The pressure is rising for these Anaheim Ducks players in the 2026-27 season

Final rosters are set and the puck drops on the start of the 2026-27 season tomorrow night. The Anaheim Ducks, however, will not see their first game action until Friday night at Vegas. With just a few days until the second-round rematch, we are going to continue our annual exercise of forecasting which Ducks players are facing the most pressure for the upcoming season. While we definitely had some misses in part one, as Judd Caulfield and Roger McQueen will be sticking around for a bit, the players in today's ranking should be everyday roster players. Note that this list is entirely subjective, as all players in the NHL face pressure in some form or fashion. This ranking is just an index, as some players face more pressure than others, when looking at pressure versus the weight of expectations.

19. Jeff Malott

2025-26 season stats: 58 GP, 3 G, 6 A. ATOI: 8:49

One of the few new additions to the roster, Malott signed a three-year contract with the Ducks over the summer. After losing Jeffrey Viel and Ross Johnston in the offseason, Malott will be the newest reclamation project added to roster, in search for a more established role. Malott's 9 points from last season may seem lackluster from a production standpoint, but we once thought the same of Viel, and that turned out better than anticipated. In any case, expect to see Malott penciled in on the fourth line.

18. Frank Vatrano

2025-26 season stats: 50 GP, 5 G, 4 A. ATOI: 11:49

From an on-ice perspective, Vatrano had one of his worst seasons statically last year. Younger skaters, like Beckett Sennecke, leap frogged Vatrano on the depth chart and the veteran floundered, often finding himself healthy scratched in the process. The fact that Vatrano did not see any ice time during the Ducks playoff run either, spoke volumes about how the coaching staff felt about his ability to contribute to the team's success. After spending an offseason in trade rumors, the pressure will be on Vatrano to prove that last year was just a one off, not the new normal.

17. Nick Jensen

2025-26 season stats: 61 GP, 4 G, 13 A. ATOI: 17:01

Another new addition to the roster, Jensen should help stabilize the blue line for the Ducks, after the mass exodus of veterans from the right side. Other than Jackson LaCombe, Jensen will be the only other Ducks defenseman with comparable NHL experience, as the rest of the blue line will be comprised of primarily younger defenders. LaCombe will be able to hold his defense partner's head above water and Jensen will be expected to do the same for the second pair. The bar of Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba will not be a high one to clear either for Jensen, but necessary for the Ducks to be able to compete on a nightly basis.

16. A.J. Greer

2025-26 season stats: 78 GP, 17 G, 15 A. ATOI: 12:26

The last of the new additions to the roster, Greer had solid numbers in a depth role for the Florida Panthers last season. 17 goals is not worth hand waving away either, as the Ducks could desperately use some more offensive pop from the bottom six. The Ducks bought high after a career year from Greer though, so the onus will be on him to prove that he can replicate that kind of success on a much younger team.

15. Ville Husso

2025-26 season stats: 19 GS, 10 W, 8 L, 2 OT/SO L, .884 SV%, 3.25 GAA

Despite our wish casting to see Damian Clara grab the reigns as the Ducks backup, Husso has been tabbed as the nominal backup to Lukas Dostal. Husso's numbers from last season were more of a reflection of how the Ducks played in front of him, with their run-and-gun style and lack of solid defensive coverage in front of the net, versus his play. However, Husso came in relief for Dostal twice during last season's playoff run and posted slightly better numbers, with a .900 save percentage and 2.12 GAA. If the coaching staff could just squeeze a few more starts out of Husso and give Dostal a few extra nights off, that would be a win for the Ducks in the long run.

14. Tim Washe

2025-26 season stats: 39 GP, 2 G, 3 A. ATOI: 12:03.

While his regular season numbers may have been unremarkable, Washe and his linemates were more than capable of holding their own against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of last season's playoffs, and Washe earned himself a four-year extension from the Ducks for his efforts. But with a new cast of linemates and being designated as the fourth line center, the pressure will be on Washe to prove that he was worth the money and build upon that postseason glowup.

13. Alex Killorn

2025-26 season stats: 82 GP, 15 G, 18 A. ATOI: 16:42

Maybe it's just his bulky pads, but Killorn just looks slow on the ice. But even if he is not that fleet of foot anymore, Killorn just does all the little things right. He has a great defensive stick and can set up his teammates for scoring chances. Killorn will regularly be out on the ice killing penalties and has been a band-aid for the top six, when some of the younger skaters have had defensive miscues or were in a scoring slump. In last season's playoff run, Killorn saw his ice time increase to 19:48 per game and he registered 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists) in the process. Killorn should also be feeling some extra pressure this season, as he will be a UFA next summer.

12. Ryan Poehling

2025-26 season stats: 75 GP, 11 G, 25 A. ATOI: 15:04

While we may concede that the Philadelphia Flyers won the Trevor Zegras trade, Poehling was more than adequate in the return deal. If Killorn is slow, Poehling is anything but. As a third line center, Poehling had solidified one the Ducks' biggest needs during the Pat Verbeek era. And in last season's playoffs, Poehling notched another 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist) for good measure. Poehling was rewarded with a four-year contract extension in the offseason and like some of his Ducks counterparts, he must replicate that same kind of success with a cast of new linemates.

11. Ian Moore

2025-26 season stats: 67 GP, 4 G, 8 A. ATOI: 13:40

A young right-shot defenseman with high upside is a valuable commodity in today's NHL. The problem is Moore was often maddeningly skating on the fourth line as a winger for the Ducks last season, versus playing in his natural position as a defender. Moore is not Dustin Byfuglien from the Chicago Blackhawks heyday and hopefully the Ducks coaching staff learned that lesson. The opportunity is there for Moore this season though, to claim a stake on the right side of the Ducks defense. He just has to get healthy first.

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