It’s time for some more NHL rumours. The Anaheim Ducks may already have their next free agent signing lined up. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the expectation is that A.J. Greer will sign a long-term contract with Anaheim after the club acquired his negotiating rights from the Florida Panthers.
While nothing has been finalized, Pagnotta reported that Greer and the Ducks were expected to continue discussions before the opening of free agency, with belief around the league that a deal can be reached. This round of NHL rumours will dive into that.
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All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
A.J. Greer Could Be Anaheim’s Next Long-Term Addition
The rights swap between Anaheim and Florida was one of the more unusual transactions ahead of free agency. The Ducks acquired Greer’s negotiating rights, while the Panthers received the rights to former Anaheim captain Radko Gudas. Shortly after breaking the trade, Pagnotta reported that both organizations had entered contract talks with their newly acquired players. Although work remains on both fronts, the expectation is that Greer and Gudas could each sign with their new clubs before July 1.
A long-term agreement would continue a clear trend for Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek. Since taking over hockey operations, Verbeek has emphasized adding size, physicality and strong defensive habits around Anaheim’s talented young core. At 6 foot 3 and 207 pounds, Greer checks each of those boxes while bringing valuable championship experience after helping the Panthers capture another Stanley Cup.
Why Greer Fits the Ducks
As we keep our NHL rumours going, let’s take a deeper dive. Greer is coming off the best season of his NHL career. The 29-year-old scored 17 goals and added 15 assists for 32 points in 78 games while averaging 12:26 of ice time per contest. His value, however, extends well beyond his offensive production.
Greer is coming off the strongest season of his NHL career. The veteran appeared in 78 games for the Stanley Cup champion Panthers, recording 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points while averaging 12:26 of ice time per game.
However, Greer’s value extends well beyond the scoresheet. The 6 foot 3, 207 pound winger finished with a 57.1 percent goals for percentage and a 53.0 percent expected goals share at five on five. He also posted a +9 penalty differential, reflecting the pressure he consistently creates through his physical forechecking style. HockeyStatCards gave Greer a +3.0 overall rating, ranking in the 77th percentile across the NHL, while Advanced Hockey Stats grades his defensive impact in the 88th percentile. Those numbers reinforce what Greer has built his reputation on throughout his career: reliable defensive play, relentless forechecking and an ability to tilt the ice despite limited offensive zone usage.
He completed the final season of a two year contract carrying an $850,000 cap hit and is positioned to earn a raise this summer.
What Greer Could Bring to Anaheim
So, what can we take from this in this round of NHL rumours? If this materializes, Greer will continue general manager Pat Verbeek’s push to surround Anaheim’s young core with experienced, competitive players. His physicality, defensive reliability and penalty killing ability would make him a natural fit in the Ducks’ bottom six while adding another player with recent Stanley Cup experience to the dressing room.
Greer also has an interesting connection to Ducks history. Originally selected 39th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2015 NHL Draft, he joins a draft slot that has produced several notable players for Anaheim. John Gibson was selected 39th overall in 2011 and developed into one of the franchise’s greatest goaltenders. Jackson LaCombe was also drafted 39th overall in 2019 and has quickly established himself as a key piece of the Ducks’ blue line. Meanwhile, Jakob Silfverberg was chosen 39th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2009 before spending more than a decade as one of Anaheim’s most dependable two way forwards. While purely coincidental, the Ducks have certainly found plenty of success with players taken at No. 39.
For now, Greer remains an unrestricted free agent. However, if Pagnotta’s reporting in this round of NHL rumours proves accurate, the Ducks may not have to wait much longer before officially adding another hard working, defensively responsible veteran to their evolving roster.
Stick around with more NHL rumours as we draw closer to the start of free agency on Wednesday.
Main photo by: Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
