Anaheim Ducks
· 2026-06-28
The Anaheim Ducks traded young players Mason McTavish and Olen Zellweger on Day 1 of the NHL Draft.
The team is coming off a 43-33 record and a 7th place standing in the Western Conference as of June 28, 2026.
The Ducks sent McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the No. 15 and No. 29 picks in the draft.
They also traded Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres for forward prospect Anton Wahlberg and the No. 45 selection.
Pat Verbeek, the general manager, said the team will be active in free agency to fill holes in the roster.
The Ducks lost their last game 1-5 to the Vegas Golden Knights on May 15, 2026.
Verbeek will continue to make moves to build a contender, with the draft and free agency providing opportunities.
The team's offseason business will be mostly complete by the end of July or early August.
The Ducks selected Nikita Klepov with the No. 15 pick, a player they are enamored with.
Verbeek parted with McTavish and Zellweger to get back into the first round of the draft.
The team had lost their pick to the Washington Capitals when they made the playoffs after acquiring John Carlson.
The Ducks are looking to deepen their NHL team through free agency or trades.
Verbeek said they will explore multiple scenarios to make their roster as strong as it can be.
The team's paradigm has shifted after snapping its postseason drought and getting to the second round.
The optics of trading young players without an immediate upgrade are not great.
But Verbeek is focused on building for the future.
The Ducks will need to make moves to plug holes in their roster.
Verbeek said they did look at roster players in trade discussions but pivoted to filling their pipeline with future talent.
The team's standing and record will be important to watch as they head into the new season.
The Ducks' last result was a loss, but they are looking to bounce back.
The team's fans will be watching closely as Verbeek makes his moves.
The NHL Draft is always a time for teams to wheel and deal.
The Ducks are no exception, and Verbeek is taking an active approach.
The team's future is uncertain, but one thing is clear: Verbeek is committed to building a contender.