Anaheim Ducks Clinch Playoffs for First Time in Eight Years
Eight years of drought end. Anaheim roars back with a revamped roster and coaching staff, overcoming ups and downs to finally clinch a playoff berth.
The Anaheim Ducks will end the NHL’s third-longest playoff drought, as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Nashville Predators on Monday, sending the Ducks to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. From ownership to the front office to the roster, the Ducks set this as a goal for themselves in the spring of 2025, following a 2024-25 season that saw them take a 21-point jump out of the league’s basement in the NHL standings. Some significant changes occurred ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The Ducks parted ways with Greg Cronin and most of his coaching staff and moved on from core roster pieces Trevor Zegras and John Gibson. Cutter Gauthier Becomes Fourth Anaheim Ducks Player in History to Record 40 Goals in a Season Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Overtime Loss to the Vancouver Canucks Anaheim Ducks Goaltender Lukas Dostal Nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy Takeaways from the Ducks 6-1 Win over the Sharks In the Summer of 2025, general manager Pat Verbeek hired Joel Quenneville, and with him, he brought Jay Woodcroft, Ryan McGill, and Andrew Brewer. To the roster, Mikael Granlund, Chris Kreider, and Ryan Poehling were added.
The 2025-26 season had its high highs and low lows, highlighted by two seven-game winning streaks and lowlighted by a nine-game winless streak and a recent six-game winless streak. Young players like Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier have taken significant steps in their development, while veterans like Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba have been seemingly rejuvenated from their first full seasons in Southern California. However, some younger players like Mason McTavish and Olen Zellweger have seen their development stalled or have taken a step back.
Veterans Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano had fallen victim to their fair share of healthy scratches, unexpected from top contributors over the previous three seasons in Anaheim. At the trade deadline, the Ducks moved on from Strome and, in a separate deal, added veteran right-shot defenseman John Carlson. The journey’s been extensive and arduous, but for the first time since the 2017-18 season, there will be NHL hockey games beyond the 82 in the regular season in Orange County.
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