Cutter Gauthier trade to the Oilers grows amid Ducks' cap crunch

The Cutter Gauthier rumor mill just got a fresh jolt out of Edmonton.

Allan Mitchell of The Athletic raised the idea that the Oilers could push to land the Ducks winger, and while he's the first to admit it's a long shot, the reasoning behind it makes sense given where Anaheim currently stands.

The Ducks are dealing with a self inflicted cap headache.

After matching Philadelphia's offer sheet for Leo Carlsson at $18 million a year, Anaheim is left with a little over $9 million in space, and Gauthier is still unsigned coming off a 41 goal, 69 point season.

Reports suggest he could be seeking something close to $15 million annually, in the same neighborhood as what Connor Bedard just got from Chicago.

That kind of number is going to force some tough choices in Anaheim, whether that means moving out a veteran like Chris Kreider or Frank Vatrano, or seriously entertaining a trade for Gauthier himself.

Mitchell's rough estimate has Matthew Savoie, Isaac Howard, and a first round pick as the entry point for a deal, and he's clear that another team could easily top that.

For a franchise chasing its first Cup since 1990, adding a proven goal scorer next to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is tempting, but the Oilers don't have unlimited cap room either.

Anaheim values Gauthier too highly to move him without getting overwhelmed, and most signs point toward an eventual re-signing rather than a trade.

Still, names like Kirill Marchenko, Jason Robertson, and Alex DeBrincat give Edmonton other paths if a bigger swing becomes available closer to the deadline.

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