Elliotte Friedman clears the air around speculation of Anaheim Ducks being under investigation for mishandling Jamie Drysdale's injury

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has provided a big update on Jamie Drysdale. Last season in October, Drysdale suffered a a torn labrum in his left shoulder that would keep him out for four to six months. It was recently rumored that the Anaheim Ducks were under investigation for mishandling Drysdale's injury.

Drysdale wasn't able to return to the lineup, and reports indicated it was because the Ducks mishandled his injury. However, Elliotte Friedman spoke on the "32 Thoughts" podcast and gave a big update on those rumors:

"I heard Ducks are under investigation for the way that Drysdale's injury was handled last season. That's not true. I looked into that (speculations of Ducks mishandling Drysdale's playing time) and I was told that is not the case.

"Anaheim is using its CBA hammer in this case. Drysdale has no rights at all basically and Anaheim is grinding away at him. Drysdale does not want to make a stink about this. He wants to be quiet, get his deal done and get back into play."

Friedman added:

"I've heard that there have been some convos about just how the end of last year went and whether or not he coud have played. I don't think Anaheim did anything wrong here, I don't believe they are under investigation but there is a little bit of discontent that could Drysdale have played last year and gotten those two games."

Anaheim Ducks still need to sign Jamie Drysdale

Although the Anaheim Ducks do not appear to have mishandled Jamie Drysdale's injury, the defenseman is not under contract for the upcoming season.

Drysdale is a pending restricted free agent (RFA), and with the season just under two weeks away, it's uncertain if he will be signed in time. It is a bit of a surprise the sides haven't reached a deal, given that Drysdale will be a crucial member of the Ducks roster for the foreseeable future.

In his NHL career, Jamie Drysdale has played 113 games and has recorded 40 points. At 21 years old, his future looks bright as a top-four defenseman in the NHL, so it is concerning that the team has yet to reach an agreement with him.