Mason McTavish and the Anaheim Ducks are still apart on a new contract, and the gap has become apparent. The 22-year-old center has finished his entry-level deal and is now a restricted free agent. After three consistent seasons with the Ducks, his value has risen, but the two sides do not see eye to eye on what his next contract should look like.NHL analyst Eric Macramalla noted that McTavish’s fair market value on a long-term deal would be close to $7.5 million per season. Anaheim, however, is offering around $5.5 million. That difference has slowed down talks. Macramalla also mentioned that an offer sheet from another team would cost a first, second, and third-round pick, but no team has made that move yet.The delay has already affected the Ducks’ preparations. McTavish missed training camp in September, something general manager Pat Verbeek called “disappointing.”“It’s disappointing that he’s not here, obviously," Verbeek said, via AP News. "We have virtually a whole new coaching staff, and the group is really excited like I’ve never seen before.” Verbeek explained that with a new coaching staff and a new system, every player needs as many reps as possible.“There’s a new system that’s getting implemented," he continued. "There’s a lot of things to learn, and it takes a lot of reps to get it under each player’s belt. So when Mason gets here, he’s got a lot of catching up to do.”Verbeek added that missing camp makes it harder for Mason McTavish to catch up once he returns.“It’s not easy to join mid-camp, or miss the whole camp," Verbeek said. "Camp is a very, very important part of a player’s preparedness to go into the season."Elliotte Friedman reported that Ducks want Mason McTavish long termIn September, Elliotte Friedman shared his thoughts on Mason McTavish’s contract talks with the Anaheim Ducks. Friedman said the Ducks want a long-term deal and do not prefer a bridge contract."The one thing I’ve consistently heard over the last little while is they’re not crazy about bridging McTavish," Friedman said on 32 Thoughts podcast. "Now, maybe that’ll change. Maybe they’ll do it, but I’ve heard that they prefer long-term."McTavish had his best season in 2024-25 with 22 goals and 30 assists in 76 games, averaging close to 17 minutes per game. His production improved each year, and now he has become an important part of Anaheim’s offense. He has scored over 40 points in each of his last three seasons.