The Anaheim Ducks need a spark.
While it was mostly smooth sailing in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Ducks have missed the playoffs each of the past seven seasons and have not advanced past the first round since 2017.
Anaheim does have some nice, young players, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, and Mason McTavish, should they retain the restricted free agent. The Ducks have also brought in veterans via trade and free agency, like Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, and Mikael Granlund, to help out the new head coach, Joel Quenneville.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, teams have called about defensemen Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, but general manager Pat Verbeek does not plan to ship either.
Zellweger, 22 in September, is an incredible skater, a strong puck mover, and despite his relatively diminutive 5-foot-9 stature, he can more than hold his own as a defender. Zellweger was also a mainstay on the Canada World Juniors Championship teams and had been a national team member for his age group since 2019-20.
Mintyukov, meanwhile, is very strong defensively and looks worthy of Anaheim’s first-round investment from the 2022 Draft. Mintyukov will turn 22 in November, and alongside Zellweger and LaCombe, should form a solid top-three for years to come.
Everything should change with Quenneville running the show now, as he is no stranger to winning and has no patience for underachievers. Expect him to get the most out of these young, potentially budding stars as the Ducks seek to reverse their fortunes.