Latest news with #MasonMcTavish
National Post
4 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
Canucks: Why massive Mason McTavish hype is about future playoff potential
When Joel Quenneville guided the Chicago Blackhawks to their third Stanley Cup championship in a six-year span in 2015, his centre of attention was Jonathan Toews. Article content At age 26, his 'Captain Serious' moniker fit like a glove because of drive, desire and delivery. Toews was 21 when the Blackhawks claimed their first crown in 2010, nearly the same age as another pivot who has become talk of the league this summer. Article content Article content Article content Mason McTavish, 22, is a proud, productive and stubborn restricted free agent with the Anaheim Ducks, whose heavy and direct game at junior and international levels projects well for the NHL postseason. He led the Ducks last season with 22 goals, and his 52 points with the 24th-ranked club, and 30th-rated offence, were as credible as his team leading 50.7 per cent face-off efficiency. Article content McTavish has potential to become a reliable 30-goal producer and tough to play against. However, he has yet to reach contract-extension terms and that has sent suitors into a summer tizzy of what it would take to pry him away — everything from offer sheets to multiple players and draft picks. Article content Good luck with all that. He could stay put. Article content The Vancouver Canucks would salivate at potential of adding the 6-foot-1, 219-pound McTavish to help solve their riddle in the middle. But at what cost? Probably a roster player, prime prospect, and pair of high draft picks. AFP Analytics has McTavish receiving a six-year, $40.6-million US deal that would carry a $6.67 million in annual average value. Article content Article content Article content Article content McTavish's competitiveness was evident in advance of the 2021 NHL Draft. After 42 points in (29-13) in 57 OHL games with Peterborough Petes in 2019-20 — followed by COVID suspension of OHL games the next season — he was loaned to Olten EHC of the second division Swiss pro league. He responded with 11 points (9-2) in 13 outings. Article content 'I love to get to the dirty areas to score goals,' he told this reporter prior to the 2021 draft, where he was selected third overall behind defenceman Owen Power and centre Matty Beniers. 'I'm not one to shy away from playoff-style hockey. Just watching the NHL playoffs, those big-bodied guys really pay off. Article content 'I love to compete against anybody and I don't really back down from anyone. I just want to be hard to play against and you don't want them to say: 'Oh, he was easy to play against.' Or, 'He was fun to play against.' I don't like to make it easy on guys.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Anaheim Ducks Prospect Rankings: 10. Nathan Gaucher
The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL's deepest and most potent prospect pools. Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump. Lukas Dostal: Increased Pressure, Journey from 'No-Name Goalie' to Paid Among NHL Elite Ducks Sign Drew Helleson to Two-Year Extension Ducks Sign Lukas Dostal to Five-Year Extension For this exercise, only players who haven't lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings. Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang It was a difficult decision to cut Sidorov from the list and rank Gaucher in the tenth spot. Ultimately, it came down to path and projectability. Based on his position demand, brand of hockey, and draft pedigree. It's a near-certainty that Gaucher will play NHL games, likely well over 100, in his career, beginning within the next couple of seasons. Though having shown more electricity and offensive upside to this point in their careers, the same cannot be said for Sidorov. Gaucher is a straight-line, tenacious, and defensively detailed right-shot center who plays a heavy brand and is difficult to play against on a shift-by-shift basis. He's an explosive skater, which he uses to cover a great amount of ice to eliminate time and space, whether that's in defensive zone coverage, on the backcheck in the neutral zone, or on the forecheck in the offensive zone. He utilizes his 6-foot-3, 207-pound frame to establish body position, protect pucks, and bully his way to the front of the opposing crease. The Ducks selected Gaucher (22nd overall in 2022) in the first round of the 2022 draft, Pat Verbeek's first draft as GM of the franchise, with a pick acquired in the trade of Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins at the 2022 trade deadline. Before his pro career, and in his four seasons playing in the CHL for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, he scored 158 points (80-78=158) in 199 regular season games and added 29 (11-18=29) in 36 playoff games, en route to QMJHL and Memorial Cup championships in 2023. He won two World Junior Championship gold medals with Canada in 2022 and 2023, playing a shutdown, checking role and totaling six points (2-4=6) in 14 games between the two tournaments. Offense has not been easy to come by since beginning his professional career in 2023-24 as a member of the San Diego Gulls, as he's only produced 44 points (18-26=44) in 128 AHL games over the last two seasons. He is, however, making his trademark 200-foot impact on every game, and he quickly found his 'B-game' when failing to find scoresheets. 'Nathan has had to deal with a couple of really important injuries that have set him back a little bit since we drafted him. And unfortunately, he hurt himself right before camp, so it took him a while to get going this year because of that,' Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden told The Hockey News: Anaheim Ducks, when asked about Gaucher's progression. 'And then, unfortunately, ended the season with injury as well. 'But he grew a lot in terms of his confidence with the puck, offensively. Overall, his offensive play grew as he gained confidence, establishing himself as a hard player to play against on the defensive side. They were using him in a checking role, PK. But as the season went on, his skating got better and better, and I think that helped with time and space, so he had more confidence in his hands. He had more confidence to look around and make plays.' The offense was coming around for Gaucher toward the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, as he scored 11 points (5-6=11) in his final 12 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Unfortunately, Gaucher bookended his 2024-25 campaign with injuries: first, he missed a significant percentage of rookie and training camps with a lower body injury, and then sustained the aforementioned shoulder injury to end his season, requiring surgery. He was given an estimated recovery time of 4-6 months after sustaining the injury in March and is expected to be fully healthy by rookie and training camps in September. It's plausible to believe Gaucher will rediscover what made him offensively successful at the end of last season, compound it with his defensive prowess, and hit the ground running in 2025-26, which will be his third season in the AHL. If he can continue to polish his two-way game and explore the reaches of his offensive capabilities, he will likely be playing NHL games within the next two seasons. Projecting Future Extensions for Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier Ducks Sign Clang, Myšák to One-Year Deals Ducks Prospect Uljanskis Chooses CHL for 2025-26 Season Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Reveals Big Update on Ducks' Mason McTavish
NHL Insider Reveals Big Update on Ducks' Mason McTavish originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Anaheim Ducks entered the offseason looking to make some big changes to the roster. While the team has added some nice pieces, they also missed out on adding any of the big three free agents on the market. Advertisement Despite being armed with a lot of cap space, Anaheim wasn't able to close the deal. The Ducks did sign Mikael Granlund, who should help provide some needed offensive spark to this team. But the Ducks also have a few restricted free agents of their own to still deal with. Both Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal remain on the open market, and there have been all sorts of rumors that Anaheim could let other teams go after them. The two players have been key figures for Anaheim, so the timing is a little weird. But according to NHL insider Jeff Marek, both McTavish and Dostal could be subject to getting offer sheets from teams. Advertisement If the Ducks were to let either player walk, it would be terrible asset management. But in all likelihood, both players will be back with Anaheim since they can match any offer that comes in. Dostal is likely to be the starting goalie for the Ducks this season after the team traded away John Gibson. The goalie proved himself last year, and Anaheim has been excited to see what he could do as the full-time starter. As for McTavish, it seems strange that Anaheim would give up on him so soon. The former third overall pick scored 22 goals and 30 assists for the Ducks this past season. McTavish has been subject to rumors, but the Ducks do value him. However, this is a strange situation, and it will be interesting to see how Anaheim plays this moving forward. Advertisement Related: Nikolaj Ehlers Breaks Silence After Massive Hurricanes Signing Related: Hurricanes Predicted to Land Another Star After K'Andre Miller Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Anaheim Ducks may face backlash over Mason McTavish contract drama as NHL insider hints at offer sheet risk
The Anaheim Ducks face potential turmoil as young star Mason McTavish remains unsigned (Image via The Anaheim Ducks have made some offseason moves, but a looming situation with one of their top young stars could create major turbulence in the front office. Mason McTavish, a cornerstone forward and former third overall draft pick, remains unsigned as a restricted free agent, raising eyebrows around the league. And now, according to NHL insider Jeff Marek, the 21-year-old could be vulnerable to an offer sheet — a rare but game-changing scenario in NHL negotiations. Ducks fail to secure Mason McTavish despite ample cap space Despite entering free agency with significant salary cap flexibility, Anaheim has yet to lock up Mason McTavish or goaltender Lukas Dostal, who is also a restricted free agent. While the team did bring in veteran Mikael Granlund, they missed out on the top-tier free agents and now risk losing homegrown talent due to inaction. Marek revealed the Ducks could be opening the door for rival teams to swoop in. 'Both McTavish and Dostal could be subject to getting offer sheets from teams,' he stated. For a rebuilding franchise trying to establish a new identity, letting McTavish walk would be a catastrophic failure in asset management. Mason McTavish's breakout season puts Ducks on the clock McTavish is coming off his most productive NHL campaign yet, racking up 22 goals and 30 assists. His performance made it clear that he's ready to be a central piece of Anaheim's long-term core. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Letting him slip through their fingers would not only be a PR disaster — it would be a sign that the front office is still stuck in limbo. As for Dostal, the Ducks traded away longtime starter John Gibson, effectively handling the crease to the young netminder. With expectations growing for both players, fans are growing restless. While Anaheim retains the right to match any offer sheet, the fact that they haven't closed negotiations suggests uncertainty or hesitation — neither of which instills confidence. 'It seems strange that Anaheim would give up on him so soon,' one report noted, referring to McTavish. Also Read: NHL Contract Extension: Golden Knights begin talks to make Jack Eichel highest-paid player in franchise history If Anaheim truly values their emerging stars, they'll need to act fast. Otherwise, another franchise might force their hand — or worse, take the future of their rebuild. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL contract grades: Mikael Granlund is pricey but sensible for the building Ducks
Mikael Granlund signs with the Anaheim Ducks on an three-year contract with a $7 million average annual value. Give Pat Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks some credit: They're trying. We've seen it happen more than often enough over the years — franchises can choose to rebuild, then complete part of the process but miss the exit. You can't be bad forever. At some point, you've got to at least make the attempt to win hockey games. Advertisement That's what this calendar year has been about for the Ducks — the attempt. If you're skeptical of the specifics, you're probably right to be, because players such as Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider and, yes, Granlund aren't perfect. They're not particularly close to perfect. And, given their respective ages, they're only getting farther away. There's something to be said, though, for filling out a roster with real, live, proven NHL contributors, especially when you've got a few foundational pieces in place. In Anaheim, those are Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Cutter Gauthier and, hopefully, a defenseman or two. And they've all already spent more than enough time losing games. Granlund, like Kreider and Trouba, will help change that. He remains a creative, fairly versatile player capable of contributing on a contender's middle six, as we saw with the Dallas Stars. Granlund landed there after rehabbing his value with the San Jose Sharks. Defensively, he's still a mess, a fact that the Stars helped mitigate, but he also seems capable of producing — at even strength and potentially on a power play — at level high enough to pull his weight. Expecting another season in the 60-point range wouldn't be unreasonable. At this point in Granlund's career, he works best on the wing. Not coincidentally, Anaheim started free agency with one of the very worst groups of wingers in the league. Granlund's passing ability would slot in nicely next to Carlsson. His defensive impacts … less so. But hey, it could be worse. Now, is he a $7 million AAV player on balance? Nope. Anaheim, though, still has approximately $30 million in salary-cap space. They shouldn't care, and it doesn't seem like they do. The term is short enough, too, to not pose any real problems. On the player's end of things, Granlund gets an A-plus. He bottomed out in Pittsburgh, worked his way back in San Jose and then popped for the Stars on the way to the Western Conference final. At 33, he's cashing in, and he deserves it. Contract grade: C- Fit grade: B-
