ANAHEIM, CA - Two of the youngest, brightest NHL stars still do not have a contract for the upcoming season. 22-year-old forward Trevor Zegras and 21-year-old defenseman Jamie Drysdale are both currently restricted free agents, most recently with the Anaheim Ducks. With the first Ducks regular season game in exactly two weeks, will the team be able to get these deals done? Below is a recap of where the two young guns stand:

Trevor Zegras

It seems quite clear that Zegras and Anaheim cannot come to an agreement at the moment, and it might be heading down that road for good. The creative center has just come off of back-to-back 60+ point seasons and is the best building block that the team currently has. With others from his draft class getting long-term, high-value contracts such as Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, and Dylan Cozens, it is astounding to see what the Ducks are willing to give. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the California squad is only offering a contract within the $3 million to $4 million range.

As a team with almost $17 million in cap space, it is not making a ton of sense as to why the front office is dead set on a short-term, low-value deal. There has not been too much movement or noise from either camp, but it is obvious that they are not on the same page. Anaheim would seem quite foolish if Zegras were to receive an offer sheet and take his talents elsewhere.

Jamie Drysdale

Now recovered from a shoulder injury last season, Drysdale is set for a breakout year in the NHL. He will not be able to achieve this, however, watching from the sidelines without a contract. Although he has only played in one full season, the defenseman already solidified himself as a big piece of the future with four goals and 28 assists for 32 total points. There has been much less reported about Drysdale than Zegras but, again, it is obvious that the two sides involved are very far apart at the moment.

With Drysdale currently practicing with the Toronto Metropolitan University Men’s Hockey Team, it is clear that the former sixth overall pick wants to play and not miss another second of training camp. The Ducks have a ton of leverage in this situation, though, due to Drysdale not being eligible for arbitration or an offer sheet, so the power is in their hands. Like Zegras, it would be a shame for contract disputes to run a future top four defenseman out of Southern California so early on in his career.