Anaheim Ducks reupping with former sixth overall pick on three-year contract

Drysdale, 21, was a restricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year entry-level contract with the Ducks. His new contract acts as a bridge deal for the next three seasons. He will still be an RFA at the conclusion of this deal, but with arbitration rights next time around. His closest cap hit comparable is that of Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, who currently comes in at a $2,294,150 cap hit.

Drysdale didn’t get a lot of playing time last season due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder, likely a reason why the Ducks opted to bridge the defenseman. He saw just eight games with the Ducks last season and was held pointless in those games.

Drysdale was the sixth overall pick of the Ducks in the 2020 NHL Draft after two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Erie Otters. He was able to make the jump to pro hockey right away after the OHL cancelled their 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after 14 games in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, he was promoted to the Ducks and has since established himself as an NHL defenseman.

The Ducks will hope that a full season from Drysdale, along with other additions to the team, will help them improve from finishing in last place in the NHL again. While they were unable to win the draft lottery with that result this past season, they still managed to draft Leo Carlsson with the second overall pick. The Ducks also brought in veterans Alex Killorn, Radko Gudas, Robert Hagg and Alex Stalock and have managed to re-sign both Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras. After Drysdale’s signing, the Ducks have no remaining contracts to deal with outside of potentially signing Zack Kassian, who is with the team on a professional tryout deal.