Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek made a big splash with his second free agent signing today when he inked center/left winger Alex Killorn to a four-year $6.25 million per year contract.
Killorn had the most points this season out of any UFA on the market. His 64 points this season was a career-high, as well as his 27 goals and 37 assists. The two-time Stanley Cup Winner has spent his whole 11 year career with the Tampa Bay Lightning and has found his scoring touch as he entered his 30s by scoring 26 goals in 2019-2020, 25 goals in 2021-2022, and 27 goals in 2022-2023. Killorn has always been a strong forechecker that could win puck battles, but his ability to find the back of the net in the last four years has earned him this payday.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old takes over the newly signed Radko Gudas as the Ducks’ oldest player on the roster. Throughout his 11 year career, Killorn has missed hardly any time with injury. Not including the COVID shortened 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons and the 2012-2013 lockout season, Killorn has played in at least 81 games every season except the one. The only year he did not was in 2014-2015, when he played in 71 games.
Killorn brings a veteran presence and nine years of playoff experience to a Ducks forward group that needs desperately needs depth on the wings. This is a great addition to the Ducks top six, and it will be interesting if new Ducks head coach Greg Cronin plans to use Killorn on the wing or at center.
After the Killorn and Gudas signings, the Ducks now have slightly under $28 million in cap space, according to Cap Friendly. Ducks still need to add to the wings and maybe one more defenseman, so GM Pat Verbeek is not done spending yet.
