IRVINE, Calif. – Chris Kreider vividly recalls a time when playing in Anaheim felt like a “nightmare.” His candid remarks came in response to a question about how the Ducks have managed to transform themselves into a more appealing destination for NHL players, a stark contrast to their recent past.
Kreider elaborated on the dreaded “Cali trip,” a four-day ordeal involving three games against the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. He described the Kings as “monsters” due to their imposing size, with most players exceeding six feet and averaging 210 pounds. The Sharks presented their own challenges with stars like Brent Burns, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Thornton.
“Burns pinned me against the boards,” Kreider recounted, “and I thought, `I`ll move my feet, the refs will see I can`t go anywhere and I`ll draw a penalty.` That`s when I looked down and my feet weren`t touching the ice. I`m 6-3, and I was playing at 230 pounds. Brent Burns just lifted me off the ice.”
His experiences in Anaheim were no less humbling. “I don`t think I ever touched the puck when I was in this building,” Kreider admitted, recalling matchups against the formidable duo of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. “I got the `honor` of matching up against them a few times, and I was called into the coaches` room after that trip. I got told that my game wasn`t where it needed to be.”
Reflecting on those challenging times, Kreider now points to the young talent in the Ducks` locker room, specifically mentioning Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Jackson LaCombe. “You look at those guys,” Kreider observed. “There`s going to be a day in the near future where [opponents] are saying the same thing about them.”
For Kreider, this burgeoning talent is why the Ducks are once again a desirable destination. But does it make them a playoff team?
“From my perspective, the expectation is to make the playoffs,” stated Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. “So, your answer to that is yes.”
A Franchise on the Rise: Rebuilding for Contention
After seven consecutive seasons missing the playoffs, questions loomed about the Ducks` future. However, through astute drafting, they`ve cultivated one of the NHL`s premier farm systems, now beginning to yield answers. Although they missed the playoffs last season, their 80 points marked their highest total in six years.
This past offseason proved pivotal in franchise history. General Manager Pat Verbeek and his team made significant moves, trading veteran goaltender John Gibson and dynamic forward Trevor Zegras, both of whom had at different times been the face of the organization. They strategically acquired experienced players like Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider, while also securing their young core with long-term contracts.
Verbeek also dismissed coach Greg Cronin after two seasons, bringing in three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville. Quenneville, who had led the Chicago Blackhawks to those championships, had been out of coaching for nearly four seasons. He resigned from the Florida Panthers in October 2021 and was subsequently banned by the league following an investigation into the Blackhawks` mishandling of sexual assault allegations made by former player Kyle Beach against video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup run. The NHL eventually lifted Quenneville’s ban in 2024.
The trades of Gibson and Zegras, the influx of veterans, and the confidence in their young core`s readiness, combined with the controversial hiring of Quenneville, all signal a potential turning point for the Ducks.
“The last couple years, we`ve gone into it like, `We might have a good team. It`s going to be this young guy`s first year or that young guy`s first year.` It was almost a question of, `If this guy steps up, we could have a good team,`” said Ducks winger Troy Terry. “I think this year we still have some young players but they`re experienced now and we`ve seen what they can do now. There are less questions of `If this and this happens, we should be a good team` and know we should be a good team.”
Strategic Drafting and Veteran Mentorship
Martin Madden, the Ducks` assistant GM and director of amateur scouting since 2008, has been instrumental in the team`s talent acquisition, drafting 56 players who have reached the NHL. This includes their entire seven-player class from 2011, featuring Josh Manson, William Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and John Gibson.
The current homegrown core, including Lukas Dostal, Mason McTavish, Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe, and Troy Terry, were all drafted under Madden`s guidance. Since Verbeek`s arrival in 2022, the team added Pavel Mintyukov and Leo Carlsson through the draft and acquired Cutter Gauthier, originally the fifth overall pick by the Flyers in 2022, via trade.
“We came up with a philosophy on the players that we want to draft and we proceeded to try and execute that as closely as possible given the fact there are variables like if a guy is there and if not, you might not have a choice,” Verbeek explained. “That`s how we`ve gone about it. The other part is making sure you get to pick high. You know you`re going to find some gems later in the draft. But you have a better chance of finding them if you`re picking high.”
Madden and Verbeek focused on prospects who demonstrated competitiveness, intelligence, and a strong work ethic, acknowledging that each player`s development path would be unique. For instance, Jackson LaCombe spent four years in college hockey, while Carlsson played against professionals in Sweden, and McTavish gained experience in both the OHL and AHL before making it to the NHL in the same year.
The strategy also extended to acquiring experienced players. Verbeek targeted veterans with Stanley Cup victories, like Alex Killorn, or those with extensive playoff experience, such as Mikael Granlund, Radko Gudas, Jacob Trouba, and Chris Kreider.
Verbeek appealed to these veterans by offering them a significant role in building a substantial team culture around a special homegrown core. “I was an older player too, and you can see it and feel it when you play with those [young] players,” Verbeek noted. “So I feel that was something that was attractive for those players.”
A prime example of this dynamic is the relationship between Carlsson and Granlund. Drafted second overall in 2023, Carlsson is expected to develop into a top-line, two-way center. Granlund was signed to provide a proven two-way, top-nine anchor. The Ducks strategically placed Carlsson`s locker next to Granlund`s at the practice facility, fostering a relationship where Carlsson can receive instant feedback and advice.
Veterans Kreider and Trouba, who experienced a rebuild with the New York Rangers, emphasized the importance of passing down knowledge while also being a sounding board for young players navigating the NHL. Kreider added that while veterans should lead, they also encourage young players to express themselves.
Troy Terry, the 28-year-old longest-serving Duck, has a firm grasp on the significance of these moves. He believes the front office`s commitment to drafting, developing, and adding veterans signals a serious push for long-term success. “It sends the message that we do have the guys here now that can make that push and at minimum, fight for a playoff spot,” Terry said. “I think just the moves that were made help our team a lot but it helps send the message internally that it`s time to really take that next step.”
The Quenneville Question: Leadership and Accountability
Joel Quenneville faces both on-ice and off-ice challenges. Four seasons removed from coaching, there are questions about his strategic approach. More significantly, there are ongoing concerns about what he has learned from his role in the Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
The second-winningest coach in NHL history declared upon taking the Ducks job in May that he is a changed man. The lingering questions persist: How has he changed? What measures are he and the Ducks implementing to prevent a situation akin to the Columbus Blue Jackets` acknowledged mistake in hiring Mike Babcock?
Quenneville and Verbeek addressed these concerns multiple times during Quenneville`s introductory news conference, and months later, the Ducks continue to field questions.
A team source informed ESPN that the organization is committed to transparency regarding Quenneville`s hiring process and their pre-existing efforts to ensure a safe environment for all employees. “A lot of the people I worked with were very helpful in how to deal with, how to be aware and how to address these situations,” Quenneville stated. “We talked about this on the first day of training camp, about what my takeaways were from the last four years. A lot of people taught me important things … and the one thing I want to apply is that it`s not going to happen on our watch.”
“The awareness factor — be it staff, players, one another. Let`s make sure that we`re all aware that any instances of bad behavior are addressed and identified and that accountability is there and that trust and support is there. I think that the most important thing for me and for us is that your safety is the priority.”
Verbeek highlighted that the education and programming Quenneville underwent with advocacy groups over the past three years mirror initiatives the Ducks owners, Henry and Susan Samueli (who have owned the team since 2003), have supported for several years. Verbeek affirmed the Ducks provide “constant education” and conduct refreshment training every two years. He added that their training has established practices and protocols for recognizing warning signs as a preventative measure.
Quenneville emphasized that his time spent conversing with sexual assault survivors underscored why such situations “can never happen again.” “I can`t be in a position to even think about letting it happen again,” Quenneville asserted. “I learned I should have done more things. I should have asked more questions. I should have been tougher in some meetings to find out more. I`ll take ownership of that and I know that it won`t happen again.”
The NHL previously deemed Quenneville, along with then-Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman and executive Al MacIsaac, ineligible for employment in the league, and the Blackhawks were fined $2 million for inadequate policies. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman lifted Quenneville`s ban in July 2024, citing the “sincere remorse” expressed by Bowman, MacIsaac, and Quenneville for their “unacceptable” response to the allegations. Bowman was the first of the three to return to the NHL in summer 2024 as the GM of the Edmonton Oilers.
Quenneville`s Track Record and Future Impact
On the ice, Quenneville`s success with the Blackhawks stemmed from his consistent ability to elevate young talent, including Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Jonathan Toews. His time with the Florida Panthers, seeing players like Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, and Jonathan Huberdeau, reminded him of his Blackhawks era, making South Florida an attractive coaching prospect. The Panthers, building around Barkov and Ekblad, later traded Huberdeau for Matthew Tkachuk, winning consecutive Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025.
Despite being eligible to return in 2024-25, Quenneville did not secure a job that season but closely followed the NHL. Living in Florida, he was contacted by Verbeek, his former Hartford Whalers teammate, who pitched him on coaching the Ducks.
“Before that, I was looking at, `Where could I go if there was an opportunity?`” Quenneville recalled. “From what I saw and from what everyone told me, this is the place to come. This is a team that`s ready. They got a lot of the right pieces.”
Quenneville enters this season just 31 wins shy of 1,000 career victories, placing him second on the NHL`s all-time wins list behind Scotty Bowman (1,244). His impressive win record and Stanley Cups cement his status as one of the league`s greatest coaches and undoubtedly the most high-profile coach the Ducks have ever employed.
A key to Quenneville`s success has been his knack for teaching and connecting with young players. During his first season with the St. Louis Blues, defenseman Chris Pronger, then a 22-year-old captain, achieved a career-high in points. Similarly, in his inaugural season in Chicago, several players, including Kane, Keith, Toews, and Seabrook, set new career highs. A comparable pattern emerged in Florida with Barkov and Ekblad.
The question remains: Can he achieve similar results with the Ducks` young core in 2025-26 and beyond?
“It`s exciting, but obviously, it`s all on me though when it comes to playing better,” Carlsson commented on the prospect of improving under Quenneville. “The thing is he`s proven to younger guys that he`s about giving us a fair chance, and I`m excited for that. He`s just a coach that makes your game better, which I love.”
