McTavish Trade Calls? Ducks’ Response Was Anything But Polite

Don’t call the Anaheim Ducks asking if Mason McTavish is available for trade. That is, unless you want to be told off by GM Pat Verbeek.

Reports this week, as McTavish skates with the Ottawa 67’s, and it looks like contract talks have taken a turn for the worse, are that other clubs are asking if McTavish is available. They’re being told to “get lost”, in much more direct way.

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Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports:

As of Thursday afternoon, the Anaheim Ducks and restricted free agent center Mason McTavish’s camp hadn’t discussed a contract since Monday. McTavish then got on a plane to Ottawa, where he’s skating with the OHL 67’s. But the point of emphasis here is that his agent, veteran Pat Morris of Newport Sports, would have likely told his client that the Ducks still aren’t moving off their stance, so it’s going to be a long one. Hence, McTavish flying to Ottawa.”

Meanwhile, Elliotte Friedman updated what he’s hearing on the situation.

He noted on the 32 Thought podcast on Friday that when a player goes far from the NHL club instead of finding local ice, it can set off alarm bells.

The situation here is that both sides are dug in pretty tightly. He noted that the Anaheim Ducks do not want a bridge deal. They want a longer-term contract. He believes McTavish is open to a long-term deal, but the gap between what the Ducks are willing to offer and what McTavish’s representatives at Newport Sees see as fair is significant. Both sides are hard-nosed negotiators, “so this is a real grinder”, said Friedman.

Teams have inquired about trades if a deal can’t be reached, but Pat Verbeek has shown no interest in moving McTavish. This isn’t just about McTavish — the Ducks have a number of young players who will need new contracts soon, like Leo Carlsson, Jackson Lacombe, and Cutter Gauthier.

This could be a signal from Verbeek that the organization intends to hold firm on negotiations moving forward. Anaheim is aiming to take a step forward this season, especially under new coach Joel Quenneville, and they’re willing to risk starting the season without McTavish rather than being pushed on contract numbers. How this will resolve remains to be seen.

LeBrun writes, “Of course, as the saying goes, anything can change with one phone call. But this has the vibes of two entrenched positions. They’re not in agreement on term nor AAV.”: That doesn’t mean the Ducks are open to moving the player.

Both sides appear ready to wait this out. For the Ducks, this is about more than McTavish. This is about every young player after him, including him. They want everyone to know they intend to keep their top young talent, but they aren’t willing to overpay to do it.

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