Ducks: 3 Potential Trade Destinations for Mason McTavish

The 2026 offseason isn’t going to be the first time that Mason McTavish’s name is in trade talks. McTavish held out in contract talks with the Anaheim Ducks over last year’s offseason, and he didn’t sign a new six-year deal until a little under two weeks before the regular season began. The holdout had people wondering whether Pat Verbeek would send him to a new team, but the general manager eventually decided to re-sign him.

The holdout didn’t help McTavish have a good season, as he had his lowest point total since joining the Ducks full-time for the 2022-23 season, recording 41 points in 75 games. He was a healthy scratch for two games in the postseason, but did have a decent output with six points in the 10 games he played.

Verbeek has to be careful about giving up on the 23-year-old just yet. He wouldn’t be the first player to struggle in a year with a contract holdout and then show up the following season looking like a new player. If the Ducks are looking to give him a fresh start, three teams could use a young center to add to their depth.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a team that is desperate for some help down the middle. While they have a superstar on the wing in David Pastrnak, one of the league’s top defensemen, Charlie McAvoy, and a Vezina finalist in Jeremy Swayman, their center depth is lacking. With Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha unable to carry the weight as the team’s top-six centers, they’d be hopeful that McTavish could grow into the role.

Fraser Minten’s breakout this season gives the Bruins a bit of hope at center, and the team drafted James Hagens as a center, but he began to project more as a winger this past season. Boston does have Dean Letourneau in the pipeline at Boston College, and a future rollout down the middle of Minten, McTavish, and Letourneau could interest Don Sweeney.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild were going to be in tough to defeat the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, regardless, but one area where they were clearly overmatched was at center. Minnesota considered upgrading that position at the trade deadline, but no moves ever materialized.

The Wild could explore acquiring Robert Thomas, who they allegedly kicked the tires on during the season. However, if the asking price isn’t something Bill Guerin is willing to pay or the St. Louis Blues aren’t interested in trading him to a division rival, McTavish could be a cheaper but riskier upgrade.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings would ideally add a No. 1 center to push Dylan Larkin into a more complementary role where most people believe he’d be more effective. McTavish isn’t someone who will push Larkin down the lineup, but he could add more depth down the middle, making teams think twice about loading up on Larkin’s line.

The Red Wings are another team that will be involved in the Thomas sweepstakes if the Blues decide to trade him. With a limited UFA pool this offseason and not a lot of centers on the trade market, McTavish could be the next-best center after Thomas, which could be one reason why the Ducks sell him now to attempt to accrue some assets from a desperate team.

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