What happened: The Anaheim Ducks acquired the signing rights to forward A.J. Greer from the Florida Panthers in exchange for the rights to defenseman Radko Gudas. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents, making this a pre-free-agency exchange of exclusive negotiating windows rather than a swap of contracts.

Why it matters: Deals for the rights to pending UFAs let a club open exclusive talks before the open market, betting it can re-sign the player before free agency begins. For Anaheim, Greer adds bottom-six physicality and forward depth heading into the 2026-27 season, while Florida gains a window to negotiate with the veteran Gudas on the back end.

What to watch: Watch whether either side converts the acquired rights into a signed contract before free agency opens, or lets the player reach the open market.