The Anaheim Ducks are back. After a 7 year hiatus from the playoffs, the Ducks showed up for more than a participation award this spring. They dispatched the two time defending Western Conference champion Oilers in round 1 before falling to the Golden Knights in round 2. As we noted in the February Pacific Division Notebook, the Ducks are headed in the right direction with a strong developing cohort leading the way.
The Ducks developing contention cohort was a big part of their success this season, both in the regular season and the playoffs. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke finished 1-2-3 on the team for all strengths scoring in the regular season. They followed it up with big contributions in the playoffs, with Gauthier again leading the team in scoring and Leo Carlsson finishing top 3 on the team in both all strengths points and 5v5 points. With a host of young defensemen competing for roster spots, the Ducks look ready to fly.
The current young Ducks are leading the charge and they have more help on the way. Their pipeline is ripe with potential and prospect like 2025 10th overall pick Roger McQueen, who recently signed an ELC, could level up the Ducks contention cohort. With plenty of future picks still in their hands, the Ducks have opportunity to continue to stock their pipeline, or utilize some of their future draft capital to load up the contention cohort.
If the Ducks do look to convert some draft capital into a contention cohort upgrade, adding a good roster player might be the way to add a difference maker. Mason McTavish’s name has been rumored to be on the block and he could be a piece the Ducks look to move out to make a long term upgrade. McTavish is slightly outside the contention cohort age group as we have it shown and we’ve already seen the Ducks move Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras as it became apparent they didn’t fit the long term vision in Anaheim. Of course, McTavish plus draft capital would command a big return, so the Ducks will have to wait for the right opportunity if that’s where they’re leaning.
