The game of chicken between Ducks and Hampus Lindholm has ended.
The 22 year old Swede has agreed to a six-year contract extension.
What is most notable about Lindholm's new deal is that he has settled for $5.25 million average annual value which is $150,000 less than what Buffalo defender Rasmus Ristolainen signed for.
The bottom line on the Lindholm deal is 6 years and $31.5 million.
It was initially thought that Lindholm and his agent were seeking seven years and $6M AAV per season.
In the end, Anaheim GM Bob Murray got his man for the best AAV the Ducks offered. Murray drew a proverbial line in the sand and would not budge on his price.
Ristolainen was signed to the same six year, $32.4 million contract as Columbus D-man Seth Jones.
Now, Murray has to make a roster move to create cap space for the new Lindholm contract. With the Lindholm deal in the bank, Murray is $1.4 million over their salary cap.
Is it time for Murray to finally trade Cam Fowler and his $4M AAV?
Fowler has 3 goals and 4 assists in 8 games played this season. He has been scouted heavily by several Eastern Conference teams since last winter.
Lindholm ranked second to Cam Fowler among Ducks defenders TOI with 22 minutes per game.
He scored 10 goals and 28 points in 80 games last season.
The Ducks selected Lindholm sixth overall in 2012.
Eric Stephens of the OC Register breaks down the annual cap hits as such:
$3M (2016-17) $6M (2017-18) $6.75M (2018-19) $5.25M (2019-20) $3.75M (2020-21) $6.75M (2021-22)
••••
To create cap relief, Bob Murray placed defenseman Simon Despres and center Nate Thompson on long-term injured reserve.
However, this is only a short term solution to a long term problem.
The Ducks will have to clear more salary cap space as the respective cap hits of Despres ($3.7M) and Thompson ($1.6M) must be added back when they are able to return to the lineup.