Anaheim opened its campaign with two key unsigned RFAs: Hampus Lindholm, and Rickard Rakell.
And now, only Lindholm remains without a deal.
Anaheim has agreed to a six-year, $22.8 million extension with Rakell, one that carries an average annual cap hit of $3.8 million. It’s a nice contract for the 23-year-old, and a good bump from the $894,166 he was making annually on his previous deal.
Not that Rakell didn’t earn it.
Rakell finished fourth on the Ducks in scoring last year, with 20 goals and 43 points, and led the team in game-winning markers. His emergence over the last two seasons -- he had 31 points in 73 contests in ’14-15 -- his age (only turned 23 in May) and his versatility (can play center or right wing) are the big reasons why he scored such a sizable raise.
Now, all the Ducks need to do is get Rakell back in the lineup as he recovers from surgery to remove scar tissue that build up after his appendectomy in March. After Anaheim announced the deal, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bob Murray, provided an update on Rakell:
#NHLDucks Executive Vice President/GM Bob Murray on @RickyRakell93: "I've talked to Ricky the last few weeks & I'm confident he's healthy."
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) October 14, 2016
Murray said Rakell's timeline is "anywhere between 7 days and two weeks." The team wants to make sure he's "strong enough going forward."
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) October 14, 2016
Murray: "I'm not going to let him back on the ice until he's 100%. It's early in the year and I won't put him on the ice unless he's ready."
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) October 14, 2016
All this makes the Ducks a team to watch in the coming days. It’s believed Lindholm is angling for an eight-year deal at $6 million per, which -- after the Rakell deal -- would put the team in a financial bind.
Anaheim has been mentioned in numerous trade rumblings over the last few weeks, as GM Bob Murray will likely have to move a substantial contract to get Lindholm signed.