3 players from the Anaheim Ducks that need to step up

We're almost a quarter of the way through the 2026-27 season for the Anaheim Ducks, as they will host the New York Islanders tonight in game number 20 on their hockey calendar. And while the Ducks may have cooled off during their last outing in a 4-2 loss against the Nashville Predators, Anaheim is still currently in a playoff spot at third place in the Pacific Division. Cutter Gauthier might be setting new franchise marks and the Ducks powerplay is almost automatic, but not everything has been sunshine and rainbows for the rest of the roster. As the Ducks look to get back in the win column, here are three players that need to step up their respective games.

Lukas Dostal

Let's just get the obvious candidate out the way, as there's no easy way to slice it; Dostal has not been good this season. Anaheim's supposed number one has not had a start in goal, since his lackluster performance against the Calgary Flames on November 6th.

Dostal's season numbers have not been pretty thus far; an .866 save percentage, 3.76 goals against average, 4 wins in 10 starts, and a goals saved above expected of -1.4. Coupled with Anaheim's decision to send Laurent Brossoit back down to San Diego, the pressure is now squarely on Dostal to regain his old form.

Drew Helleson

This is now season three of Helleson being an everyday skater on the Anaheim roster. While other players like Tyson Hinds and Noah Warren may get a pass for their poor defensive play, as they are still rookies, Helleson should not.

Even though Hoglander made a fantastic play to bury the goal, regular defensive miscues from Helleson have been par the course, as he has an on ice expected goals against per 60 of 3.57. Helleson has also been the benefactor of playing with Anaheim's strongest defenseman, Jackson LaCombe, but has yet to find any offensive success either. In 12 games this season, Helleson has managed just 2 points with a Corsi percentage of 42 and averaging 20:05 of ice time. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville has made a point to anchor each defense pairing with a more reliable option, but clearly Helleson has been the weak link on the top pair. The Ducks cannot rely on outscoring their problems every game and LaCombe has been in dire need of a more suitable partner. Helleson needs to step up soon or GM Pat Verbeek may be forced to look for a more viable option for LaCombe.

Alex Killorn

There is no doubting Killorn's veteran leadership or defensive capabilities on the ice. However, in his last 7 games, while skating on the top line with Leo Carlsson and Judd Caulfield, Killorn has accounted for just a single point of offense. Killorn's 6 points on the season, put him in line with Jeff Malott, Tim Washe, and A.J. Greer (who's injured), but behind the aforementioned Caulfield with 9 points. While Troy Terry's injury may have forced Killorn to play higher up than he should have, the lack of offensive production has been disheartening. Understandably, Quenneville could not break up the trio of Mikael Granlund, Beckett Sennecke, and Gauthier, while they were hot, but Killorn did not do himself any favors in a more prolific role next to Carlsson. Hopefully, with Terry back in the lineup though, Killorn can be slotted back into a more suitable role in the bottom six and find his offensive touch again, when not facing off against the league's best every game.

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