Cam Fowler, Ducks closing in on 8-year, $52 million contract extension, per report

Star defenseman Cam Fowler and the Anaheim Ducks are closing in on an eight-year, $52 million contract extension, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal, which comes to a $6.5 million cap hit, would go into effect starting in 2018-19 and run through the 2025-26 season.

Fowler has one season left on his current deal at a $4 million cap hit. He was seen as a potential trade target in Anaheim before an exceptional 2016-17 season convinced the team to lock him up. With the reported terms, the Ducks are making a major commitment to the 25-year-old as one of their core players.

A 2010 first-round pick by the Ducks, Fowler established himself as a solid offensive defenseman before breaking out last season. He finished 21st in Norris Trophy voting after posting 11 goals and 28 assists in 80 games. He also blew away his old shot rate by putting up 2.33 shots per game, showing more aggressiveness offensively.

One area where Fowler has never thrived is driving possession. He recorded a 49.7 percent even strength Corsi last season, and has hovered around the 50 percent mark for most of his career. That’s not bad, particularly given the challenging assignments he’s given, but he hasn’t provided that possession boost you often see from the league’s elite blue liners.

With the completion of Fowler’s deal, the Ducks will have three of their top defensemen locked up for at least three seasons. Hampus Lindholm is signed to a deal with a $5.2 million cap hit through the 2021-22 season, which looks like a bargain now. Sami Vatanen has three years left at a $4.875 million cap hit. There’s also Josh Manson, who has a $825,000 cap hit for next season before hitting restricted free agency.

Anaheim has a great defense put together now, and it’s going to stick with it for the foreseeable future. With a top four of Fowler, Lindholm, Vatanen, and Manson, the Ducks are in good shape.