The Anaheim Ducks find themselves at a crossroads this off-season, with one of their brightest young stars, Mason McTavish, caught in the middle of a contract standoff that few saw coming.

Despite high hopes for a quick resolution and whispers of potential offer sheets swirling around the league, negotiations have stalled—leaving fans and insiders alike wondering just how far apart the two sides truly are.

At only 22 years old, McTavish has already made a significant impact on the ice, emerging as a cornerstone for the Ducks’ rebuild and showcasing the kind of talent and leadership that most teams would lock down without hesitation.

Yet, as the weeks tick by, the gap between the Ducks’ offer and McTavish’s expectations seems to be widening, not closing.

What’s really going on behind the scenes in Anaheim? Why is the front office hesitant to invest in a player whose numbers and potential suggest he’s worth every penny?

And could this unexpected stalemate lead to a dramatic turn of events before the season begins? There’s more to this story than meets the eye—and the details might just surprise you.

Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks.

Photo credit: The Hockey News

The Ducks and Mason McTavish are yet to get close in negotiations this off-season, and now, a recent report has revealed just far apart they are.

This off-season has been a rather slow one, and despite the fact that many insiders predicted some offer sheets, we are yet to see a team replicated the St. Louis Blues of a year ago.

One of the top candidates for an offer sheet is the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish, with the young centre looking for a long-term deal, one that the Ducks are seemingly reluctant to give him.

Ducks and McTavish far apart in contract negotiations

Now, it’s been revealed just how far apart they are in negotiations, as Eric Macramalla has reported that the Ducks have offered McTavish $5.5 million per season on a long-term deal, with the market for his production and age dictating that a $7.5 million deal is much more fair.

In three full seasons with the Ducks, McTavish has put up 60 goals and 140 points in 229 games, and given a career high of 52 points in 76 games a season ago while playing a key position, it’s rather surprising that Anaheim is reluctant to bet on McTavish’s future.

At just 22-years of age, he has the ability and the leadership to be a key piece of the Ducks future as they continue through their rebuild, but as of right now, all signs point to no long-term deal getting done before the 2025/26 regular season begins.

Ultimately, it’s a surprise that no long-term deal has gotten done here yet, and if the Ducks are unwilling to budge off their $5.5 million per season offer, it’s very unlikely that the player will come down from his asking price, meaning this could get very interesting.