IRVINE, Calif. – Pat Verbeek went into the summer with a shopping list, hoping to bring a brand name to his Anaheim Ducks. He left the offseason feeling unfulfilled.
“We took some swings,” said Verbeek, the Ducks’ general manager, whose attempts included Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. “Unfortunately, we don’t get the final say in it at all. I’m happy overall. We were in there until the end.”
Verbeek offered more lucrative contracts to Stamkos and Marchessault. Both opted for the Nashville Predators, a playoff team in 2024 that’s bent on making a championship push. Chasing after those two Stanley Cup-winning goal-scorers revealed a simple, hard-to-stomach reality.
The Ducks remain many steps away from being contenders. But they must make a leap. They have the NHL’s worst points percentage since 2018, the last time they made the playoffs. (Not Chicago, San Jose, Detroit or Ottawa.) They’ve had multiple high draft picks. They’re moved talented prospects onto the NHL roster and brought more into the organizational pipeline.
It’s time to see more wins, after several laborious seasons.
“I want us to be playing meaningful games and be in the hunt to make the playoffs,” Verbeek said. “That’s the goal. I believe we have the team that can do it.”
If the Ducks are to significantly improve this season, it must come mostly from their returning cast. There are a couple recognizable additions to this group, but it’s on head coach Greg Cronin to mold the individual talents — for the younger elements to become difference-makers and for the older veterans to perform and lead — into a relevant team bound to realize its potentially bright future.
Let’s take a look at their depth chart and then analyze each position.
Center
Leo Carlsson averaged 18 minutes over his 55 games last season. In 11 of those, he surpassed 20 minutes. His ice time could get an uptick as the Ducks appear ready to add penalty-killing to his duties. Verbeek was pleased with his offseason training but also said of last year’s game-management plan, “Wouldn’t be shy to do it again if the situation or scenario presents itself that way.”
Being an improved two-way player is the goal for Mason McTavish. The 21-year-old finished last season nursing a knee injury. His points per game improved despite missing 18 games, but he also had some poor defensive metrics. “He just has to continue to become a really solid player, a complete player at both ends,” Verbeek said. “He’ll be a great contributor to our hockey team.”
In his third season with Anaheim, Ryan Strome appears to be moving back to center after playing most of last season on right wing. Strome’s 11 goals were his lowest since scoring only eight for the New York Islanders in 2015-16.
Isac Lundeström starts out in a fourth-line role. Lundeström is healthy after a torn Achilles knocked him out for the first three months of 2023-24.
Jansen Harkins joins the Ducks on a two-year deal after spending last year with Pittsburgh, where he split time between the Penguins and their AHL affiliate. Harkins had four assists in 45 games with the big club. His next game will be his 200th and he could serve as one of the Ducks’ extra forwards or get in games at any of the fourth line positions.
Left wing
Cutter Gauthier was put on a line with Carlsson in his NHL debut, days after losing the NCAA title game to Denver. Gauthier, 20, had the primary assist on Jackson LaCombe’s goal in Anaheim’s season-ending win over playoff-bound Vegas. The Ducks hope Gauthier’s shot will help him make an immediate impact while his overall game continues rounds out in a top-line role.
But the second line potentially could be the Ducks’ top point-producing unit if Trevor Zegras connects with McTavish and Troy Terry. Zegras has been playing exclusively on left wing, and while there is debate over him potentially being better at center than on the wing, there is no doubt the club wants to see if three of its most proven offensive performers can create some magic together.
Frank Vatrano was an All-Star for the first time in the biggest individual season of his career. Vatrano is feasting off the kind of top-six ice time that largely eluded him before he relocated to Anaheim, but it’s looking like he’s getting nudged down with Zegras now on the wing. Vatrano should still get a fair amount of power-play action, but some regression is highly possible.
Brock McGinn is healthy again after undergoing disc surgery. McGinn is one of a few pending unrestricted free agents, so he could bring some trade value if he locks down a fourth-line role and proves effective. Ross Johnston played in a career-high 68 games after years of part-time or spot duty with the New York Islanders. Johnston remains the Ducks’ chief deterrent against players taking liberties.
Right wing
Think of Alex Killorn as the meat-and-potatoes part of the top line with Carlsson and Gauthier. He missed time with two injuries and struggled in the first half, or Killorn likely would have had his fourth 20-goal season in the last five years. The 34-year-old has long been excellent at tipping pucks, something the Ducks could use more.
Terry remains one of their better defensive forwards, but the drop-off in his offense is concerning. The 37-goal season in 2021-22 might be the outlier now, but his goals and points dropped from 23 and 61 in 2022-23 to 20 and 54 in 2023-24 despite playing in six more games. They’ll need more from someone who is making $7 million.
Robby Fabbri comes in as a versatile third-line forward, ravaged by injury in his career but coming off a career-high 68 games with Detroit. Familiar with him during his time as assistant GM in Detroit, Verbeek got the 28-year-old Fabbri as a salary dump by the Red Wings. His $4 million cap hit helps Anaheim get above the cap floor and also comes off the books after this season.
Brett Leason could be good value after his best pro season. The Ducks retained him for $1.05 million this season after the 25-year-old had career highs in every notable offensive category. Sam Colangelo played his first three NHL games last season after finishing his college career with a breakout year at Western Michigan. He could be AHL-bound for a full season, but he appears to be in their mix.
Left defense
Pavel Mintyukov has yet to take part in team practices as he deals with a lower-body injury. The 20-year-old has a bright future but there must be a bit of concern that he didn’t finish his rookie season and has yet to get this one going. Mintyukov had 28 points in 63 games last year. The Ducks have said his injury is not serious, which will be key, since he is primed to have a big role.
How much longer will Cam Fowler be with the Ducks? A few weeks? Until the trade deadline? The entire season? The rest of his contract? The likelihood Fowler will start in Anaheim is a near certainty, as it’s tough to make a trade of this magnitude in the preseason. There is motivation for him to play well no matter how long he stays.
Brian Dumoulin figures to slide in on the third pair after the Ducks got him from Seattle. Dumoulin’s arrival pushes Urho Vaakanainen to a depth/fill-in role, but that could prove valuable right away if Mintyukov isn’t ready for the season opener. Tyson Hinds was assigned to the AHL San Diego Gulls on Sunday. Hinds is part of a crowded left-shooting group, but he moves up with a couple sliding to the right side.
Right defense
The quick ascension of Radko Gudas from veteran free-agent signing to the club’s first captain since Ryan Getzlaf is an example of the immense respect Gudas earned during his first season. It helped that the 34-year-old was their best overall defenseman last season — if Mintyukov wasn’t the choice.
Olen Zellweger has been paired with Fowler during camp sessions, so it figures they’ll be together in a preseason game this week in order to get set for the season. The 5-foot-9 blueliner showed how nimble he is with several moves in Saturday’s game against the Kings to create space for himself and open shooting lanes. He also got a chance to quarterback the Ducks’ power play.
LaCombe played a lot on the right side in college, and the Ducks figure to tap into that as they did with Zellweger at the end of last season. LaCombe’s experience going through the NHL last year as a rookie could be what nudges him ahead of Tristan Luneau at this time, even though Luneau is a right-hand shot.
Anaheim also has Drew Helleson and Noah Warren in the system. Helleson has been with the Gulls for two-plus seasons while Warren turns pro this year. The Ducks have projected Warren as a potential shutdown piece since they drafted him in 2022, 11 spots before Luneau, his Gatineau Olympiques teammate in the QMJHL.
Goaltender
It already was going to be interesting to see how the Ducks split the work between John Gibson and Lukas Dostal. That could remain a storyline, but Dostal will have the net first, on Oct. 12 in San Jose, as Gibson recovers from an emergency appendectomy that took place last week.
Gibson’s return timetable is three to six weeks, so he could miss just the first week of the regular season — or the first month. The Ducks will have to phase their longtime netminder back in when he’s ready, but Dostal could complicate that if he gets off to a hot start and the club is winning games.
Calle Clang went 10-16-4 with a 3.21 goals-against average and .897 save percentage for the Gulls during his first full pro season in North America. Clang, 22, could be in line to make his first NHL start while Gibson is on the shelf.
The Ducks also have Oscar Dansk and Vyacheslav Buteyets in camp. Either could ultimately team with Clang in San Diego. Tomáš Suchánek is potentially out for the season after tearing his ACL. Damian Clara, a second-round pick in 2023, is playing this season with Färjestad in the SHL.
(Photo: Juan Ocampo / NHLI via Getty Images)
