Three Ducks players on the trade block after Cutter Gauthier’s monster contract demands!

The Anaheim Ducks pulled off one of the more dramatic moves of the offseason when they matched Philadelphia's massive offer sheet for Leo Carlsson, locking the young center into a five-year deal worth $18 million annually. But that decision came with a steep cost, and the bill is now coming due.

Cutter Gauthier, the team's 41-goal scorer, remains unsigned as a restricted free agent and cannot suit up for the Ducks until a new contract is in place. The 22-year-old is reportedly expected to command a significant raise, and Anaheim currently sits with just $9.07 million in available cap space, according to PuckPedia.com. That is almost certainly not enough to get a long-term deal done.

GM Pat Verbeek now faces a difficult balancing act. Rather than having ample room to extend both Carlsson and Gauthier while still bolstering the blue line, he appears forced to move bodies off the roster just to keep his top goal scorer in the fold.

According to the Hockey News, three veteran wingers have emerged as the most likely trade candidates in what can only be called a sacrifice.

Alex Killorn, who turns 37 before the upcoming season, carries a $6.25 million cap hit in the final year of his contract. The two-time Stanley Cup champion still showed he can contribute, posting four goals and nine points in 12 playoff games. He does hold a 15-team no-trade list, though that still leaves plenty of potential destinations.

Chris Kreider presents a nearly identical profile. The 35-year-old left winger earns $6.5 million and is also on an expiring deal with matching trade protection. He was the more productive of the two during the regular season, recording 22 goals and 50 points in 75 games. Verbeek could theoretically keep one and move the other, but dealing both would open up roughly $12.75 million in additional space.

Frank Vatrano rounds out the group. The youngest at 32, he is the youngest and cheapest of the trio at approximately $4.6 million per season with two years remaining. However, a severe shoulder fracture limited him to just five goals and nine points in 50 games last season, the worst offensive output of his 11-year career. That diminished production could make it difficult to fetch a meaningful return.

Moving even one of these contracts would give Anaheim breathing room, but dealing two might be necessary to comfortably lock in Gauthier long term. Complicating matters further, Beckett Sennecke becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1, adding yet another financial consideration on the horizon.

Verbeek's offseason hinges on finding willing trade partners for aging veterans on sizable salaries, a task that could prove just as challenging as matching that offer sheet in the first place, but also needs to keep in mind that team chemistry could be damaged by Gauthier’s demands and ultimate cost of one of his teammates…