Ducks GM Pat Verbeek will be patient with RFA extensions

The Anaheim Ducks are the toast of the town in the NHL. General manager Pat Verbeek believed his team would be a playoff team this season. Many people rolled their eyes. Last year it was hard enough to make a 21-point jump in the standings. To do it again, given the competition in the Western Conference, the odds were stacked against Anaheim.

However, Verbeek’s belief has carried over into the locker room and the Anaheim Ducks have become one of the surprise teams of the season. New head coach Joel Quenneville has a good mix of veterans and young players clicking on all cylinders. But like any good general manager, he is always looking for ways to improve his club and prepare for the future, especially when it comes to signing players who he believes will be part of the core of the future.

NHL Rumors: What will the contracts for Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson look like?

We’ve seen recently that when it comes to restricted free agents, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, both now with the Philadelphia Flyers, those negotiations dragged on too long. The same goes for Mason McTavish last season, who missed parts of training camp before signing his new extension with the club.

So after extending Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year, $9 million AAV contract in the final year of his entry-level contract, Pat Verbeek will once again have to be patient when it comes to renewing his RFA players. Those RFAs include Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, Ian Moore and Olen Zellweger.

Verbeek was asked whether negotiations were underway when he spoke to Victory+ TV during the Ducks-Boston Bruins game on Wednesday evening.

“No, that’s not the case. But now we’ve postponed the talks a bit,” Verbeek said. “So just, I guess, for everyone, just to see where the market is going to settle, and see if there’s any other things that creep out. But right now we’re just in a lull, and I really don’t want to push too hard on it because I want the players to continue to play well and not think about their contracts.”

NHL Rumors: How Much Will Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier Make in Anaheim?

Some players play better knowing they have something to play for, while others strive to know things are taken care of. But it’s clear that when contract talks are the first thing discussed, rather than on-ice play, it impacts the players. So Verbeek is right. It is clear that Lacombe is living up to his new deal.

But as NHLRumors.com has reported, the negotiating process for Gauthier or Carlsson with the Ducks has yet to begin. As Verbeek said, let’s see where the market is when these players become RFA on July 1. The salary ceiling is going up. But interestingly enough, Lacombe was signed right after Luke Hughes signed his deal with the Devils.

And when Verbeek talks about the market, he talks about Connor Bedard with the Chicago Blackhawks and what he’s going to get. Bedard is also an RFA this summer and Verbeek will likely delay Carlsson’s negotiations so Bedard can set the market. But then again, Carlsson could be the first to sign, and Bedard could pass him.

The Ducks will again have a lot of cap space next season, so Gauthier and Carlsson could be eight-figure guys. It all depends on the length and how many RFA years they buy compared to UFA years. Is it medium term or long term, or are they bridging one of the players? There are a lot of options on the table with these two players.

Could Beckett Sennecke be an impact player for Anaheim this season?

Then of course there is Olen Zellweger. His name was in the rumor mill last summer, but he has picked up his game again this season under Quenneville. Once again he could get a bridge deal. Lacombe appears to be the highest paid player on defense, and everyone will be included.

But what happens to Pavel Mintyukov? The report is from Elliotte Friedman of 32 Thoughtswho states that Mintyukov is not happy with back-to-back healthy scratches and wants a change of scenery so he can play. As Friedman puts it, “Ducks GM Pat Verbeek won’t rush into anything – something to keep an eye on.”

Interestingly, the Anaheim Ducks are a defense factory that produces NHLers for other teams in the league. The problem is they haven’t gotten excellent returns for the guys they’ve shipped in the past. The two best trades that came to mind were Sami Vatanen for Adam Henrique and Gauthier for Drysdale.

Again, Pat Verbeek has time for this. Let the teams come to him. Let’s see if Verbeek stays patient with his RFAs or if he actually extends them before the season is over, especially if they keep this pace up.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumors overviews and hot topics from around the league. We also post some stuff Instagram.