The Anaheim Ducks will be without the services of Isac Lundestrom for the first part of the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old forward underwent surgery after sustaining a torn Achilles while training in his home country of Sweden. Lundestrom is expected to need roughly six months of recovery, so it’s unlikely he’ll return to the lineup before the calendar flips to 2024.
Lundestrom displayed some two-way potential during the 2021-22 campaign. He was primarily deployed in a defensive role but still managed to generate 16 goals and 29 points in 80 games. He also tied for second in the league with four shorthanded goals. However, Lundestrom struggled mightily last season, along with most of the players on the Ducks’ roster. His offensive contributions dropped to a mere four goals and 14 points in 61 appearances.
Lundestrom will not get the opportunity to bounce back out of the gate due to his offseason injury, and his roster spot will need to be filled by someone else. Anaheim has plenty of internal options, including some excellent prospects who will likely receive long looks during training camp. The Ducks could also bring in additional competition via the free-agent market or by signing a player to a professional tryout.
Ducks’ In-House Options
Anaheim could fill the void at center with prospects eager to make an impact at the NHL level or by moving some players around. Here are some of their options.
Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Benoit-Olivier Groulx will probably be among the first players who come to mind. He set new career highs in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season with 18 goals, 39 points and 136 shots on goal in 63 contests. Groulx was one of the few bright spots on the San Diego Gulls during the 2022-23 campaign.
Groulx has one goal, two assists, 19 shots on net, six blocks and 19 hits in 20 outings with Anaheim over the past two seasons. The 23-year-old could take on Lundestrom’s defensive responsibilities. He showcased his two-way upside in the junior ranks, winning the Guy Carbonneau Trophy as the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s (QMJHL) Best Defensive Forward in 2019-20. He also racked up 29 goals and 78 points across 55 games for the Halifax Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats that year.
Nathan Gaucher
Nathan Gaucher would also make sense to fill the position left vacant by Lundestrom. The 19-year-old selected 22nd overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft has been viewed as Anaheim’s third-line center of the future. He was also named the QMJHL’s Best Defensive Forward following the 2022-23 season.
Gaucher, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 207 pounds, was already considered a solid possibility to push for a roster spot heading into the season because of his versatility. “He can play any position, and he did it all season long,” said Anaheim’s director of player development Jim Johnson. “First-line center. He can go check and be the third-line center. He can play the wing. He’s got unbelievable power. I think he’s very effective on the forecheck, he’s very physical there. He can finish his checks, and he kills plays in the defensive zone.”
Gaucher’s odds of landing a roster spot out of training camp increased substantially because of Lundestrom’s absence. Obviously, it doesn’t hurt that he is well-suited for the role. Still, the Anaheim brass may choose to be patient with him and give him more time to develop in the AHL before he makes the jump to the NHL.
Related: Ducks Prospects Who Could Play in the NHL in 2023-24
Whether he debuts in the NHL or the AHL could also be tied to Leo Carlsson’s decision. If Carlsson, who was the 2nd overall selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, makes the transition to playing in North America this season, it could affect what happens with Gaucher. Carlsson could be utilized in a top-six role with the Ducks. It will be interesting to see how many prospects start the season in Anaheim and who ends up being assigned to the minors.
Ryan Strome
Another option would be to shift Ryan Strome to center after he spent most of last season on the wing. The 30-year-old forward headed to Orange County after some very successful seasons with the New York Rangers being flanked by Artemi Panarin.
Unfortunately, Strome did not make a strong first impression in Anaheim. His production plummeted, and his defensive issues became glaringly apparent. He finished the first season of his five-year, $25 million contract with more questions than answers following a 15-goal, 41-point performance.
Strome shouldn’t be deployed in a shutdown role on the third line because of his shortcomings on defense. It might make more sense to drop Mason McTavish to that spot, but his talents would be better served on the second line. McTavish displayed plenty of offensive upside during his rookie campaign. Having Strome’s playmaking ability on the wing is arguably a better situation for him to be in as well.
Ducks’ Out-of-House Options
The Ducks would probably benefit more from spending on an upgrade on the wing, especially a scorer, rather than a center, but there are some experienced options available if the team wants their younger players to gain more seasoning in the AHL.
Pius Suter
If the Ducks want a replacement outside of the organization, Suter’s name should be at the top of the list. He is a versatile two-way forward who can kill penalties and chip in offensively. He has also registered at least 14 goals in each of his previous three seasons.
He produced 21 assists and 36 points in 82 games for the Detroit Red Wings during the 2021-22 season and would fit in nicely as the third-line center. He could also maintain a spot in a shutdown capacity as a winger once Lundestrom is available to return.
Sam Gagner
Gagner could be a free-agent signing or a camp invitee. His health will be a big factor heading into the season after his 2022-23 campaign was cut short due to hip problems – the Winnipeg Jets announced in mid-March that Gagner was scheduled to have surgery on both hips. He posted eight goals and 14 points in 48 appearances last season. The 34-year-old forward had 13 goals and 18 assists over 81 contests with Detroit in 2021-22 while leading the team with 191:21 of shorthanded ice time.
Ducks’ Possible Starting Centers
It will not be surprising if the Ducks entered the 2023-24 season with a center group of Trevor Zegras, McTavish, Strome and Groulx, or perhaps Zegras, McTavish, Groulx, and Sam Carrick. However, a top-three combination of Carlsson, McTavish, and Gaucher would be a fascinating development. If that ends up being the case, Zegras could be shifted to the wing. Despite the loss of Lundestrom, Anaheim won’t be hurting for center considerations when training camp opens, and the possibility of introducing Carlsson and/or Gaucher into the mix adds plenty of intrigue to the equation.