Overview
- Anaheim announced the signing on Saturday, giving the Ducks their 2026 first-round pick a three-year entry-level contract that reports show carries a $1.075 million cap hit.
- Klepov’s deal ends his planned freshman season at Michigan State because signing an NHL contract removes NCAA eligibility.
- Under current CHL/NHL/AHL rules Klepov cannot play full time in the AHL this season so his immediate options are making the Ducks out of training camp or returning to the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL.
- The Ducks acquired the 15th overall pick used on Klepov in the draft-night trade that sent Mason McTavish to St. Louis, and GM Pat Verbeek has said the club sees Klepov as a player they could fast-track.
- Klepov arrives as one of the top CHL prospects after a 97-point OHL rookie season, and the signing shifts development plans for both the player—who faces pro vs. junior trade-offs—and Michigan State, which loses a top incoming scorer.