The Anaheim Ducks had a very successful 2025-26 regular season, which led to their first playoff berth in eight years. While the Ducks may have fell short in their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim fans can still find some solace in not only how much the majority of the new young core elevated their play, but in how much the team exceeded expectations. But as Vegas and Carolina trade blows in the Stanley Cup Final, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek should be taking stock in how the team can get to the level of those competitors. By adding a few items to his 2026 offseason shopping list, Verbeek can push the Ducks into that next stratosphere.
Item 1: A new number two center
We've already hashed this out over the course of the regular season and into the playoffs, but Mason McTavish may not be the number two center the Ducks had envisioned after signing him to an extension last offseason. With a big name like Dylan Larkin entering the trade market though, Verbeek would be wise to leverage his available assets to orchestrate a sizable upgrade to the Ducks' center depth. Youngish and talented centers are hard to come by, and as good Mikael Granlund has been for the Ducks, he's not the long-term solution.
Outside of Larkin though, think Robert Thomas. Although after a successful season with the Blues, the likelihood of Thomas being traded now has dwindled, but that archetype of center is what Verbeek should be aiming for.
Item 2: A right-handed defenseman
Rumors have circulated around the Ducks veteran crop of right-handed defenseman, as all three of them are still unsigned. While Verbeek is likely to keep at least one of Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, or Radko Gudas, the Ducks would be wise to search for a younger option. Ian Moore is an in-house option, but Anaheim needs a blue liner with more experience to skate either alongside Jackson LaCombe or slide into a steady second pairing role.
A good comparable would be Rasmus Andersson, but now that he has found success with Vegas, his availability has probably dwindled. But the Ducks need a defenseman that is one the right side of 30, not over.
Item 3: Another scoring winger
Both Beckett Sennecke (60 points) and Cutter Gauthier (69 points) had breakout campaigns and helped push the Ducks into the postseason. Chris Kreider started out strong but declined as the season progressed and was near invisible in the playoffs. While Troy Terry can pick up some of the slack, he's more impactful on the two-way aspect of the game. The Ducks could use that extra punch on the wing, that Kreider cannot provide anymore.
This might be the easiest item on the shopping list for Verbeek to fill, as the supply of wingers available for trade is much higher than that of centers or right-handed defenseman. But like the other items on the list, Verbeek has to get this one right and stop shopping in the bargain bin of overrated veterans.
Final thoughts
Verbeek's offseason shopping list may be small, but acquiring the right pieces would go a long way into rounding out the Ducks into an actual Stanley Cup contender. Verbeek has been unable to pull off that big blockbuster trade yet though, despite having more than enough assets to do so. The 2026 offseason will either push the Ducks up a tier or keep the team at a respectable, but uninspiring status quo.
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