Another player's deal is set to shape Cutter Gauthier's next contract with the Anaheim Ducks.  Spittin' Chiclets co-host Keith Yandle said this week that Gauthier, who’s a restricted free agent, was sure he wouldn't settle for less than what Leo Carlsson just received from the Ducks.

Carlsson signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 3, and the Ducks matched it just days later. They clearly did not want to lose out on their young centre for draft-pick compensation. 

The deal holds an $18 million AVV and briefly made Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL against the salary cap.

"On the latest Spittin’ Chiclets episode, Keith Yandle said he heard a little tidbit that Cutter Gauthier isn’t willing to accept anything less than Leo Carlsson’s $18M AAV," as per an X post by NHL Muse.

However, It’s not clear from the comment whether Yandle meant the $18 million annual figure specifically or the $90 million total value of the contract. 

It is also unlikely that Gauthier might land the same number, since he does not have the offer-sheet leverage like Carlsson. 

Still, the report stands as Gauthier's camp targets a deal that is clearly beyond original expectations. It is estimated that the range could be around $15 million annually.

Any numbers like that would put real pressure on Anaheim's salary cap. The Ducks already have just $9 million in space. This is because of matching Carlsson’s deal and locking defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a new deal. 

General manager Pat Verbeek has said signing Gauthier is still the priority. It may require moving other contracts to fit everything under the existing cap space. Veteran players like Chris Kreider and Alex Killorn have also been mentioned as possible trade candidates if the Ducks need to create more room.

Earlier discussions regarding Gautheir’s price had him looking somewhere between $10 million and $11 million per season. The number has clearly progressed ever since then. 

Gauthier's performance this season

Gauthier was Philadelphia's fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft but was traded to Anaheim in January 2024. This was because he made it very clear that he did not want to sign with the Flyers, as per NHL. 

Before turning pro, he played at Boston College, where he led the NCAA in goals as a sophomore. He was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He signed his entry-level contract with the Ducks that spring and scored 44 points in his rookie season in 2024-25.

But his performance grew significantly later—Gauthier scored 41 goals and added 28 assists for 69 points across 76 games.

He carried the same form into the postseason. He contributed 12 points in 12 playoff games as Anaheim advanced past the first round. Now, Gauthier is still at the core of the Ducks' young roster, alongside Carlsson and Mintyukov.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi