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Ducks add power-forward AJ Greer, acquiring his negotiating rights from Panthers in a signing-rights swap
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Jul 2, 11:12 AM EDT

Ducks add power-forward AJ Greer, acquiring his negotiating rights from Panthers in a signing-rights swap

A.J. Greer, described as a relentless forechecking forward, will move to Anaheim on a four-year contract after the Ducks and Florida swapped signing rights for Radko Gudas. The deal sets up Greer for a higher-impact role as the Ducks build depth at both ends.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Anaheim Ducks are adding an established depth piece to their NHL forward group, signing A.J. Greer after acquiring his negotiating rights from the Florida Panthers. The transaction completed a signing-rights swap that sent Greer’s rights to Anaheim in exchange for the rights to then-Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas, according to Yahoo Sports and ESPN.

Greer’s new opportunity with the Ducks comes after what Yahoo Sports described as a career year in Florida. In 2025-26, Greer reached career highs with 17 goals, 15 assists, and 32 points in 78 games, while playing 12:26 of ice time per game, his most consistent workload to date.

The production also represented a notable jump from his previous NHL output. Before that season, Greer had 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) across 248 career NHL games, per Yahoo Sports, underscoring how much his role and finishing touch improved as he settled into a more reliable minutes profile.

Anaheim’s interest appears rooted in the kind of play Greer is known for at the forward position. Yahoo Sports characterized him as a power forward who can bolster the bottom six with gritty forechecking and veteran toughness, traits that generally matter most when teams need to pressure opponents in their own end and create second-chance opportunities.

Greer’s path to an NHL regular has been long and circuitous. Yahoo Sports reported that he was drafted in the second round (39th overall) in 2015 by the Colorado Avalanche out of Boston University, then left BU after an initial period of limited production. He later found more offensive success in junior hockey with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL, before spending a significant portion of his early pro years moving between the NHL and the American Hockey League.

The contract itself was reported as four years with a $4.25 million average annual value and a 10-team no-trade clause through the duration, according to Yahoo Sports and echoed by ESPN’s transaction coverage. Greer’s deal means Anaheim is committing multi-year dollars to a player they expect to contribute regularly, even if his ceiling is not measured in superstar scoring.

Greer also framed the move as an earned chance to repeat his 2025-26 performance, telling Yahoo Sports that he believes the season was not a one-off and that he intends to build from what he showed while competing for more responsibility.

For the Ducks, the immediate question is how Greer’s style translates within Anaheim’s lineup, particularly whether the added toughness and forechecking help stabilize matchups against opponents’ most persistent forechecking units. For the Panthers, the counterpoint is what Gudas brings back in the same roster-planning window, since the swap was built around trading signing rights between the two teams’ pending situations. What to watch next is how Greer’s role solidifies in training camp and whether Florida’s return of Gudas shifts its defensive identity as free agency opens.

Why It Matters

  • This signing changes Anaheim’s bottom-six construction, adding a forward profile built for forechecking pressure and physicality.
  • A multi-year commitment indicates the Ducks see Greer’s jump in production as something they can lean on as they develop the rest of their forward rotation.
  • The Panthers-Ducks swap also indicates that both teams were prioritizing specific roster roles and experience on different sides of the ice heading into free agency.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Anaheim signed forward A.J. Greer after acquiring his negotiating rights from the Florida Panthers in a signing-rights swap.
  • The Ducks received Greer’s rights in exchange for the Panthers receiving the rights to Radko Gudas, according to Yahoo Sports.
  • Greer’s 2025-26 included 17 goals, 15 assists, and 32 points in 78 games with the Panthers, plus 12:26 time on ice per game.
  • Greer previously totaled 49 NHL points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 248 career games before his breakout season, per Yahoo Sports.
  • Yahoo Sports reported Greer’s deal as four years with a $4.25 million average annual value and a 10-team no-trade clause.
  • Greer was drafted 39th overall in the 2015 draft by the Colorado Avalanche after playing at Boston University, according to Yahoo Sports.