Anaheim Ducks Sign Cutter Gauthier To Six-Year, $81M Deal

The Anaheim Ducks have finalized a six-year contract with star forward Cutter Gauthier totaling $81 million, according to reports from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The agreement includes an annual average value of $13.5 million and features $69.5 million in signing bonuses, which is significant given that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement changes bonus rules on Wednesday. At 22 years old, Gauthier led Anaheim to its first playoff appearance in eight years last season with 41 goals and 69 points, adding 12 more points during the playoffs. In his rookie campaign of 2024-25, he scored over 20 goals for a total of 44 points while finishing fifth in Calder Trophy voting. Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek praised Gauthier as pure goal-scoring talent and part of their young core who will develop into an elite player. The signing follows the team's recent match on Leo Carlsson against Philadelphia, where agents strategically delayed negotiations to maximize leverage before the new contract terms took effect.