Can Anaheim Ducks sign Jamie Drysdale after handing Trevor Zegras a $17.25 million deal?

The Anaheim Ducks had two key restricted free agents this summer, and are now down to one.

The Ducks signed Trevor Zegras to a three-year, $17.25 million deal, which averages out to $5.75 million per year. Immediately after the signing, many Ducks fans wondered if a deal with Drysdale would be next.

Drysdale is currently unsigned and is a restricted free agent. He is still two years away from arbitration, which means the Anaheim Ducks have leverage in the negotiation. But, Anaheim still has over $10 million in cap space after the Zegras signing.

If the Ducks can sign Drysdale before the season starts, it will likely be a short-term deal like Zegras' for around $3-4 million annually. Anaheim still has cap space to sign Drysdale for this season, so why a deal hasn't been reached has confused their fans.

Anaheim Ducks cap space

The Anaheim Ducks have exactly $10,022,500 in cap space for the upcoming season. However, the Ducks have plenty of pending free agents for next season, including Adam Henrique, Jakob Silfverberg, Sam Carrick and Max Jones among others.

With Anaheim having seven pending UFAs and six pending RFAs for next season, the Ducks need to be smart with their money for next year. Perhaps that is playing a role as to why the Zegras contract took so long and why Drysdale remains unsigned.

With the Anaheim Ducks opening its season on Oct. 14 on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights, time is running out for Drysdale to be signed in order for him to be in the lineup for Game 1.

Jamie Drysdale contract

Jamie Drysdale is currently unsigned and is not under contract for the 2023-24 NHL season.

Drysdale is coming off his three-year entry-level deal that paid him $925,000 per year. The defenseman was drafted sixth overall in 2020 by the Anaheim Ducks after playing for the Erie Otters in the OHL.

Drysdale ended up making the NHL as an 18-year-old, skating in 24 games and recording eight points. In his second season, he recorded 32 points in 82 games. However, last year, Drysdale suffered an injury that kept him out for nearly the entire year as he only played in eight games.