Cutter Gauthier and the Ducks have just a few hours to solve new problem before contract rules change

Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday that today's a critical day for both sides to close a deal on the restricted free agent winger.

The Ducks made a new offer Sunday that LeBrun called progress, and the two sides are meeting again today to try to bridge the remaining gap before the old CBA expires tonight.

Neither side wants this to drag into training camp, but the calendar is now working against them.

Gauthier just wrapped a monster season, leading Anaheim with 69 points on 41 goals and 28 assists across 76 games, then adding 12 points in 12 playoff games as the Ducks made their first postseason trip in eight years and reached the second round.

He's coming off his entry level deal and is widely viewed as the centerpiece of Anaheim's young core alongside Leo Carlsson and Jackson LaCombe.

The urgency isn't just about landing on a number.

Front loaded money is reportedly a key piece of these talks, and the rules around structuring front loaded contracts are changing once the new CBA takes effect.

If Gauthier and the Ducks can't find common ground before tonight, the structure both sides were negotiating around could disappear entirely, forcing everyone back to the drawing board with a different set of rules.

A gap year or a short bridge deal would leave uncertainty hanging over a Ducks team trying to build real momentum into training camp.

Anaheim needs its best scorer locked in and focused on hockey, not negotiating through the opening weeks of the season.

Both sides clearly want a deal done, and LeBrun's report suggests real progress was made over the weekend.

Expect more clarity within hours as both sides work against a ticking clock that neither wants to test.

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