Apr 13, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ducks and Mason McTavish at Contract Standstill

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Tyler Miller | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 2:00 PM ET

NHL training camp recently opened for almost every team around the league, and with training camp in session, you always want your star players out there from the beginning of camp until the preseason begins in late September. But for the Ducks, that was not the case as their star center Mason McTavish is holding out of camp for a new contract.

This was reported recently as the Ducks seem to not want to give McTavish a bridge deal and both sides in contract talks want something different. But, if the Ducks want McTavish out there for camp and want him to get preseason action, something is going to have to give.

Mason McTavish is currently skating with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL, away from the Anaheim Ducks, per @FriedgeHNIC

The Ducks and McTavish contract stalemate continues pic.twitter.com/1cA76pFAXu
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 18, 2025

While McTavish is away from the Ducks, he went all the way to Ottawa's OHL team, the Ottawa 67's, to skate with them and stay in shape until him and general manager Pat Verbeek can figure out their issues with giving him a new contract. McTavish is the main star of the Ducks, especially with Verbeek trading former star Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers in the offseason.

McTavish is a player that is going to continue to grow and develop and be a good player in the NHL for a long time. This is not something that Verbeek should mess up or that McTavish should string out for much longer.

McTavish was the number 3 overall pick back in the 2021 NHL Draft and has tallied 58 goals and 79 assists in 220 games in 3 seasons so far with the Ducks. Getting that kind of production for as young as he is and as dynamic of a player as he is, is quite the bargain.

Pat Verbeek and McTavish's agent need to come to a common ground and soon. There is no reason that he still needs to be unsigned and missing training camp. McTavish needs to be out there doing his thing and scoring goals and having fun with his teammates.

When McTavish is out there, every vibe around the Ducks seems to be better versus when he is not out there. The two sides need to come to an agreement and get him rocking and rolling in training camp.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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