The Anaheim Ducks have made a bold statement this offseason by acquiring key pieces, signaling they’re ready to win now.
The Ducks got the ball rolling with a major trade, acquiring Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers. The deal seemed like a cap dump for the Rangers. But in reality, the deal helps the Ducks as they need more bona fide scorers in their top six.
While Kreider is now several seasons removed from scoring 50 goals, there’s no question he can provide the club with much-needed offensive punch.
Then, two other major trades helped reshape the Ducks' roster. Sending Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers was a solid move. The Ducks shed Zegras’ $5.75 million cap hit, but also removed a distraction from the clubhouse. There is no more uncertainty regarding what Zegras’ future will be.
Getting Ryan Poehling was a solid depth move. He’s a middle-six forward who can grind and chip in offensively. The real win in this trade was the two draft picks. Those picks could be weaponized if and when the Ducks attempt to make another move.
The Ducks’ biggest move came during the 2025 NHL Draft weekend. The team sent John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings. The return was Petr Mrazek and two more draft picks. Mrazek will likely slide in as Lukas Dostal’s backup.
Meanwhile, the additional second-round pick and fourth-rounder give the Ducks ammo to make future moves. It’s unlikely they trade the 2027 second-rounder or the two 2026 fourth-rounders acquired in the Gibson and Zegras trades. But it’s a good bet these will come in handy later on.
Then, there was the Mikael Granlund signing. Granlund was on multiple teams’ radars. But it was the Ducks who managed to land the Finnish winger on a three-year, $21 million contract.
All of a sudden, now, the Ducks have a solid pipeline of young players with serviceable veterans to support them. The Ducks could become a significant player in the Western Conference playoff race next season. Don’t be surprised if they end up on the fringes of a wild card spot.
Anaheim Ducks still have room for improvement
The Anaheim Ducks’ lineup is by no means a done deal. There is still work to be done. The team could use another top-six forward. As it stands, Daily Faceoff shows the Ducks rolling out Leo Carlsson with Cutter Gauthier and Alex Killorn as the top line.
That’s not a bad top line. But it could definitely use some more punch. The bottom six looks solid for the Ducks, but won’t light up the lamp all that often. The third line of Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, and Troy Terry should provide some decent depth scoring. But the Ducks could use an upgrade if one became available.
As for the fourth line, Ryan Poehling is a great fit there. Nikita Nesterenko and Sam Colangelo, while good players, are not end solutions.
The Ducks are unlikely to dip their toes in free agent waters at this point. They’ll be more inclined to bring players up to see what they can do. The abundance of draft picks could help the club make moves at the trade deadline if they are still in the playoff hunt.