Ducks Add Giant Presence, Sign 6’6″ Konnor Smith to Entry-Level Pact

The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenseman Konnor Smith to a three-year, entry-level contract, which will take effect in the 2025-26 season. For the remainder of the 2024-25 season, Smith will join the AHL's San Diego Gulls on a tryout basis. 

Ducks sign Konnor Smith to entry-level contract https://t.co/OtO3xFo3Ae

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) April 15, 2025

Without a contract agreement by June 1, Smith would have become an unrestricted free agent. Originally selected by the Ducks in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, the 6’6″, 216-pound left-shot defenseman played for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before being traded to the Owen Sound Attack and later the Brampton Steelheads. 

He was part of Peterborough’s OHL championship-winning team in 2023. Known for his defensive reliability, Smith is set to begin his professional career full-time next season.

Over 219 OHL games, he tallied 26 goals and 44 assists for 70 points, along with 229 penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating. This season marked his strongest offensive performance yet, as he recorded 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 40 games split between Owen Sound and Brampton, finishing with a +14 rating. 

Though he possesses a powerful shot, his game remains centered on physicality and defensive stability, projecting him as a stay-at-home defenseman at the professional level.

Smith made his pro debut last season on a tryout with San Diego following the conclusion of his OHL campaign, notching one goal and a -6 rating in six games. His upcoming stint with the Gulls will allow the Ducks to evaluate his defensive progress before he likely returns to San Diego in a full-time role next season. 

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