Story Summary
Cutter Gauthier signed a six-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. The 22-year-old forward, who was a restricted free agent, set NHL career highs last season with 41 goals, 28 assists and 69 points in 76 games, leading Anaheim in goals, points, power-play goals (11) and power-play points (19). Gauthier also produced 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Ducks reached the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said the team was pleased to have Gauthier signed long term and described him as ” a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.” Gauthier, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, was traded to Anaheim on Jan. 8, 2024, in a deal that sent defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick to Philadelphia. As a rookie with the Ducks in 2024-25, Gauthier recorded 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 82 games. He called signing long term ” a very exciting day for my family and me,” and said he was ” so pleased to be able to sign long term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future.”
Key Facts
- Gauthier is 22 years old and was a restricted free agent at the time of the signing.
- Last season, Gauthier set NHL career highs with 41 goals, 28 assists and 69 points in 76 games.
- He led the Ducks in goals, points, power-play goals (11) and power-play points (19) last season.
- In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Gauthier had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 12 games.
- Anaheim reached the playoffs last season for the first time since 2017-18; the team record cited was 43-33-6.
- Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek: “We are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time. He’s a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.”
- Gauthier was selected No. 5 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Gauthier was traded to the Ducks on Jan. 8, 2024, in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
- As a rookie for Anaheim in 2024-25, Gauthier had 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 82 games.
- Gauthier’s signing follows an active Ducks off-season that included signing Leo Carlsson to a five-year, $90 million contract (an $18 million average annual value) on July 9 after matching an offer sheet; signing defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year contract on July 5; and signing forward A.J. Greer to a four-year contract on July 1.
- The Ducks also terminated the contract of forward Chris Kreider last Thursday, one day after placing him on unconditional waivers; Kreider had one season remaining on a seven-year, $45.5 million contract with a $6.5 million average annual value signed on Feb. 24, 2020.
IHM Discussion
This signing keeps the Ducks’ leading goal scorer under contract for six years at a formative point in his career. Cutter Gauthier’s career highs in goals, assists and points – along with his leading role on the power play – establish him as a central offensive piece for Anaheim. The club has also committed to Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and A.J. Greer on multi-year contracts during the off-season.
From a roster-management perspective, the public facts do not disclose Gauthier’s cap hit or salary breakdown, limiting specific analysis of Anaheim’s short- and medium-term salary-cap picture. The termination of Chris Kreider’s contract and the string of signings are listed together, but no causal link between those events is established.
Gauthier’s six-year agreement gives Anaheim continuity around a forward who finished last season as its leading scorer. His 12 points in 12 playoff games show that his regular-season production continued into the postseason. The deal also resolves his restricted free-agent status.
Why It Matters
Gauthier’s contract matters because he was Anaheim’s most productive goal scorer and a central figure in their return to the playoffs. Keeping a 22-year-old who produced 41 goals and high power-play totals secures one of the Ducks’ clearest offensive strengths. For the team, the signing helps preserve continuity in a young core that the general manager explicitly referenced; for Gauthier it provides a platform to develop into an ‘elite NHL player,’ in the words of Pat Verbeek, with guaranteed stability to build on last season’s breakout.
IHM Market Outlook
The lack of disclosed financial terms limits immediate assessment of Gauthier’s contract value and cap impact. Anaheim’s earlier five-year, $90 million contract with Leo Carlsson carries an $18 million average annual value, but the available information provides no basis for a financial comparison with Gauthier’s deal. The confirmed six-year term nonetheless gives the Ducks a long-term commitment to a 22-year-old coming off career highs in goals, assists and points.
Mini Q&A
Who signed the contract?
Cutter Gauthier signed a six-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks.
Were financial terms announced?
No.
How did Gauthier perform last season?
He set NHL career highs with 41 goals, 28 assists and 69 points in 76 games, and led the Ducks in goals, points, power-play goals (11) and power-play points (19).
What was his playoff contribution?
Gauthier had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
What is Gauthier’s draft and trade history?
Gauthier was selected No. 5 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and was traded to the Ducks on Jan. 8, 2024, for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick.
How did he perform as a rookie with the Ducks?
As a rookie in 2024-25, Gauthier recorded 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 82 games.
Coach Mark Comment
Gauthier’s 41 goals, including 11 on the power play, point to a forward capable of providing finishing in both five-on-five and special-teams situations. His 12 points in 12 playoff games also give Anaheim evidence that his production carried into postseason hockey. The six-year term gives the coaching staff continuity as they build his role within the attack.
IHM Final View
The six-year contract formalises Gauthier’s place in Anaheim’s young core. His recent scoring surge and playoff contributions give the Ducks continuity around a key offensive producer while resolving his restricted free-agent status. The absence of disclosed financial details limits a fuller market assessment, but the on-ice production behind the commitment is clear.