It has been six consecutive seasons without playoff hockey for the Anaheim Ducks. The team ranked last in the league in scoring percentage (.421), goals per game (2.50), penalty kill percentage (76.5), and shots per game (28.1) during that span. It has been a struggle for the organization and the fans, but brighter days may be near. The team has an exciting young core, with more promising prospects set to join the team soon. There is a lot of hope that they can learn and grow together to make the Ducks more competitive.
It's been a bit of a quiet season for the Ducks. The team completed trades with the Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken for forward Robby Fabbri and defenseman Brian Dumoulin, respectively. Jansen Harkins inked a two-year, $1.575 million deal, and Carson Meyer inked a one-year, two-way deal. General manager Pat Verbeek also re-signed Isac Lundestrom, Urho Vaakanainen, Brett Leason, Pavel Regenda, Nikita Nesterenko, and Jackson LaCombe to short-term deals. LaCombe is the only player on that team who got a second year on his contract.
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The ducks were reportedly in the middle of hunting big game but failed to do much freely. Despite the big moves before the start of the season, the team seems willing to welcome the youth movement to the roster with open arms. Here's a sneak peek at what that might look like: Ducks Designed Forward Lines
Ducks Designed Forward Lines
With no free agents remaining, the coaching staff will have full players at the start of training camp. Exploring the combination of lines and roles will be interesting to watch as the opening night schedule develops.
| Left Wing | Institution | Right Wing |
| Cutter Gauthier | Leo Carlson | Alex Killorn |
| Trevor Zegras | Mason McTavish | Troy Terry |
| Robby Fabbri | Ryan Strome | Frank Vatrano |
| Jansen Harkins | Isaac Lundestrom | Brett Leason |
The trio of Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Alex Killorn was featured in the 2023-24 regular season finale against the Vegas Golden Knights. They logged a team-high 12:43 of solid ice time while totaling seven shots on goal. Gauthier and Carlsson got assists on LaCombe's goal early in the third period, which ended up being the game-winner in a 4-1 victory. Verbeek praised the line for having instant chemistry, which means it will remain the same in 2024-25. Carlsson and Gauthier will be the focal points of the offense in the upcoming campaign, and Killorn provides the route with some leadership and a veteran presence.
Trevor Zegras is coming off a tumultuous 2023-24 season with injuries and questions about his future with the Ducks. You need a lot of bounce-back functionality. That might not quiet the trade talk, but at least he'll put himself in a position to feel better about his game and prove his doubters wrong. The 23-year-old will continue to see action on the wing, although his door to seeing time as a center is closed. He could also take center stage responsibilities while leaving faceoff to Mason McTavish.
The 21-year-old McTavish showed a big rise in 2022-23, but injuries limited him to 64 appearances. He has the potential to be a team player this coming season, and playing with the Ducks' most productive players from 2021-22 to 2022-23 would be a good place for him. In the general theme of the line, Terry will look to get back on track in 2024-25 after falling below 60 points for the first time in three seasons. Terry and Zegras tend to bring out the best in each other, and getting them firing on all cylinders will be a priority for head coach Greg Cronin.
Ryan Strome has become a wing player in recent years but is more than capable of handling the duties of a middle man. It may seem unfair to have Frank Vatrano out of the top six after his breakout performance last campaign, but the move allows the Ducks to land three potential offensive contributors. Strome, Vatrano, and McTavish could be a combination the Ducks will revisit after their successful run starting in 2023-24. However, Fabbri takes that spot for now due to the possibility of McTavish getting an increased role. The 28-year-old Fabbri plays a similar style to Vatrano as a skill-wise scorer, so they can complement each other well while Strome plays a puck-distributing role.
Lundestrom is a natural fit in the middle of the fourth line. He did not feature last season until January due to an Achilles injury and was limited to 46 appearances. The 24-year-old's $1.5 million deal for 2024-25 is a guaranteed deal before he becomes eligible for a settlement next summer. Getting a full training camp under his belt should prove beneficial for the defensive lineman. Jansen Harkins and Brett Leason will provide the line with physical play. Ross Johnston and Brock McGinn will be in the mix as well. However, McGinn's health is a question mark after having disc surgery on his back in late March.
Sam Colangelo is the dark horse coming out of camp following his three-game streak last campaign for the Ducks. Getting a feel for what to expect at the NHL level will help him head into his first preseason. If he doesn't bother the roster, the 22-year-old player could be among the first call-ups by the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Ducks Associated with Defense Pairings
The Ducks don't have many right-handed blueliners, meaning most of the rest will be on their sidelines again in 2024-24. As a result, there may be a lot of shuffling.
| Left Side Defender | Right side Defenceman |
| Cam Fowler | Pavel Mintyukov |
| Olen Zellweger | Radko Gudas |
| Brian Dumoulin | Jackson LaCombe |
Cam Fowler came through the revolving door of defense partners last season, but his numbers alongside Pavel Mintyukov stand out for all the right reasons. In all situations over 62 games and 70:09 of playing time, the duo posted 62.82% Corsi For (CF%), 59.84% Fenwick For (FF%), 62.50% share of scoring opportunities (SCF%) , and 62.22% share of high risk goal chances (HDCF%). Their combined success should see them look to expand in 2024-25.
Olen Zellweger and Radko Gudas logged just 10:52 alone last season, but the results were even better overall, including 50.00 CF% and 46.67 FF%. They struggle to find scoring opportunities, but the only teammates Zellweger has done better with are Mintyukov and Vaakanainen, who could serve as a deep backfield starting in 2024-25. The 20-year-old Zellweger partnered with Fowler on the floor, but their 46.94 CF%, 44.58 FF%, and 45.70 SCF% suggest that the change should be for his mother.
Brian Dumoulin would be an interesting partner for Gudas in a shutdown role, but playing with LaCombe would have the same effect. The 23-year-old LaCombe could benefit from a reduced role after struggling with Fowler and Gudas last season. Zellweger also makes sense to play with LaCombe, but they only logged 8:38 pairings in 2023-24.
Tristan Luneau, one of the few right-handed shooters available to the Ducks, could make the team out of training camp again. After missing the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship due to a knee injury, he did not return to action for the remainder of the season. His health will be a big factor in determining what comes next with his development. The 20-year-old Luneau could start 2024-25 in the AHL with the Gulls if the Ducks feel he needs more time to get back up to speed.
Ducks Projected Goaltenders
Trade rumors never seem to go away for John Gibson, but the emergence of Lukas Dostal adds an interesting wrinkle to the equation. They'll be fighting to start in 2024-25, and if Dostal lands the No. 1 job, Gibson's chances of facing it could increase.
| Goaltender starts | Backup Goaltender |
| Lukas Dostal | John Gibson |
The Ducks envision the crease situation as a competition between Gibson and Dostal. Unsurprisingly, the team is focused on winning as the driving force for extra playing time, but if wins are hard to come by, good performances should be enough to pull it together and start.
Dostal has been the goalkeeper of choice for the bottom of the last campaign, which gives him a slight edge. The 24-year-old network producer was honored with an increased role after appearing in 44 games, including 38 starts, in 2023-24. Still, Gibson's experience could serve him well before the Ducks' season begins.
Final Thoughts on the Proposed Ducks Plan
There's reason to believe that the team will take great strides forward offensively in 2024-25. A full season for Carlsson following his development plan to reduce workload and add Gauthier should provide a significant boost. Healthy seasons from McTavish, Zegras, Killorn, and Mintyukov could also improve the Ducks' outlook. The top three lines can contribute, and the defensive pairing can move the puck effectively.
The Ducks will likely continue to struggle defensively, so limiting the amount of time spent chasing opponents will be paramount. Gibson and Dostal were often left on an island to fend for themselves because their teammates couldn't win the puck back or clear it quickly enough.
Based on the team's current roster, a return to playoff contention in 2024-25 is unlikely for the Ducks. However, the organization is in a rebuilding situation where young players, especially experienced ones, must continue to show growth. The prospect pool is deep, and a few players have shown flashes at the NHL level, but it hasn't led to more goals scored or fewer against them yet. Getting more in the corner would be a good first step.
Statistics courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
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