As of August 18, there remain several impact players still unsigned as restricted free agents around the NHL.
Marco Rossi, Luke Hughes, Luke Evangelista, and Connor Zary are some of the notable names awaiting a new deal, though Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks stands out at the top.
The third-overall pick from the 2021 draft just played out the final season of his three-year, $2,682,501 entry-level contract signed with the Ducks in 2021. Aside from injury, McTavish has been a pretty productive player already to begin his career and should earn a sizeable pay raise on his second NHL contract.
Given that things have dragged out this far with Anaheim and nothing has come to fruition, it’s fair to wonder about his future with the organization.
On Monday, Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet compiled a list of six teams that make the most sense as possible trade destinations for McTavish, with three of them coming north of the border.
The Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers rounded out the six-pack of options speculated on by Dixon, all of whom are in need of an upgrade at second-line center.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek continues to make changes to the core
A few years ago, the Anaheim Ducks were viewed as a rebuilding team soon to be on the rise, built around guys like Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and Mason McTavish. Fast forward to now, and things look much different.
First, it was Drysdale sent to Philadelphia in the deal to acquire Cutter Gauthier, then in June, Trevor Zegras joined him in another trade to the Flyers, and now McTavish’s name is swirling around the rumor mill.
All of these players that were moved have one thing in common: current general manager Pat Verbeek didn’t draft them. Verbeek took over in 2022 and has clearly made an effort to rebuild the core group of players in Anaheim the way he wants it. The Ducks now center around Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, and eventually top prospects Beckett Sennecke and Roger McQueen.
We should find out sooner rather than later whether McTavish is going to stick around and be a part of this group or if the new regime decides to once again go in another direction.
