NHL Rumors: Anaheim Ducks Eye Major Roster Moves While Minnesota Wild Search For Top Center
The Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild are expected to do some big offseason moves, like extending contracts, looking at trade targets and bringing in roster upgrades too.
- ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark reported the Anaheim Ducks must prioritize extensions for Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier.
- The Athletic linked the Ducks to stars like Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk as potential trade targets.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported the Minnesota Wild remain focused on adding an elite center this offseaso
The Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild are both heading into one of those important offseason after getting knocked out early in the playoffs. Neither team made it past the second round, but the problems they face this summer are not the same at all. Anaheim, which got back into the postseason for the first time in seven years and then made Vegas go to six games in the second round, now has to home in on keeping its young core together.Â
At the same time, the Wild are still searching for the last missing piece to become a serious Stanley Cup contender. And as several NHL insiders are saying, both organizations are sitting with some big roster questions right now, like contract extensions, who they should pursue in trades, and how they're going to build the long-term lineup for next season.Â
Why Are Anaheim Ducks Prioritizing Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier Extensions?
According to ESPN's Ryan S. Clark, GM Pat Verbeek's top off-season priority is getting locked up with Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. Both forwards are wrapping up entry-level contracts and they're lined up for bigger paydays after they became, pretty much the center of Anaheim's rebuild. Verbeek has a track record of playing hardball with restricted free agents, Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras, and Jamie Drysdale were all stuck in tough discussions. Clark said that Carlsson and Gauthier are franchise-type players, so this time Verbeek might be a bit more flexible.
On defense, John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas are all UFA-eligible this summer. The Ducks do have about $40 million in cap space for 2026-27, but keeping all three under contract might not be totally practical.Â
Eric Stephens from The Athletic said that Verbeek could use that flexibility, maybe to grab a true marquee player through a trade, he even floated names like Auston Matthews, Jason Robertson, Robert Thomas, and Brady Tkachuk as options. Each one comes with its own obstacles- like Matthews hasn't really hinted at any interest in waiving his no movement clause, and Dallas is probably going to re-sign Robertson. Then there's Thomas who has a full no-trade clause with a steep asking price, and finally Tkachuk, who has basically made it clear he's staying in Ottawa.
Minnesota Wild Continue NHL Trade Search For Elite Top-Line Center
As per Michael Russo and Joe Smith from The Athletic, GM Bill Guerin is expected to look again at the trade market for a top center this offseason. Minnesota reportedly made a push for Robert Thomas just before the deadline, but St. Louis basically said no. Beyond that, a few other names have been floated around the Wild, like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Vincent Trocheck.
Minnesota still kind of faces big roster questions this offseason but the org seems, like, pretty close to turning into an actual Stanley Cup contender. At the same time, Anaheim's next deal will be working out how to balance a rising young core with some real roster upgrades that are aggressive or whatever, so both franchises are gearing up for a crucial 2026-27 campaign.