions for the team as it pertains to the upcoming 2026-27 season. Here are the top storylines to follow ahead of this relatively compressed training camp and preseason:
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Jackson LaCombe is far and away the Ducks’ No. 1 defenseman, and in some views, their only “good” blueliner. He’s their all-situations ice time leader, and his eight-year, $9 million AAV contract kicks in this season. His partner for 861 minutes at 5v5 in the 2025-26 season, Jacob Trouba, has a new home with a division rival after signing a four-year contract with the San Jose Sharks when he hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, leaving the role as “Jackson LaCombe’s Partner” and “Top Pair Defenseman” up for grabs.
There are several question marks surrounding each of the four candidates up for the role heading into training camp, and the lineup will likely remain a fluid situation on the blueline well into the season.
Drew Helleson (25) is a long-time close friend of LaCombe, but he had his struggles at 5v5 last season, and the pair didn’t have spectacular numbers in their 320 minutes together. The only NHL acquisition the Ducks made on the blueline was Nick Jensen (35), who’s coming off of a knee injury and his days as a top-four defenseman are likely in the rearview. Tristan Luneau (22), although technically not a rookie, is projected to play his first full season at the NHL level. Inserting him directly into a top-pair role, regardless of how talented he is, may be ill-advised.
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Ian Moore (24) may be the frontrunner for the position, as it currently stands. He has the skating ability, IQ, and habits to become a modern-day shutdown defender in head coach Joel Quenneville’s system. Though he surprisingly finished the year as a fourth-line right winger, he played 92 minutes alongside LaCombe in 2025-26, and the pair accounted for 60.6% of the expected goals at 5v5.
From their forward group, the Ducks lost top-six pieces Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider, while Troy Terry is slated to miss the first 2-3 months of the upcoming season. Off the blueline, they lost Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, Radko Gudas, and Olen Zellweger.
Due to the sizable (to say the least) contracts signed by Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Cutter Gauthier, the front office wasn’t able to meaningfully replace those players during the offseason. However, after an elongated rebuild, the Ducks’ pipeline is teeming with players desperate for a crack at making the opening night roster and filling a supplemental scoring need.
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The two most notable and highest-profile in that group of players looking to make their NHL debuts and make an immediate impact at the sport’s highest level are Roger McQueen (10th overall in 2025) and Nikita Klepov (15th in ’26). McQueen is fresh off a successful yet relatively unproductive freshman season in the NCAA with Providence College, but brings a pro-ready frame, skill set, and habits. The Ducks surprisingly signed Klepov to an ELC, so he’s either destined for the NHL or OHL in 2026-27. He has an abundance of skill and tenacity in every facet, but has never played against professionals in his career.
The Ducks will likely need one of, or both, these players to make an immediate impact to mitigate some of what was lost in the offseason and what they’ll be without early in the regular season. Relying on rookies to contribute off the bat can be a dangerous gamble, but the Ducks have had success in this realm in the recent past with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke.
The Ducks signed veteran forward Frank Vatrano to a three-year contract extension in the winter of 2025, and the first year of said extension didn’t go as anticipated in the slightest. After averaging 26 goals and 48 points through his first three seasons with the organization, he hit an unexpected speed bump in 2025-26.
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While dealing with a new coach and system that aren’t quite conducive to his play style, Vatrano suffered a significant shoulder injury and dealt with an off-ice personal situation. Once a meaningful piece of the Ducks’ present and future, Vatrano finished the season with just nine points (5-4=9) in 50 games.
Much like the case with Klepov and McQueen, there will be openings in the Ducks’ top nine heading into the season, as they’ll be without half of their top six from a year ago, at least to start the year, until Troy Terry returns from injury. If Vatrano can bounce back in any meaningful way and to any extent, coupled with internal growth from the young core and a rookie or two making an impact, there’s a real possibility the Ducks’ forward group can make up for the losses of McTavish and Kreider in the aggregate.
Vatrano has proven that when placed in a position to succeed, he can provide his team with instant, depth scoring while impacting play with a high motor and forechecking prowess.
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