The Anaheim Ducks were one of the busiest teams this past off-season.

Busy doesn’t always mean good, though. After snapping a lengthy playoff drought and defeating the Edmonton Oilers in round one, the Ducks’ defence core has been decimated, as has their salary cap.

After looking like a potential threat in the Pacific Division, the Ducks suffered setback after setback and are a worse team than they were at the end of last season.

Let’s take a look at what the Ducks were up to this off-season.

What major acquisitions did the Ducks make this off-season?

The Ducks are a mess this season, and the reason for it is that the Ducks matched Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet. Early in the off-season, the Philadelphia Flyers gave Carlsson a five-year deal worth $18 million, with the Ducks electing to match.

It was a tough spot to be placed in, because had the Ducks declined to match, they would have received four draft picks while losing their first-line centre. 

Carlsson is a fine hockey player, drafted second overall in 2023 and scoring 29 goals and 67 points in 70 games last season, with a strong postseason. However, he’s set to be the highest-paid player on an AAV basis. By matching, the Ducks’ cap structure is all messed up.

That’s bad news for the California-based team, as they still have to pay restricted free agent........

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