EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMason McTavish is finally on the move.The Anaheim Ducks traded the young center to the St. Louis Blues on Friday in exchange for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks of Friday's NHL draft. The Ducks used the 15th pick to select Saginaw Spirit winger Nikita Klepov.Conversations around McTavish's future began in earnest once the Ducks were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights.McTavish, 23, had seen his role with the team come into question when he fell down the Ducks' lineup during the postseason. It was a jarring development, given how the team had seen members of its young core such as Leo Carlsson, Lukas Dostal, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Beckett Sennecke carve a place in its lineup.After dealing McTavish, PuckPedia projects the Ducks now have $44.623 million in salary cap space. That should allow them to re-sign restricted free agents Carlsson, Gauthier and Mintyukov and look to rebuild their defense as three of their blue liners are pending unrestricted free agents.For the Blues, McTavish provides a refresh to a roster that could see more changes this offseason. His arrival gives the Blues a potential top-six option down the middle or on the wing with the hope he can rediscover what led to him once being a key part of the Ducks' future plans.McTavish had his first 20-goal season in 2024-25 when he had 52 points in 76 games while averaging 16:52 in ice time. This past season, he finished with 17 goals and 41 points in 75 games while receiving 15:19 in ice time for the Ducks.Although McTavish finished with six points in 10 games during the playoffs, his ice time slipped to an average of 12:25.
