The Anaheim Ducks and forward Troy Terry agreed to a seven-year contract extension Wednesday ahead of arbitration, the team announced. Here’s what you need to know:
- The deal carries an average annual value of $7 million, according to a league source.
- Terry, 25, tallied 23 goals and 38 assists in 70 games for Anaheim last season. The two-time All-Star winger was originally scheduled for an arbitration hearing Wednesday before striking the deal.
- Terry now becomes Anaheim’s highest-paid player on average, but that could change before the upcoming season if the Ducks give more to Trevor Zegras, who is an unsigned restricted free agent after finishing his entry-level contract.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What can be drawn from the talks between Terry and the Ducks?
For one, it was a bit of a slog to get here. It is believed that the scheduled hearing was delayed so the extension could be completed, which is key as talks must cease once it starts. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek didn’t want to negotiate with his impending RFAs during the 2022-23 season — which also notably included Zegras and Jamie Drysdale — to not have any distractions as their young stars continued to develop as leading players. But that also meant pushing things to a pressure point if a deal couldn’t be struck right away in the offseason.
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With a lot of cap space at his disposal, Verbeek has lured veteran free agents over the last two summers. However, when it comes to negotiating with his own players, Verbeek is willing to wait until the deal works on his terms. An example is not wanting to give Hampus Lindholm the eight years he sought and ultimately got from Boston. But in the end, Verbeek and Terry’s camp came together on something that will keep the team’s best two-way skater in Anaheim through what should be his prime seasons. — Stephens
Why it’s important for Anaheim to keep Terry
As mentioned, Terry has emerged as a top player for the Ducks and an important piece in their rebuild. They’ve got other younger forwards that do or might have more upside in Zegras, Mason McTavish and potentially No. 2 overall pick Leo Carlsson, but Terry is becoming a leader on a club that’s trying to lay down a difficult road back to playoff contention. The Ducks stuck with him through his struggles in finding his footing as an impact player at the NHL level and Terry has rewarded them with consecutive seasons where he’s either led them in scoring or been close to doing so.
His goals went down from 37 in 2021-22 to 23 last season and some of that could be natural regression but he’s still, along with Zegras, the team’s most dangerous offensive threat while somehow improving a couple of defensive metrics on a team that was historically horrendous in its own end. With an improving supporting cast, Terry could touch 30 goals again and reach 70 points for the first time.
According to PuckPedia, Terry’s contract also contains a 10-team no-trade clause that kicks in at the start of the 2025-26 season. — Stephens
What is next for Verbeek and the Ducks?
On top of landing veterans Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas in free agency, Verbeek has retained one of his top players for the foreseeable future. Now it’s on to his other big one in Zegras, who’s coming off his entry-level contract and could also be cashing in after two productive seasons that include a Calder Trophy runner-up finish. The difference, as noted in this piece, is that the 22-year-old center doesn’t have arbitration rights.
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Just how much of a commitment in salary and contract length is Verbeek willing to make with his wildly talented playmaker that still has some flaws to iron out in his overall game? There is time to get him signed but is he willing to go toward the pressure point of training camp to get the deal he seeks? Drysdale, who’s coming off a lost 2022-23 because of a shoulder injury, also needs a new contract but Zegras is the big one that is left. — Stephens
Required reading
- How the Ducks’ Troy Terry grew from fifth-round draft pick to NHL All-Star
- Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry contract projections: How much will they make?
- Anaheim Ducks depth chart 1.0: How do the new pieces fit?
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)