The Anaheim Ducks’ contract talks with Cutter Gauthier are still unresolved, but one point of confusion around the team’s finances got knocked down this week.
NHL analyst Nicolas Cloutier pushed back on the idea that Anaheim only has $9 million in cap space to work with. Writing on his personal X account, Cloutier said the Ducks actually have $19.4 million available to sign Gauthier, while noting that the club still has to get under the $104 million salary cap by the start of the regular season.
Cloutier wrote:
"Regarding Cutter Gauthier: As teams can exceed the 10% cap during the summer, the Ducks have $19.4M available to sign Gauthier (and not $9M, contrary to what's circulating). However, the Ducks must comply with the $104M cap at the start of the regular season."
The number matters because Gauthier’s next deal is one of the biggest items on Anaheim’s agenda heading toward the 2026-27 NHL season. He was a major piece for the Ducks last year, putting together 69 points in 76 regular-season games with 41 goals and 28 assists. He also delivered in the playoffs, finishing with 12 points in 12 games, including 4 goals and 8 assists.
Not everyone expects this to turn into a long negotiation. Frank Seravalli said on FAN Morning Show that Gauthier does not have much leverage in the talks and predicted the sides would land on a short-term deal.
"This is one of those situations where he doesn't have a ton of leverage, the team has to squeeze him because of the cap situation...and my guess is it produces some kind of short term deal."
Still, Elliotte Fredman recently reported that the Ducks and Gauthier have made progress, and that the next contract will come with "a really really big number."
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