The Ducks were on a clear path to continue adding promising talent under team control while seeking to refine their roster with veterans who could bridge gaps as the young guns matured.
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But this summer threw much of that plan into flux as the Ducks’ restricted free-agent salaries burgeoned and a mass migration of veterans left them to reset, recalibrate and return to the ice with an even more fresh-faced group than last season. In fact, they’re the youngest team in pro hockey.
As they eye their opening bout with the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, a rematch of last year’s fateful second-round playoff 0series, here is a glance at this year’s flock.
The core four
Leo Carlsson, C
Carlsson is the Lil’ Wayne of the Ducks’ new Cash Money Records identity, as he’ll be the highest-paid player in the NHL this season. The Swedish center has quickly established himself as one of the best attackers in the league traversing the neutral zone, and his bag of tricks keeps getting deeper and deeper. In his first preseason appearance, he outright toyed with inferior defenders, and now he’ll be challenged to rise to the level of a marquee star.
Cutter Gauthier, W
Gauthier is the thunder to Carlsson’s lightning and also pulled in his own hefty paycheck, one that catapulted him above elite players like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. This 40-goal scorer proved capable of hitting the net from seemingly anywhere inside the blue line and added grit to his résumé last season by playing through broken vertebrae in the playoffs.
Beckett Sennecke, W
The “Man Child” returns after a Calder Trophy finalist effort, one that likely would have been good enough to win the award if not for transcendental defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders. Sennecke added strength and was already oozing with skill, but his biggest asset might be his audacity. His style is equal parts confrontational and inventive, and it could make him the next uber-rich young Duck.
Jackson LaCombe, D
LaCombe was the first piece of the nucleus to get paid, signing an extension a year ago set to kick in this season. He went from looking timid and out of place in Year 1 to being a legit No. 1 defenseman in Year 2 to becoming an Olympic gold medalist in Year 3. Year 4 will demand even more of LaCombe, who is now the unquestionable leader of a defense corps that lost team captain Radko Gudas, a former captain in Jacob Trouba and Stanley Cup-seasoned John Carlson in free agency.
Also starring …
Lukáš Dostál, G
After a magnificent first season as a starter, “Dosty” saw his underlying numbers go from superlative to subpar in one of the biggest negative about-faces in the NHL last year. Though he made only two more appearances for the Ducks during the regular season, he started for Czechia at the Olympics and played two playoff rounds, logging the most total minutes of any goalie. This year’s longer but less compressed schedule could bring equilibrium to his performance.
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Pavel Mintyukov, D
Mintyukov went from a reported trade request and a series of scratches to easing in as a fairly steady middle-of-the-lineup defenseman last season. He still hasn’t realized his potential as a top-10 pick, but he’ll be paid as if he did after his salary swelled amid the frenzy surrounding Carlsson. With the Ducks’ departures on defense, which also included Olen Zellweger, Mintyukov’s play will be pivotal this season.
Ian Moore and Drew Helleson, D
Moore will start the year injured but after being a utility man last year, playing significant time both at forward and on defense, he will likely spend this whole season on the blue line. Helleson has been LaCombe’s friend since childhood, but beyond buddying up he’ll need to eliminate some of the critical errors he committed last season.
The remaining vets
Mikael Granlund, F; Alex Killorn, F; Ryan Poehling, C; Frank Vatrano, W; Troy Terry, W; Ville Husso, G
Granlund was named the team captain and his quiet but stabilizing presence in the locker room, along with his production, should help the Ducks through a largely unexpected transition period. Killorn has the ear of General Manager Pat Verbeek and will likely be a steadying force for a line with two young players, a role familiar to him. Poehling took a major step forward last season, his first with the Ducks, while Vatrano had a nightmarish year on professional and personal levels from which he’ll seek to rebound. Ville Husso returns as the backup goalie after splitting his campaign between the NHL and AHL two seasons ago. Terry, the longest-serving member of the team, will start the year on IR following hip surgery and might not return until January.
Recent arrivals
A.J. Greer, W; Jeff Mallot, W; Nick Jensen, D
Along with No. 3 goalie Laurent Brossoit, this was the very modest free-agent haul for the Ducks as they conserved salary cap space to fend off offer sheets. Greer was the biggest-ticket player of the bunch at a $3.75 million cap hit, and he will be counted on to click with Poehling as well as fill the physicality void left by Ross Johnston and Jeffrey Viel. Malott will also provide muscle while Jensen will be the Ducks’ most experienced defender by a wide margin.
Call-ups a-go-go
Nikita Klepov, W; Roger McQueen, C; Tim Washe, C; Tristan Luneau, D; Tyson Hinds, D; Sam Colangelo, F; Nikita Nesterenko, W; Judd Caulfield, W
Klepov was the Ducks’ first-round draft pick, one of two they received in exchange for Mason McTavish, and while his initial “fast track” was for 2027-28, the summer’s events, which included the termination of Chris Kreider’s contract, accelerated his route to the NHL even further. McQueen will go from college freshman to NHL rookie. Washe, who has excelled defensively and on draws, projects to be a fixture in the bottom six. Luneau and Hinds have both dipped their toes in NHL waters but now will be banked on to dive right in, particularly the physically robust Luneau. Colangelo and Nesterenko bounced between levels last season, but they and Caulfield will all start the year with the big club.
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