Drysdale signs on to 3-year contract extension
The Ducks have signed defenseman Jamie Drysdale to a three-year contract extension worth $6.9 million, returning the 21-year-old to training camp nine days before the Ducks open the regular season in Las Vegas on Oct. 14.
Drysdale's three-year term aligns precisely with that of fellow building block and close friend Trevor Zegras, a center whom Ducks drafted at No. 9 overall in 2019 before selecting Drysdale sixth in 2020.
Drysdale could have signed for as many as eight seasons, but as it is he will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible free agent when his contract expires after the 2025-2026 season.
“Jamie is a talented young defenseman with a bright future,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “We are happy this process is complete and look forward to his growth as a valued member of our organization.”
The value of the deal at $2.3 million in annual average value reflected that the contract did not cut into any unrestricted free agency seasons for Drysdale, who has represented Canada internationally at the junior and senior levels while establishing himself as a promising producer on the blue line. Verbeek and Drysdale's agent, David Gagner, were negotiating in relative earnest when Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, who was selected one pick ahead of Drysdale, signed an eight-year pact worth $64.4 million.
While Sanderson put up the same 32 points in his only full NHL season as Drysdale did in his, Sanderson's savvy in his own end restored at least a baseline level of defensive functionality to the run-andgun Sens while Drysdale's impact was largely confined to the offensive zone. Sanderson enjoyed his breakout last season, when Drysdale went scoreless and missed all but eight games after he sustained a torn labrum.
Yet any question marks about Drysdale might have played into the Ducks' favor in the short run as the deal gives them their most promising right-handedshooting defenseman at a reasonable figure.
They have just over $8 million in annual average value committed to Drysdale and Zegras, two potential cornerstones, which affords them flexibility during what project to be rebuilding years.
The Ducks have over $7.7 million in estimated salary cap space presently per CapFriendly, the third most of any team in the NHL.
They still have minor decisions to make, most notably whether or not to offer a contract to winger Zack Kassian, who is on a professional tryout in training camp, but with this move they shutter the significant portion of the offseason, which saw them add veteran leadership and grit as well as lock down two of their offensive-minded core competitors.