Ducks Re-Sign RFA Jamie Drysdale to Three-Year Contract

The Anaheim Ducks and Jamie Drysdale agreed on a three-year contract with less than a week until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.

Trevor Zegras signed a three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks, leaving Jamie Drysdale as their remaining RFA. Ryan Kennedy and Mike Stephens react to the contract.

One week ago, the Anaheim Ducks had onlookers across the NHL wondering whether they'd have two important pieces of their future signed before the new season.

After Trevor Zegras signed a deal on Monday, the second RFA, Jamie Drysdale, agreed on a three-year contract on Thursday. Although the Ducks didn't disclose financial details, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports the deal for the 21-year-old is worth $2.3 million annually.

Drysdale only played eight games last season due to a season-ending shoulder injury in late October 2022. Although the 5-foot-11, 185-pound defenseman didn't record a point during that short stint, he did have 28 assists and 32 points in 81 games in 2021-22. All in all, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft has 33 assists and 40 points in a combined 113 games over parts of three seasons.

“Jamie is a talented young defenseman with a bright future,” Ducks GM 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.”

Just like that, Verbeek and the Ducks' front office got Drysdale and 22-year-old Zegras under contract through the 2025-26 season for a combined $8.05 million of salary cap hit per year. They have now all but completed a busy off-season, which involved re-signing fellow RFA Troy Terry to a seven-year contract, bringing in UFAs Alex Killorn, Radko Gudas and Robert Hagg, drafting center Leo Carlsson second overall and lately, claiming prospect defenseman Lassi Thomson off waivers.

Anaheim still has about $8.65 million in cap space as well, according to PuckPedia.

With almost one full season out of action, it was difficult for the Ducks to project Drysdale's future, which could explain why the team and player decided a bridge contract was best. Even still, the Toronto native still has 36 career games played more than fellow 2020 top-10 pick Jake Sanderson, who the Ottawa Senators signed to an eight-year contract extension worth $8.05 million per year that kicks in next season. Sanderson completed his rookie season with 28 assists and 32 points in 77 games, similar to Drysdale's stats in 2021-22.

The summer of 2026 could become all the more interesting, as Drysdale, Zegras and Carlsson will all be RFAs upon expiry of their new deals. In the meantime, the squad in Orange County will look to continue making headway in their rebuild under new coach Greg Cronin, as they can only go up from their last-place finish in the NHL last season.