"Left over a million on the table" "Dream is over": NHL fans react as Ducks lock-in Mason McTavish with 6-year, $42M extension

The Anaheim Ducks have reportedly finalized signing forward Mason McTavish to a six-year, $42 million contract extension. McTavish was a restricted free agent after finishing his entry-level deal. His new deal will carry a $7 million cap hit.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman first reported on Saturday on X that both sides were closing in on the agreement"

"Mason McTavish and Anaheim are closing in on a six year extension with a $7M AAV."

McTavish had his best season in 2024-25 with 22 goals and 30 assists in 76 games. His numbers have improved each year, making him a key part of Anaheim’s forward group.

Fans on X reacted to the news of McTavish's signing.

"The dream is over😭 Good deal for Anaheim," one fan wrote.

Jacob Doodle

@JacobDoodle

@FriedgeHNIC The dream is over😭 Good deal for Anaheim

"Insanely low at new cap levels, left over a million on the table," another fan reacted.

Johnny Upyours

@UpyoursJohnny

@FriedgeHNIC insanely low at new cap levels, left over a million on the table.

“Don’t tell Sens fans. They’ve been penciling him into opening night rosters for a month now,” another fan posted.

At 22 years old, McTavish is locked in as a top-six forward for Anaheim. But with the rising cap, some fans see McTavish going to be underpaid in the coming years.

"In 5 years top players will be making 20+ million and Mason will be severely underpaid," a fan wrote.

"So Verbeeck gets away with highway robbery here, yet has gotten taken to the cleaners by the rangers twice. hmm...," one fan said.

"the only reason they agreed on a extension is so they can trade him, they wanted wayyy less and they’re so bitter they would want him taking a discount anywhere else," one fan mentioned.

Friedman's previous comments on Mason McTavish’s contract talks

In early September, Elliotte Friedman spoke about Mason McTavish’s contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Friedman had said the Ducks wanted a long-term contract, not a short bridge deal.

"The one thing I’ve consistently heard over the last little while is they’re not crazy about bridging McTavish," Friedman said on Sept. 5. "Now, maybe that’ll change. Maybe they’ll do it, but I’ve heard that they prefer long-term."

Friedman explained that the Ducks’ preference was a six-to-eight-year deal:

"If you want to do long-term, what is that? Six years, like a lot of these young players are doing; seven years, eight years."

Now the reported deal is the lower of the two. This gives Anaheim stability and McTavish long-term security. McTavish's progress and this new contract have made him an important part of Anaheim’s future.