It took up until the night before training camp was set to start, for the Anaheim Ducks to finalize a new two-year contract with restricted free agent forward Devante Smith-Pelly. According to ESPN, Smith-Pelly will make $800,000 per season, $1.6 million total, which could be an incredible value for the talented 22-year-old.
Smith-Pelly was the only remaining player for the Ducks that was without a contract, but negotiations between general manager Bob Murray and Smith-Pelly’s camp picked up steam late last week. The sides made progress over the weekend and reached an agreement with the anticipation of camp opening Thursday, September 18th.
“Obviously I’m pretty relieved to get it done,” said Smith-Pelly. “This is obviously my first process going through something like this so I wasn’t really sure how long it would take. “There was a long process to it. I wasn’t sure it was going to come this close to camp. At the same time I knew something would get done before.”
The Ducks did not exactly make the most of Smith-Pelly’s entry-level contract, having only acquired 75 NHL games out of their young power forward over the life of the old three-year contract. Resigning a player that is expected to play a much more prominent role over the next two years at $800,000 per year is extremely team-friendly. The term is accommodating as well, as it allows the Ducks to see what Smith-Pelly can do with his new prominent role before committing to a long-term contract. Smith-Pelly, a former second-round draft pick, 42nd overall, in the 2010 daft, does receive a slight raise – about $80,000 per year – from his base salary on his last contract.
Over his first 75 games in the NHL, Smith-Pelly has 23 points including, he had two goals and eight assists in 19 regular season games with the Ducks last season. He was part of the Ducks’ playoff run last season as well, playing 24 penalty minutes, where he had five goals in 12 postseason games.
“I was pretty happy with the way I played during the stretch run,” Smith-Pelly said. “I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied. Obviously we would have liked to have gone further and won the whole thing. For a personal level, it was obviously good for me. Good for my confidence. “I learned a lot and had a lot of fun through the whole time.”
The 6-foot, 225-pound forward played 49 games with the Ducks as a 19-year-old rookie before appearing in just seven games during his sophomore campaign in 2012-13. He was a standout offensive performer with the Norfolk Admirals in the American Hockey League last season with 43 points in 55 games including 27 goals.
It would appear that Smith-Pelly is complete for his role as a full-time player in the NHL, after his spectacular performance at the end of last season and the postseason. Additionally, this is a one-way deal according to ESPN, so the Ducks obviously feel he is ready to play on a big team as well.
The winger is expected to make the Ducks out of camp and could contend for a spot among their top two lines after ending last season playing with Duck’s captain Ryan Getzlaf and right-wing Corey Perry.
Smith-Pelly said he knows that Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau often changes the players on his lines and is not going to concern himself with what line he will end up on.
“I’m just trying to get better,” Smith-Pelly said. “If it ends up being in a top-six situation, hopefully I can contribute offensively and still keep my physical game up. If it’s bottom-six, hopefully it’s the same as well. “I think I’m the type of player that can kind of play in any kind of role. I’ll accept any kind of role I am given.”
With the Ducks having acquired center Ryan Kesler in the offseason and making a few other moves, the organization will be looking to be a contender in 2014-15 season. Younger players like Smith-Pelly helping take on more offensive responsibility will certainly improve Anaheim’s chances. Additionally, Smith-Pelly brings an abrasive, physical game to the table which can help the Ducks keep pace with other heavy teams in the Western Conference, especially their Pacific Division rivals, 2014 Stanley Cup Champions, the Los Angeles Kings.
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