Although the Anaheim Ducks have had difficulty winning matches this preseason, all hope is not lost. The team looked relatively solid; They have just been surpassed by the Los Angeles Kings, as is typical of the rivals. If the ducks are not opposed to the kings, they have been able to find an incredible success. Monday’s match against the Utah Mammoth saw a duck team that was a force to take into account. Five different ducks that find the back of the net and 12 different ducks that register a point are nothing to shake your head. It was certainly a memorable show, and there have been some striking players everywhere in the preseason.
Jackson Lacombe Talls 3 points
It is no surprise for Ducks fans that Jackson Lacombe has been in peak shape this preseason. The young defender achieved 43 points last season (14 goals, 29 assists) in 75 games and was one of the strongest and most consistent players of the ducks. So far, Lacombe has proven in his two pre-season matches that he is ready to be on the ice again and is looking for a career-high performance this season.
In Monday’s match against De Mammoet, Lacombe registered a secondary assisting on the second period of Matthew Phillips and back-to-back secondary assists on the goals of Ryan Strome and Ross Johnston. He also ended the game with a plus-4 rating, which further proved that he made a noticeable difference on the ice. On Wednesday evening against the kings, Lacombe 23:37 spent the highest of all skaters on ice. It is clear that the coaching staff appreciates the defender, goes into the NHL his fourth season and knows that this season he will be a critical asset for the team’s performance.
Matthew Phillips Surprised with 2-goal Tones
A player whose version was much more surprising than that of Lacombe was Phillips. Phillips signed a two -year contract With the affiliate of the Ducks’ American Hockey League (AHL), the San Diego -Meeuwen, in July 2025 and was invited to the training camp by the Ducks. Phillips, prepared by the Calgary Flames in 2016, has spent the majority of his professional career in the small competitions. The attacker played only 34 games in the NHL and splits the time between the Flames, Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. Last season he played with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL and played an impressive 57 points in 65 games.
Phillips has put that version, combined with its two goals in the preview game on Monday, on the radar of the Ducks. Although Phillips is noticeably substandard (5-foot-8, 161 pounds), it has not been an obstacle in the least. Phillips skates quickly and can find open lanes to shoot accurately. Although he will mainly play with the seagulls, it would be well deserved if he would be called to the NHL at least a handful of turning. The ducks can benefit from an accurate, competent shooter and a player who can easily maneuver in and out of opposition. He has proven himself in the small competitions and now needs time to develop his game at NHL level to become the best version of himself.
The newcomers of ducks impress the ice
Beckett Sennecke
Beckett Sennecke was the first round of the Ducks in 2024 (selected Third General). The young attacker is absolutely dazzling at Junior level, ending last season With 84 points. Fans wanted to see how he would perform in the training camp, and when the pre -season started, Sennecke did not disappoint. In the first match of the preseason against the Kings, Sennecke had three shots. He scored his first previous season NHL goal in the game against the Mammoet.
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Head coach Joel Quenneville spoke strongly about Sennecke After the game. “He has some skill … He has many fun things in his game,” he said. He added continuation: “He showed a number of really good flashes … We love the way he progresses in the camp.” It will be interesting to see what the ducks make with regard to Sennecke’s career this season; However, it would not be surprising to see him play a handful of games in the NHL.
Mikael Granlund
On the other side of the age spectrum, 33-year-old Mikael Granlund is another newcomer who had a good show in the preseason. Granlund registered his first presentation point in the match against Mammoth, a primary assist on Phillips’ second goal. He also made a block, a shot and a hit in the game. In the second match of the team against the Kings, Granlund placed a face -off percentage of 53.8%. His experienced presence, physical play and puck control will prove to be a valuable possession as the regular season starts.
Other remarkable newcomers
The ducks made many movements this season, changed their selection and added new names and faces. Although you may not find their names on the score sheet, these players are still showing up for their team in the preseason to date. Ryan Poehling has registered attacker four shots in his two games with the ducks. Chris Kreider has had quite a bit of ice age, 16:39 in his first game and 15:14 in his second. Rookie Stian Solberg, also set up in the first round with Sennecke, made three shots and made three big hits. He will be a physical presence on the blue line, no questions asked. It becomes clear and will remain alone that the schedule moves the ducks that has made this season out of season, could be very beneficial.
Petr Mrazek and other goalkeepers make big saves
Petr Mrazek is another newcomer who was taken over in an exchange with the Detroit Red Wings with the goalkeeper of old ducks John Gibson. Mrazek will be the back -up goalkeeper of Lukas Dostal and has large skates to fill, such as Gibson ended his time in Anaheim With a .910 savings percentage (SV%) and 2.89 goals against average. Mrazek proved himself as a valuable member of the goalkeeper Tandem in Monday’s match against the Mammoet and stopped 25 of 26 Schoten. He posted a .902 SV% last season and will probably repeat that level of performance this season.
The other goalkeepers of the Ducks also had solid impressions in the preseason. Ville Husso stopped 30 of 32 shots against the kings for a .938 SV%. Dostal and Calle Clang split time in the net on Wednesday evening. Dostal stopped 17 of 18 Schoten and Clang 10 of 12, which yielded the tandem a .888 SV%. Although the primary goalkeeper tandem in Anaheim Dostaal and Mrazek will be, some solid options such as Backup are needed.
In general, the ducks have had a decent pre -season performance, even when the win -column does not reflect their performance. It is promising for fans, who are desperate at a higher level of success of the team after several losing seasons. The Ducks will play their next prescription match against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday – hopefully there will be a victory in their future.
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