What happened: Anaheim and Cutter Gauthier reached agreement on a six-year, $81 million contract. The club said the term keeps Gauthier in Anaheim through the 2031-32 season.
Why it matters: The move resolves a summer contract standoff after Gauthier rejected a Ducks extension in August. It gives Anaheim cost certainty around one of its core young pieces as the offseason shifts toward camp.
By the numbers: The contract carries a $13.5 million average annual value. It lands less than a month after reports on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19 said Gauthier had turned down earlier Ducks extension offers.
What to watch: Watch for the formal filing and any follow-on roster decisions as Anaheim moves from contract work toward camp. The next signal is how the Ducks slot Gauthier into their longer-term core plans.