Ducks extend qualifying offers to seven RFAs, but four prospects headed for free agency

The Anaheim Ducks moved to lock in several young players on the NHL’s restricted free agent track, extending qualifying offers to seven RFAs ahead of the league’s June 29 deadline. Under standard NHL qualifying-offer procedures, a qualifying offer is the mechanism a club uses to preserve negotiation rights with an RFA; if an offer is not extended by the cutoff, the player is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if unsigned before then.

Among the Ducks’ most notable retentions was Leo Carlsson, identified in the report as one of the foundational pieces Anaheim is trying to secure. Carlsson’s presence underscores the club’s stated priority of maintaining core talent as the organization reshapes its roster for the next phase of development and competitiveness.

While Anaheim’s qualifying-offer list includes those seven players the team wanted to hold rights to, the Ducks also made a separate decision that clears the pathway for four other RFAs to test the open market. The report characterizes this as “surprising roster cuts,” a reminder that qualifying offers are not guaranteed even for players who remain in restricted status heading into the offseason.

For Ducks fans, the difference between those two groups matters immediately, because it affects both contract-building flexibility and the team’s options to address roster needs. Players who receive qualifying offers remain rights-held for the club, keeping a negotiation lane open either toward a long-term agreement or another deal structure before an RFA status fully resolves. Players who are not tendered, by contrast, can begin negotiating with any club once they become UFAs, which can accelerate the offseason turnover for teams looking to add depth.

From Anaheim’s broader roster-planning standpoint, the Ducks’ approach suggests they are attempting to balance patience with the realities of the salary and roster-management puzzle that follows the season. Qualifying offers often function as both a valuation benchmark and a leverage point, and clubs typically decide them based on internal projections of fit, performance trajectory, and how much cap room the organization wants to keep available for other targets.

What to watch next is the resolution of the seven rights-held situations and the destinations of the four UFAs once free agency opens. If Anaheim quickly extends or agrees to new terms with the players it tendered, it could stabilize the lineup construction narrative going into training camp. If the non-tendered prospects draw interest elsewhere, it may also provide an early read on how the market values pieces the Ducks chose not to retain. Either way, this is the offseason decision that can ripple into depth-chart planning well before the puck drops again.