{"id":72598,"date":"2025-07-18T12:14:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T12:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/72598\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T12:14:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T12:14:11","slug":"ducks-sign-goalie-lukas-dostal-to-5-year-contract-extension-avoid-arbitration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/72598\/","title":{"rendered":"Ducks sign goalie Luk\u00e1\u0161 Dost\u00e1l to 5-year contract extension, avoid arbitration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luk\u00e1\u0161 Dost\u00e1l and the Anaheim Ducks are extending their relationship with a new five-year contract, the goalie announced on the team\u2019s social media platform Thursday.<\/p>\n

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A message from Luk\u00e1\u0161 Dost\u00e1l\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/OKrx06mk13<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) July 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The extension for the restricted free agent is worth $32.5 million, with an average annual value of $6.5 million and covers three years of UFA status. The deal also has a 10-team no-trade clause in the final three years. The sides avoided salary arbitration after the 25-year-old was one of 11 players to file for the process on July 5.<\/p>\n

When discussing the decision to file for salary arbitration, Dost\u00e1l said he left it up to his agent and the team to work through.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think every player doesn\u2019t want to go through arbitration,\u201d Dost\u00e1l said. \u201cHonestly, I just let my agent fully handle it. He did a great job, and I think both sides are happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dost\u00e1l emerged as Anaheim\u2019s lead goalie in 2024-25, making a career-high 49 starts while compiling a 23-23-7 record, a 3.10 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. His advanced metrics were better than the traditional statistics, as MoneyPuck had him with 14.3 goals saved above expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cLukas has proven he is a No. 1 goaltender, and we are so pleased to get this deal done,\u201d Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. \u201cHe is just entering the prime of his career, with his best hockey ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dost\u00e1l said his contract is not only a milestone for his career, but it also reflects his desire to be part of the Ducks\u2019 long-term success.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big honor, obviously,\u201d Dost\u00e1l said. \u201cI always look at myself in the mirror and I always see myself being a kid from a village that has 300 people in it. It\u2019s always a good reminder that if you have a dream and you want to chase it, there\u2019s always the possibility to reach it. \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there\u2019s a long way ahead of us. We are a (rising) team. I truly believe that. That\u2019s why we agreed on the long-term deal, because that\u2019s something that I was very interested (in), because I trust the young core that we have here. I believe it\u2019s going to be a very exciting time to be a Ducks fan in the future. I\u2019m very excited for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ducks cleared the way for Dost\u00e1l to be their decided No. 1 option by trading longtime starter John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings. Part of the return included veteran goalie Petr Mr\u00e1zek, a fellow Czech countryman of Dost\u00e1l\u2019s, to become his new backup.<\/p>\n

Gibson served as a vital veteran figure for Dost\u00e1l over the past few years in the organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned so much from him,\u201d Dost\u00e1l said. \u201c(When I) got to the league, he\u2019s been there for 10-plus years and in my opinion is a great goaltender and even better person. \u2026 Always sad to see your friend go somewhere else. I wish him all the best. It\u2019s going to be a fresh start for him. He\u2019s a great goaltender. We still stay in touch.\u201d<\/p>\n

In four seasons with Anaheim, Dost\u00e1l has a 42-58-13 record, a .902 save percentage and a 3.29 goals-against average.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Ryan Sirius Sun \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n