NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1.
Today, the Anaheim Ducks.
The Anaheim Ducks have lofty expectations after ending their seven-season Stanley Cup Playoff drought in 2025-26 and are hoping for more success this season.
"It was definitely an awesome year," defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. "I think our team had some ups and downs to grow and learn. We have such a young core that I think those things are important for us to do and to understand moving forward, but overall we had such a blast, especially when the playoffs came around.
Anaheim went 43-33-6, finishing third in the Pacific Division. They not only earned a playoff berth, but defeated the favored Edmonton Oilers in six games in the Western Conference First Round before being eliminated in six games by the Vegas Golden Knights. It was the Ducks' first postseason series win since 2017, and valuable experience for a roster filled with young talent.
"We just had so much fun competing and wanting to win and I know (coach Joel Quenneville) does a great job of kind of instilling that in us and making that part of our DNA," LaCombe said. "So for us overall it was an awesome year, and we just want to build on that moving forward.
In his first season as Ducks coach, Quenneville was definitely a big part of that turnaround. But so were forwards Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, rookie Beckett Sennecke and LaCombe, who each set NHL career highs in points.
Each are expected to remain big pieces of the puzzle for the Ducks, especially Carlsson. The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Carlsson signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet ($18 million average annual value) with the Philadelphia Flyers as a restricted free agent July 3, which Anaheim matched July 9.
"I think from the day that we drafted him, we viewed him as a cornerstone piece of our rebuild, and that hasn't changed," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "We feel that Leo at some point, and I wouldn't say next year but I think over the course of this contract, is going to show the elite player that he is, and it's going to give us great reasons for why we matched this offer.
Carlsson knows what is expected of him, too, and the 21-year-old is hoping to build on last season and help Anaheim become a perennial contender.
"I'm going to grow as a player too," he said. "I've done that every year so far. Trying to get away from these slumps that I'm having in seasons, trying to stay at the highest level I can be all year round.
It's going to be hard, but that's my goal too.
In addition to Carlsson, the Ducks had another notable addition, acquiring forward A.J. Greer in a trade with the Florida Panthers on June 29 and and then signing him to a four-year contract July 1. A Stanley Cup winner with the Panthers in 2025, Greer brings championship experience and is hoping to expand his offensive role.
The 29-year-old had NHL career-bests last season with 17 goals and 32 points in 78 games last season.
"It's an amazing opportunity for me. I think given the situation, I'm going to be putting myself in a position where I can establish myself as a top-nine guy," Greer said. "I knew that (the Ducks) trading for my rights and wanting to be aggressive and wanting to sign me meant that there was going to be a big opportunity for me to be a standout player for this team and help this team trend in the right direction and hopefully become a Stanley Cup champion.
A.J. Greer talks about his 4-year contract with the Ducks, 2025 Stanley Cup win, and more
While the offense appears to be in good shape, the defense will look a lot different this season. Anaheim traded Radko Gudas, John Carlson and Olen Zellweger, and Jacob Trouba departed in free agency. That means the Ducks will be without four regulars from last season.
"I'm very happy. We've got a good young defense," Verbeek said. "I think when I look at our defense, most of them played in the playoffs last year and got good experience there.
So I feel very confident with our defense.
"When you look through them, Jackson LaCombe, four-plus years (in the NHL). (Pavel) Mintyukov, four-plus years. (Drew) Helleson is on his third year, and they're older.
It's not like they're 20-year-old kids. They're now 23. So they've got enough pro experience that I feel comfortable with them moving forward, and also with our coaching staff being able to help them exponentially improve over the course of the season.
LaCombe, 25, has become one of the veteran defensemen and is looking forward to the challenge.
"I don't think too much changes," he said. "Obviously I want to be myself, but I think learning from (the veterans who left), I'm still going to be vocal and communicating, so I think I can definitely take that into my own character and game as well.
"I think obviously the young guys are newer to the game, but they have some good experience too, and are amazing players as well. So we're excited to get going and it's going be awesome.