An Anaheim Ducks team that hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2017-18 has signed a player with plenty of postseason experience in Alex Killorn.
The Ducks are adding the winger on a four-year contract worth $25 million, hoping to help a young team take a step forward in its road to becoming a contender. The deal will keep Killorn in Anaheim through his age-37 season.
Killorn is coming off a career year that saw him score 27 goals and produce 64 points. No player in this year’s free-agent class had a higher point total in 2022-23.
Although Killorn is known as a strong offensive producer, he’s also a reliable defensive presence and capable penalty killer. There’s no doubt the Ducks upgraded their 2023-24 team with this move.
The bigger question is whether the Ducks can take a step forward in 2023-24, even with Killorn on the roster. Anaheim finished last season 37 points short of a playoff berth.
If Killorn declines in the years to come he may not be an impact player by the time the Ducks are ready to win. Anaheim is willing to take that chance partly due to the fact the team has $27,873 million in cap space even after inking Killorn.
It’s possible that this deal will not be an efficient use of funds for the team, but Anaheim has such an abundance of funds that efficiency isn’t top of mind. Bringing Killorn in now might be early in the context of the Ducks’ competitive window, but he’s a luxury they can afford.
The winger’s experience in 11 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning could also prove valuable as he has the credibility to set an example for some of Anaheim’s younger players. There had been reports earlier in the offseason that Killorn was interested in returning to Tampa Bay, but this contract would’ve been impossible to match for a Lightning team dealing with a serious cap crunch.
