Happy New Year Ducks fans. Although the Ducks lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning on New Year's Eve, pushing an Atlantic Division powerhouse to overtime, should be considered a minor victory for a Ducks team that has seen its season go sideways. With a new year upon us, here are a few resolutions the Ducks could focus on for the remainder of the NHL season.
Make the playoffs
An expectation from GM Pat Verbeek with the backing of Ducks ownership, seemed like the best-case scenario for the 2025-26 season. With a record of 21-16-3, the Ducks are currently in the thick of the playoff race and sit third in the Pacific Division. Though the Ducks are only one standings point back of the Edmonton Oilers for the division lead, both the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings have closed the gap. Coupled with their recent on-ice struggles, the Ducks are on the precipice of falling behind the competition.
A hot start, great goal tending, and positive development from the young core, powered the Ducks to the top of the division, just a month ago. Anything short of making the playoffs now, at this juncture, would seem like another waste of a season.
Make a trade
GM Verbeek did bring in reinforcements, during the offseason, in the form of Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, and Ryan Poehling. Kreider has been a welcome addition to the Ducks top six forwards, by adding more finish to a goal deprived team. Granlund has been a Swiss army knife of deployment, either centering a line, playing on the wing, or taking high-leverage faceoff draws. Poehling has been the perfect fourth line center, by being sound in the defensive zone and chipping in offensively.
Skater | Games played | Goals | Assists | Time on ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Kreider | 36 | 13 | 9 | 17:22 |
Granlund | 22 | 7 | 8 | 17:43 |
Poehling | 33 | 2 | 12 | 13:21 |
With all due respect to those Ducks skaters though, neither of them really moves the needle. If Verbeek is serious about making the playoffs, the Ducks could use a true scoring threat or a defenseman that can push the pace of play and help bolster the lineup. Look at the Quinn Hughes trade for inspiration, as the Ducks could have theoretically given up a similar package to make a move like Minnesota GM Bill Guerin. Yes, giving up players like Mason McTavish or Olen Zellweger would sting, but you have to give up good talent to get game-breaking talent.
Win a Calder Trophy
While this resolution might seem anti-team oriented, a skater cannot easily win any end of season award without great support from his linemates. Plus, the Ducks have never had a skater win the Calder Trophy, with Trevor Zegras being the most recent runner-up in the 2021-22 season. Enter Beckett Sennecke.
🚨 Sennecke 🚨
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) December 31, 2025
That SNIPE ties the game! #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/L9k83bcxXV
The case for Sennecke to win the Calder Trophy has been laid out already and still remains, even at this point of the season. Sennecke is currently second in rookie scoring with 30 points (12 goals and 18 assists) in 40 games. A win for Sennecke would not only be a great personal achievement but provide a morale boost to a fan base that is often neglected in the Southwest.