Mason McTavish is absent from Ducks camp amid a contract dispute, leaving Anaheim to start under Joel Quenneville without its expected second-line center. Verbeek calls the holdout disappointing but notes talks have progressed and reps in a new system are essential for a fast ramp.

The Ducks envision McTavish and Leo Carlsson as their future top pivot duo after trading Trevor Zegras this summer. McTavish, 22, posted 52 points last season and is central to Anaheim’s playoff chances, provided a deal is reached in time for the season's start.

Mason McTavish and the Ducks are at odds over term as training camp approaches, signaling a prolonged negotiation that could influence his fantasy ceiling and Anaheim’s long-term cap plan.

Elliotte Friedman’s latest Thoughts compiles a web of rumors—from Zegras and Drysdale’s 2023 bridge deals to the wider mock trades involving Karlsson, Rakell, Rust and Hoglander—highlighting how camp chatter could shift rosters and fantasy value.