Report: Ducks begin extension talks with Lindholm

The Anaheim Ducks have opened contract negotiations with pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Hampus Lindholm.

"One of the first things that (general manager) Pat Verbeek ... has done, according to our sources, is reach out to Lindholm's camp led by agent Claude Lemieux and start the process of seeing if there's enough common ground to sign an extension before the trade deadline to remove Hampus Lindholm from the trade market," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."

Lindholm is in the final season of a six-year pact he inked with the Ducks in the fall of 2016 that carries a cap hit of approximately $5.2 million, according to CapFriendly.

It's unclear whether Anaheim will be sellers ahead of the March 21 deadline, but the 28-year-old would be among the most coveted rental blue-liners if he's available.

The Swedish rearguard is a fixture on the Ducks' back end, averaging 22:46 of ice time this campaign while collecting 20 points in 50 games entering Tuesday's action.

Anaheim also has decisions to make on pending UFA forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell, among others. The club came into Tuesday night's slate sitting fifth in the Pacific Division in both points and point percentage.

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