Ducks Notes: Marchessault, Stamkos, Gibson, Gudas
Anaheim was also one of the many teams making serious pitches for star forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos during their brief stints on the free agent market earlier this summer, said Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet on today’s “32 Thoughts” podcast. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported at the time that the Ducks were among the top five teams making competitive offers for Stamkos, but Marchessault wasn’t linked to Anaheim until now. Many expected Anaheim to be a major player in free agency after picking up veterans Gudas and Alex Killorn in last year’s frenzy, especially with ample cap space to spend, but their offseason moves ended up being more conservative after Marchessault and Stamkos opted to both sign deals with the Predators instead.
There’s more from Friedman on Orange County:
- The Ducks haven’t given up on trying to move goaltender John Gibson and are still shopping him with three years left on his contract, Friedman said. But there hasn’t been any significant progress, and no deal appears close with less than two weeks to go until training camp. They’ve been in trade discussions regarding the 31-year-old, who posted a career-worst .888 SV% in 46 appearances last season, for the entirety of the offseason, per Friedman.
- With trade rumors now surrounding the Ducks’ longest-tenured player, Cam Fowler, expect them to name Radko Gudas their next captain before the season starts, Friedman said. The hulking 34-year-old defender was Anaheim’s best defensive player last season by a wide margin after signing a three-year, $12MM deal in free agency, leading the team with a +14 rating, 128 PIMs, 154 blocks, and 232 hits. The captaincy in Anaheim has been vacant since Ryan Getzlaf retired in 2022.
Ducks, Cam Fowler Reportedly Exploring Trade Options
After over a decade in Orange County, defenseman Cam Fowler‘s time with the Ducks may soon come to an end. Both he and the team are in the early stages of exploring trade options in what Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman called a “positive working environment” on Friday’s episode of the “32 Thoughts” podcast.
[Fowler’s] a little bit older. They’ve got a lot of good young players, and eventually what you’ve got to start doing is you’ve got to say, ‘You know what, Cam, we have to start taking some of your ice time so that these other players learn what it’s like to play in the important situations’… Fowler knows that when they’re good and they’re really ready to contend, it’s going to be their team and not his team.
Fowler, 32, has been a staple on the Anaheim blue line ever since they made him the 12th overall pick in the 2010 draft. He hit the NHL full-time the following season, stepping into a top-four role on a team in the throes of playoff contention.
While never cementing himself as a true star defender, he’s been remarkably consistent across a 974-game NHL career that’s spanned 14 seasons. He’s averaged over 20 minutes per game in every year of his career thus far, and his offensive production never varies too much from his career average of 0.47 points per game.
Fowler has only received outside Norris Trophy consideration once. It was in 2017 after he scored a career-high 11 goals, averaged another career-high 24:51 per game, and played a pivotal role in the Ducks advancing to the Western Conference Final. That performance spurned Fowler’s big payday – an eight-year, $52MM extension he signed immediately upon becoming eligible in the 2017 offseason that kicked in for the 2018-19 campaign.
He’s now entering the final two seasons of that deal, which carries a $6.5MM cap hit. The Windsor, Ontario native is still Anaheim’s undisputed top defender, averaging north of 24 minutes per night over the last three years. His offensive output has remained at, if not slightly above, his career average as the Ducks tore down their roster in the late 2010s in anticipation of their ongoing post-Ryan Getzlaf rebuild.
The past two campaigns have been difficult for the club, especially in their own end. That’s led to some pretty eye-popping numbers for Fowler, who’s posted a combined -59 rating in 163 games since the start of 2022-23. He may be logging the most ice time among Ducks defenders, but he’s not receiving the most challenging matchups. His offensive and defensive zone starts at even strength have remained relatively even, as they have for most of his career.
Poor goaltending doesn’t drag down that rating too much. His possession numbers have been legitimately bad, controlling only 46.1% of expected goals at even strength over the past two seasons, per Hockey Reference. However, his shot attempt shares were above team average during that time, a fact that the Ducks’ front office will likely point out in trade talks to prove that reports of Fowler’s defensive demise are exaggerated.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek will likely need to retain a small amount of Fowler’s remaining salary to move him. Only nine teams have the cap space for Fowler’s full $6.5MM hit if a trade were to happen today, per PuckPedia, and nearly all of them are in rebuilds themselves or still have a significant financial commitment to make this offseason to one or more unsigned restricted free agents. But doing so wouldn’t be an issue for Anaheim, which is only $2.1MM above the cap floor and has all three of its salary retention slots open.
Fowler largely has control over where he ends up as talks advance. The defender has a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a list of four teams to which he’d be willing to accept a trade. However, Friedman reports he’s willing to give the Ducks more teams to work with outside of the list, which he already submitted to the team over the summer.
Injuries For Beckett Sennecke And Tomas Suchanek
- The Ducks announced (Twitter link) that third-overall pick Beckett Sennecke suffered a fractured foot during offseason training that will keep him out for six to eight weeks. Meanwhile, the team also revealed that goaltender Tomas Suchanek had successful surgery to repair a ruptured ACL and will miss six to eight months. Sennecke was a late-riser heading into the draft with his selection coming as a surprise to many. The injury will derail any outside chance he had at making the team but he should be good to go by the time the World Juniors come around. Suchanek, meanwhile, posted a 2.92 GAA and a .910 SV% in 29 games with AHL San Diego last season and was in position to likely be Anaheim’s third-string option this year. This injury likely led to today’s earlier signing of Oscar Dansk to a one-year deal.
Ducks Sign Oscar Dansk To Two-Way Deal
The Ducks have added free agent goaltender Oscar Dansk, signing him to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team but PuckPedia reports that the contract pays $775K in the NHL, $150K in the minors, and has a guarantee of $200K.
Dansk, 30, has made just six NHL appearances, all for the Golden Knights, and hasn’t seen NHL ice since March 2021. He hasn’t been out of the NHL pyramid, though. He spent the last two seasons on two-way deals with the Flames, recording a 3.04 GAA, .900 SV%, and a 19-18-5 record in 44 AHL games for the Calgary Wranglers while backing up top goaltending prospect Dustin Wolf.
Following that run, he’ll remain in a No. 3/4 role for a Pacific Division club. Dansk will likely land on waivers during training camp and, if he clears, report to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. There, he’ll complement a trio of young Ducks netminders: Vyacheslav Butsayets, Calle Clang, and Tomas Suchanek. At least one of those three, likely Butsayets, will be destined for assignment one level further down to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers.
Dansk, a Stockholm native, was a second-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2012. In addition to his time in the Columbus, Vegas, and Calgary organizations, Dansk has played professionally for Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (2015-2017) and Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (2021-22).
Evening Notes: Islanders, Ducks, Wild
Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News wonders if the New York Islanders would benefit from bringing in a player like Filip Zadina before training camp. The Islanders badly needed a top-six forward this summer but didn’t have the cap space or assets to make a move towards improving their forward group. Zadina has been linked to the Buffalo Sabres and has potential interest from a handful of other teams. He is also reportedly close to signing with an NHL team.
The 24-year-old hasn’t been able to live up to his draft status as a sixth overall pick and will now join his third NHL team in just seven seasons. The Pardubice, Czech Republic native, scored a career-high 13 goals last season and tallied 23 points in 72 games with the San Jose Sharks. But, despite being on the worst team in the NHL, he failed to play more than third- and fourth-line minutes and given the current state of his game, it’s unlikely he would help out the Islanders’ top six forwards. However, he could carve out a depth role in their bottom six.
In other evening notes:
- The Anaheim Ducks announced that they’ve partnered with A Parent Media Co. Inc. to stream all of their regional games this season free of charge. The games will be available on the soon-to-launch Victory+, allowing Ducks fans in the Los Angeles regional market to watch Ducks games for free. The app for Victory+ will be available for fans outside the Ducks’ television region as well, but the games will not be free. However, the app will allow fans in other parts of the country to view the extra content that the team produces outside of their games.
- Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin spoke with KFAN FM 100.3 today and discussed the upcoming season, where his expectations are for the Wild to make the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup. Guerin has had to navigate some very rocky waters the past couple of summers regarding the salary cap, as the Wild have had to account for $14.74MM in dead cap space for two years due to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. However, he has managed to keep the team competitive and believes that if his current group stays healthy, they will be in the mix come playoff time. Minnesota didn’t make many changes this summer and will count on many internal improvements from young players if they hope to improve on the disappointment of missing the playoffs last season.
Snapshots: Devils, Regenda, Dobson
The Devils should be one of the early teams active on the PTO front, argues James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. The Capitals and Lightning were the first teams to ink tryouts for next month’s training camps when Jakub Vrana and Logan Brown agreed to them yesterday.
Cal Clutterbuck, Nick Cousins and Calen Addison were among the players that Nichols identified as speculative targets for the Devils, who could still stand to ink a couple of fringe NHLers to round out their depth chart at all positions. After their offseason spending spree on defense, though, landing some depth help on the wings would likely be a more attractive proposition to general manager Tom Fitzgerald, making Addison a bit of a long shot.
To that end, Cousins stands out as the most intriguing option of the three and the one with the clearest path to a contract should he end up inking a PTO in New Jersey. The 31-year-old is coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Panthers but remains unsigned, recently changing his representation. A versatile bottom-six energy player who can play all three forward positions, Cousins had seven goals and 15 points in 69 games with Florida last year and recorded a career-high 130 hits. He was a relative non-factor in the postseason, though, averaging fewer than nine minutes per contest and only contributing one assist in 12 games.
Other tidbits from around the league:
- Ducks depth winger Pavol Regenda will represent his native Slovakia in this month’s qualifying tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics, relays Derek Lee of The Hockey News. An RFA this summer, Anaheim brought back Regenda for his third season with the organization on a two-way deal last month. The 6’3″, 219-lb forward has appeared in 19 NHL games over the past two seasons, recording a goal and two assists. He’s been an impact player for the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, where he projects to start this season after posting 19 goals and 34 points in 54 games last year. Regenda has firmly cemented himself as a fixture on the Slovakian national team, appearing for them at the last three World Championships. He was also on their roster for the 2022 Olympics, where he helped them to a bronze medal with a goal and three assists in seven games.
- The bevy of hefty extensions doled out to defensemen this offseason doesn’t bode well for the Islanders being able to squeeze a bargain out of Noah Dobson before he reaches restricted free agency next summer, Matthew Page and Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News write. Dobson, 24, exploded for 60 assists and 70 points in 79 games last year, finishing eighth in Norris Trophy voting. With less offensively-inclined comparables like Brock Faber landing eight-year deals in the $8MM AAV range, the Isles may need to shell out north of $9MM per season to keep Dobson on a long-term deal.
Ryan Getzlaf Hired By NHL’s Department Of Player Safety
- Former Anaheim Ducks star Ryan Getzlaf has left the organization to join the NHL’s Department of Player Safety (as per NHL announcement). The two-time Olympic gold medalist will be reunited with his former Ducks teammate George Parros and will work in some capacity for the NHL. It is unclear what exactly Getzlaf will do, but as Parros noted today in a press release, Getzlaf’s experience on the ice should have a lot of value for the department. The former Stanley Cup champion retired after the 2021-22 season and re-joined Anaheim just over a year later in June 2023, serving as the player development coordinator for the team.
Tyler Bertuzzi's Contract A Good Comparable For Frank Vatrano?
- Ducks winger Frank Vatrano has been a strong performer in his first two years with Anaheim, putting up 41 points in 2021-22 before a breakout 37-goal, 60-point showing last season. He’s now eligible for a contract extension and has made it known his preference is to stay with Anaheim. Derek Lee of The Hockey News assesses Vatrano’s situation, suggesting that the four-year, $22MM contract that Tyler Bertuzzi inked with Chicago this summer could serve as a comparable for Vatrano’s camp if he can put up another 20-goal performance. Cap space isn’t an issue for the Ducks right now but assuming they’ll be out of the playoff mix again this coming season, they’ll have to decide between extending him or moving Vatrano as a rental for what would likely be a strong return.
Ducks Appear Too Deep At Center For Gauthier To Slot In
The Anaheim Ducks will look to get prospect Cutter Gauthier involved in the top six this year but will it be in his traditional position at center? This was a question recently delved into by Patrick Present of The Hockey News who asserts that the Ducks have plenty of good problems to have up front with their roster flexibility.
Summer Synopsis: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are stuck in the middle of the pond. Their playoff drought has now extended to six seasons, on the back of continuingly disappointing play from the team’s veterans. The Ducks now seems fully focused on building a new identity – one built around hard-hitting defensemen, shoot-first forwards, and new head coach Greg Cronin. Their moves this summer reflected that personality-building – though a quiet summer elsewhere will keep their expectations for low for the 2024-25 season.
Draft
1-3: F Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa (OHL)
1-23: D Stian Solberg, Vålerenga (Norway)
2-35: F Lucas Pettersson MoDo Hockey (Sweden)
3-66: F Maxim Massé, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
3-68: F Ethan Procyszyn, North Bay (OHL)
3-79: D Tarin Smith, Everett (WHL)
4-100: Alexandre Blais, Rimouski (QMJHL)
6-182: F Austin Burnevik, Madison (USHL)
7-214: D Darels Uljanskis, AIK (Sweden)
The Ducks took their turn in the spotlight in June, vindicating their rebuilding with yet another fantastic draft class. They started their haul with one of the draft’s biggest surprises, taking Sennecke – this year’s late-riser – at third-overall. While the pick shocked many – including Sennecke himself – general manager Pat Verbeek insisted it fit the personality-building Anaheim is striving for. He shared post-draft that, “[Sennecke] is going to be a guy who can play any type of game, a physical game, a skill game or a speed game.” That same sentiment can be applied to hard-hitting defenseman Stian Solberg, another late-riser after multiple strong performances as the top defender on Norway’s international teams. While both Sennecke and Solberg may have capped ceiling compared to the players drafted around them, they’re both easy to project into an NHL role.
Anaheim balanced out their gritty first-rounders with a pair of more skill-based forwards next. Both Pettersson and Massé shined as stout playmakers this season, capable of facilitating transition and creating space in the offensive end – though Pettersson much more of a pass-first centerman, while Massé is a power-forward with a heavy shot. Some public draft rankings had both Pettersson and Massé slated as first-round talents – giving the Ducks promising value through the middle rounds, even if both players will face an uphill battle adjusting to pro pace.
The strong value continued through Anaheim’s third round – with hard-nosed forechecker Procyszyn and high-upside defender Smith. Anaheim rounded out their class with a trio of stylized late-round picks – again finding a mix of skill and finesse, hard-nosed forechecking, and heavy hitting with the respective picks. While Anaheim hasn’t inspired much in the standings, their choices in this year’s draft reaffirms that they’re a team with a vision in mind.
Trade Acquisitions
Brian Dumoulin (Seattle)
Robby Fabbri (Detroit)
With a strong draft out of the way and not many contracts needing negotiated, Anaheim resigned to a fairly low-event summer – made evident by their general lack of involvement on the trade market. The Ducks’ only moves were the cheap acquisitions of veterans Dumoulin and Fabbri, which only cost the team the collective price of Gage Alexander – with the 2026 fourth-round pick traded for Dumoulin cancelled out by a 2025 fourth-rounder alongside Fabbri.
It doesn’t seem likely that either veteran will earn a high-impact role in Anaheim, even despite both boasting Stanley Cup wins. But Fabbri has dwindled to a third-line goal-scoring role, and 30-point consistency, while Dumoulin continues to serve as one of the league’s truest defensive-defensemen. They’ll both battle for roles among the Ducks’ bottom lines, with Dumoulin at an added disadvantage amid the pressure of so many top defensive prospects. He’ll likely face the more inconsistent role of the two as a result, while Fabbri joins the cycle of wingers in Anaheim’s bottom-six.
UFA Signings
F Jansen Harkins (two-year, $1.6MM)
F Carson Meyer (one-year, $775K)*
F Brett Leason (one-year, $1MM)
D Urho Vaakanainen (one-year, $1.1MM)
* denotes a two-way contract
Anaheim’s quiet moves continued into the free agent market, where half of their action was re-signing restricted free agencies who became UFAs after not receiving qualifying offers. That duo – Leason and Vaakanainen – both managed six-figure contracts despite making it to the open market, and should rejoin the battles for ice time on Anaheim’s bottom lines that they each fought last year.
Leason will face added pressure from Anaheim’s other UFA signings – heavy-frame center Jansen Harkins and high-energy winger Carson Meyer. Harkins has played in 199 NHL games over the last five seasons, totaling a meager 31 points but offering a noticeable physical presence from the fourth line. He’ll stand as a fill-in when Anaheim is looking for harder hitting, while Meyer will likely start in the AHL. That’s where he’s spent the bulk of his career so far, and while he’s managed an impressive 110 points in 172 minor-league games, the production hasn’t translated to the top flight, where Meyer’s scored just six points in 41 games. None of the UFA additions seem poised to make a big splash next season, though each of the four will likely slot into at least a handful of NHL games next season.
RFA Re-Signings
F Isac Lundestrom (one-year, $1.5MM)
F Pavol Regenda (one-year, $775K)*
F Nikita Nesterenko (one-year, $874.1K)*
D Jackson LaCombe (two-years, $1.8MM)
* denotes a two-way contract
Isac Lundestrom leads the pack of restricted free-agents continuing on with Anaheim, though he wasn’t able to earn much of 
a commanding salary, after posting just 25 points in 107 games on his last contract. Lundestrom has yet to vindicate his 16-goal, 29-point performance in the 2021-22 season, and while Anaheim has opted to give him one more chance, he’ll need to take full advantage of his opportunities if he wants to stick in the NHL.
Much more optimism can be afforded to defender Jackson LaCombe, who managed 17 points in 71 games as a rookie this season. Never much of a scorer, LaCombe still managed his way to over 19 minutes of ice time on average, and a role on the team’s penalty kill, thanks to his stalwart defense. Anaheim has proven a fairly bleak testing grounds for young defenders, just two seasons removed from averaging the most shots-against in NHL history. But LaCombe weathered the storm and looks the part of, at least, a stout defensive-defenseman for years to come.
Backing Lundestrom and LaCombe is Regenda and Nesterenko, who are each coming off of strong seasons in the minor league. The two rotated around the San Diego Gulls’ middle-six, with Nesterenko totaling 37 points in 70 games and Regenda posting 34 points in 54 games. The pair will be more focused on gaining more minutes in San Diego than in Anaheim next season, though they could be go-to fill-ins for injuries or scratches.
Departures
F Jakob Silfverberg (retirement)
F Ben King (unsigned UFA)
F Connor Hvidston (unsigned UFA)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (New York Rangers, one-year, $775K)*
F Brayden Tracey (unsigned UFA)
F Max Jones (Boston, one-year, $1MM)
F Andrew Agozzino (Utah, two-years, $775K)*
F Ben Meyers (Seattle, one-year, $775K)*
F Glenn Gawdin (Los Angeles, two-years, $775K)*
D Albin Sundsvik (unsigned UFA)
D Gustav Lindstrom (unsigned UFA)
D Colton White (New Jersey, two-years, $775K)*
D Robert Hagg (Vegas, one-year, $775K)
D William Lagesson (Detroit, one-year, $775K)
G Gage Alexander (trade with Detroit)
* denotes a two-way contract
Anaheim’s emphasis on adding depth this summer is made clear by their list of departures. They’re overturning a large chunk of their bottom-end depth this season, though nobody on the list had much of an NHL role. The most notable departure is winger Max Jones, who’s appeared in 258 games with the Ducks over the last six seasons. Formerly a first-round pick in 2016, Jones’ career to this point has been marked by hot-and-cold performances and low-scoring. He’s brought noted grit and physicality to his appearances in the bottom-six, helping him earn some additional playing time on special teams and in crunch time, though he’s only managed a single-season high of 19 points. That came in 69 games last season, and he followed it with an improved scoring pace of 15 points in 52 games this year. That modest scoring, combined with his hefty six-foot-three frame, was enough to earn Jones a one-way contract with the Bruins – where he could stand as the fill-in for Danton Heinen‘s utility role.
Jones’ departure won’t keep Anaheim up at night – nor will the absences of Groulx, Lindstrom, Meyers, Lagesson, Hagg, or Gawdin. All six players appeared in a handful of NHL games this season – led by Groulx’ 45 appearances – though not a single one of them scored a goal, and Lindstrom was the only one to exceed five assists. It’s hefty but well-timed turnover for Anaheim’s depth – and should open the door for top prospects to show their worth. The same can be said of the minor league departures, including unsigned draft picks Sundsvik, King, and Hvidston. While roles will need filled, Anaheim should have the depth to alleviate worry – especially after signing Dillon Heatherington, Roland McKeown, and Ryan Carpenter to minor-league contracts.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Ducks are entering August with $21.72MM in projected cap space – the most in the NHL per PuckPedia. That’s a staggering number considering the team has no remaining RFAs and boasts the structure for a serviceable, albeit not very competitive, NHL roster. Anaheim will enjoy the luxury of a cheap payroll this season, knowing that they’ll have to pay a premium to Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal next summer, and Trevor Zegras, Cutter Gauthier, and Leo Carlsson in 2026.
Key Questions
Can The Youth Fill In? This Ducks seasons will be defined by their star prospects. Each of Gauthier, Olen Zellweger and Tristan Luneau poised for at least a taste at NHL ice time. They’ll join a long list of young Ducks fighting for a role – headlined by the returns of a healthy Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson. An ideal world would have Anaheim’s top lines comprised nearly entirely of U24 players, and they might have the talent to pull that off. Zegras has shown point-per-game upside, while both McTavish and Carlsson could push for at least 50 points. If young defenders Zellweger and Luneau can bring their gifted offense to the top flight, Anaheim could be positioned for the offensive explosion they’ve needed for years.
Who Is The Starter? While Anaheim’s young skaters are looking to climb into starring roles this season, top goalie prospect Lukas Dostal has seemingly already won his battle. Dostal outplayed long-running starter John Gibson in the second-half of last season, posting serviceable performances while Gibson struggled to find any sort of consistency. Gibson still carries a $6.4MM through the next three seasons, likely affording him the first chance at the starting role. But Dostal will be entering the season red-hot after championing Team Czechia to a World Championship gold medal in June. That momentum could be enough to quickly overthrow Gibson, which could send Anaheim frantically looking for a trade for their former star goalie, who’s been on the trade block since before last season. It’s a high stakes position battle and will be among the most impactful storylines of Anaheim’s next season.
Should Zegras Stay Or Should He Go? Trevor Zegras has had plenty of media following his early years in the NHL, as hype around his flashy offense turned into rumors about his availability in trades. The skepticism began with Zegras’ contract holdout ahead of last season, which forced the star forward to miss the bulk of pre-season training before signing a three-year, $17.2MM bridge contract. Maybe because of the lack of warmup, Zegras was quickly and routinely injured this season, ultimately being held to just 31 games and 15 points on the year. He’s maybe the most promising player in Anaheim, with 139 points in 180 games prior to this year’s butchered campaign. But he’s been vocal about his feelings with the organization throughout his struggles, and seems misaligned from the bruiser style Anaheim has built through the draft. Those factors make him a sensible trade option, though any move for the productive 23-year-old and former top-10 pick would have to pay Anaheim handsomely. The potential for a jaw-dropping return will keep fans glued to Zegras trade rumors all season long, especially if he rediscovers his scoring groove.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.