Southern California kicked off the start of a new hockey season this past week with the Anaheim Ducks training camp and the first two games of preseason. Although there is a collective uneasiness amongst most Ducks fans as both Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale remain unsigned, the future certainly looks bright in Anaheim. With a new head coach, the 2nd overall draft pick, and a roster filled with exciting prospects, let’s recap what we’ve seen so far.
It is no secret that the Anaheim Ducks are still in the early stages of an extensive rebuild. The upcoming 2023-24 roster is filled with young and ridiculously talented prospects that will completely reshape this franchise throughout the coming years. Some standout skaters throughout training camp have been Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, Pavol Ragenda, and Vojtech Port. Unfortunately, as of Tuesday night, Port was reassigned to the Edmonton Oil Kings.
During training camp, Pavel Mintyukov proved to be a promising defensive prospect, which Anaheim desperately needs more of in their pipeline, especially with the current absence of Jamie Drysdale.
Head coach Greg Cronin made the unsurprising decision to place Troy Terry, Adam Henrique, and Alex Killorn on a line together during training camp practice and scrimmages. Although expected, this line provides a glimpse of Anaheim’s offensive future. With Terry penning a seven-year deal in August and skating alongside veteran linemates like Henrique and Killorn, this exemplifies how seriously the Ducks coaching staff are investing in Terry’s future.
Jackson LaCombe got called up to the Anaheim Ducks roster at the end of last season but certainly made a breakout appearance during game one of the preseason on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Kings. LaCombe scored two of the Ducks’ three goals, which contributed to Anaheim’s win over Los Angeles. LaCombe proved to be a solid two-way player, and Anaheim will benefit immensely from a dependable defenseman who also obtains the ability to achieve multiple points in a game.
Overall, the result of the first preseason game is a direct reflection of the major changes that were made to Anaheim’s roster and coaching staff during the offseason. With two preseason wins under the Duck’s belt, fans can finally begin to feel a glimmer of hope for the future of their beloved franchise.
Episode 127: The Ol' Meat Sweats – Late Arrivals: An Anaheim Ducks Podcast
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Thanks for the info Hannah!
Great article! Great information and a really fun read.
Looking forward to the new season!
Great Article! I appreciate the detail. Looking forward to keeping up with the Ducks!
Can’t wait for the season!! Thanks for the update, Hannah!!!
So ready for Hockey to return!
Thankyou Hannah! Great info. Yay Ducks!
Great read and well written.
Henrique for Vatanen. Do Ducks fans like that trade? I also write for ITR (you can find my latest article on the site, its about Australian Devils Fans) I’m wondering what Ducks fans think about that trade, then and now.
Hi Joseph, thank you for your question! Sammi Vatanen was certainly a valuable player during his stint with the Ducks. Ultimately, I would argue that the Ducks got the better end of the deal when receiving Henrique. He is an invaluable defenseman, and his hockey IQ elevates the success of the players around him.