Anaheim Ducks – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #12 Anaheim Ducks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Sun, 03 May 2026 18:00:59 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 01: Stian Solberg #50 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during a preseason NHL game against the San Jose Sharks on October 1, 2025 at SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 12th (Last Year - 8th)
GM: Pat Verbeek Hired: February 2022
COACH: Joel Quenneville Hired: May 2025

The 2025–26 season appears to mark a turning point for the Anaheim Ducks, shifting from a perennial lottery team — having missed the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons — to a legitimate contender.

For those who have followed the organization closely, this progression comes as little surprise. Anaheim has steadily built a strong foundation with top-10 picks in seven consecutive drafts and has now begun complementing that group with experienced additions, including veteran defenseman John Carlson at the trade deadline. With a core featuring emerging stars such as Beckett Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, and Leo Carlsson, combined with seasoned leadership and the presence of head coach Joel Quenneville, the Ducks have positioned themselves well to take the next step.

Anaheim continued its trend of drafting high-end talent with another top-10 selection in 2025, selecting Roger McQueen. He made an immediate impact in his freshman season at Providence, recording 27 points while contributing to a team with national championship aspirations. The Ducks followed that selection by adding Eric Nilson in the second round, who is also enjoying his freshman campaign at Michigan State. On the blue line, several prospects are nearing NHL readiness. Tristan Luneau (78th) continues to impress despite a slight dip in production, building off a strong 52-point season in 59 AHL games last year. Meanwhile, Stian Solberg (69th) continues to bring a physical, defence-first presence that projects well at the NHL level.

The Ducks’ long-awaited transition from rebuilding to competing, and in 2025-26, they appear to be on the right path.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Ana	1	Roger McQueen	C	19	6-6/195	Providence (NCAA)	36	11	16	27	45
Ana	1	Roger McQueen	C	19	6-6/195	San Diego (AHL)	7	1	2	3	6
Ana	2	Stian Solberg	D	20	6-2/205	San Diego (AHL)	71	12	12	24	102
Ana	3	Tristan Luneau	D	22	6-1/195	San Diego (AHL)	70	10	31	41	29
Ana	3	Tristan Luneau	D	22	6-1/195	Anaheim (NHL)	1	1	0	1	0
Ana	4	Tarin Smith	D	20	6-1/185	Everett (WHL)	65	16	55	71	98
Ana	5	Eric Nilson	C	19	6-0/165	Michigan State (NCAA)	35	3	8	11	41
Ana	6	Lucas Pettersson	C	20	6-0/175	Brynas (SHL)	41	10	10	20	0
Ana	6	Lucas Pettersson	C	20	6-0/175	San Diego (AHL)	4	0	0	0	0
Ana	7	Lasse Boelius	D	19	6-1/190	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	40	1	7	8	8
Ana	8	Tim Washe	C	24	6-3/215	Anaheim (NHL)	39	2	3	5	14
Ana	8	Tim Washe	C	24	6-3/215	San Diego (AHL)	36	14	13	27	28
Ana	9	Herman Traff	RW	20	6-3/215	Oskarshamn (Allsvenskan)	51	23	18	41	32
Ana	9	Herman Traff	RW	20	6-3/215	San Diego (AHL)	3	0	0	0	0
Ana	10	Maxim Masse	RW	20	6-3/200	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	63	51	51	102	40
Ana	11	Sam Colangelo	RW	24	6-2/205	San Diego (AHL)	49	12	24	36	25
Ana	11	Sam Colangelo	RW	24	6-2/205	Anaheim (NHL)	9	1	0	1	4
Ana	12	Calle Clang	G	24	6-2/195	San Diego (AHL)	36	18	9	2.80	0.897
Ana	13	Sasha Pastujov	RW	22	6-0/187	San Diego (AHL)	71	21	36	57	26
Ana	14	Yegor Sidorov	RW	21	6-0/180	San Diego (AHL)	68	15	14	29	36
Ana	15	Austin Burnevik	RW	21	6-4/200	St. Cloud State (NCAA)	36	20	18	38	6

Roger McQueen, C, Providence College (NCAA) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

The 10th overall pick of the 2025 draft has grown into his game as the NCAA season has progressed. There was concern regarding how well he would adapt to the tighter-checking NCAA game, but those fears appear to have been allayed. His strength, agility, and quickness have visibly improved, which is encouraging given how much time he missed in his draft year. The production is there, but McQueen has yet to truly take over games with his skill and stickhandling in college like he did in the WHL. The biggest question now is just how high his ceiling is in the NHL. Although McQueen is littered with fascinating tools, it doesn’t all come together on a regular basis, and you don’t quite see the type of game-breaking skill and playmaking that matches his reputation. That being said, he still safely profiles as a second line forward, whether that’s on the wing or at center. Given his shot, smarts, and mobility, he should be able to fit right in on a line next to Beckett Sennecke or Leo Carlsson eventually.
Stian Solberg, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Solberg has not lit up the scoresheet in his first pro North American season, yet the tools that made him a first round pick remain evident. He constantly seeks to initiate contact, closing gaps on his opponents to lay punishing checks. Despite the low production, Solberg’s offensive game is growing as well. San Diego uses him on the power play, where he finds himself on his off-wing at times to make use of a powerful one-timer. Pair this with frequent incursions into the offensive zone, and Solberg’s game looks to be expanding. However, this is a bit of a double-edged sword at times. Solberg can get a bit too adventurous offensively, roaming deep into the offensive zone and being a bit reckless with the puck. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Solberg is expanding his game and testing what he can and can’t get away with at the pro level. Given his strong defensive and physical base already, if he can even add just a bit more offence, he has serious top four defenceman potential.
Tristan Luneau, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Luneau’s season has not gone according to plan after a standout season last year. The former second round pick’s production has nosedived after a stellar rookie season in the AHL, all while not making the jump to the NHL that he might have expected. However, the traits that made him a coveted prospect are still there. He skates well, moves the puck efficiently, has a physical side to him, and can make plays. The question now for Luneau is when he will be able to make the jump to the NHL given Anaheim’s crowded blueline. Given that Anaheim just added John Carlson, who may be back next season, that picture just got even murkier. Yet, whether it’s with Anaheim or another NHL franchise, there simply is no good reason that Luneau can’t make the leap eventually. There are times where he still precipitates his decision making, but there aren’t too many defenceman with his combination of size, skating, and right-shot. At worst, he projects as a third-pairing defenceman, he can reach much higher if things break right. On the positive, he seems to be closing out the year on a high note after that disappointing start.
Tarin Smith, D, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

Smith has been the model of consistency for the Everett Silvertips, the team that he has spent his entire WHL tenure with. Not only has he remained an effective two-way defender, he’s steadily improved his play in all areas, developing into a more dangerous threat offensively while also becoming a harder and more attuned defender off the puck. His growth and commitment have clearly been acknowledged by his teammates and coaches, as he was named Everett’s captain for the 2025-26 season. He’s a high-end skater who has a clear understanding of how to maximize that advantage, always bringing a very up-tempo approach, whether that’s driving play up the ice or aggressively taking time and space away from opponents. The Silvertips finished with the best record in the WHL last season and are currently sitting atop the league standings once again, so Smith could be the beneficiary of a long playoff run (and possible trip to the Memorial Cup) in the spring, which would be a nice boon for his long-term development.
Eric Nilson, C, Michigan State University (NCAA)

Nilson has seamlessly fit into a powerhouse Michigan State University squad. His combination of size, skating, and skill have stood out in college, and continue to bolster his middle-six projection. The next step for him will be to continue to develop physically, while growing his confidence to make plays. Nilson is the prototypical top nine forward in the modern NHL. He can skate well, while having the ability to carry the puck and make plays with it. Defensively, he’s smart, filling lanes, using his stick, and quickly closing gaps. He is the kind of player that coaches love, and that would fit into any lineup. Whether he’s a center or a winger, he has all the makings of a longtime pro. The Ducks currently have a bottom six littered with older veterans, so there is a clear opportunity for Nilson to step into the lineup once he’s ready to do so. There are few truly safe NHL projections in the prospect world, but Nilson is one of them. The final questions now are how quickly he gets to the NHL, and just how high his offensive ceiling can be.
Lucas Pettersson, C, Brynas IF (SHL) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

Signing with Brynäs after his hometown team MoDo was relegated to the Hockey Allsvenskan was seen as the best thing for his development at the time, given the opportunity to learn from former NHL stars like Niklas Bäckström and Jakob Sliferberg. The results have been encouraging so far. Winning gold and scoring a point per game at the WJC doesn’t hurt either. Pettersson is a speedy, smooth skating playmaking forward with a good feel for the game. He’s got an excellent north-south offensive game and has a quick and accurate wrist shot. When Pettersson is moving his feet and handles the puck with authority, he looks like a future NHL top six playmaker. However, those moments are so far and few between. He is pushed to the outside and defers puck handling duties to his linemates far too often. He needs to gain some more muscle and deal with board play situations better. Pettersson does have a low floor, but it’s too soon to make a judgement on his NHL certainty. He is still only 19 years old, so he has time to iron out his inconsistencies. Another year in the SHL before joining the AHL may be best for his development.
Lasse Boelius, D, Assat (Liiga)

Lasse Boelius, selected 60th overall in 2025 by the Anaheim Ducks, has quietly positioned himself as one of Finland’s most credible draft-eligible defenders in a relatively thin class in 2025. After steady progression through the Ässät system, Boelius handled meaningful Liigaminutes this season while continuing to drive results internationally, including a strong showing at the World Juniors with a point-per-game performance. His calling card is mobility. A fluid, agile skater with strong edge control, Boelius escapes forecheck pressure and activates intelligently into space. His first-pass precision and poise under duress improved over the year, and he showed legitimate value running a secondary power-play unit. He supports transition well and can close gaps effectively using his feet and stick detail. The main refinement area remains defensive-zone positioning and play selection. At times, he overextends offensively or forces breakout plays, leading to turnovers. Added lower-body explosiveness and strength will also be important.Projection-wise, Boelius profiles as a potential third-pair NHL defenceman with power-play utility, with upside for more if his decision-making and defensive consistency continue to trend upward.
Tim Washe, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Washe has parlayed stellar production in the AHL into regular NHL duty. Washe is the prototypical small-area player. He has good hands in tight, and is a detailed battler, leveraging his frame and positioning to gain advantages. He wins big faceoffs and has earned the coaching staff’s trust by making safe, north-south type plays. Foot speed will never be a strength of his, which is an issue that will often pop up in the neutral and defensive zones. But he mostly compensates for that with his motor and sound positioning. Offensively, he’s more than willing to drive to the net, and his small-area puck control allows him to create scoring opportunities in those sequences. He won’t dazzle with his hands, but they allow him to go where he needs to when he’s in the offensive zone. He probably tops out as a fourth liner, and because he’s not the most physical, he could be replaced by a grittier type, depending on the coach’s preference. But he’s proven he can hang in the NHL and should be able to find himself on NHL teams for the foreseeable future, whether that be in Anaheim or elsewhere.
Herman Traff, RW, IF Oskarshamn (SHL) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

After a couple of up and down years with the HV71 program, Träff signed with his hometown team of Oskarshamn IK and has absolutely lit it up. I don’t know if it’s mamma Träff’s home cooking or what, but he has looked like a game changer at the HockeyAllsvenskan level. The best part is he hasn’t strayed away from the core of his game. He’s still that confident, pacey, physical winger with a good skill level and strong finishing around the net. His hockey sense can be questionable at times, especially on the decision-making front. Harmful penalties and moments of iffy puck management are not uncommon. Still, Träff has never looked more primed for a move across the pond. After a year in the AHL, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him step into a bottom six NHL role. He can supply depth scoring and heaviness to any line. Although, with the upside he’s teasing this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him tried higher in the lineup.
Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

In his third QMJHL season, Maxim Masse has emerged as the offensive catalyst for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, one of the CHL’s top clubs and finishing second in the QMJHL standings. Masse totaled 51 goals and 102 points in 63 games, leading the league and his teamsitting 26 points ahead of the next closest Saguenéensscorer.His production reflects both solid consistency and a knack for clutch scoring, as he continues to establish himself among the league’s most reliable offensive threats. With a commitment to UMass next season, he’ll have an ideal environment to round out his game ahead of turning pro. Masse is a north–south, cerebral winger who scans the ice well and anticipates plays, finding soft spots in coverage. A volume shooter with a heavy one-timer, he thrives from the high slot and as a trailing option, using his size to protect pucks and generate chances around the crease. He competes hard in all three zones and offers dependable two-way value. However, he lacks high-end dynamism and creativity, and his skating—particularly his edgework and agility—remains a concern. Nonetheless, his size, scoring touch, and responsible habits project him as a complementary,middle-six forward at the NHL level.
Sam Colangelo, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

The former NCAA standout just hasn’t been able to break through as an NHL player despite a few successful cups of coffee. His clock may be running out in the Ducks’ organization.
Calle Clang, G, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

A holdover from the Rickard Rakell trade with Pittsburgh, Clang has had his best season in North America this year. Clang tracks pucks well and is finally finding consistency in the AHL.
Sasha Pastujov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

AHL production hasn’t really been the issue for Pastujov, a former high scorer from the OHL. Concerns over his skill set translating to the NHL have prevented him from truly breaking outand earning a look from the Ducks.
Yegor Sidorov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

The Belarusian winger can really rifle the puck, and his second AHL season has seen him slightly improve his production. He has to keep improving his physical tools.
Austin Burnevik, RW, St. Cloud State University (NCAA)

It has been another solid NCAA year for Burnevik as he paces St. Cloud State offensively. The big winger is detail oriented away from the puck and could be a future bottom six option for the Ducks.

NHL: Victor Nuño – Dynasty Stock Watch – Anaheim Ducks Edition

Victor Nuño — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:08:42 +0000

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

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:20:41 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 24: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Jackson LaCombe (60) warms up before a game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings on February 24, 2024 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

It was an unexpected rise out of the depths of the Pacific Division last season as they improved to 80 points in 2024-2025 up from 59 in 2023-2024. Their overall improvement got them into the race for the wild card for the first time in years, yet ultimately still led to the dismissal of coach Greg Cronin. Now with the controversial hiring of Joel Quenneville behind the bench, expectations are much higher. If they’re going to be serious about making the playoffs, their special teams must improve. The Ducks had the league’s worst power play (11.8 percent) and the 29th ranked penalty kill (74.2 percent), but with the talent they have that can change quickly.

What’s Changed?

Despite the improvements, there’s a lot of change in Anaheim. Along with Quenneville taking over as coach, years of trade rumours finally proved out with goalie John Gibson going to Detroit for Petr Mrazek and forward Trevor Zegras off to Philadelphia for Ryan Poehling. The Ducks also added veteran forward Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers for prospect Carey Terrance and signed free agent Mikael Granlund to a three-year, $21 million contract. That kind of infusion of veteran talent signals the rebuild is officially over in Anaheim and that reaching the postseason is the goal.

What Would Success Look Like?

The Ducks haven’t been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2018 and after picking in the top 10 of the NHL Draft for the past few years, drafting and developing young talent, reaching the postseason, or at the very least being in the hunt until the end of the season, is the goal. The Western Conference is difficult, but there are inroads to be made. While Anaheim’s forward group was made to be more battle-tested and experienced, their defence is highly talented but still young. If the growth seen from Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Drew Helleson continue and goalie Lukas Dostal picks up where he left off last season, they can be one of the more entertaining and frustrating teams to play against.

What Could Go Wrong?

The catch with adding veteran players is that sometimes they’re closer to the end of the road than they’re perceived to be. If Kreider’s downturn in production last season was a signal and not a blip and Granlund can’t have the same success he had with San Jose and Dallas, it’ll make things a lot more difficult up front. Their young defence corps and goaltender are going to have a lot of pressure on them right away and if the weight of expectations is too heavy, that could send the Ducks back to the lottery yet again.

Top Breakout Candidate

Cutter Gauthier’s rookie season saw him put up 20 goals and 24 assists and that was enough to put him on the NHL All-Rookie Team. You could say that it's a breakout on its own, but when you’re taken with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, expectations are set a fair bit higher, especially after being acquired in a trade. With a full season under his belt, Gauthier getting to learn some tricks of the trade from Kreider and having the green light to go from the new coaching staff, that could lead to a monster season and more reasons for Flyers fans to grump about losing him.

FORWARDS

Troy Terry

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	19	31	50	0.64

A consistent performer who has recorded more than 20 goals and 50 points in each of the past four seasons, Terry erupted for 37 goals in 2021-2022, but that appears to have been an aberration because he scored on 19.2 percent of his shots that season and more typically hovers in the 11-12 percent range. Terry plays a solid two-way game, though he is more effective offensively, and his reliability makes him valuable on a team with promising young talent still trying to find its way. Last season, Terry’s most common linemates were Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, so that is obviously a veteran trio, but Terry has the skill to play on Anaheim’s top line and it’s getting to the point that he could be alongside their younger forwards. Terry is a competitive enough player but does not play a physical game. In the past four seasons, he has recorded a total of 42 hits, which is a shockingly low total, ranking 245th out of 246 forwards to appear in at least 250 games over that span. One of Terry’s strongest traits is his confidence with the puck which allows him to make creative plays to generate scoring chances, particularly when controlling play in the offensive zone. There is potential for Terry to break through offensively, but the most reasonable expectation would be for 20-plus goals and 55-60 points.

Mason McTavish

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	26	38	64	0.78

After hitting career highs with 22 goals and 52 points in 2024-2025, McTavish is a promising young player who can be a leader in Anaheim’s attack. He was the third pick in the 2021 Draft and is a physically strong player who can win board battles and create space in the offensive zone. He has a strong skating stride that helps him move through the neutral zone in transition. McTavish is still early in his career and like many of his young teammates has room to improve without the puck. Even though the Ducks outscored opponents 52-43 during five-on-five play with McTavish on the ice last season, a lot of that was due to favorable percentages – an 11.1 percent on-ice shooting percentage and on-ice save percentage of .924 – because the Ducks only controlled 45.3 percent of shot attempts and 45.9 percent of expected goals with McTavish on the ice. His most common linemates last season were Cutter Gauthier and Robby Fabbri but, as the Ducks roster improves, there could be a chance for McTavish to get a bit of an upgrade on the wings. He also plays on the power play, where he can launch one-timers from the right face-off circle. All of this is to suggest that McTavish should continue his offensive development in 2025-2026 and should be expected to surpass 20 goals and 50 points but he is in the age bracket in which he could have a breakout season and take those totals to a new level.

Leo Carlsson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	24	37	61	0.77

A two-way center with great potential, Carlsson was the second pick in the 2023 Draft and has made steady progress in his first two seasons. He elevated his play in the second half of last season, putting up 29 points (11 G, 18 A) in his last 31 games. He is still young, and his game is evolving, but Carlsson’s size, strong skating, and quality defensive play give him a strong foundation upon which to build his game and if he can become a point-per-game player at some point, then he will be an extremely valuable player. His soft hands and growing confidence should make Carlsson the focal point of the Ducks attack but, this early in his career, he has room to improve. For instance, he has won 38.5 percent of his faceoffs through his first two seasons and while that improved from 34.8 percent as a rookie to 41.4 percent last season, he needs to be much more effective on the dot. That improvement should come, however. Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier started to find their footing alongside Alex Killorn last season and progress should continue in 2025-2026. Carlsson should be expected to score 20-plus goals and 50 points but, like Gauthier, it’s possible that Carlsson breaks through for even more in his third NHL season.

Chris Kreider

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	19	17	36	0.47

Following the three most productive goal-scoring campaigns of his career, Kreider’s production fell off in 2024-2025. He still scored more than 20 goals for the seventh straight season and 10th time in his career, but he also did not record an assist until his 22nd game of the season and finished with just eight helpers. Kreider missed 14 games, and his ice time was down to 16:45 per game, his lowest since 2017-2018. While there had been rumours that the Rangers were looking to move Kreider last summer, they were certainly ready to move on from him this offseason, and he was a decent buy-low option for Anaheim. Even if his production slipped last season, and he was a poor puck possession player for essentially the first time in his career, Kreider is still a big strong winger who can skate and use his body as an effective net-front presence on the power play. Fantasy managers will note that Kreider managed 79 hits last season, his lowest since recording 36 hits in 23 games when he first joined the Rangers in 2012-2013. It’s not unreasonable to believe that Kreider can deliver more than he did last season in New York, but he’s also a 34-year-old winger who has played a physical game throughout his career, so there is a ceiling to what should be expected of him. He could score 25 goals and 45 points, which would be a valuable contribution to a Ducks squad that is hoping to be more competitive this season.

Mikael Granlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	17	39	56	0.74

Although Granlund’s underlying numbers were nothing to write home about in a 2024-2025 season that he split between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, he also finished the season with 66 points (22 G, 44 A), his highest total since 2017-2018. Last season was decidedly different for Granlund based on which team he was skating with. When he was on the Sharks, he played more than 20 minutes per game and was a top line point producer and first unit power play fixture. After his trade to Dallas, Granlund was still a contributor, but his ice time dropped by more than three minutes per game and he was not a prime power play threat. With Anaheim, Granlund should have the opportunity to again play a significant role, and he has the ability to play center and wing, which will give the Ducks some flexibility when it comes to setting their lines. Granlund’s defensive play is not his strong suit but with the puck on his stick he is a creative player with excellent vision and that should allow him to facilitate offense for his linemates. With the expectation that Granlund is not likely to play as much in Anaheim as he did in San Jose last season, it is probably more reasonable to expect 50-55 points from the veteran forward.

Cutter Gauthier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	33	27	60	0.73

It took some time for Gauthier to get going in his rookie season, not finding the net until his 16th game, but he turned into a bona fide threat down the stretch, tallying 22 points (11 G, 11 A) with 77 shots on goal in 28 games after the Four Nations Face-Off break. He finished with 15 goals during 5-on-5 play to lead the Ducks. Gauthier has good size, which he uses to effectively protect the puck, and he is excellent in transition, with a strong stride and quick release when bursting down the left wing. In his first season, Gauthier’s most common linemates were Mason McTavish and Robby Fabbri, but he found more success skating with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn. For all of his promise Gauthier is still a young player and there is naturally room for him to improve as he grows into the pro game. He can be more consistent without the puck, and it’s possible – maybe even expected – that he will have a more significant role on the power play in his second season. He should play more than the 14:09 per game that he did as a rookie and that would provide him with the opportunity to generate more offense, so 25 goals and 50 points in a fair starting point, but he does have potential to score more than that.

Frank Vatrano

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	19	37	0.45

A veteran winger who has been a consistent shot generator throughout his career, Vatrano busted out for a career-high 37 goals during the 2023-2024 season and has recorded more than 18 goals in six of his past seven seasons. He has a quick release and is both quick and efficient at putting shots on goal from a variety of spots. The sturdy skater recorded a career-high 169 hits last season and has played a more prominent role in Anaheim compared to previous stops with the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Boston Bruins. Although he has proven to be a solid complementary scorer, the unfortunate part is that Vatrano is not very effective defensively and the Ducks have been outscored 179-131 during five-on-five play across the past three seasons with Vatrano on the ice. Vatrano plays primarily with Ryan Strome and Troy Terry, a veteran trio on this young squad. Despite his flaws, considering his prominent role, Vatrano does hold appeal for fantasy managers because his combination of goal-scoring, shot generation, and hits tends to make him relatively useful. His power play role was reduced last season, and it seems likely that he will remain in a secondary offensive role on this team, but he should be able to produce at least 20 goals and 45 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Ryan Strome

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	8	27	35	0.46

Having just completed his third straight 41-point season, Strome also scored just 10 goals, his fewest since the 2015-2016 season. He plays center but can slide to right wing if need be, and his experience and talent allow him to move up and down the lineup depending on what the Ducks need. Like many Ducks, he could stand to improve his defensive play, but after three seasons in Anaheim, during which they have been outscored 174-133 during five-on-five play with Strome on the ice, that is not the most likely scenario. He also struggled on the power play, so the value proposition for the Ducks may be to improve their team depth so that they don’t need to lean on Strome quite so much. He took more than 1,200 faceoffs last season, winning just 41.7 percent, which is a shockingly poor percentage for someone who takes that many draws. There were 53 players who took at least 1,000 draws last season and Strome ranked 52nd in faceoff winning percentage. That should be at least part of the reason that he might spend more time on the wing, depending on who else is available to fill those minutes down the middle of the ice. Considering that he has landed on exactly 41 points for three consecutive seasons, that’s a pretty fair expectation for Strome’s production in the 2025-2026 season.

Alex Killorn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	22	40	0.49

A consistent and hard-working veteran winger, Killorn has been a strong secondary scorer for a long time, first in Tampa Bay and now Anaheim, but last season’s 37 points in 82 games represented the second lowest points per game rate (0.45) of his career. That is not to say that Killorn’s game has dramatically dropped off, because it hasn’t, but he was 35 years old last season and anyone whose age climbs beyond that is obviously getting closer to the end of their career. Nevertheless, Killorn was the only Ducks forward to finish above 50 percent in terms of Corsi and expected goals and his steady two-way play was undeniably helpful to a team still trying to find its way. Killorn remains an excellent penalty killer and ranked second among Ducks forwards in time on ice during four-on-five situations. While he ranked sixth among Ducks forwards in five-on-four ice time, Killorn was not nearly as effective with the man advantage. Among 10 Ducks players to play at least 100 minutes at five-on-four, Killorn ranked last in on-ice expected goals per 60 minutes and ninth in on-ice goals for per 60 minutes. It would come as no surprise if Ducks newcomers like Chris Kreider or Mikael Granlund see more power play time and that aspect of the game gets reduced for Killorn. Even so, given his consistency and ability to drive play, there is a path to Killorn putting up close to 20 goals and 40 points in 2025-2026.

DEFENSE

Jackson LaCombe

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	33	45	0.56

One of last season’s breakout stars, LaCombe was a second-round pick in 2019, and he turned into a No. 1 defenceman in his second NHL season. Lacombe shows outstanding poise with the puck, both retrieving it in the defensive zone and running the point on the Ducks’ power play. It’s not like LaCombe was gifted a prominent role on the Anaheim blueline last season, so it took some time before he hit his stride. From December 1 through April 1, however, LaCombe contributed 39 points (12 G, 27 A) in 51 games before going scoreless in his last eight games of the season. He is excellent at getting pucks on net from the point, especially on the power play. Out of 55 defencemen that played at least 100 five-on-four minutes, LaCombe ranked sixth with 11.11 shots on goal per 60 minutes. LaCombe’s emergence ought to ease the pressure on the other young defenders in Anaheim because his production already makes him a worthy No. 1 option on the blueline and the rest can continue to develop without feeling that pressure. From LaCombe’s perspective, it will be up to him to prove that his breakthrough season wasn’t a fluke, that he is capable of playing big minutes and generating offense for an improving Ducks squad. It may be optimistic to expect LaCombe to score on more than 10 percent of his shots again, but he should at least be able to put up 40 points and, like many of his young teammates, there is certainly a chance that he goes above and beyond.

Olen Zellweger

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	9	19	28	0.36

An undersized puck-moving blueliner, Zellweger established his place as an NHL regular last season and while there is naturally room for improvement, he showed plenty of potential in his age 21 season. Zellweger has excellent agility which serves him well in the offensive zone, allowing him to move along the blueline and generate offensive opportunities. He has been wildly productive in previous stops. In his last two WHL seasons, he put up 158 points (46 G, 112 A) in 110 games, capped off by 29 points (11 G, 18 A) in 14 playoff games during his final season. He then contributed 37 points (12 G, 25 A) in 44 games as an AHL rookie in 2023-2024. While Zellweger has delivered just 29 points in 88 NHL games thus far, his pedigree is such that he has untapped offensive potential, and it is going to be dependent on his role and the quality of the team around him to determine if he is going to be an offensive threat at this level. He did lead Ducks defenders in shot attempts per 60 minutes and shots on goal per 60 minutes last season, so he’s not afraid to send pucks to the opposing net. While he does have potential to turn into a strong point producer, Zellweger is still quite young and more likely to fill a supporting role on the Ducks blueline, so he may contribute 25-30 points next season and like many Ducks, he is young enough that there is potential for more under the right circumstances. His name has popped up in trade rumours this summer, so that could affect his deployment if he lands with a new team.

Jacob Trouba

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	3	16	19	0.25

After spending much of last summer shopping Trouba around the league and practically blaming him for the Rangers getting ousted from the 2024 playoffs, only to have Trouba exercise his no-move clause, the Rangers finally got what they wanted when they traded Trouba to Anaheim in December. He did not thrive under those circumstances, and it’s fair to wonder if a hard-hitting defenceman like Trouba was maybe a little less invested in playing for a team with little hope of making the playoffs. He ended up averaging a career-low 20:31 of ice time per game and did record a career-high 208 blocked shots, though his 164 hits in 77 games counted as his lowest hits-per-game average since 2018-2019, his last season in Winnipeg. It’s also fair to wonder if Trouba’s physical style of play is starting to take its toll, as his possession numbers have slipped in the past two seasons and now that he’s 31, it could be more difficult for him to get back on top of those numbers. At his best, Trouba is a solid puck mover who is one of the most feared hitters in the league. He’s a legitimately punishing physical presence and should have a better impact with the Ducks likely to be an improved team this season. He may contribute 25-30 points but will add hits, blocked shots, and penalty minutes that should make him notably more valuable in banger-style leagues.

Radko Gudas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	1	13	14	0.18

The Ducks’ captain is a thundering hitter who has spent his entire career walking a fine line between what is and isn’t suspendable when it comes to hits. Part of the equation is that he just has such a high volume of hits that he has more opportunity to deliver objectionable checks. Since the start of the 2021-2022 season, Gudas has recorded 1,160 hits, tops in the NHL. That is 67 hits ahead of Luke Schenn and Schenn is the only other defenceman within 175 hits of Gudas’ total. Having acknowledged his questionable hitting history, it should be noted, loudly, that Gudas is a very effective player and his borderline hitting practices should not take away from that legitimate on-ice success. Across his past seven seasons, with four different franchises, Gudas has been on the ice for 41 more goals for than against during five-on-five play, which is remarkable for a defender who does not generate a lot of offense and tends to start more of his shifts in the defensive zone. Gudas played a career-high 19:52 per game last season and that’s probably around the high end of how much he should play. A quirk to his game is that Gudas is also uninhibited when it comes to launching shots from the blueline. There are 184 defencemen that have played at least 2,000 five-on-five minutes across the past three seasons and Gudas ranks 47th with 11.75 shot attempts per 60 minutes over that span, just behind Mikhail Sergachev and ahead of the likes of Devon Toews, Luke Hughes, and Jake Sanderson. Despite his eagerness to shoot the puck, Gudas should only be expected to contribute 15-20 points, but he should also put up 250-plus hits 150-plus blocked shots and more than 80 penalty minutes, so he doesn’t help offensively, but the peripheral categories are where he shines for fantasy managers.

GOAL

Lukas Dostal

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
53	26	19	6	3	.905	2.78

For the first time since 2013, the Anaheim Ducks will start their season without John Gibson factoring into their goaltending plans for the upcoming year. It feels like a breath of fresh air for both parties, but perhaps for none more than for newly minted star starter Lukas Dostal. The Czech-born goaltender has officially been given Anaheim's vote of confidence this summer, as they brought in a veteran backup in Petr Mrazek and a reclamation project in Ville Husso as the only really challengers to his gig heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

The move doesn't come unwarranted, of course. Dostal has been proving for the last handful of seasons that his particular brand of competency, which combined the positional acuity of Gibson before him with an extra little flash of speed and skating prowess, is more than enough to pull Anaheim out of their free-fall into rebuild territory. The Southern California former powerhouse finished just two games shy of hitting .500 on the season, pulling themselves up from the bottom two in their division for the first time since before the pandemic. That was due largely to Dostal, who finished with above-league average goals saved metrics on a tough team despite shouldering his first real starting workload. With Calle Clang eagerly waiting in the wings, Anaheim would be smart to control Dostal's starts, keeping him to just over half the games played for the year when they're clearly not ready to contend. But for a team that's been scrambling in net this long, that might feel hard to do - so it will be hard to blame Anaheim if they get excited and ride Dostal's performances to a position where, while still unlikely to contend for the cup, the Ducks could at the very least make life difficult for the others in the Wild Card race.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #8

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:18:19 +0000

Beckett Sennecke #45 of the Oshawa Generals (Kalvin Taylor/Goodall Media)

Prospect System Ranking – 8th (May 2025 - 5th)
GM: Pat Verbeek Hired: February 2022
COACH: Joel Quenneville Hired: May 2025

The Anaheim Ducks missed the playoffs for a seventh straight season in 2024-25, but brighter days are on the horizon. The club’s young core is beginning to ripen, and the prospect pipeline remains among the league’s best.

For the seventh consecutive year, Anaheim made a top 10 selection at the NHL Draft, this time landing Roger McQueen—an imposing talent who might have gone in the top five if not for a lingering back injury. They followed that by selecting Eric Nilson in the second round, another addition to their top 10 prospects list.

The foundation in Anaheim is already strong, with recent graduates Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and a youthful blue line led by Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, and Jackson LaCombe. That group will now be guided by Joel Quenneville, a controversial but accomplished head coach whose experience could be the catalyst for a breakthrough.

Several prospects are knocking on the NHL door. Sam Colangelo emerged as a surprise AHL rookie standout, producing 40 points in 40 games for San Diego before earning 32 NHL appearances. On defense, Tristan Luneau impressed with 52 points in 59 AHL games and is pressing hard for a roster spot despite a crowded back end.

Stian Solberg, meanwhile, had a strong audition in the American League to cap off his 2024-25 campaign. His physical game is NHL ready, though he’s still likely a couple of years from making his debut.

In the CHL, Beckett Sennecke continues to headline the system after another stellar year in Oshawa, amassing 209 points in 180 career junior games. With little left to prove at that level, a nine-game NHL audition in 2025-26 seems probable.

With Quenneville’s guidance and a blend of NHL-ready prospects alongside an emerging core, Anaheim appears poised to end its playoff drought. The Ducks’ youth movement is ready to take flight—and contention could arrive sooner rather than later.

Anaheim Ducks Top-15 Prospects

1 - Beckett Sennecke

No one was more shocked to see Sennecke drafted third overall last year than Sennecke himself, which made for some outstanding memes. However, he was worthy of a high selection thanks to his high-end physical tools, high-end skill, and improving frame. He got off to a late start this past year thanks to a foot fracture, but he had a positive draft year plus one as an offensive leader for the Oshawa Generals. He dominated puck touches the way that you would expect, using his soft hands and reach to help protect the puck and prolong possession. He excels near the crease and has worked hard to improve his release, making him more dangerous in the scoring area. As he continues to build strength, his physicality and off puck play is also becoming more consistent. The projection for Sennecke has not changed; he remains a potential top six forward and should challenge for a roster spot as early as this coming season.

2 - Roger McQueen

The concerns that NHL teams had about McQueen's back issues going into the 2025 draft were justified, but at a certain point the potential reward of drafting him outweighed any potential risks. For the Ducks in particular, who have stockpiled a lot of great young assets in recent years, especially at forward, they were perfectly positioned to roll the dice on him when they did, at 10th overall. The big, smooth, versatile pivot brings a variety of different and desirable attributes to the table and could reach quite a high ceiling once he's fully developed, if everything goes according to plan and he can stay healthy. Every NHL team wants more guys with his package of size and skill. After missing so much time last season due to injury his recent decision to join Providence College in the NCAA in the fall is a gamble, as their schedule of games will be much shorter than Brandon's in the WHL, and he'll have a lot of rust to shake off.

3 - Tristan Luneau

Turning the page and hoping for continued luck regarding health, Tristan Luneau will be looking to crack the NHL lineup for the Anaheim Ducks. Two years in a row he’s had stints with the main club and with a good preseason he might be part of the lineup on day one. The Quebec-born defenceman possesses solid skating ability, using lateral and crossover movements to create space for himself offensively. With his good hockey IQ, he scans for the best options in breakouts and supports his team in zone entries. While Tristan is almost point-per-game at the AHL level, he does not possess a dynamic offence that will translate to the NHL. But a future as a top four defenceman playing the second power play unit is not too far off a reach.

4 - Stian Solberg

The jump from Norwegian pro hockey to the SHL was a tricky adjustment to make for Solberg. Yet somehow, the jump to the AHL was seamless. His style of hockey is perfect for North America. The smaller ice surface lets him close gaps quicker and inflict pain on opponents, his favourite thing to do. He’s tapping into some of his upside at the offensive blueline and puck moving through the neutral zone, which was on full display at the World Championships. He still needs to work on his back skating and his defensive reads, but that’ll come with in time. All things considered, he doesn’t look all that far off from NHL ready. For Solberg, the key is to keep doing what you’re doing. Listen to your coaches and trainers, keep getting reps, and keep playing your brand of hard-nosed hockey. It’s a matter of when, not if, Solberg will earn his spot in Anaheim’s bottom four.

5 - Sam Colangelo

Sam took great steps this past season. Making the switch from any junior/college league is tough but Colangelo adjusted quite well. Pretty much had a 50/50 split, he was point per game at the AHL level in 40 games and had solid production at the NHL level when he got called up for 32 stints. For being a bigger guy, Sam has good north-south skating ability. The strength in his skating lies in transitioning through the neutral zone and possesses solid power in his first strides. He’s got a solid shot but it’s not going to beat goalies cleanly on a consistent basis at the NHL level. However, Sam is good at finding open space and with his strong net-front presence he will find opportunities to finish rebounds. His defensive game still needs work, especially if he wants to have a permanent spot with the big club. It’ll be interesting to see if the experience in his first pro year and another summer of training will result in Sam turning into a more complete player.

6 - Tarin Smith

Smith is one of the best-kept secrets in the WHL right now, but that likely won't last for long, especially after he was just invited by Hockey Canada a few months ago to participate in the World Junior Summer Showcase. The Silvertips emerged as the best team in the league this regular season and he was an essential piece of their success, using his explosive skating ability to drive play up ice and create offensive opportunities for both himself and his teammates. While Everett’s playoff dreams were stopped earlier than expected this past spring, the team should be a top championship contender in 202025-26, which will be valuable experience for Smith. Even though the Ducks are loaded with young defenceman, both inside and outside of the NHL, their success with fellow puck-rushers in Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger suggests that they will find ways to utilize Smith's talents whenever he's ready.

7 - Eric Nilson

Nilson’s versatility and two-way play were key factors in Djurgarden sweeping the major Swedish junior championships (J18 and J20) this season. Despite being pushed down the lineup by other talents, Nilson’s upside is immense. He’s an explosive, shifty skater and dynamically skilled on the puck. He reads the game far, far beyond the junior level. He was only held out of pro competition because of his poor physical strength. A major knock on Nilson has been his teenager-like build and his ability to put on weight, but genetics and his commitment to MSU hockey for the 2025-2026 season could completely eliminate those concerns. It should also help him get some strength behind his shot and help him drive inside more. He’ll never hold an NHL job if he never gets bigger, but Nilson could be one of the biggest steals of the draft if his development goes as expected, with his NHL ceiling being that of a second line center who can impact play in all three zones.

8 - Sasha Pastujov

The Anaheim Ducks seem to have an abundance of offensive talent at their minor league club, and Sasha Pastujov is part of that group. Like Sam Colangelo, Sasha was point per game in his second pro season but did not get to spend time with the NHL club. There have been question marks about his skating and off-puck play but Sasha has removed those doubts. He skates hard and consistently gets up to speed in odd man rushes, while also improving his defensive game in both effort and making plays. The shot has always been good, and he continues to score in multiple different ways. It’s going to be a bloodbath to battle for a roster spot with the Ducks but thanks to his progression in his overall game there is a possibility for him to make an impact.

9 - Ian Moore

At 23 years old, Ian Moore is certainly one of the elder statesmen on this list, but the 2020 third-round pick just turned pro after a full four years at Harvard University. Moore, Harvard’s captain in his Junior and Senior seasons, played in all situations for the Crimson. When he was drafted, it looked as if he may be able to parlay his skating and confidence with the puck into a bit more offence, but he has since become a more responsible two-way blueliner. The mobile 6-foot-3 defender supplied some offence at the college level but will not be relied on for many points as a pro. While he isn’t an offensive creator, he can be counted on to move the puck effectively and get it up ice. Defensively, he uses his skating very effectively as a rush defender, which is a deadly combination with his large frame. Moore should be able to contribute in Anaheim as a bottom-pair blueliner within the next year or two.

10 - Lucas Pettersson

It was a tough season for Petterson. The SHL proved to be too tough for him at his current stage of development. He didn’t have enough offensive oomph to play in MoDo’s top six and didn’t have enough physicality or resilience to play in the bottom six. In addition, he was left off of Sweden’s WJC. If it weren’t for his loan to Ostersunds IK in the HA, there would be bust allegations being lodged against him. He racked up 19 points in 29 games and looked like a dynamic talent with sure-fire top six NHL upside. He can push the pace with high-end skill, high-end skating, strong IQ and creativity… he just does it so inconsistently. He also doesn’t have that physical game that you need to stick it at levels beyond the NHL yet. Despite the challenging year, Pettersson signed his ELC and will get another go around in the SHL on loan with Brynäs. There, he’ll be mentored by former NHLers like Jakob Silfverberg and the legendary Nicklas Bäckström. If that doesn’t help him take a big step, I don’t know what will.

11 - Damian Clara

At 6-foot- 6, Clara possesses a strong technical foundation and moves efficiently in the crease. He flashed some potential in a two-game AHL stint last season once his Liiga campaign had concluded. Despite not being the quickest goalie, Clara has NHL potential thanks to his size and technical ability. He will be making the jump to the SHL with Brynas this fall and should be splitting time with long time pro Collin Delia.

12 - Rodwin Dionicio

Dionicio has NHL size at 6-foot- 2, 205 pounds, and has flashed offensively at every level. Yet, a turbulent AHL season saw him return to Switzerland midstream, where he split time in the NLA and the junior level. Dionicio is not a great mover but has the sense and vision to potentially be a third pairing, power play point man in the NHL. He’ll get another crack at AHL duty this season.

13 - Yegor Sidorov

The skilled Sidorov improved as the year went on in the AHL. In the early going, he still flashed junior habits, often flying the zone and cheating for offence. By season’s end, though, he was a much more active forechecker and showed improved strength along the boards. The NHL path in Anaheim might be difficult, but another solid AHL season for the 21-year-old could set him up for NHL duty down the road.

14 - Maxim Masse

Masse has an NHL frame and a solid skating stride. A responsible player, he also possesses a heavy shot and has the hockey sense to find teammates. The only question is how much of that offence in the QMJHL will translate at the next level, but he has the details and work rate to be a long time NHLer. Sidelined by injury last season, expect him to take another step offensively for Chicoutimi this year.

15 - Nathan Gaucher

Gaucher has struggled to replicate his junior production in the AHL, posting 19 points in 56 games in his second pro season. Nevertheless, Gaucher still possesses NHL tools thanks to his size and strength. Although he doesn’t possess a standout offensive trait, he’s a clever passer in small areas and got power play time as a net-front presence in San Diego. Look for him to try to earn a call-up to Anaheim this season.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #5 ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:19:41 +0000

PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Beckett Sennecke of the Oshawa Generals is drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round during the NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)

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Anaheim 25 Prospects

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Hellebuyck’s dominant season – More trade deadline discussion – Teams and Players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 18:04:23 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 26: Winnipeg Jets Goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) looks to make a save during third period National Hockey League action between the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators on February 26, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Cole Perfetti and Mason Appleton each found the back of the net by 9:03 of the first period to give the Jets a 2-0 lead against the Senators on Wednesday. That’s all the offense Winnipeg ultimately required en route to a 4-1 victory. It was an efficient two points in the bank and wouldn’t stand out, except for the fact that it was Winnipeg’s 11th win in a row.

The Jets were already having a dominant season, but they’ve somehow found another gear. Even after seeing that winning streak end Thursday, Winnipeg has a superb 42-15-3 record. The only team that even comes close is Washington (38-13-8) in the Eastern Conference. In their own conference, Winnipeg has opened up an 11-point edge, giving them plenty of breathing room going down the stretch.

Winnipeg is averaging 3.53 goals per game, so it’s fair to say that the forwards have been doing their part, but the core ingredient of the Jets’ success has been Connor Hellebuyck. He’s the league leader in GAA (2.02) and save percentage (.926) among those who have appeared in at least 15 games, and no netminder comes even close to his 36 wins -- the next best is Andrei Vasilevskiy with 28. In fact, only five teams are above him in terms of wins, excluding Winnipeg (he’s earned 85.7 percent of the Jets’ victories), those are Washington, Dallas, Toronto and Florida.

Hellebuyck is the heavy favorite to repeat as the Vezina Trophy winner, and that’s putting it lightly. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where it’s fair to ask if he should be in the Hart Trophy conversation. Keep in mind, Hellebuyck is not merely the byproduct of a strong team. Those in front of him are certainly helping, especially where his record is concerned, but the 31-year-old also leads the league in Goals Saved Above Expected with 30.3, per Moneypuck, and he’s just one of three netminders above plus-20 in that category. That statistic suggests he’s a big factor in the Jets’ dominance, not just a benefactor of it.

Hellebuyck also has an outside chance of flirting with the all-time single season win record, which is currently shared by Martin Brodeur (2006-07) and Braden Holtby (2015-16) at 48. I don’t expect Hellebuyck to ultimately reach that level because the Jets, without much left to play for until the postseason, will probably start managing his workload down the stretch. Still, we’re talking about 12 more wins over the Jets’ final 23 games, so it’s at least within the realm of possibility.

When Brodeur set that record, he finished third in Hart Trophy voting and Holtby finished fourth that year -- both won the Vezina -- but Hellebuyck campaign might end up being arguably more impressive than either of them. Brodeur and Holtby didn’t lead the league in GAA or save percentage in their respective 48-win campaign, but there’s a good chance of Hellebuyck carrying both of those categories while simultaneously getting his win total well into the 40s.

Still, I think it would take a lack of impressive campaigns from forwards to convince the voters to select a goaltender, even one as dominant as Hellebuyck, as the top pick for the Hart. The last time a goaltender won the trophy was in 2014-15 (Carey Price) when no forward reached the 90-point mark. The time before that when Jose Theodore claimed the award in 2001-02, there was no player who hit 100 points. That won’t be the case this season. Nathan MacKinnion (23 goals, 90 points), Leon Draisaitl (44, 88) and Nikita Kucherov (27, 86) are all providing compelling cases for Hart consideration. If Hellebuyck stays strong down the stretch, then I believe he will be one of the finalists, but a forward is still more likely to ultimately win the award.

Anaheim Ducks

In all likelihood, this will be the seventh straight year without a playoff berth for Anaheim, but perhaps the Ducks can at least end the campaign on a positive note after going 8-2-1 dating back to Jan. 23. They’ll try to maintain that momentum next week, starting with a road game against Edmonton on Tuesday. The Ducks will then play in Vancouver on Wednesday before hosting the Blues and the Islanders on Friday and Sunday, respectfully.

Mason McTavish has been a major part of the Ducks’ recent string of success, supplying seven goals and 11 points over his past 11 outings. McTavish is up to 14 goals and 31 points in 52 appearances in 2024-25, giving the 22-year-old a chance to surpass his career high of 43 points. He has been somewhat inconsistent, so it wouldn’t be shocking if another cold stretch before the end of the campaign ruins that push, but this could very well just be the prelude to a breakout in 2025-26. Taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, McTavish could turn into a very valuable top six forward.

On the blue line, the Ducks also have been getting help from Jackson LaCombe, who scored a goal Thursday to extend his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists). The 24-year-old is now just one point shy of reaching 30 for the first time in his career. Although he’s gotten a healthy amount of power-play ice time (1:52 per game), LaCombe hasn’t quite clicked with the man advantage, providing just five points this season. The Ducks collectively have underwhelmed in that category with their 12.7 percent conversion rate, 31st in the league, but that’s a potential area of upside for both LaCombe and Anaheim, especially if you’re looking ahead to next season.

Leo Carlsson might be part of the solution on the power play once he’s had more time to develop. Taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the 20-year-old hasn’t made a big impact this season with 11 goals and 23 points through 52 outings, but he’s giving us a taste of what he’s capable of, providing two goals and seven points in his past seven games.

Ultimately, it’s encouraging to see the Ducks’ younger players playing key roles recently. Anaheim has been rough for years now, but the youth movement might be on the cusp of moving the Ducks back into playoff contention -- likely not this year, but they’re a squad you shouldn’t sleep on for 2025-26.

Dallas Stars

The Stars have a commanding 37-19-2 record, but they’re also in the same division as Winnipeg, so they’re unlikely to do better than the second seed. Even there, Dallas needs to stay sharp to stay ahead of Minnesota (34-21-4) and Colorado (34-24-2). The Stars will attempt to cushion their hold on the second seed next week, starting with home games against New Jersey and Calgary on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. The Stars will then play in Edmonton on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday.

With the Stars battling in such a tough division, they decided they couldn’t wait until the trade deadline to make some moves. To that end, the Stars acquired Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from San Jose on Feb. 1. Given that about a month has past, it seems like a good opportunity to take stock of how that trade is working out for Dallas.

Granlund has primarily been playing on the Stars’ second line alongside Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment, though he’s also gotten looks on the first unit with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. In either scenario, Granlund has helped out, providing six assists (five primary assists) in seven appearances since the trade. He’s also seen action on the first power-play unit, but he hasn’t gotten any production with the man advantage yet.

Eventually he should have some power-play production and will largely continue to be effective offensively. He’s a nice boost on a team that already featured some pretty solid forward depth.

In the case of Ceci, he has two assists, nine blocks and 14 hits while averaging 20:46 of ice time in seven outings with Dallas. He’s never been much of an offensive threat, so even those two helpers should be regarded as merely a bonus, but the move from San Jose to Dallas hasn’t cost him his top four role, which means that he should continue to be a reliable source of blocks and hits.

Dallas is in a tough position cap wise, so that might be it for the Stars in terms of additions -- unless Miro Heiskanen (knee) or Tyler Seguin (hip) are done until the playoffs. Seguin has resumed skating while Heiskanen hasn’t, per Sean Shapiro of DLLS Sports. Stars GM Jim Nill describe their situation as fluid, which to me suggests that it’s not clear if they’ll be ready before the playoffs or not. Still, if Dallas ends up making a big splash before the deadline, then that probably implies that one or both of them will remain on LTIR until the playoffs.

When they do return, it’ll be interesting to see how the Stars adjust their lines. Tyler Seguin saw success early in the campaign alongside Duchene and Marchment, so maybe he’ll resume that role, leaving Granlund to primarily play with Robertson and Hintz. That would likely result in Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven seeing their playing time diminish. Whatever his role, don’t diminish Seguin when he returns. In part due to injuries, it’s been a while since he had a 60-plus point campaign, but he’s been effective while healthy, supplying 55 goals and 122 points in 163 outings across the past three years for an average of 61 points per 82 games.

In terms of a healthy Heiskanen, he might link up with Thomas Harley. That might in turn lead to Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin competing for the sixth blueliner role. We might also see Lian Bichsel return to AHL Texas once Heiskanen is healthy. That’d give Dallas a top four of Harley, Esa Lindell, Ceci and Heiskanen going into the playoffs.

Los Angeles Kings

At 31-17-8, the Kings are a good bet to make the playoffs and could still win the Pacific Division with a strong finish. That pursuit of the 35-18-6 Golden Knights will likely be a key motivator for them going into next week. The Kings will play in Chicago on Monday before hosting the Blues twice on Wednesday and Saturday. They’ll then travel to Vegas to play against the division rival Sunday.

To the surprise of no one, Quinton Byfield wasn’t part of Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s simply not good enough -- yet. Taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Byfield has plenty of upside, and the 22-year-old gave another taste of it Monday when he registered four assists to aid LA in its 5-2 victory over the Golden Knights. That’s the third time this campaign he’s provided at least three points in a game, but his offense hasn’t been consistent, which has limited him to 34 points (11 goals) in 56 appearances. At this rate, he’ll end up doing a little worse than his 55-point showing in 2023-24, which is disappointing, but not a disaster.

What would be a disaster for the Kings is another extended absence from Drew Doughty. While the Kings demonstrated during his 47-game absence to start the campaign that they can win without him, he certainly brings plenty to the table when healthy, supplying a goal, four points, 11 hits and 13 blocks while averaging 25:55 of ice time in his eight appearances with the Kings’ this campaign.

In that context, it was especially concerning when Doughty missed Wednesday’s clash against Vancouver due to a lower-body injury. He had missed the first half of the campaign with an ankle injury, so the location of his new problem was particularly concerning. Fortunately, it seems like the worst-case scenario isn’t likely. As Mayor’s Manor reported, Doughty is just dealing with soreness and swelling, which makes him day-to-day. Still, you have to wonder if maybe the Kings will manage his workload a little more or even consider making him a healthy scratch on occasion. LA still has four back-to-back sets remaining, so keep an eye on that situation.

Anze Kopitar is also worth monitoring. He had an excellent start to the campaign, providing 12 goals and 39 points in 36 outings, but Kopitar has just a goal and seven points across his last 20 games, including three points in his past 12 outings. At one time, he seemed like a lock to reach the 70-point mark for the third straight campaign, but that’s now in serious jeopardy for the 37-year-old.

Cold streaks aren’t new for Kopitar, but it is unusual for one to last this long, so it’s reached the point where his slump is cause for concern.

New York Islanders

The Islanders will spend next week primarily on the road with games against the Rangers on Monday, the Sharks on Saturday and the Ducks on Sunday. The lone exception is a home match against Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Signing Tony DeAngelo was a controversial decision given his history, but if there’s one positive to the game, it’s what he brings to the table offensively, and he’s largely delivered there, providing a goal and six points across 11 appearances since he made his Islanders debut Jan. 25. Interestingly, none of those points have come with the man advantage, which has traditionally been a key part of his production. If you want to take an optimistic look, that could mean that his scoring pace could be even better once he starts clicking on the power play.

It's also interesting that the return of Noah Dobson didn’t seem to meaningfully alter DeAngelo’s role. He was originally seen as a stopgap measure after Dobson suffered a lower-body injury, but DeAngelo still logged 21:20 of ice time, including 1:49 with the man advantage, in Dobson’s first game back Thursday. Granted, Dobson got just 18:54 himself, which suggests the Islanders were easing him back into the lineup a bit, but it still seems reasonable to believe DeAngelo will maintain his top four role going forward.

As for Dobson, he should see his playing time return to its average around 24 minutes within the next couple of games. He’ll also continue to feature on the power play, even with the presence of DeAngelo. Getting Dobson back will likely move Scott Perunovich back into a depth role, though. Perunovich had three assists while playing in nine straight games and saw some power-play time from Jan. 28-Feb. 25, but he was a healthy scratch Thursday and will likely spend additional time in the press box going forward.

New York Rangers

In contrast to the Islanders, the Rangers will spend most of next week at home. They’ll host the Islanders on Monday, the Capitals on Wednesday and the Blue Jackets on Sunday. The Rangers’ lone road game will be Wednesday in Washington.

New York has been all over the place this season. Despite a 12-4-1 start, the Rangers no longer occupy a playoff spot, though they have won five of their past seven games, bringing them up to 29-25-4 overall.

Igor Shesterkin has been part of the weirdness, posting a 20-20-2 record, 2.93 GAA and .906 save percentage. If the campaign ended after Thursday’s action, Shesterkin’s GAA and save percentage would both mark career worsts for him. He’s had some amazing starts, holding the competition to one or fewer goals in 10 outings, and he’s made at least 30 saves on 16 occasions. At the same time, there are nine instances of him surrendering at least five goals. To put that into context, from 2019-20 through 2022-23, he had eight total games in which he allowed five or more goals over a span of 158 regular-season appearances.

That inconsistency in net has been part of the problem for the Rangers, but New York has also seen its scoring tick down this campaign with 3.03 goals per game from 3.39 last year. The good news is that the Rangers offense has been clicking lately, averaging 3.50 goals since the start of February.

Acquiring J.T. Miller in a trade with Vancouver on Jan. 31 has helped with that. Miller has provided five goals and nine points in eight appearances since joining the Rangers, and he should average about a point per game throughout the remainder of the season.

We’ve also seen a resurgence of Mika Zibanejad. The 31-year-old had an uncharacteristically poor stretch from Dec. 14-Jan. 28 in which he had just three goals and eight points across 22 appearances. He’s put that behind him in February, though, scoring three goals and 11 points over an eight-game stretch. Zibanejad’s slump will keep him below his 2023-24 finish of 72 points (he has 40 points in 58 outings this year), but he is still capable of being a strong presence down the stretch.

Adam Fox was also looking good, going on a seven-game scoring streak (two goals, eight points) from Feb. 2-25, but unfortunately that was cut short by an upper-body injury. With a spot in the postseason not secure, this is a terrible time for the Rangers to lose a key defenseman, but it is an opportunity for Braden Schneider to play a bigger role, including the possibility of work with the man advantage.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have four games on the docket next week, and they’re all at home. Philadelphia will host Calgary on Tuesday, Winnipeg on Thursday, Seattle on Saturday and New Jersey on Sunday.

The Flyers are 26-26-8 through Thursday’s action, putting them six points out of a wild-card spot, though Philadelphia has played one more game than the Red Wings and the Blue Jackets, which are currently tied at 66 and hold the first and second wild-card seeds, respectively. However, Philadelphia would need to leapfrog the Rangers, the Senators, the Bruins and the Canadiens in addition to surpassing one of Detroit or Columbus in order to make the playoffs, so the Flyers are facing long odds to say the least. Moneypuck puts Philadelphia’s playoff chances at just 2.2 percent and gives them better odds of securing the first overall pick, 5.9 percent.

The Flyers are seller at this point, though it might be that their trade sending Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Flames on Jan. 31 will go down as the only noteworthy move they make before the deadline. Andrei Kuzmenko and Erik Johnson are their only players of note who are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Kuzmenko might have value to a contender as a depth scorer, but his $5.5 million cap hit hurts his value, even if Philadelphia were willing to retain part of it.

Meanwhile, Johnson doesn’t seem to have much left at the age of 36. He’s appeared in just 22 games with Philadelphia this season, and a contender would presumably be looking at him as a seventh defenseman at best. I wouldn’t be shocked if he got picked up by someone, but probably just for a sixth or seventh-round pick.

They might trade someone with term, though. Rasmus Ristolainen has come up in the rumor mill. He’s a huge, physical right-hand defenseman, so it’s easy to imagine teams gunning for him, but because he’s signed through 2026-27, the Flyers are in the driver’s seat when it comes to negotiations. If they don’t get an offer they love, then they can just hold onto him for next season. With that in mind, it seems Philadelphia wants a first rounder plus an asset for him, and no team has come close to that yet, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. So don’t be surprised if he stays with the Flyers.

With the deadline looming, it can be easy to miss the fact that Matvei Michkov is having one of the best stretches of his rookie campaign. He has an incredible five goals and 10 points across his past five appearances, bringing him up to 19 goals and 44 points through 58 outings overall. The 20-year-old has been all over the place this year, even spending some time as a healthy scratch, but his offensive potential is without question. If he can find some degree of consistency, then 80-plus point campaigns might be in his future.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay will open next week with a road match against the Panthers on Monday, but they’ll spend the rest of the week at home. The Lightning will host the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Sabres on Thursday and the Bruins on Saturday.

Tampa Bay is third in the Atlantic Division, but after winning its past seven games, the Lightning have a 34-20-4 record and sit just three points behind the division-leading Panthers, which will make that Monday contest all the more important.

Look for Andrei Vasilevskiy to get the nod in that game. He’s played a vital role in the Lightning’s winning streak, being in net for all seven of those contests while posting a 1.72 GAA and a .944 save percentage. That gives him a 28-15-3 record, 2.21 GAA and .922 save percentage through 46 appearances in 2024-25, which is a nice return to form after a rough 2023-24 in which he had a 30-20-2 record, 2.90 GAA and .900 save percentage in 52 outings. If not for Connor Hellebuyck’s dazzling play, Vasilevskiy might have been in the conversation to win the Vezina for the first time since 2018-19.

Brandon Hagel has also been a major driver of Tampa Bay’s recent success. He has nine goals and 16 points across his past nine outings, giving him 29 goals and 67 points in 58 games this campaign. It’s not unusual for goals to come in bunches -- Hagel has a similar stretch of success from Oct. 15-24 in which he collected six goals and nine points in six outings -- so enjoy this while it lasts, but don’t be shocked if he then has another stretch similar to Jan. 14-28 (aka, no goals and three assists over eight games).

Nick Paul is a somewhat similar story. He found the back of the net for four straight games from Feb. 8-25 (keep in mind, the 4 Nations Face-Off break was in the middle of that), but he also has stretches of no production -- he had a six-game point drought from Jan. 25-Feb. 6. He averages out to be a decent secondary scorer (18 goals and 32 points in 52 outings this season), but not someone you can rely on regularly.

Nikita Kucherov tends to be a more consistent offensive force. Excluding games missed, he hasn’t been held off the scoresheet for more than back-to-back contests this season. That’s led to him supplying 27 goals and 86 points in 55 appearances, including four goals and 13 points across his last nine outings -- technically a nine-game scoring streak, but it’s not an official one because he didn’t play Feb. 9 due to an upper-body injury.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals will start the week by hosting the Senators on Monday before travelling to New York to face the Rangers on Wednesday. Washington will then play home games against the Red Wings on Friday and the Kraken on Sunday.

All eyes will remain on Alex Ovechkin as he continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin is 11 goals away from tying the record after finding the back of the net against Calgary on Tuesday. That gives him eight markers and 13 points across his past nine games, and 30 goals in 2024-25 despite being limited to 43 contests due to injury.

Speaking of, when Ovechkin suffered a fibula fracture back in November, it seemed like he would have to wait until at least the 2025-26 campaign to break the record, but with 23 games remaining on Washington’s schedule, it’s certainly possible for him to surpass the record before the playoffs. He’d have to stay hot, but with the way he’s played this year, it’s doable.

Dylan Strome has enjoyed sharing the ice with Ovechkin. While he’s not completely dependent on the Russian superstar, Ovechkin has appeared on the scoresheet for 32 of Strome’s 59 points. The 27-year-old Strome has six goals and 13 points across his past 10 appearances as he looks to reach the 70-point milestone for the first time in his career.

The only real blemish on Washington recently has been Logan Thompson. He’s still having a great campaign overall with a 25-3-5 record, 2.28 GAA and .919 save percentage in 33 appearances, but he has allowed at least three goals in each of his past five starts. Perhaps Thompson would benefit from a bit more rest down the stretch. After all, he’s never played in more then 50 regular-season plus playoff games in a single campaign, and the Capitals are hoping to lean on him heavily come the postseason.

Charlie Lindgren is 13-10-3 with a 2.70 GAA and an .896 save percentage in 27 outings, and he’s struggled recently too, allowing 15 goals on 99 shots (.848 save percentage) across his past four starts, so he’s not an ideal alternative. However, Washington is in a commanding position thanks to its 38-13-8 record, so the Capitals can afford to regularly rest Thompson down the stretch, even if it ends up costing them some wins. Keep that in mind when evaluating Lindgren and Thompson’s value for the remainder of 2024-25.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Marner and Tavares Leading Maple Leafs, Ducks Battling and More

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 15:51:24 +0000

_{TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 03: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) skates with the puck during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs on December 3rd, 2022 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire)}

In fantasy play, we try to look for any advantage we can, so it’s always helpful if there are reliable factors that we can consider that might impact a game's outcome. For example, all else being equal, a rested team should have an advantage over a tired one, right? That’s an easy assumption to make, but I wondered how reliable a factor that was, so I looked into it.

Teams on the second half of a back-to-back have a 31-40-6 record this season, but that’s a fairly small sample size for this kind of thing, so let’s take the results of every game dating back to the 2005-06 campaign. Looking at that, the record for teams playing on no rest is 3,560-3,394-943. If you count overtime/shootout losses among the defeats, that’s a .451 winning percentage, which is statistically relevant, but not dramatic.

What about playing on the road? That’s another obvious disadvantage, but how serious of a burden is it? Dating back to 2005-06, the road team has a 10,460-9,834-2,698 record, which is a .455 winning percentage. In other words, playing on the road is only a slightly smaller burden than playing on no rest. While we’re at it, let’s combine the two: A road team playing on no rest has a winning percentage of just .425 (2,298-2,464-640). So if you really want to bank on a team underperforming relative to their average, then taking a team on the second half of a back-to-back on the road is the way to go.

In the reverse, is there an ideal amount of rest for a team? Teams that had one day off between games have a winning percentage of .508 (12,265-9,101-2,759), two days is .521 (4,368-3,051-962), three days is .501 (1,106-845-255) and four or more days is .493 (1,034-822-242), so two days rest between games is the sweet spot, but difference in those winning percentages isn’t significant.

Ultimately, believing a team on the road or a tired squad will underperform is going to prove to be a fair assessment often, but it’s not a magic bullet. By the same token, key injuries don’t always lead to the results we might anticipate. The Avalanche certainly struggled early in the campaign when they had far more than their fair share of players on the shelf, but recently, the Maple Leafs have been defying expectations.

At the time of writing, Toronto is now 6-1-0 without Auston Matthews this season. On Wednesday, Toronto was missing Max Domi (lower body), Calle Jarnkrok (groin), David Kampf (lower body), Max Pacioretty (lower body) and Ryan Reaves (suspension) in addition to Matthews (upper body), and Toronto still managed to beat Vegas 3-0. To be fair, the Golden Knights had injuries of their own at the time of the contest, most notably to Mark Stone (lower body), but they were the healthier team and a top-tier contender, so the Maple Leafs continuing to excel under those circumstances is impressive.

Mitch Marner has been a major factor in Toronto’s continued success, providing six goals and 26 points through 20 appearances, and the Vegas victory was his third straight multi-point showing. He’s never reached the 100-point milestone before, but he’s come close and might finally hit that mark this campaign. John Tavares has also stepped up recently, supplying four goals and eight points across six appearances, giving him nine goals and 19 points through 19 outings.

Both are also playing on an expiring contract, and there are questions about their future with the team. The lack of playoff success has led to frustration regarding Toronto’s model of building the squad around four extremely expensive forwards. Going into the campaign, there was an assumption that at the least, the 34-year-old Tavares would take a significant pay cut from his current $11 million cap hit in his next contract given his declining production. That might still happen, but his play so far this season suggests that talk of his decline might have been overstated, and, especially with the cap rising, he might still be able to command a sizable payday. Then there’s Marner, who presumably expects a raise from his $10.903 million cap hit and will likely get it with Toronto or elsewhere.

The Maple Leafs certainly have some big front office questions to answer, in the coming months, but at least on the ice, things seem to be going well for now despite the challenges.

Anaheim Ducks

Mon vs SEA, Wed @ SEA, Fri vs LAK, Sun vs OTT

The NHL schedule next week contains some very heavy dates: There will be 11 games Monday, 15 on Wednesday, 14 on Friday and 12 on Saturday. Due to that, a lot of teams are playing four times despite the league taking Thursday off for American Thanksgiving.

Every team featured will be playing in four games, starting with the Ducks, who will host Seattle on Monday, play in Seattle on Wednesday and then return to Anaheim for contests against the Kings on Friday and Senators on Sunday.

The Ducks were also a team I highlighted last week and noted the squad’s underwhelming offense, but going into Friday’s action, Anaheim is on a three-game winning streak in which it’s tallied a combined 13 goals.

Trevor Zegras has gotten in on the action, supplying a goal and three points over that span, which doubles his season point total to six. We discussed last week that he had been dealing with some bad puck luck and has been playing a more complete game despite his offensive woes, so perhaps everything is starting to come together for him. He’s an intriguing buy-low candidate, especially because Zegras continues to serve in a top-six capacity.

If you’re looking for the hottest forward on the Ducks, though, then Brett Leason is your man. He didn’t start the campaign was much of a role, even being a healthy scratch in five of six games from Oct. 27-Nov. 8, but he’s taken off with two goals and seven points across his last five outings. Leason has also averaged 15:00 of ice time, including 1:28 with the man advantage, across his past four appearances, so he’s finally getting a solid opportunity. The 25-year-old still isn’t likely to be a major offensive force for long -- you'd have to go back to his junior days to find the last time he was a major scorer -- but he’s providing some solid short-term value.

On the blueliner, Olen Zellweger has two goals and four points over his last three appearances, bringing him up to four goals and eight points across 17 outings in 2024-25. The 21-year-old is serving on the top power-play unit, but the Ducks rank 27th with the man advantage, converting just 15.3 percent of the time, so it’s not as good of a role as it could be. Still, Zellweger should at least breach the 30-point mark this year as long as he stays healthy.

Boston Bruins

Tue vs. VAN, Wed @ NYI, Fri vs. PIT, Sun vs. MTL

After three straight losses to drop their record to 8-9-3, the Bruins fired head coach Jim Montgomery and named Joe Sacco as the interim bench boss. Boston’s first game under Sacco saw the Bruins outshoot Utah 31-21 en route to a 1-0 victory. Joonas Korpisalo was in net for the shutout, improving to 4-2-1 with a 2.38 GAA and .911 save percentage in eight appearances. Given Jeremy Swayman’s struggles -- he has a 5-7-2 record, 3.47 GAA and .884 save percentage in 14 outings -- it'll be interesting to see if Sacco leans on Korpisalo more than his predecessor.

Next week, though, both goaltenders will likely see use given the packed schedule. The Bruins will host the Canucks on Tuesday, play on the road against the Islanders on Wednesday and conclude the week with home tilts versus the Penguins and Canadiens on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Swayman has been part of the problem in Boston, but the Bruins also rank 31st offensively with just 2.33 goals per game. David Pastrnak continues to lead the charge with eight goals and 18 points through 21 outings, but he’s the only player with at least 15 points. Meanwhile, Brad Marchand (five goals, 14 points) and Elias Lindholm (three goals, 10 points) are the only other two Bruins who have hit the double-digit mark. To put that into context, 200 players have at least 10 points through Thursday’s action, which averages out to 6.25 players per team, so Boston is far behind the curve in terms of its scoring depth.

He's probably not the answer, but I am interested to see if Sacco tries to get Tyler Johnson into games. The 34-year-old forward has appeared in just five contests in 2024-25, averaging 13:31 of ice time in those outings. Although he hasn’t recorded a point this year, Johnson has proved in the past to be a decent secondary scorer, so maybe he could do some damage from the third line if given a chance to get into a rhythm by playing regularly.

Outside of that, though, the Bruins just really need more out of players who were already getting opportunities. The issue for Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha isn’t a lack of ice time, it’s just that they haven’t put up points with any regularity. Coyle has just four goals and an assist through 21 outings after recording 60 points in 2023-24. Zacha has three goals and seven points, but after showing some life from Nov. 7-12 (two goals and four points in three games), he’s on a four-game point drought.

Maybe the answer is simply to just some forward groupings and stick with it for a while. Coyle’s most common linemates this campaign are Marchand and Morgan Geekie, but that trio has only shared the ice for 11.9 percent of Coyle’s even-strength minutes. That’s a lot of line mixing, which might lead to an inability to develop chemistry. It’s something to monitor as we see what Sacco’s plans are to reverse the Bruins’ fortunes.

Los Angeles Kings

Mon @ SJS, Wed vs. WPG, Fri @ ANA, Sat vs. OTT

The Kings will start the week on the road against San Jose on Monday but return home to host the Jets on Wednesday. LA will then play in Anaheim on Friday and host the Senators on Saturday.

The Kings have seen modest success with their 10-7-3 record, but they have dropped three of their past four games, recording just seven goals over that stretch.

Quinton Byfield is among the cold forwards with only an assist across his past five outings. He has two goals and nine points through 20 appearances overall. Interestingly, he hasn’t recorded a single point on the power play in 2024-25 despite averaging a solid 2:07 of ice time with the man advantage. LA does rank 29th in power-play conversions at 14.3 percent, so that is an obvious factor, but you’d still expect at least some production there. Byfield’s 5.3 shooting percent is also a sharp drop from his 12.4 percent in 2023-24 -- he finished that campaign with 20 goals and 55 points -- so the young forward might have been somewhat unlucky through the first quarter of the season. Don’t be surprised if his production ticks up as the campaign progresses.

Philip Danault also has struggled to find the back of the net, tallying a single goal through 20 appearances, though he does have nine assists. His 3.2 shooting percentage is far below his 12.3 average from 2021-22 through 2023-24, so Danault is another LA forward who could enjoy an increase in production.

At the other end of the spectrum, Adrian Kempe is red hot, supplying four goals over his past three games (LA has totaled just six total goals in that span), bringing him up to nine markers and 18 points through 20 appearances. Even there, though, Kempe has just three power-play points. LA did far better with the man advantage in 2023-24, ranking 12th with a 22.6 success rate, so these players could see an increase in special-teams points.

Minnesota Wild

Mon vs. WPG, Wed @ BUF, Fri vs. CHI, Sat vs. NSH

One team that’s had no offensive issues -- or any issues, really -- is Minnesota. The Wild have won three of their past four games, improving to 13-3-3. They’ll look to keep the good times rolling when they host another high-end squad in Winnipeg on Monday. From there, Minnesota will play in Buffalo on Wednesday before returning home to play the Blackhawks on Friday and the Predators on Saturday.

Filip Gustavsson continues to be a key part of the Wild’s success with his 9-3-2 record, 2.07 GAA and .926 save percentage through 14 appearances. He’s allowed two or fewer goals in each of his past five starts. Marc-Andre Fleury, by contrast, isn’t turning heads with his play, but the 39-year-old has been a capable backup with a 4-0-1 record, 2.76 GAA and .904 save percentage in five starts.

Up front, Kirill Kaprizov is on a seven-game scoring streak with six goals and 13 points in that span, bringing him up to 13 goals and 34 points through 19 appearances in 2024-25. Even with his $9 million annual cap hit, he’s providing tremendous value. Kaprizov’s contract runs through 2025-26, but by the time it expires, the Wild will be in a far better cap position because Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s buyouts will be far smaller factors. The Wild have roughly $14.7 million in dead cap space this year, but Suter and Parise will generate a combined $1,666,666 in dead cap space annually from 2025-26 through 2028-29 before coming off the books entirely.

Paying Kaprizov top dollar when the time comes makes sense given his reliability as a top offensive threat. Someone who doesn’t factor onto the scoresheet nearly as regularly is Frederick Gaudreau, but the 31-year-old has been playing like an elite recently, providing four goals and 12 points across his past 11 appearances. Gaudreau is worth having in your lineup while he’s this hot, but don’t expect it to last, and keep in mind that even with his recent rise in production, he’s still serving in just a third-line capacity. He is also on the second power-play unit instead of the top one and hasn’t gotten a point yet with the man advantage.

New Jersey Devils

Mon vs. NSH, Wed vs. STL, Fri @ DET, Sat vs. WSH

We’ve already touched on a lot of players who haven’t put up noteworthy power-play numbers, so let’s shift to New Jersey, which ranks second with the man advantage with a 31.8 percent success rate.

The Devils will host the Predators on Monday and the Blues on Wednesday. They’ll then play in Detroit on Friday before returning home to face the Capitals on Saturday.

New Jersey’s power play and offense in general is certainly part of the reason the squad is 13-7-2. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton has played a significant role in that, providing two goals and 16 points, including seven with the man advantage, through 22 appearances. He was held off the scoresheet for the first six games of 2024-25 but has since recorded at least a point in 13 of 16 appearances.

Hamilton wasn’t much of a factor in 2023-24 due to injury, which led to Luke Hughes serving on the top power-play unit last year. Hamilton’s return to health means Hughes is averaging just 1:04 with the man advantage in 2024-25 and that’s eaten into the young blueliner’s production. The 21-year-old Hughes also missed New Jersey’s first nine outings because of a shoulder problem, which likely put him behind the curve. All this has led to him recording just two assists through 13 outings. Hughes might start to do better as he gets into a rhythm, but this is shaping up to be a sophomore slump campaign.

His elder brother, Jack Hughes, is doing just fine, though. He already has eight goals and 25 points through 22 appearances. The older Hughes is also red hot with six helpers across his past three outings, including five on the power play.

Of course, the Devils did just fine last season too and still missed the playoffs. The difference this year has been improved goaltending. Jacob Markstrom isn’t in Vezina Trophy contention, but he’s holding his own nicely with a 9-5-1 record, 2.54 GAA and .907 save percentage through 15 appearances. Jake Allen is also playing an arguably underrated role as the backup, providing a 4-2-1 record, 2.30 GAA and .916 save percentage in seven starts. Especially in a busy week, like the one upcoming, having two solid goaltenders is a huge luxury.

New York Islanders

Mon vs. DET, Wed vs. BOS, Fri @ WSH, Sat vs. BUF

The Islanders have two solid goaltenders too, though it hasn’t always felt that way this season. Ilya Sorokin has more-or-less fulfilled his end of the bargain with a 2.64 GAA and a .914 save percentage through 12 appearances, but Semyon Varlamov struggled early in the campaign. He has stabilized since, but that early damage has left him with a .903 save percentage, although his GAA has improved to a respectable 2.60.

Either way, it’s the offense that’s really the problem with the Islanders, and that’s what they’ll need more of next week. New York will host the Red Wings on Monday and the Bruins on Wednesday. They’ll then play in Washington on Friday and conclude the week with a home game versus the Sabres.

The Islanders have managed just four goals over their past three games and weirdly, Pierre Engvall scored two of them. Engvall had a three-game goal-scoring streak from Nov. 14-19, but the 28-year-old finished with just 10 goals and 28 points in 74 outings last season and has just five points through 12 outings in 2024-25 even after accounting for his recent hot streak, so don’t expect much from him going forward.

The player the Islanders really need to step up is Bo Horvat, but he’s been held off the scoresheet in five of his past six appearances, leaving him with five goals and 14 points through 20 outings. Those are abysmal numbers given his $8.5 million cap hit, but to be far, he’d usually get to play alongside Mathew Barzal, who hasn’t been in the lineup since Oct. 30 due to an upper-body injury. However, Barzal’s original timetable was 4-6 weeks, and there hasn’t been much in the way of updates, so you shouldn’t count on Horvat getting help from Barzal in the upcoming week.

Anders Lee is sometimes a great linemate. He has seven goals and 13 points in 20 outings in 2024-25, but he’s also streaky and is presently cold, having been held off the scoresheet in each of the Islanders’ past three games.

Then there’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who highlights the Islanders’ lack of depth. The 32-year-old forward is a fine forward, but he’s never recorded more than 43 points in a single campaign, so the fact that he’s on the top line and first power-play unit is far less than ideal. He has five goals and nine points through 20 appearances in 2024-25.

Horvat and Lee might heat up again, but the Islanders’ overall offensive situation isn’t likely to get a lot better until Barzal comes back.

New York Rangers

Mon vs. STL, Wed @ CAR, Fri @ PHI, Sat vs. MTL

The Islanders’ rivals, the Rangers, appear to be in a far better position. They have a 12-5-1 record and will look to build on that next week. The Rangers will host the Blues on Monday, play in Carolina on Wednesday and Philadelphia on Friday and finish the week by hosting the Canadiens on Saturday.

Artemi Panarin continues to be the Rangers’ top forward with 10 goals and 24 points in 18 appearances in 2024-25, but offensive depth has been a big part of the Rangers’ formula. They have eight players who have hit double digits in points: Panarin, Adam Fox, Alexis Lafreniere, Will Cuylle, Mika Zibanejad, Reilly Smith, Kaapo Kakko and Vincent Trocheck. As noted before, the average team has 6.25 players who have hit that milestone. On top of that, New York has two players -- Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil -- who are sitting at nine points.

Among those who have been at the forefront of the Rangers’ attack, Cuylle is arguably the biggest pleasant surprise. The 22-year-old has seven goals and 15 points through 18 appearances. He established himself as a regular with the team last campaign but was in the lineup primarily because of his gritty play, finishing the 2023-24 regular season with 13 goals, 21 points, 56 PIM and 249 hits. Cuylle has continued to utilize his size, dishing out 75 hits this season (he ranks fifth in that category), but he’s adding an offensive element to his game.

What makes it even more impressive is that he’s averaging a modest 13:50 of ice time and is rarely used with the man advantage -- although that might be changing as he has spent the past two games on the second unit. Among those averaging under 14 minutes, Cuylle leads the league in points, ahead of Carolina’s Eric Robinson (five goals, 13 points).

One word of caution, though: Cuylle’s 21.9 shooting percentage is likely unsustainable.

Seattle Kraken

Mon @ ANA, Wed vs. ANA, Fri @ SJS, Sat vs. SJS

The Kraken has a fairly easy schedule next week. They have a set of games against Anaheim on Monday and Wednesday followed by one against the Sharks on Friday and Saturday. In both cases, Seattle is on the road for the first half of the set and at home for the second.

Defenseman Vince Dunn (upper body) might end up returning at some point during those four games, but the status of forward Jordan Eberle (lower body) is less clear. By the time you read this, though, that might change. Kraken coach Dan Bylsma told Scott Malone on Friday that there would be an update later in the day, but at the time of writing, that update hadn’t arrived yet.

Dunn is likely to serve on the top four and first power-play unit when healthy, which might eat into Brandon Montour’s power-play time and result in Ryker Evans losing his spot on the second unit. However, just three of Montour’s 13 points and two of Evans’ 11 have come with the man advantage anyway, so that change shouldn’t have a dramatic impact on either blueliner’s production. Dunn’s return might help Seattle’s overall power play a bit, which sits at 23rd with a 16.4 conversion rate, which would modestly boost the value of Seattle’s top forwards.

Either way, Joey Daccord is likely to continue to be the key to Seattle’s success. He has a 9-3-1 record, 2.31 GAA and .923 save percentage in 13 appearances in 2024-25, putting him in the very early conversation for the Vezina Trophy. Daccord did rank fourth in save percentage (.916) and fifth in GAA (2.46) among goaltenders who logged at least 30 games last season, but his 19-18-11 record kept him well outside of the award conversation. If Seattle continues to provide him with at least some support this year -- the Kraken’s 2.85 goals per game isn’t magical, but it is a step up from 2.61 in 2023-24 -- then Daccord’s a fair bet to get over 30 wins this campaign, especially with Philipp Grubauer not exactly demanding a bigger share of the workload with his 1-6-0 record, 3.11 GAA and .881 save percentage through seven outings in 2024-25.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Boston Struggling, Colorado returns to health and much more

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 15:47:10 +0000

Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

If you compare every team since the beginning of the salary cap era (2005-06), you’ll find that the Boston Bruins rank as the best defensively, allowing an average of just 2.55 goals per game. That’s not shocking when you consider that the Bruins have gone from Tim Thomas to Tuukka Rask to the duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman over that period.

Elite goaltending has simply become the norm in Boston, and it didn’t look like it was going to change. Sure, Ullmark was dealt to Ottawa for cap reasons, but the 25-year-old Swayman seemed ready to take his place as Boston’s clear No. 1, and yes, the negotiations got tense, resulting in him missing the preseason, but in the end, he signed an eight-year, $66 million contract, ending the saga with a resolution that both sides can be happy with. Except, noone has much reason to be happy with the Bruins right now.

Boston is a middling 8-8-2, a dramatic drop from its 47-20-15 finish in 2023-24, and Swayman has been part of the problem with his 5-6-2 record, 3.35 GAA and .888 save percentage in 13 starts. He leads the league in goals allowed (42), and his goals saved above expected is minus-4.6, per Moneypuck, which puts him in 65th place through Thursday’s action -- not exactly the type of return you’d expect from someone with an $8.25 million cap hit.

Maybe missing the preseason put him behind the curve, contributing to his shaky start, but he doesn’t seem to be stabilizing as the campaign goes on. To be fair, he does have his moments, but his good starts have been counterbalanced by disastrous ones, like allowing six goals on 22 shots en route to an 8-2 loss to Carolina on Oct. 31 or surrendering seven goals on 38 shots in Boston’s 7-2 loss to Dallas on Thursday. Swayman also just has a lot of uninspired starts sprinkled in there -- nine of his 13 outings have involved him surrendering at least three goals.

Maybe it’s the pressure of the contract getting to him, especially with how much he appeared to have to battle to get that deal. There’s a big mental aspect to goaltending, so it’s not hard to see how a slow start, coupled with the new deal, and perhaps even the absence of his longtime friend and goaltending partner Ullmark, could all snowball to create this outcome. Whatever the case, though, Boston is in waters that have been rare for it since the start of the cap era: They have a problem between the pipes.

Colorado has endured its own goaltending issues, but at least the Avalanche are tied for 10th offensively with 3.47 goals per game and could do even better now that their forward corps is largely healthy. They’re still missing Gabriel Landeskog (knee) and Ross Colton (foot), but Jonathan Drouin (upper body), Valeri Nichushkin (suspension) and Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) are all back, giving them far more options than they’ve had in a while.

This is being written before Friday’s game against Washington, which is set to see the return of Nichushkin, but it looks like the tentative plan is to run two elite lines. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen typically play together, giving the Avalanche one nearly unstoppable unit, but instead, Colorado is slated to break them up, putting MacKinnon with Lehkonen and Drouin while Rantanen will share the ice with Nichushkin and Casey Mittelstadt. If that works out, then it could make things extremely tough on the opposition's defense. It’s a luxury the Avalanche arguably couldn’t afford earlier in the season because the quality of the linemates for MacKinnon and Rantanen wouldn’t have been sufficient to split them, but at this point, it’s something they can experiment with.

It also means Ivan Ivan and Nikolai Kovalenko are now firmly in the bottom six. There was an opportunity for one or both to show what they could do with greater responsibilities when the team was ravaged by injuries, but neither stepped up. At this stage, it seems reasonable to project that Ivan and Kovalenko won’t have significant fantasy value this year, but at least they’re still okay complimentary pieces for the Avalanche.

All-in-all, Colorado’s offense looks strong at this point. The Avalanche are already on a roll, winning four of their past five games, and Colorado could continue to shine from here.

Anaheim Ducks – Mon @ DAL, Tue @ CHI, Fri vs BUF

You can get whiplash going from a conversation about the Avalanche’s offense to Anaheim’s. MacKinnon has 33 points through 17 games by himself. That equals the combined point totals of the Ducks’ top four scorers -- Troy Terry (11 points), Mason McTavish (eight), Leo Carlsson (seven) and Ryan Strome (seven).

The Ducks are consequently unlikely to generate much offense when they play in Dallas on Monday, but Anaheim might have more success in Chicago on Tuesday and when hosting Buffalo on Friday.

Health will be a factor in that. McTavish has missed the Ducks’ past two games because of an upper-body injury, but he’s day-to-day, so there’s a real chance he’ll be fine for next week’s action.

Even with him back, though, the Ducks need help on offense. A resurgence of Trevor Zegras would be the most obvious boost. However, he had just 15 points in 31 contests in 2023-24 and has diminished further to just three points through 15 appearances this season -- a far cry from his back-to-back 60-plus point campaigns in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He’s still just 23 years old, so it seems wrong to suggest he’s washed up, but then what is the problem?

First off, his lone goal this campaign was scored on an empty net, so you’d have to go back to April 13 to find the last time he beat an NHL goaltender in a regular-season game. He’s averaging 6.3 shots per 60 minutes in 2024-25, which is down from 8.1 in 2021-22 and 7.2 in 2022-23, so that doesn’t help. Seven of his 27 shots this year have been fired from a high-danger position, which puts him below the league average of 7.9 among forwards. All that’s bad, but not to the extent where he should have literally zero goals against goaltenders.

Moneypuck gives him an xG of 3.6, he has a PDO of 951 along with exactly zero secondary assists and his IPP of 42.9 is leagues below his career average. All that suggests some of his offensive woes are due to poor luck. Still, three points in 15 appearances is so bad that it’s hard to imagine him having a good campaign even if the luck was balanced.

Still, he’s worth keeping an eye on. The talent is there, and there are some indications that he’s been shifting to a more complete game despite his lack of offense, as Patrick Present of The Hockey News recently noted. Plus, he’s still young, and when coupled with him attempting to adjust his game, some growing pains are understandable. Don’t expect this to be a big campaign from him, but also don’t write him off yet.

Boston Bruins – Mon vs CBJ, Thu vs UTA, Sat @ DET

We talked about Swayman’s woes up top. Perhaps it will help him that the Bruins’ opponents next week rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of goals per game. Boston is set to host the Blue Jackets on Monday and Utah HC on Thursday before playing in Detroit on Saturday.

Swayman is the headline issue for the Bruins, but he isn’t the only one. The forward corps is also leaving something to be desired. We’ve seen better out of David Pastrnak (eight goals and 17 points through 18 games) and Brad Marchand (five goals and 13 points), but both are doing well enough, even when measured against the high standards they’re held to. The problem is no other player on the team has reached double digits in points.

Elias Lindholm, who signed a seven-year, $54.25 million contract over the summer, was the Bruins’ big offseason get to solidify the team up the middle. However, he hasn’t been that great. After scoring two goals and five points over his first three games with Boston, Lindholm has been limited to four assists across his past 15 outings. To be fair, he’s known for his two-way game, and his relative CF% and FF% are outstanding at plus-8.8 and plus-12.2, respectively. Still, you’d like to see more scoring out of him when he’s spending almost all of his 5-on-5 time alongside at least one of Pastrnak and Marchand.

Pavel Zacha has left something to be desired too with three goals and seven points through 18 outings after finishing 2023-24 with 59 points. He might be heating up, though. Zacha has two goals and four points through his past four appearances, so perhaps he can carry that momentum into next week, especially given the mediocre nature of Boston’s upcoming competition.

Chicago Blackhawks – Tue vs ANA, Thu vs FLA, Sat @ PHI

Chicago will host the Ducks and the Panthers on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before visiting Philadelphia on Saturday. Florida is a tough team, but the Ducks and the Flyers haven’t looked good so far in 2024-25.

Not that the Blackhawks have impressed either with their 6-10-1 record. Petr Mrazek has largely held his own with a 2.79 GAA and a .906 save percentage in 13 appearances, which are solid numbers when you consider that Chicago ranks 28th in xGA/60 (3.39), which suggests Mrazek hasn’t gotten much help from his teammates defensively.

They also haven’t helped Mrazek offensively. Chicago is tied for 29th with just 2.41 goals per game, and even Connor Bedard has left something to be desired with three goals and 13 points through 17 appearances. Bedard is on an eight-game goal-scoring slump with four assists in that span, but let’s not be too hard on him. He’s still just 19 years old, so some streaky play is expected, and he has a healthy enough 21 shots during that slump, so eventually he’ll break through.

I’m more disappointed in Teuvo Teravainen. He signed a three-year, $16.2 million contract over the summer to come to Chicago from Carolina and has been primarily used alongside Bedard. However, Teravainen hasn’t been able to generate much of anything in 5-on-5 play with the young star. The 30-year-old has four goals and eight points through 17 appearances with just two of those points (one goal) coming at even strength. Interesting, his 5-on-5 xG is also just one, so the issue isn’t exactly bad puck luck.

Bedard has also been tried with Taylor Hall and/or Tyler Bertuzzi, but significantly less often than Teravainen. Philipp Kurashev has seen significant time alongside Bedard as well, though Kurashev has just three goals and four points through 16 outings. That’s a massive drop from Kurashev’s 54-point showing in 2023-24, and the decline is largely due to a lack of assists.

The line mixing is likely to continue to happen as long as Chicago’s offense remains cold. In the long run, it would be nice to see Kurashev and Bedard rekindle some of their 2023-24 chemistry -- they showed up together on the scoresheet 25 times last season. If we start seeing some of that, then Kurashev would become a good buy-low candidate.

Dallas Stars – Mon vs ANA, Wed vs SJS, Sat @ TBL

Dallas will start the week by hosting the lowly Ducks and Sharks on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. The Stars will then travel to Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on Saturday.

Matt Duchene will look to extend his recent success during that stretch. He has a phenomenal eight goals and 17 points across his past 10 appearances, including two goals and five points over his last two games. He’s been seeing time alongside Mason Marchment, who is also on fire with two goals and seven points over his past two outings, so that duo could do a lot of damage, especially against rebuilding squads like Anaheim and San Jose.

At the other end of the spectrum, Dallas could use more out of Roope Hintz. His six goals and 10 points through 15 outings aren’t bad, but it’s below the pace Dallas has come to expect after seeing Hintz record at least 30 goals and 65 points in each of his previous three campaigns. Hintz did endure a four-game scoring drought from Oct. 26-Nov. 7, but there’s a silver lining here because he’s found the back of the net twice over his past three games, so perhaps the worst is over.

The action is also spread out enough that Jake Oettinger might start in all three of those games. He’s 8-3-0 with a 2.39 GAA and .914 save percentage in 11 appearances in 2024-25. He’s also coming off two really strong victories, stopping 43 of 46 shots in blowout wins against Pittsburgh and Boston.

Detroit Red Wings – Mon @ SJS, Thu vs NYI, Sat vs BOS

The Red Wings will play in San Jose on Monday before hosting the Islanders on Thursday and the Bruins on Saturday. Detroit will be looking to gain some ground after a mediocre 7-7-1 start.

Detroit has to be disappointed with Vladimir Tarasenko, who inked a two-year, $9.5 million contract over the summer but has just two goals and four points through 14 appearances. This one is a bit of a “the chicken or the egg” problem. Tarasenko is averaging just 13:41 of ice time while typically serving on the third line alongside Jonatan Berggren and Marco Kasper. That’s not a recipe for success or the top six role many envisioned when he signed his deal. At the same time, he hasn’t done anything to force himself into a bigger role. From Oct. 22-Nov. 2, he appeared in five games without even recording a single shot.

You’re not going to move up in the lineup with that kind of play. On the plus side, he has logged an assist and seven shots over his past two outings, so maybe we’re witnessing the start of him getting some going. I’m skeptical, but it’s worthy of monitoring.

Detroit could certainly use another source of secondary scoring. The Red Wings rank 28th offensively with just 2.47 goals per game. Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin have done fine with 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively, through 15 appearances and Patrick Kane is holding his own at 35, providing three goals and 10 points. The rest of the offense hasn’t been anything to write home about, though, and no one aside from maybe Tarasenko jumps out to me as a struggling forward to watch.

That includes Michael Rasmussen. He was taken with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, but he has never even reached the 35-point mark and has just two goals and four points in 15 outings in 2024-25. He’s a towering presence, but at the age of 25, I think it’s fair to believe that the offense isn’t coming.

Edmonton Oilers – Mon @ MTL, Tue @ OTT, Thu vs MIN, Sat vs COL

The Oilers will open the week with road games in Montreal on Monday and Ottawa on Tuesday. They’ll then return to Edmonton to host the Wild on Thursday and the Rangers on Saturday.

Edmonton had a mixed start to the season in part because of inconsistent offensive production, but it’s okay now: Connor McDavid remembered that he’s Connor McDavid. The superstar has posted three straight multi-point efforts, causing him to jump to six goals and 19 points through 14 appearances despite a weirdly human start in which he recorded three goals and 10 points in his first 11 outings -- good for others, not for him.

If McDavid has found his grove, then Edmonton is in a far better position, but the Oilers do still have some areas of concern. Stuart Skinner is still a mixed bag with a 5-5-1 record, 3.22 GAA and .881 save percentage in 11 outings. You’ll likely remember that Skinner had a terrible start to 2023-24 before turning a corner, and it could be argued that his Nov. 24 25-save shutout over Washington was when everything started working out for him last year. In other words, we’re getting to roughly the same stage of the year, and we’ll have to see if Skinner can once again find his rhythm or if he doesn’t enjoy that same kind of turnaround in 2024-25.

Edmonton’s offseason attempts at deepening the offense also haven’t paid off yet. Jeff Skinner has just three goals and six points while Viktor Arvidsson has two goals and five points. Arvidsson is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, so we might not see him this week. Meanwhile, Skinner has been relegated to the fourth line recently. Skinner has had a weird career full of amazing highs and significant lows. There’s consequently no guarantee that a turnaround is forthcoming this year, but if he does get another look on Edmonton’s top six, which I think is just a matter of time, then he’ll be worth keeping an eye on.

San Jose Sharks – Mon vs DET, Wed @ DAL, Thu @ STL, Sat vs BUF

I like to highlight teams who are set to play four games in a week over those with three or two games on the docket, but there aren’t many examples of that upcoming. San Jose is one of the exceptions. The Sharks’ busy schedule will begin by hosting the Red Wings on Monday. They’ll then play in Dallas on Wednesday and St. Louis on Thursday before returning home to face the Sabres on Saturday.

Naturally, if you’re going to watch Sharks hockey, the player you’ll be most interested in is Macklin Celebrini. Taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, he was out from Oct. 12-Nov. 2 due to a lower-body injury. Unfortunately, he’s been mostly quiet since, providing two goals Nov. 7 but also being held off the scoresheet entirely in his other four appearances dating back to his Nov. 5 return.

It's too small of a sample size to read too much into it, but Celebrini is a tremendous talent who is averaging 19:25 of ice time and has recorded 20 shots over six outings in 2024-25, so I expect him to start producing at a good pace as the campaign progresses.

In the meantime, Mikael Granlund has done his part. He has seven goals and 18 points in 18 games to lead the Sharks offensively this season. A lot of that was due to him recording five goals and 12 points across seven outings from Oct. 17-28, though. He’s been fine since, but his two goals and five points over his past eight contests are a noticeable decline. There might be some merit to selling him high, but I think his goal-scoring pace, which would lead to him finishing with 32 markers, has actual merit.

He’s never reached the 30-goal milestone before and finished 2023-24 with just 12 goals, but he’s traditionally been a very conservative shooter. That’s changed in a big way this year -- he's averaging a career-high 9.9 shots per 60 minutes, and that includes 14 high-danger shots, which puts him on track for 64, up from 44 last year. His increase in shots also means that his 10.9 shooting percentage isn’t significantly off his career average (10.3) despite his big jump in goals.

Granlund and Celebrini are currently centering different lines, but they share the ice on the power play. Although Sharks rank 23rd in terms of power-play percentage (16.4), that might improve as Celebrini gets going, which would also benefit Granlund.

Utah HC – Mon vs WAS, Thu @ BOS, Sat @ PIT, Sun @ TOR

Utah HC is another squad with four games on the schedule next week. The club will host the Capitals on Monday before a road trip that will place Utah HC in Boston on Thursday, Pittsburgh on Saturday and Toronto on Sunday.

Utah has been an interesting team. It got off to a 3-0-0 start fueled by some great offensive performances, but the scoring has cooled, and the club is now 7-6-3.

One positive is Mikhail Sergachev has messed well with his new team after being dealt from Tampa Bay in June. Sergachev has three goals and 11 points in 16 outings in 2024-25 while averaging 25:35 of ice time -- that'll be a career high if he maintains it for the full campaign. He also has a big power-play role and has collected three points (one goal) with the man advantage. It’s reasonable to project he’ll surpass the 50-point milestone for the second time in his career as long as he stays healthy.

Up front, Clayton Keller (six goals, 14 points), Dylan Guenther (seven goals, 13 points), Nick Schmaltz (12 assists) and Logan Cooley (two goals, 11 points) have been leading the charge, but none of them are especially hot right now. Nick Bjugstad is an interesting forward, though. He’s capable of being a solid secondary scorer, but he averaged just 13:20 of ice time this season, down from 17:27 in 2023-24. He did make his mark Wednesday, though, scoring his first two goals of the campaign to lead Utah to a 4-1 victory over Carolina. Bjugstad is getting a chance to play alongside Keller and Schmaltz, so he might be able to build off that strong showing.

That would help Utah, but what the club needs more than anything is reliability between the pipes. Although Connor Ingram has a respectable 6-3-3 record, his 3.40 GAA and .879 aren’t inspiring. Meanwhile, Karel Vejmelka is just 1-3-0, but he has a 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vejmelka get more work, perhaps leading to him starting in at least two of Utah’s games next week.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #7 Anaheim Ducks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Brock Otten, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 15:04:53 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) skates with the puck during an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 13, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)

The Anaheim Ducks have now missed the playoffs for six straight years, never finishing higher than sixth in their division. In the second season under GM Pat Verbeek, he continued much as he did in his first, moving out veterans at the deadline for picks and prospects. This year saw Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique end up on the Oilers for a first-round pick and a fifth. The years of futility have returned high draft pick after high draft pick and 2024 will be no different with the third overall pick. They have now picked second overall (2023 – Leo Carlsson), 10th (2022 – Pavel Mintyukov), third (2021 – Mason McTavish), sixth (2020 – Jamie Drysdale) and ninth (2019 – Trevor Zegras). All of those picks have graduated to the NHL, yet the organization ranks seventh among NHL teams in prospect strength, leaving arguably the deepest group of young potential stars in the league. Drysdale (along with a second-round pick) was moved for the 4th overall ranked affiliated prospect in Cutter Gauthier, and he is expected to make an impact in the NHL as soon as next season. A second-round pick in 2021, Olen Zellweger (ranked 15th by McKeens), is also on the cusp of making the team after appearing in 26 games last year.

The Ducks have the most graduations in the last five drafts in the NHL. That will not change anytime soon, as next year’s third overall pick will be a high-end player that should see the NHL before too long joining Gauthier and Zellweger. They are also in no danger of falling out of the rankings for the best prospect pool with seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft. They also have a deep pool to draw on with nine of their top ten prospects ranked with our top 200.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Cutter Gauthier	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	T(Phi-1/24)	41	38	27	65	18
2	Olen Zellweger	D	20	5-9/180	San Diego (AHL)	`21(34th)	44	12	25	37	16
					Anaheim (NHL)	`21(34th)	26	2	7	9	4
3	Tristan Luneau	D	20	6-1/195	Anaheim (NHL)	`22(53rd)	7	1	2	3	4
					San Diego (AHL)	`22(53rd)	6	0	2	2	2
4	Nathan Gaucher	C	20	6-3/207	San Diego (AHL)	`22(22nd)	72	10	15	25	68
5	Rodwin Dionicio	D	20	6-2/207	Wsr-Sag (OHL)	`23(129th)	60	25	48	73	108
6	Damian Clara	G	19	6-6/214	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	`23(60th)	34	25	8	2.23	0.913
7	Yegor Sidorov	RW	19	6-0/180	Saskatoon (WHL)	`23(85th)	66	50	38	88	66
8	Carey Terrance	C	18	6-1/175	Erie (OHL)	`23(59th)	56	29	23	52	25
9	Sam Colangelo	RW	21	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`20(36th)	38	24	19	43	23
10	Sasha Pastujov	RW	20	6-0/187	San Diego (AHL)	`21(66th)	46	10	13	23	14
11	Tyson Hinds	D	21	6-3/188	San Diego (AHL)	`21(76th)	71	2	8	10	42
12	Nico Myatovic	LW	19	6-2/180	Seattle (WHL)	`23(33rd)	34	9	21	30	20
13	Coulson Pitre	RW	19	6-1/170	Flint (OHL)	`23(65th)	55	27	28	55	41
14	Noah Warren	D	19	6-4/216	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	`22(42nd)	50	6	7	13	35
15	Drew Helleson	D	23	6-3/205	San Diego (AHL)	T(Col-3/22)	59	4	14	18	44

1. Cutter Gauthier, LW, Boston College (NCAA)

The Ducks and Flyers shocked the hockey world when they pulled off a blockbuster at the beginning of January. Anaheim sent often injured young defender Jamie Drysdale to Philadelphia in return for top prospect Cutter Gauthier. Coming off a gold medal victory with Team USA at the IIHF World Juniors, and named the best forward and an all-star, he has vaulted to the top of Anaheim’s star-studded prospect pool. He’s had a remarkable sophomore season for Boston College and is a Hobey Baker candidate. His 37 goals are the second most scored in the NCAA in the last 25 years. He excels as a North/South attacker because of his strong skating ability, coupled with his dynamic goal scoring ability. Whether he plays center or wing at the pro level remains to be seen, regardless where he plays, his two-way ability shows significant potential. Unquestionably turning pro at the conclusion of this season, he could be an impact player as early as next year.

2. Olen Zellweger, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Zellweger’s transition to the pro level has been pretty seamless and it resulted in a late season call up. An AHL all-star this season, Anaheim was able to be patient with Olen given their depth and position in the standings. This has helped him gain confidence in his ability to defend at the pro level, which was the only truly questionable part of his game coming into the year. There was no question about his offensive ability, but could he excel in the defensive end? The answer to that question has been yes…at least at the AHL level. A tremendous four-way mover, Zellweger rarely gets boxed in the defensive zone and is a breakout machine. He also uses said mobility to quarterback the powerplay with remarkably efficiency. A heads-up passer and high IQ player, it seems inevitable he will become a high-end offensive defender at the NHL level…perhaps as early as next season. His ability to add strength and improve his physical intensity will dictate his ultimate ceiling as a two-way player.

3. Tristan Luneau, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

It’s been a bit of a year to forget for Luneau. The former QMJHL defender of the year started well and even earned ice time in Anaheim. He was then loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships and that’s when things went downhill. Luneau contracted the flu, then acquired a serious knee infection that saw him hospitalized. This effectively ended his season. But such a flukey thing does not tarnish Luneau’s upside or his likelihood of becoming a high-end NHL defender. The strong skating, two-way defender is a high-end processor whose offensive game and puck carrying ability have improved greatly since being selected in the second round. He will never be confused for a physical stalwart, but he uses his mobility and defensive awareness to keep the play in front of him. While there is hope he can battle for a roster spot, this year’s issues may cause Anaheim to be patient, meaning that an AHL stint may be in store just as it was for Zellweger this season.

4. Nathan Gaucher, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Gaucher is finishing up his first season as a pro with San Diego of the AHL and the offensive numbers don’t jump off the page at you. That said, Gaucher was never drafted to be an offensive juggernaut. With terrific speed, strength, and two-way awareness, the plan all along was for him to develop into a versatile middle six player for Anaheim who could help shut down the opposition’s best. While the offensive game has been inconsistent as a rookie pro, the defensive and physical components of his game have still earned praise and that’s what is most important. Anaheim is likely to let Gaucher repeat in the AHL next season, with the goal of improving his offensive production. Then they can ease him into the big club’s lineup slowly in a bottom six role in the future when his offensive confidence is at its highest.

5. Rodwin Dionicio, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

The selection of Dionicio as a draft re-entry last year is bearing some pretty spectacular fruit early on. Dionicio has emerged as one of the OHL’s top defenders and will be playing for a Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit later in May. Dionicio is an electrifying offensive talent. He routinely carries the puck from end to end, showcasing his high-end puck skill and creativity. As a powerplay quarterback, he consistently helps to breakdown coverage with his ability to work inside, beating pressure at the point. Dionicio is also a highly physical player who has a penchant for the big hit and who makes opposing players earn touches and open space when he is on the ice. The decision making still wavers; he is and can be a high risk/high reward player. As such, the transition to the pro level could be challenging for him. However, with patience, he could become a very productive and entertaining NHL player.

6. Damian Clara, G, Brynas IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)

The Big Italian netminder has had an excellent draft plus one year in Sweden playing for Brynas of the Allsvenskan. Despite being only 19, he established himself as one of the top netminders in the league and was subsequently named the league’s top junior (or new player/ROY). He also helped Brynas get promoted to the SHL after posting a .931 SV% and a 1.68 GAA in the Allsvenskan playoffs. An excellent athlete for his size, Clara has terrific upside as an NHL netminder, a reason why he was selected in the second round by the Ducks last year. Next year, Clara will take his talents to the SHL with Farjestad; a logical stepping stone to one day playing in the NHL. If he can replicate his success in the SHL, he’ll push his way to the top of many goaltending prospect lists.

7. Yegor Sidorov, RW, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Sidorov just keeps getting better and it’s improving his outlook and progression as an NHL player. His 50 goals this year for Saskatoon put him in a tie for fourth in the WHL. Sidorov also currently leads the WHL playoffs in goal scoring, as of writing this profile. He upped his physical intensity level and it resulted in greater consistency as a scorer and play driver. Sidorov is highly creative with the puck and his quick release gives him great upside as a scorer at the pro level. Recently signed by the Ducks, Sidorov will turn pro next year, likely playing in the AHL in order to adjust to the pace of the pro game and the size/strength of pro level players. Realistically, Sidorov is a bit of a boom or bust prospect. His goal scoring prowess will either translate to the NHL level and he'll end up as a top six forward and powerplay option, or he'll end up overseas as a scoring option in a Euro league.

8. Carey Terrance, C, Erie Otters (OHL)

One of the OHL’s most underrated players, Terrance had a good year for the Erie Otters even if he failed to hit the point per game mark. Because of his speed and strong two-way commitment level, he brings such versatility to his coaches. Offensively, his best asset is his shot, something that helped him score 29 goals and lead Erie in goal scoring this year. Terrance also was a member of the U.S.’ gold medal winning WJC squad, but he did not see game action. Moving forward, the key for Terrance is finding consistency offensively. If he can find a way to truly unlock his speed and improve his puck skill and carrying ability, Terrance could end up improving his outlook and upside as a pro. If not, he could still end up a very valuable bottom six player and penalty killer ala Paul Byron.

9. Sam Colangelo, RW, Western Michigan University (NCAA)

Lots of discussion about the NCAA’s transfer portal in recent months, but it’s designed to help players like Colangelo. It was obvious that his game had plateaued at Northeastern, and a move to Western Michigan helped to truly unlock Colangelo's potential as a power forward. He led WMU in goal scoring this year and has worked hard to put himself back on the map as a potential middle six player for the Ducks in the future. Recently signed, Colangelo finished out the year at the pro level with Anaheim and San Diego, even scoring his first NHL goal. He did not look out of place, which should come as no surprise given that his transition to the pro level should be pretty seamless because of his strength, strong two-way ability, and high IQ.

10. Sasha Pastujov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Given Pastujov’s lack of dynamic skating ability, there was certainly some concern heading into his first pro season this year. Just how well would he transition to the AHL? It’s definitely been a bit of a bumpy ride. The first half was mired with inconsistency and a lower body injury, but he actually closed out the year on a major high and that’s provided a lot of optimism about his future. Pastujov is still such a dangerous player in small spaces because of his quick hands and quick release. He’s active in puck pursuit in the offensive end and continues to work hard to improve his quickness. Ultimately, how much he can improve his skating and off puck play will be the key to him becoming an NHL player in the future for the Ducks.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – A look at the playoff race – Teams with favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 14:07:22 +0000

Last week I touched on Detroit’s losing streak, but the Red Wings’ situation has since stabilized. The Red Wings have won three of their past four games and earned a 6-3 victory in a key contest against the Islanders on Thursday. The Red Wings (36-28-6) now have a three-point edge over Washington (33-26-9) in the battle for the second wild-card spot, though Washington has two games in hand, so Detroit still has no margin for error.

At this stage, it looks like the fight for the final playoff seed in the East will come down to Detroit and Washington, but the Islanders (29-25-15), New Jersey (34-32-5), Buffalo (33-33-5) and even Pittsburgh (30-29-9) all have an outside chance of squeaking into the playoffs. Would it be shocking if, say, the Penguins earned a postseason berth? Absolutely, but it’s at least a mathematic possibility at the time of writing.

The final wild-card slot in the Western Conference is slightly more secure. Vegas (37-25-7) has a four-point edge over St. Louis (37-30-3) and a five-point lead over Minnesota (34-28-8) despite playing in one game less than either team. The Golden Knights likely still need to be solid down the stretch to secure their playoff berth, but at least they have a bit of breathing room.

The Blues and Wild are Vegas’ only real competition, but there is still an outside chance of a Cinderella story involving Calgary (33-30-5) or Seattle (28-28-12).

The Golden Knights still also have a path to earn the third seed in the Pacific Division over Los Angeles (36-22-11), though I’d almost say it doesn’t matter. Getting the third seed would put the Golden Knights on track to face Edmonton in the first round instead of Winnipeg, Colorado, Dallas or Vancouver. All five of those potential adversaries are great, so Vegas will have a tough first round either as a wild-card team or as the third seed in the Pacific Division.

Either way, the battle for the last playoff spots should be fun.

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 24: Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal (1) in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks on January 24, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Anaheim Ducks - TUE @ SEA, THU @ SEA, SAT @ EDM, SUN @ VAN (BTB)

Anaheim is set to play on the road all of next week. They have back-to-back contests against Seattle on Tuesday and Thursday, followed by games in Edmonton on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday. It’s certainly not an easy schedule, especially on the back half, but the Ducks are one of the few teams scheduled to play four games, so they’re still worthy of mention.

Trevor Zegras hasn’t been in the lineup since Jan. 9 because of an ankle injury, but he has been able to resume practicing without restriction, which suggests that he’s close to returning. After exceeding the 60-point milestone in each of his previous two campaigns, he has just four goals and seven points in 20 outings this year. There’s a good chance he’ll at least be able to finish the year on a positive note, but regardless of what happens, it’s important you remember him for next season’s fantasy drafts. The 23-year-old forward should enjoy a comeback campaign, provided he gets better luck on the injury front.

The 2024-25 campaign should also be one of progress for Leo Carlsson, who has recorded nine goals and 24 points in 43 games as a rookie this season. In the meantime, though, he suffered a lower-body injury Thursday, so his status for next week’s contests is undetermined. If he can’t play then Isac Lundestrom might serve in a top-six capacity, but honestly rather than that be an opportunity for Lundestrom, it would just highlight the sorry state of the Ducks. The 24-year-old has just six points (four goals) in 34 contests this year and likely won’t do much offensively even if he moves up to the second line.

At least they have goaltender Lukas Dostal, who has done alright lately, posting a 2.69 GAA and a .916 save percentage over his past eight games. That’s worlds better than John Gibson’s 5.80 GAA (yes, really) and .833 save percentage in his past four outings. Given the disparity in their play, Dostal should get the majority of the remaining starts.

Buffalo Sabres – WED VS OTT, FRI VS NJD, SAT VS TOR (BTB)

The Sabres are likely to miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive campaign, extending their record for the longest postseason drought in NHL history. However, they still have an outside shot of squeaking into the playoffs. In order to keep that hope alive, they’ll likely need to win all three of their contests against Ottawa on Wednesday, New Jersey on Friday and Toronto on Saturday. It’s a tall order, but at least the Sabres will have the home-ice advantage in all those games.

With Buffalo’s postseason hopes all but dashed, Jeff Skinner will likely have to wait even longer to make his first playoff appearance. The 31-year-old is approaching 1,000 career regular-season contests. This hasn’t been his best campaign, but Skinner has been alright with 24 goals and 45 points in 63 outings. He also earned his seventh career hat trick Monday when he led Buffalo in its 6-2 victory over Seattle.

Tage Thompson is surely hoping he won’t have to wait nearly as long as Skinner to get into the playoffs. However, if Thompson had played like he did in 2022-23 (47 goals, 94 points), perhaps the Sabres’ fortunes would have been different this campaign. Instead, he’s been alright, but not great with 21 goals and 43 points through 60 outings. The 27-year-old might end the season on a positive note, though. He’s on a four-game scoring streak in which Thompson has provided a goal and six points.

Meanwhile, Bowen Byram is just 22, but his name is already on the Cup thanks to his time with the Avalanche. Now a member of the Sabres, Byram is playing a prominent role and has taken advantage of that opportunity. He’s recorded three goals, six points, 17 blocks and 17 hits in eight contests while averaging 23:53 of ice time. Byram has even averaged a healthy 2:39 with the man advantage as a member of the Sabres, though the presence of Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power means the fight for power-play ice time will always be fierce among Buffalo defensemen.

Columbus Blue Jackets – TUE @ ARI, THU @ PIT, SAT VS PIT

This will mark the Blue Jackets’ fourth straight season without a playoff berth. Nothing they do now will alter the fact that it’s been a rough campaign, but they can at least end things on a positive note. It helps that they’ll be facing other non-playoff teams next week – they’ll play in Arizona on Tuesday, in Pittsburgh on Thursday and then host the Penguins on Saturday.

Johnny Gaudreau isn’t the reason Columbus will be missing the playoffs, though it is true he hasn’t lived up to expectations. His 55 points (11 goals) through 69 outings, would mark the lowest point-per-game pace of his career if the season ended now. However, Gaudreau has contributed a goal and six points in his past four contests, so the stage is set for him to finish the campaign on a positive note.

The same might be true of Alexander Nylander, who has eight goals and 11 points in 13 contests since being acquired by Columbus from Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old forward was held off the scoresheet in his previous two games, and it’s reasonable for fantasy managers to wonder if this is the right time to jump ship, especially because he doesn’t have a track record of success beyond his recent stretch. Personally, I recommend waiting a little longer though to see if his production picks up again. Keep in mind, Nylander is being utilized on the Blue Jackets’ top line and first power-play unit, which are roles that he hasn’t enjoyed for any noteworthy stretch until now, so there might be more to his production than a mere hot streak. I’m not saying that his new role has transformed him into a superstar, but he might still do well enough to be fantasy relevant the rest of the way.

Daniil Tarasov might have value going forward too. The 24-year-old has been subpar in 2023-24 with a 7-9-3 record, 3.20 GAA and .903 save percentage across 20 appearances, but he’s been far better dating back to Feb. 21, posting a 2.30 GAA and .934 save percentage over nine games. His strong play has led to the Blue Jackets increasingly using him over Elvis Merzlikins.

Ottawa Senators – WED @ BUF, THU VS CHI, SAT @ WPG

Ottawa will begin next week with a breather before playing in Buffalo on Wednesday. The Senators will then host Chicago on Thursday and play in Winnipeg on Saturday. Like Ottawa, the Sabres and Blackhawks are having campaigns and aren’t expected to make the playoffs (Chicago has been mathematically eliminated while Buffalo has just a fringe chance of a wild-card spot), so those are two winnable games.

Ottawa is in a four-way tie for 28th defensively with 3.59 goals per game despite having an xGA/60 of 2.94, which ties the Senators for 11th overall. Those two stats in combination suggest is Ottawa’s defense is underrated and has been made to look bad this year due to poor goaltending. A case could be made that Joonas Korpisalo has been this year’s worst starter, ranking last in Goals Saved Above Expected at minus-19.4. In terms of his base stats line, he has a 15-21-4 record, 3.37 GAA and .887 save percentage in 44 contests. While it would be an oversimplification to say that Ottawa isn’t making the playoffs because of Korpisalo, it is fair to say that his terrible play has been a key factor.

Unfortunately, it seems the Senators overvalued his strong 2022-23 campaign when they inked Korpisalo to a five-year contract. While he had a Goals Saved Above Expected of 12.7 last season, he finished in the negatives in each campaign from 2017-18 through 2021-22, so performing below average relative to the team in front of him appears to be the norm for Korpisalo rather than the exception. This is all to say that if you’re looking for the 29-year-old goaltender to rebound in 2024-25, you’re making a risky bet that likely won’t pay off.

Not that Anton Forsberg, who has a 12-12-0 record, 3.42 GAA and .885 save percentage in 25 outings in 2023-24, is good either. Forsberg is signed through 2024-25 at a cap hit of $2.75 million, so Ottawa might have this unfortunate duo again next year. If that’s the case, it’s hard to see them making the playoffs in 2024-25 either.

That’s unfortunate for Claude Giroux, who is 36 years old and consequently running out of chances to make another run at the Cup. If the direction of the Senators has been weighing on him, though, he hasn’t let that bleed into his game. He’s still provided a goal and five points over his past six contests, giving him 19 goals and 58 points through 68 outings overall. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the veteran finish the season on a high note. That should also be true of Brady Tkachuk, who has provided four goals and five points over his past four contests.

The goaltending clearly needs work, but with players like Giroux and Tkachuk leading the forward corps, at least that aspect of the Senators is strong.

Philadelphia Flyers – TUE @ NYR, THU @ MTL, SAT VS CHI

The Flyers are set to play on the road against the Rangers on Tuesday and the Canadiens on Thursday before hosting the Blackhawks on Saturday. While the Rangers are a tough adversary, Philadelphia has a golden chance to collect four points against Montreal and Chicago as it looks to secure its playoff spot.

The biggest story in Philadelphia is coach John Tortorella scratching Sean Couturier for the Flyers’ 4-3 win over Toronto on Tuesday and 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina on Thursday. This comes after a stretch in which Couturier registered just three assists and had a minus-13 rating over 14 games from Feb. 15-March 19. He also has only six points (one goal) in his last 23 contests, undoing his solid start to the campaign -- 30 points (10 markers) through his first 41 appearances.

Maybe this time off will allow him to reset and come back stronger. He’ll certainly be a player to watch closely next week because when Couturier’s at his best, he’s a strong top-line option.

In the meantime, Owen Tippett has been leading the Flyers’ attack. He has three goals and eight points over his past five games, bringing him up to 25 goals and 46 points through 66 outings this year. The 25-year-old is just two goals and three points shy of his career highs.

Morgan Frost is also on a five-game scoring streak, totaling three goals and seven points in that span. He hasn’t had an amazing campaign overall (12 goals and 38 points in 59 games), but the 24-year-old has been centering the top line and serving on the first power-play unit during Couturier’s absence. Given how well he’s done in that role, Frost might continue to feature prominently even after Couturier slides back into the lineup.

Pittsburgh Penguins – TUE VS CAR, THU VS CBJ, SAT @ CBJ

The Penguins have faded out of the playoff picture at this point and things aren’t going to get any easier when they host the Hurricanes on Tuesday. The silver lining is Pittsburgh does have a home-and-away series against the lowly Blue Jackets, which will take place Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Michael Bunting, who Pittsburgh acquired from Carolina in the Jake Guentzel trade, seems to be settling in with his new team. He’s on a three-game scoring streak and has recorded a point in four of his last five contests, totaling two goals and two assists in that span. He’s seeing time on the top power-play unit and alongside Evgeni Malkin at even strength, so Bunting seems set to have a solid finish to the campaign.

Bryan Rust is looking to finish on a high note too. He’s been limited to 48 games this season due to injury, but he has been effective when healthy with 21 goals and 41 points. The 31-year-old has done particularly well recently, providing three goals and five points across his last four contests.

Lastly, while it doesn’t have fantasy relevance, you might want to pay attention to Jeff Carter. The 39-year-old is dealing with an upper-body issue, but when he returns, he’ll likely be playing out the last games of his career. While it’s possible he’ll pursue a new contract once his present one expires this summer, he likely won’t find any takers. He’s been held to nine goals and 12 points in 61 outings this campaign. Still, Carter has had a storied career, scoring 440 goals in 1,310 career games and playing a significant role in Los Angeles’ Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014.

Seattle Kraken – TUE VS ANA, THU VS ANA, SAT VS DAL

Seattle will start the week with a pair of favorable home matchups against the lowly Ducks on Tuesday and Thursday. After that two-game series, the Kraken will host the Stars on Saturday.

Vince Dunn hasn’t played since March 4 due to an upper-body injury, and he doesn’t appear to be close to returning. He’s been a key offensive defenseman for the Kraken this campaign, providing 11 goals and 45 points in 57 games. Due to Dunn’s absence, Brian Dumoulin has seen an uptick in even-strength minutes, while Ryker Evans was summoned from AHL Coachella Valley and has received a power-play role.

Evans has done decently during Dunn’s absence, recording three assists -- all with the man advantage -- in the last seven games. He’s also played with a physical edge, accumulating eight PIM and 16 hits in the same span. Once Dunn returns, Evans might lose his spot in the lineup, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him continue to make those kinds of contributions until Dunn’s back.

Seattle’s forward corps hasn’t done great this campaign and Seattle’s attack has been particularly lackluster recently, totaling just five goals in four games from March 14-21. Still, Oliver Bjorkstrand has been a rare bright spot with a goal and three points during that stretch. He also has five goals and eight points over his last 11 contests to put his cold spell from Jan. 30-Feb. 24 (one assist in eight outings) well behind him.

As poor as the Kraken’s offense has been, Anaheim has done even worse, ranking 30th offensively with just 2.49 goals per game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see goaltenders Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord split the two-game set against the Ducks, and both netminders would be a good play versus Anaheim.

Vegas Golden Knights – MON @ STL, TUE @ NAS, (BTB), THU @ WPG, SAT @ MIN

The Golden Knights are one of the few teams set to play four games next week, though they’ll be on the road for that stretch. They’ll play in St. Louis on Monday, Nashville on Tuesday, Winnipeg on Thursday and Minnesota on Saturday. It’s not the easiest schedule, but the Golden Knights’ hold on the second wild-card spot is loose, so they’ll need to find a way to win a good chunk of those contests.

Their pursuit of a playoff berth has been complicated by Adin Hill, who has struggled mightily with a 3.90 GAA and an .872 save percentage over his last seven games. By contrast, Logan Thompson has saved 41 of 43 shots (.953 save percentage) over his last two contests, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Vegas pivot to Thompson, at least in the short term. Earlier in the campaign, the Golden Knights might have been more open to riding out Hill’s cold spell in the hopes that he’d rebound, but they don’t really have that luxury at this stage.

In terms of offense, it’s been defenseman Shea Theodore who has led the charge. The 28-year-old has collected 15 assists in 14 outings since returning from an upper-body injury. That’s propelled him to four goals and 33 points across 34 outings in 2023-24. Theodore has missed significant portions of the last two campaigns due to injury, but he would likely breach the 50-point milestone for the second time in his career if he manages to stay healthy next season.

Meanwhile, blueliner Noah Hanifin seems to be settling in fine with Vegas. He has four assists, a plus-3 rating, 10 blocks and 10 hits in seven contests since being acquired from the Flames. Hanifin’s also averaging 22:09 of ice time with Vegas, though he’s only on the second power-play unit, which limits his offensive potential a bit.

Anaheim Ducks – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #12 Anaheim Ducks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 12th (Last Year - 8th) GM: Pat Verbeek Hired: February 2022 COACH: Joel Quenneville Hired: May 2025

Roger McQueen, C, Providence College (NCAA) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

Stian Solberg, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Tristan Luneau, D, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Tarin Smith, D, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

Eric Nilson, C, Michigan State University (NCAA)

Lucas Pettersson, C, Brynas IF (SHL) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

Lasse Boelius, D, Assat (Liiga)

Tim Washe, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Herman Traff, RW, IF Oskarshamn (SHL) (currently with San Diego Gulls, AHL)

Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Sam Colangelo, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Calle Clang, G, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Sasha Pastujov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Yegor Sidorov, RW, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Austin Burnevik, RW, St. Cloud State University (NCAA)

NHL: Victor Nuño – Dynasty Stock Watch – Anaheim Ducks Edition

Team Outlook

Buy Candidates

Damian Clara, G

Roger McQueen, C

Stian Solberg, D

Sell Candidates

Herman Traff, RW

Lucas Pettersson, C

Maxim Masse, RW

Summary

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

FORWARDS

DEFENSE

GOAL

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #8

Anaheim Ducks Top-15 Prospects

1 - Beckett Sennecke

2 - Roger McQueen

3 - Tristan Luneau

4 - Stian Solberg

5 - Sam Colangelo

6 - Tarin Smith

7 - Eric Nilson

8 - Sasha Pastujov

9 - Ian Moore

10 - Lucas Pettersson

11 - Damian Clara

12 - Rodwin Dionicio

13 - Yegor Sidorov

14 - Maxim Masse

15 - Nathan Gaucher

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #5 ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Hellebuyck’s dominant season – More trade deadline discussion – Teams and Players to target

Anaheim Ducks

Dallas Stars

Los Angeles Kings

New York Islanders

New York Rangers

Philadelphia Flyers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Washington Capitals

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Marner and Tavares Leading Maple Leafs, Ducks Battling and More

Anaheim Ducks

Mon vs SEA, Wed @ SEA, Fri vs LAK, Sun vs OTT

Boston Bruins

Tue vs. VAN, Wed @ NYI, Fri vs. PIT, Sun vs. MTL

Los Angeles Kings

Mon @ SJS, Wed vs. WPG, Fri @ ANA, Sat vs. OTT

Minnesota Wild

Mon vs. WPG, Wed @ BUF, Fri vs. CHI, Sat vs. NSH

New Jersey Devils

Mon vs. NSH, Wed vs. STL, Fri @ DET, Sat vs. WSH

New York Islanders

Mon vs. DET, Wed vs. BOS, Fri @ WSH, Sat vs. BUF

New York Rangers

Mon vs. STL, Wed @ CAR, Fri @ PHI, Sat vs. MTL

Seattle Kraken

Mon @ ANA, Wed vs. ANA, Fri @ SJS, Sat vs. SJS

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Boston Struggling, Colorado returns to health and much more

Anaheim Ducks – Mon @ DAL, Tue @ CHI, Fri vs BUF

Boston Bruins – Mon vs CBJ, Thu vs UTA, Sat @ DET

Prospect System Ranking – 12th (Last Year - 8th)
GM: Pat Verbeek Hired: February 2022
COACH: Joel Quenneville Hired: May 2025