The Anaheim Ducks avoided another offseason problem by signing Pavel Mintyukov to a new contract. However, reports suggest the young defenseman was close to becoming another restricted free agent targeted by an NHL team.

The Ducks signed Mintyukov to a five-year, $36 million extension with a $7.2 million average annual value. After the deal, talks about a possible offer sheet ended. But NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed that at least one team was seriously thinking about trying to sign the 22-year-old defenseman from Anaheim.

Pagnotta said one team was ready to submit an offer sheet if Pavel Mintyukov and the Ducks failed to reach a deal in their final contract talks.

“There was one team that was prepared to present a formal offer sheet had that final conversation with the Ducks not gone the way it had,” Pagnotta said.

The NHL Rumour Report shared Pagnotta’s statement on their X. Insider David Pagnotta shows how close the Anaheim Ducks came to another tough contract situation this offseason.

The Ducks were already under pressure after Philadelphia Flyers forward Leo Carlsson signed a five-year offer sheet worth $18 million per year. The deal forced Anaheim to make a major salary-cap decision.

The Ducks selected Mintyukov 10th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, and he has become one of their key young defensemen.

Earlier, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported that the Russian defenseman has recorded 69 points in 204 NHL games over three seasons. He also set career highs with eight goals and 112 blocked shots during the 2025-26 season.

Teams saw Anaheim's weakness after Carlsson’s offer sheet, but Mintyukov’s extension helped the Ducks keep another important young player.

Ducks Continue Managing Challenging Offseason Salary Situation 

The same ESPN report from Greg Wyshynski also explained that Mintyukov’s new contract adds more pressure to Anaheim’s salary-cap situation.

If the Ducks match Carlsson’s offer sheet, they would have less than $10 million in cap space and still need to sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier.

Gauthier became one of Anaheim’s top offensive players last season. He led the team with 41 goals and 69 points in 76 games. His next contract could create another big challenge for general manager Pat Verbeek.

Mintyukov’s rise as an NHL defenseman has been impressive. Before joining the league, he played in the Ontario Hockey League and recorded 88 points in 69 games during the 2022-23 season. He also won the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s top defenseman.

The Ducks draftedPavel Mintyukov because of his offensive skills as a defenseman, and he quickly showed that talent after making his NHL debut in the 2023-24 season. His new long-term deal shows that Anaheim believes he can become a key part of their defense.

With Mintyukov now signed, the Ducks have secured another young star despite dealing with several offseason challenges.

What do you think? Could Mintyukov’s extension become one of the biggest moves in Anaheim’s rebuilding journey? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi