This has been the busiest summer of Pat Verbeek’s four offseasons as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. He gave the roster a significant facelift, shipping out long-time pieces Trevor Zegras and John Gibson while acquiring four players set to fill important roles on the depth chart.
Along with new faces on the ice, a largely new coaching staff will play a crucial role in the upcoming and pivotal season for the Ducks franchise. Verbeek’s contract is coming to an end, and playoffs have been the stated mandate from both Verbeek and ownership alike.
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Focusing on the depth chart, Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Petr Mrazek are all expected to elevate and insulate the Ducks’ young core while impacting games on a nightly basis in their designated roles.
Chris Kreider
Chris Kreider (34), along with former New York Rangers captain and current Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba, was part of a widely publicized and now notorious memo from Rangers GM Chris Drury stating the pair's availability for trade.
The Ducks parted with prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar) to acquire Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander).
Following his three best seasons from a goalscoring perspective from 2022 through 2024, where he totaled 52, 36, and 39 goals, respectively, he only managed 22 goals in 2024-25 and added just eight assists for 30 points in 68 games, his lowest points-per-game average in his 13-year NHL career.
Much of his poor season may be attributed to a slew of injuries, including back spasms, a broken hand, and a bout with vertigo; injuries he admittedly shouldn’t have attempted to play through.
Kreider’s speed, tenacity, and net front skill are all components that the Ducks have lacked during the latter stages of their rebuild, and he seems like a seamless fit anywhere on the left side of the Ducks' top nine.
He has two years remaining on his contract, which carries a $6.5 million AAV and a 15-team NMC.
Mikael Granlund
After failing to make a splash during the 2024 free agency period, the Ducks signed Mikael Granlund (33) to a three-year contract, carrying an AAV of $7 million and a full no-trade clause in year one that decreases to a 15-team NTC in year two and a ten-team NTC in year three.
One of Granlund’s most notable strengths is his versatility. He can…