Ducks sign Herman Traff to entry-level contract

Traff was originally taken by the New Jersey Devils in the third round, 91st overall, of the 2024 NHL Draft. However, his signing rights were traded to the Ducks at last year’s trade deadline, as part of the deal that saw the Devils acquire defenseman Brian Dumoulin from Anaheim.

Among the traits that the 20-year-old possesses, his size is one of the first things people notice. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing close to 200 pounds, Traff uses his strength to be tough to beat in the corners and near the front of the net. He’s also pretty nimble on the skates, making him a menace on the forecheck.

Traff comes to North America after spending the first part of the year with IK Oskarshamn of HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-best pro league in Sweden. He had his best pro season thus far, scoring 23 goals and 18 assists for 43 points in 51 games. He also posted three assists in four playoff games.

The Växjö, Sweden native has played at various levels in Sweden in recent years. In each of the previous two seasons, he had played a handful of games with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League, while also playing for Västerås IK and Nybro Vikings IF in Allsvenskan on loan. Traff saw a good chunk of time with HV71’s junior team as well.

In 36 SHL games, Traff potted three goals and four assists for seven points. In 68 HockeyAllsvenskan appearances, he notched 27 goals and 23 assists for 50 points.

Traff has only recently started to see some time on the international stage. He played seven games for Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring a pair of goals.