The Anaheim Ducks appear to be getting closer to a new contract with Cutter Gauthier. The bigger question may be what general manager Pat Verbeek has to do next.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently reported that he has heard progress has been made in negotiations with Gauthier, but warned the eventual contract is going to be a “really, really big number.” Friedman also pointed directly at Anaheim’s salary-cap situation, suggesting the Ducks will need to perform some roster surgery to create enough room.
That immediately puts several veteran contracts under the microscope, and Chris Kreider’s $6.5 million cap hit may be one of the most interesting.
There is no report that Anaheim is actively shopping Kreider, and Friedman did not specifically name him as a trade candidate. But when you look at the Ducks’ cap structure, Kreider’s contract, his age and his pending unrestricted free-agent status, it isn’t difficult to understand why his name belongs in the conversation.
For the Anaheim Ducks, the Cutter Gauthier negotiations may be about to become much more than a contract story.
Cutter Gauthier’s Contract Is Creating a Salary-Cap Puzzle for the Anaheim Ducks
Gauthier earned enormous negotiating leverage during the 2025-26 season, scoring 41 goals and 69 points in 76 games before adding 12 points during Anaheim’s playoff run. This isn’t simply a young player asking for a raise.
Gauthier has developed into one of the most important offensive pieces of Anaheim’s core at only 22 years old. The Ducks have already made a massive commitment to Leo Carlsson after matching Philadelphia’s five-year, $90 million offer sheet, and now Gauthier has every reason to seek a contract reflective of his own production.
NHL Network reported on August 18 that Gauthier had rejected a four-year contract worth $13 million annually. The September 4 update from Friedman is therefore significant: talks appear to have moved forward, but the cap problem hasn’t disappeared.
According to PuckPedia, Anaheim currently has approximately $9.07 million in projected cap space with a projected cap hit of approximately $94.93 million against the NHL’s $104 million ceiling.
That creates some uncomfortable mathematics.
NHLTradeRumor.com Ducks Cap Crunch Model
Why Chris Kreider Could Become Anaheim’s Most Logical Trade Candidate
This is where Kreider becomes fascinating.
Kreider carries a $6.5 million cap hit through the end of the 2026-27 season, when he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. His contract also includes an 11-team no-trade list. PuckPedia lists his actual 2026-27 salary at $5 million, including a $1 million signing bonus.
He also remains productive. Kreider recorded 22 goals and 50 points in 75 games for Anaheim last season, giving the Ducks precisely the kind of veteran scoring, size and experience they wanted when they acquired him from the New York Rangers in 2025.
That’s why moving him wouldn’t be painless.
From my perspective, however, Anaheim has reached the stage of its rebuild where the financial hierarchy has to reflect the hockey hierarchy.
Gauthier is 22. Kreider is 35.
Gauthier could be a centerpiece of the Ducks for most of the next decade. Kreider is entering the final season of his deal.
If Verbeek ultimately has to choose between sacrificing a veteran contract and compromising the long-term relationship with one of his best young scorers, the direction should be obvious.
NHLTradeRumor.com Chris Kreider Trade Value Index
A contender wouldn’t be acquiring Kreider as a long-term building block. It would be acquiring a veteran winger for one playoff push without committing money beyond this season.
That makes his contract considerably easier to move than a veteran carrying three or four additional years.
There is another detail worth watching. Moving Kreider’s full $6.5 million cap hit would theoretically increase Anaheim’s available room from approximately $9.07 million to $15.57 million. But if Gauthier’s eventual AAV pushes substantially above $15 million, even trading Kreider alone may not completely solve Anaheim’s cap problem once a replacement roster player and any salary coming back are considered.
That’s why Friedman’s “roster surgery” wording matters.
This may require more than one incision.
Has the Earlier Cutter Gauthier Report Changed?
Yes, but only partially.
The August report indicated Gauthier had rejected Anaheim’s four-year, $13 million-per-season proposal. The newest information suggests negotiations have progressed since then. There is still no signed contract, however, and Friedman’s comments indicate Anaheim’s cap situation remains a major part of the equation.
So the earlier story wasn’t disproved. It evolved.
That distinction matters when evaluating NHL trade rumors.
My read is that Anaheim probably doesn’t want to trade Chris Kreider. His 50-point season demonstrated that he can still help a young roster, and his veteran presence has value as the Ducks transition from rebuilding team to playoff contender.
But salary-cap decisions are rarely about which player a general manager wants to lose.
They’re about which contract can be moved with the least damage to the organization’s future.
If Cutter Gauthier’s new contract lands where the NHL increasingly expects it to, Chris Kreider may suddenly become one of the most important names to watch on the NHL trade market.
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