Recapping the Ducks’ Moves in Busy Opening to 2026 Free Agency

The start of July only means one thing to hockey fans: the opening of the NHL’s free agency period. Eligible players will either re-sign with their teams or move to a new one, and fans are always eager and surprised to see where notable names end up. The Ducks had a busy start to the period, making interesting changes to their roster. Let’s take a look at all of the shifts that occurred this week.

Players Leaving the Ducks

A handful of skaters were on expiring contracts, forcing the team to make a decision. They could either re-sign them to a desirable contract or let them test the market and opt to play for another team. John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, Jeffrey Viel, Ross Johnston, Petr Mrazek, and Radko Gudas all became unrestricted free agents on July 1, meaning they could potentially sign with anyone. Five of those players signed with other teams.

Defensemen: Carlson, Trouba, and Gudas

In an interesting move, the team did not re-sign any of their veteran defensemen, including their captain. While Carlson was a late-season acquisition to bolster the Ducks’ playoff run, his high-level performance with the team certainly made a case for a contract. However, during the NHL Entry Draft, the team traded Carlson’s rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a sixth-round pick (Noah Kosick) and prospect Kyle Masters. Ultimately, the Hurricanes could not make a deal with the defenseman, and he signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Trouba was another successful blueliner who added a lot of depth to the team’s defense. However, he did not sign with the Ducks at the end of his contract. Instead, he signed a four-year contract with the San Jose Sharks that carries an average annual value (AAV) of $8.25 million. He joins a Sharks team that has bought aggressively this offseason, adding players such as Eric Comrie, Mason Marchment, and Darnell Nurse.

Captain Gudas was also not re-signed after three seasons on the roster. While his performance was starting to falter as he aged out of the sport, he brought a wealth of leadership, veteran presence, and playoff experience to the team. Instead, he will be joining his former team, the Florida Panthers, on a six-year, $1.5 million AAV contract.

Forwards: Viel, Johnston, and Zellweger

Bottom-six forwards Viel and Johnston also signed elsewhere at the start of free agency. Viel was an especially impactful player during the team’s playoff run, scoring multiple game-shifting goals against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. He reached a career-high 10 points in the regular season and looked like a player who contributed to many aspects of the game at all times, even when he did not appear on the scoresheet. Viel will be joining Carlson on the Lightning under a five-year, $12.5 million contract.

Johnston was a tough, sizeable fourth liner who brought a high level of physicality to the Ducks’ shutdown line. He played defensively and knew how to use his body to his advantage to get and maintain control of the puck. Similar to Viel, he reached career-highs in Anaheim, totaling 14 points and 11 assists last season. He signed a three-year, $6 million contract with the St. Louis Blues.

Just a few days before the free agency period opened, the Ducks traded young defenseman Olen Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick in the 2026 Draft, which became forward Marcus Nordmark. On July 1, the defenseman signed a three-year, $9.3 million contract with the Sabres.

Players Joining the Ducks

With that many players moving out of the lineup, who will be slotting into their places? The Ducks signed two forwards and one defenseman at the start of free agency: forwards A.J. Greer and Jeff Mallot, and defenseman Nick Jensen.

Greer was first involved in a trade with the Panthers, in which the Ducks traded their rights to Gudas in exchange for the rights to Greer. The team then offered him a four-year, $17 million contract. He had 32 points in 78 games last season, averaging 12:26 on ice and finishing with a plus-14 rating. With four Ducks forwards (Mason McTavish, Zellweger, Johnston, and Viel) being moved, Anaheim will need to make some strategic moves this offseason to help fill in the blanks, and Greer is a valuable piece of that puzzle.

Mallot will take on a similar role to Johnston, bolstering the fourth line and bringing aggressive physicality to the forward group. He had a career-best in goals, assists, and games played with the Los Angeles Kings last season. He also ranked second on the team in hits (166). With the Ducks having a relatively young and inexperienced defensive group this season, defensive forwards like Mallot will be key pieces to their success.

The only defenseman signed by the Ducks was Jensen. He is a veteran blueliner who has played 694 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, and Ottawa Senators. He has 26 goals and 146 assists across his career. Jensen is recovering from a knee injury and has not played since March 11, 2026, but should be a reliable defender and veteran presence for the team at the start of the season.

While many of the biggest roster changes happen at the very start of the free agency period, players can continue to be signed and moved throughout the offseason. For example, in a jaw-dropping move, the Philadelphia Flyers offered stellar young forward Leo Carlsson an offer sheet carrying an $18 million AAV. The Ducks have seven days from Friday to match this contract. This could be a team-altering move for Anaheim if they cannot complete the deal with Carlsson.

You never know what the offseason can bring, but The Hockey Writers covers it all. Keep your eyes on us all offseason long for the latest player news and more.