So, the Edmonton Oilers continue to hang on to their playoff lives by the skin of their teeth. They forced a Game 6 in Edmonton on Friday (June 21), which promises to be electric. That said, postseason hockey is nearing its end. For the other 30 teams in the NHL, focus shifted long ago to offseason priorities, including and especially the two biggest storylines of every NHL offseason: the NHL Entry Draft (June 28 and 29) and Free Agency (July 1). The Anaheim Ducks, who just experienced their sixth-straight season without the playoffs, have yet another premium draft pick – third overall – and a surplus of salary cap room – more than $30 million – to play with. Those, in and of themselves, are reasons to be excited about the offseason if you’re a Ducks fan. Let’s look at some others.
Reason 1: Those Uniforms…
Let’s begin with the recent revelation, and subsequent hints by the franchise, that the team will don new uniforms starting with the 2024-25 season. We’ll stop short of saying that the Ducks have a storied uniform history, but there nevertheless have been variations over their 30 seasons that have ranged from iconic to, let’s just say, boring. The introduction of new uniforms as the franchise continues its build, both on the ice and in the greater Orange County community, is a fresh injection of energy that should be treated with optimism by fans.
Related: Anaheim Ducks Jersey History
It shouldn’t be hard to beat their latest batch of primary uniforms. It’s not unfair to say that the Ducks haven’t had the greatest run when it comes to uniforms since their 2007 rebrand, even if they have achieved a fair amount of success on the ice. They have sprinkled in some good looks here and there, including and especially their 30th anniversary jersey, but their nightly home and aways have left a lot to be desired for far too long. They now have a chance to change that narrative.
Reason 2: A New Captain Lies on the Horizon
General Manager Pat Verbeek has stated that naming a captain is a priority. What isn’t exciting about that? It’ll be the first captain since franchise-legend and all-time points, assists, and games played leader Ryan Getzlaf hung up his skates following the 2021-22 season.
Who it is remains to be seen, but there certainly are candidates everywhere you look. If Verbeek hands the honor to another veteran, then names like Cam Fowler or Radko Gudas make sense. If he opts for the longer-term (and more logical) play of naming one of their young players captain, then names like Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish come to mind. Verbeek knows more than we do, but one thing that we do know is that Getzlaf leaves behind big skates to fill. Under his leadership and big-game skill, the Ducks were perennial players in the Western Conference playoff picture, making the Western Conference Final twice and the second round an additional time.
Verbeek being ready to name a captain is indicative of the direction he is ready for this team to head: forward. He stated in his end-of-season availability that the two years in his post has given him “a really good handle on how the room’s working [and] who all the voices are.” That sounds like a guy who has found his man — or men — to wear letters for the Ducks for the foreseeable future.
Reason 3: The Ducks Have Money to Spend
The Ducks have handed out generous contracts to a number of veterans in recent seasons, most recently Alex Killorn and Gudas during the 2023 offseason. Before that, it was Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. Despite the assumption that some, maybe all, of those contracts will at some point become a burden, the truth is that those are battle-tested veterans and leaders. Some are champions. Having them, not to mention the young talent, can make an attractive free agent destination. And lucky for the Ducks, they’ve got money on their side, too.
The 2024 NHL free-agent pool consists of players like Brandon Montour, Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Jonathan Marchessault, and so many others. With their estimated $30-plus million in cap room, the Ducks can make a splash. Signing a big name carries the potential to advance the Ducks’ timeline overnight. There’s no guarantee Verbeek can pry any of these guys from the grips of what other teams can offer, but when you consider that the Ducks, for the first time in a while, can offer something besides money and great weather, it sure makes free agency this offseason a must-follow.
Reason 4: Draft Picks to Use, or Leverage, to Make the Team Better
Since 2019, the Ducks have picked ninth, sixth, 10th, 22nd, second, and third in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. They have also picked many times early in the second round, all of which has netted them a group of players that should lead them back to meaningful hockey. In the upcoming draft, they again have the third-overall pick.
However, we can probably feel safe making the argument it’s at least worth considering trading that pick. The Ducks do not need another teenager who in all likelihood will not be an impact player for at least a season or two, or maybe more. They need needle-movers. There should be teams out there with impact players they wouldn’t mind moving if it meant acquiring a high first-rounder and whatever else the Ducks might package. Right? Or Wrong? You let me know in the comments! Either way, a third-overall pick in the draft puts the Ducks in a position to improve their roster, which is always a great thing.
Reason 5: The Young Players Are Ready to Fill Up the Roster
To round out our list, let’s go with the obvious: the young talent. Every piece of the young core, which for years now has been lauded as one of the deepest pools of young talent league-wide, has NHL experience under their belt. With Carlsson, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, McTavish and others, the Ducks are finally set to ice a roster where the expectation goes beyond creating a culture and learning how to become pros. Sure, many of them are merely a portion of a full season into their careers, and the learning curve will remain steep. But, with the exception of Cutter Gauthier and whoever they take at third overall in the coming draft barring a trade, the foundational pieces of the Ducks’ future will all enter next season with NHL experience. They’ve been to the show. Battled against other pros. Competed in big games.
Plus, they are complemented by a stable of veterans like Gudas, Killorn, Fowler, and Vatrano, who have developed chemistry with their young teammates. Don’t forget about Terry as well, who should only continue his ascent in the Ducks forward group as guys like Zegras, Carlsson, and McTavish gain more experience. The combination of youth and experience on both sides of the puck should give us all plenty to be excited about as we wait for next season.
Ultimately, the Offseason Needs to Be All About Forward Progress
We’ve just outlined five reasons Ducks fans should be excited about what lies ahead in the summer months. The excitement, however, would be for naught if both the front office and the players fail to grasp the important of their jobs this offseason. Just as Verbeek and head coach Greg Cronin need to determine ways to make this team better, the players need to get better as well. After six seasons of mediocre to downright terrible hockey, it’s time for the franchise to take the next step. For reasons we’ve just outlined, it seems that they finally seem ready for that.
Everybody said the right things. Everyone wants to move toward Stanley Cup contention. Everybody knows they need to have productive summers. Proof will be in the pudding, as it always is, and in a few month’s time, we’ll start to learn whether the Ducks are for real about climbing out their six-season slump.
