Ducks Lock Up Cutter Gauthier With 6-Year Extension

The Anaheim Ducks have secured one of the most important pieces of their young core, signing forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract that will keep him with the organization through the 2031-32 NHL season. The extension represents more than a long-term commitment to a promising young player. After a breakout 2025-26 campaign, Gauthier has established himself as one of the faces of the Ducks’ rebuild and a player capable of becoming one of the NHL’s premier goal scorers.

“We are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. “He’s a major part of our young core, a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.” Gauthier demonstrated that elite potential last season. The 22-year-old led Anaheim with 41 goals and 69 points across 76 regular-season games. He also paced the team in game-winning goals, power-play goals, power-play points and shots.

His 41-goal performance placed him fourth in Ducks history for goals in a single season. Only Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya and Corey Perry have reached that total while wearing an Anaheim uniform. That is exceptional company for a player who has only completed two full NHL seasons. Gauthier carried his production into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, registering four goals and 12 points in 12 games. He led Anaheim in playoff scoring and tied for the team lead with three power-play goals. His 12 points were the fourth-most ever produced in a playoff year by a Ducks player aged 22 or younger, trailing only Ryan Getzlaf, Perry and Kariya.

Those performances showed that Gauthier is not simply a regular-season scorer. He can remain productive when the intensity rises and the available time and space disappear. For Anaheim, Gauthier provides the type of finishing ability every successful young team needs. The Ducks have assembled an impressive collection of emerging talent, but Gauthier’s combination of size, shooting ability and offensive confidence separates him from many of his teammates. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he possesses the strength to attack the middle of the ice while remaining a dangerous option from the perimeter and on the power play.

His development has also justified the significant trade Anaheim made to acquire him. The Ducks sent Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2024 for Gauthier. Although the move involved risk, landing a potential perennial 40-goal scorer has made it look increasingly worthwhile. Gauthier recorded 20 goals and 44 points during his rookie season before exploding offensively in his second year. His rapid improvement suggests his 2025-26 production may only be the beginning.

“This is a very exciting day for my family and me,” Gauthier said. “I’m so pleased to be able to sign long term with the Ducks and be part of what I believe is a great future.” Anaheim is working toward becoming a consistent contender again, and Gauthier will be central to that pursuit. With a long-term agreement now completed, both sides can focus on the next step: helping the Ducks transform their young potential into sustained playoff success.