Team Outlook
The Anaheim Ducks have moved beyond the rebuild phase and into the far more interesting stage of proving it is over. After years of stockpiling young talent, Anaheim has taken a major step forward this season under Joel Quenneville, spending much of the year near the top of the Pacific Division and clinching its first playoff berth since 2017-18. This is no longer a team focused primarily on future value; it is a team beginning to turn that value into results.
From a dynasty perspective, that shift matters. Trevor Zegras is no longer part of the picture, while Mason McTavish’s rocky season has complicated what once looked like a straightforward rise into the club’s leadership group. In their place, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Jackson LaCombe have become central to Anaheim’s evolving core, with Gauthier in particular looking like a major win from the Jamie Drysdale trade. Combined with veteran resurgence seasons from Mikael Granlund, Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, and Chris Kreider, the Ducks have found a balance between youth and experience that has accelerated their timeline. For dynasty managers, the key question is no longer whether Anaheim has talent, but which young pieces will hold meaningful long-term roles now that the organization is built to compete.
Buy Candidates
Damian Clara, G
Clara is the kind of goalie prospect dynasty managers should be trying to acquire before the market fully catches up. The 6-foot-6 netminder boosted his stock significantly with a standout showing for Italy at the Olympics, where he kept his team competitive against far stronger opponents and looked capable of stealing games on his own before the talent gap eventually won out. That performance reinforced what makes him so intriguing long term: his size, composure, and calm, positional style give him a strong foundation, and he is already gaining valuable experience against professional competition at a young age.
While his overall numbers with Brynäs IF have been more uneven this season, the underlying profile remains encouraging, as he is still saving more goals than expected. Lukas Dostal has cemented his status as the starter in Anaheim for years to come, which relieves pressure for Clara to climb the organizational ladder if his development continues on this path. Goalie prospects always carry risk, but Clara’s stock feels more likely to rise than fall from here, making him a strong buy candidate in dynasty formats before the price increases further.
Roger McQueen, C
McQueen offers one of the more intriguing blends of size and offensive upside in Anaheim’s system, and his first NCAA season at Providence only reinforced that appeal. He finished third on the team in scoring, behind Chicago’s John Mustard and Montreal’s Logan Sawyer, while taking on a major role, leading all forwards in time on ice at both even strength and on the power play. He also paced the team with a 60% Corsi, highlighting his ability to tilt the ice and drive possession, not just contribute offensively. When he is playing with confidence, he controls shifts through his reach, puck protection, and net-front presence, with flashes of creativity that suggest more than a complementary ceiling.
There is still projection involved, particularly in terms of consistency and pace, but the underlying profile remains very strong. His Fantasy Hockey Life tracking data supports the eye test, showing solid play-driving and loose puck recovery metrics, with a transition game that is trending upward but still has room to grow. What really elevates his fantasy value is his peripheral production, his blocks, shots, and hits are already standout, and as he continues to trend toward a full-time center role, faceoff wins could become another meaningful category boost. Players with this combination of size, usage, and multi-category upside tend to hold strong dynasty value, making McQueen a worthwhile buy before his role becomes more fully realized.
Stian Solberg, D
Solberg brings a distinctly modern defensive profile built on mobility, physical engagement, and transitional play, and his first full AHL season has reinforced that foundation. While the offensive production may never be a defining part of his game, he has defended effectively against professional competition and made his presence felt physically, registering hits at a rate higher than 96% of AHL skaters. That kind of physical dominance is not only sustainable but likely to translate to the NHL, where it can quickly carve out a role.
His value is very format-dependent, but in the right leagues, it could be significant. NHL Rank King pegs his pNHLe at just 38, which limits his appeal in points-only formats, but that undersells his broader impact. Solberg’s ability to close gaps, move pucks efficiently, and consistently deliver in the hits category makes him a classic multi-category asset. As Anaheim’s blue line continues to evolve, he projects as the type of defenseman who can log meaningful minutes and provide steady peripheral production, making him a strong buy for managers in leagues that reward physical play.
Sell Candidates
Herman Traff, RW
Traff has generated attention thanks to his size and flashes of offensive ability, particularly in junior and his recent play in HockeyAllsvenskan, where he put together an excellent season despite IK Oskarshamn falling short of qualification. He can be difficult to contain along the boards and has shown the ability to create scoring chances when given time and space, leveraging his physical advantages effectively at lower levels.
From a dynasty perspective, however, there are real concerns about translation as the competition level increases. His game can drift to the perimeter, and questions remain about his pace and ability to consistently impact play against faster, more structured opponents. While his recent production may be boosting his perceived value, underlying projection models are far less optimistic. Hockey Prospecting gives him a zero percent chance of becoming a star, largely due to modest production across his draft-minus-one through draft-plus-one seasons. If his value is currently inflated by recent performance and physical tools, this is likely an opportune window to sell before those translation concerns become more apparent.
Lucas Pettersson, C
Pettersson has put together strong offensive numbers, showing a good understanding of how to find space and contribute within the flow of play. He processes the game well and can support offensive sequences without needing to dominate the puck, giving him a solid foundation as an NHL contributor. He had a strong season in the SHL, nearly a half point per game, and excelled for Sweden’s under-20 World Junior team, helping them win gold.
That said, Pettersson projects more as a complementary forward than a primary offensive driver. He lacks a standout elite skill to push him into a top-six role, and as Anaheim’s system grows more competitive, players without distinguishing traits risk being pushed down the depth chart. His pNHLe sits just below 60, aligning with a likely bottom-six role. For dynasty managers, that caps his upside and makes him a candidate to move if others still expect top-six potential.
Maxim Masse, RW
Massé is a strong, physically engaged winger who has produced well in junior while playing a direct, north-south game. He thrives in puck battles, drives the net effectively, and generates offense through effort and positioning, traits that often translate into NHL opportunities in supporting roles. He is coming off a strong fourth and final QMJHL season, but it is worth noting that he did not truly break out until this past year, after previously being more good than dominant.
For fantasy purposes, his projection likely tops out as a middle-six, secondary scorer without consistent power-play usage. Players who become fantasy-relevant producers in the QMJHL typically dominate at an earlier age, which adds some skepticism to his profile. His Hockey Prospecting model reflects that concern, giving him roughly a four percent chance of becoming a star. If his current dynasty value is buoyed by his recent production, this is a good opportunity to sell before his role settles into a more modest, lower-ceiling outcome.
Summary
| Player | Role | Key Insight |
| Damian Clara | Buy | High-upside goalie with pro experience and starter potential |
| Roger McQueen | Buy | Size and skill combination with middle-six upside |
| Stian Solberg | Buy | Mobile, physical defender with multi-category appeal |
| Herman Traff | Sell | Tools are intriguing, but translation risk remains |
| Lucas Pettersson | Sell | Likely complementary forward without standout upside |
| Maxim Masse | Sell | Productive winger whose role may limit fantasy ceiling |