The Anaheim Ducks have signed forwards Chase De Leo and Glenn Gawdin and defenseman Colton White to two-year contracts; and forward Justin Kirkland and defenseman Austin Strand to one-year contracts.
De Leo, a Southern California native, returns to the Ducks organization after posting career highs with 21 goals and 56 assists in 55 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets in 2021-22. He also skated in two NHL contests with the New Jersey Devils.
De Leo spent three seasons with Anaheim from 2018 to 2021, playing primarily for their AHL affiliate in San Diego. In seven pro seasons, De Leo has played 420 AHL games with Utica, San Diego and Manitoba, totaling 111 goals and 167 assists for 278 points.
Originally a fourth-round choice by Winnipeg in the 2014 NHL Draft, De Leo has logged seven games in the NHL with the Jets, Ducks and Devils.
Gawdin joins the Ducks after four seasons in the Calgary Flames organization, where he notched a career-high 50 points (15g, 35a) in 62 games with the AHL’s Stockton Heat in 2021-22. He added three goals and three assists in 10 postseason contests this spring.
An AHL All-Star in 2020, Gawdin has totaled 46 goals and 102 assists for 148 points in 201 AHL games, all with Stockton.
Gawdin was a fourth-round pick by St. Louis in the 2015 NHL Draft and has collected one assist in nine career NHL games with the Flames.
White completed his fifth pro season in 2021-22, notching three goals in six AHL games with Utica along with four assists in 27 NHL contests with New Jersey.
The Devils’ fourth-round draft pick in 2015, White has tallied 14 goals and 47 assists for 61 points in 196 career AHL contests with Utica and Binghamton. He also has four assists in 38 NHL outings with New Jersey.
Kirkland had a career year in 2021-22, scoring 25 goals and adding 23 assists for 48 points in 66 games with the Stockton Heat. He also notched seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 13 games during the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Originally a third-round pick by Nashville in the 2014 NHL Draft, Kirkland has played 333 games in the AHL over six seasons with Stockton and Milwaukee, recording 58 goals and 94 assists for 152 points.
Strand posted three goals and four assists in 32 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign in 2021-22, his fourth pro campaign. He added two assists in eight NHL contests with the Los Angeles Kings.
Strand has appeared in 135 games in the AHL, all with Ontario, and has notched 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points. In 21 NHL matches with Los Angeles, he has three assists.
