2025–26 Edmonton Oilers’ Pacific rivals preview: Anaheim Ducks

Years into a rebuild, Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has made shocking twists atop the draft and added questionably expensive veteran contracts at low acquisition costs.

This season the Ducks turn to a new coach, Joel Quenneville, to try to turn their fortunes around. Do the Ducks have what it takes to push for a playoff spot? 

Forwards

Gauthier–Carlsson–Killorn

Kreider–McTavish–Terry

Vatrano–Strome–Granlund

Nesterenko–Poehling–Colangelo

Regardless of whether top prospect Beckett Sennecke makes the team or not, the Ducks have a lot of young talent in key roles up front. While there have been stretches of success for many of them, the Ducks have floundered about through the depths of the league standings. At least one of Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, or Cutter Gauthier will have to become this team’s best forward if they are to get anywhere. Luckily for the Ducks all three of those forwards are progressing with promising trajectories. This does make their handling of McTavish’s contract negotiations a bit curious, if not unhelpful. 

Many will focus on the burdensome contracts of veteran gambles that the Ducks have taken on. For the Ducks, who are closer to the cap floor, their cap hits simply are not much of an issue. One such bet is that Chris Kreider was more suffering the New York Rangers bad vibes more than he was aged out. At the very least he provides a net front option on the power play. Mikael Granlund is versatile, both positionally and offensively, and should add greater definition to the lineup. Some might be weary considering Alex Killorn’s production so far, but both still provide strength to the lineup despite the efficacy of their cap hits. 

The Ducks power play was inexcusably poor last season, and even approaching an average unit will make a noticeable difference in the standings. This might be an area that new coach Joel Quenneville makes a difference. A better power play would also greatly bolster some individual stats, perhaps allowing McTavish, Carlsson, or Gauthier to build confidence. 

There are some quality forwards returning, as Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano, and Ryan Strome provide a framework for their young stars to surpass. Sam Colangelo showed some flashes in his brief stint last season. If a young star takes hold and the power play is respectable the Ducks could have themselves a quality forward group. 

Defence

LaCombe–Gudas

Zellweger–Trouba

Mintyukov–Helleson

The theme of youth stepping up is continued on defence, as is that of veteran help. The biggest difference is that Jackson Lacombe is already the Ducks best defenceman. Lacombe has all the physical traits and skating prowess to be effective in all three zones. A continued ascent might see him as a trendy pick for a team USA roster in the future. Whether he can meet that upside or not, he is undoubtedly a pillar to this team. 

Clearly GM Pat Verbeek values physical veterans, with Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba in tow. Quality right shot defencemen are famously scarce, and many teams have gotten less for more than dollars to get to the cap floor. Despite contract inefficiency they are at least foils to young talents Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. There seems to be rumours of trepidation surrounding the pair of young left shots from the team, perhaps mirroring the situation with McTavish, if not Trevor Zegras or Jamie Drysdale before them. 

Again, the inherent power vacuum of a new coach might be just what these young players need. It is worth mentioning that left handed prospect Stian Solberg seems to be progressing well, perhaps putting pressure on Pat Verbeek to parlay a young talent once more. Mintyukov and especially Zellweger’s offence is undeniable, but that puts a lot of pressure on their defensive abilities as a collective. Quenneville can help everyone out by getting a bit more from them, and both still have legitimate upside. 

Solberg is much more physically imposing than either. Right handed Tristan Luneau might complicate matters, as a more cerebral offensive player. Expected to push for a spot out of training camp, Laneau joins Mintyukov and Zellweger to crowd offensive roles, thus forcing them into more defensive situations. Half the defence core cannot be sheltered, so as a trio they will have to be ready to defend top opposition. 

The scarcity of some of the traits that Gudas and Trouba bring, not to mention the abundance of cap space, makes their presence valuable. Long term it would be fantastic to add a high end right shot, seemingly an abundance waiting in the 2026 draft. It might be preferable that one of these young left shots is able to handle the right side, but that might be insufficient. The Ducks hope to be turning the corner, rather than hoping for a higher pick.

Goalies

Dostal

Mrazek

After finally moving on from John Gibson, the crease now belongs to Lukas Dostal in earnest. In truth, Dostal has already taken on the mantle, but the recent playoff relevance of the team is holding him back from greater recognition. Dostal is ready for the role, and is likely among the better goalies in the Pacific Division as a whole. 

Still, goalies can be volatile, perhaps none more than Petr Mrazek. Of course Mrazek fits the theme of an expensive veteran who can contribute, and is capable of filling the backup role well. For good measure, a heartier contract for Ville Husso might help him pass through waivers. Any of the Ducks goalies prospects should be far away from the NHL this season, so having three viable options might be something their cap space affords them for the short term. 

Path to success

The Ducks should be looking to push their way up the standings. Adding young talent high in the draft sounds great, but until those players take hold of the team doubt can fester. While the team itself is undoubtedly looking to make the playoffs, from a larger scope these young talents powering the success is vital. A new coach and some steps forward developmentally are hypothetical improvements, but still need to be earned. At some point the cycle must be broken. 

LaCombe is a legitimately good player, while Carlsson, McTavish, and Gauthier are well on their way. The best case scenario has all three forwards hitting career highs, and the team fighting for a playoff spot down the stretch. One of Mintyukov or Luneau becomes a reliable defender and penalty killer. 

Former coaches Greg Cronin and Dallas Eakins could not get the most from their young players, or were not given enough talent to do so. Quenneville is far more experienced than his predecessors, the players another year older and stronger. The Ducks finished sixth in the division last season, and 16 points out of a playoff spot. It will be a big gap to make up, but the Ducks should make things close if they can forge a stronger identity together. The morale of the team will be crucial for avoiding long skids.