2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Anaheim Ducks’ Top 10
Welcome back.
It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.
Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.
Today, we’re kicking off the new year by looking at the Anaheim Ducks.
After a seven-year absence, the Ducks finally qualified for the playoffs this past season.
The club cruised past the Edmonton Oilers in six games to win its first series since 2017 but ultimately fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the next round. In all, it was an impressive season for the Ducks, who are finally on the way up after nearly a decade of darkness.
Still, there are some question marks surrounding the club this year. Defensively, the team took a step back after losing Olen Zellweger, John Carlson, Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba, while only bringing in Nick Jensen (from an NHL perspective). That means we’ll likely see some AHLers make the jump up to full-time duty, with Tyson Hinds, Tristan Luneau and Stian Solberg all looking to battle for one of the remaining spots.
Offensively, the pipeline could still use some work. And while there isn’t a single goalie in the top 10 here (Damian Clara almost made it), there’s actually quite to like in the crease from a future backup perspective. I was happy to see Tomáš Suchánek get back into full-time duty after missing all of 2024-25, and I hope he can bounce back and put himself on the map again.
The Ducks had just one graduate from last year – Beckett Sennecke. I have a sneaking suspicion at least three to four of the players below will get into NHL duty this coming season, though.
Biggest Strength
The Ducks have a lot of depth on the back end in the pipeline – which is good given the lack of depth with the big club. I didn’t rank Hinds here because he’s a 23-year-old who I feel will need to really fight to keep a full-time roster spot over someone like Solberg or Luneau. Still, Hinds will make the jump up to the NHL this year. It was fun watching Tarin Smith this past season, and Lasse Boelius and Darels Uljanskis are personal favorites of mine. The Ducks used their influx of young blueliners to their advantage this year, including trading Olen Zellweger to Buffalo – I wonder if that depth will continue to play a role in future trade discussions.
Biggest Weakness
I’m not totally sold on anyone as a goal-scorer in this crop. Roger McQueen is fascinating because of his size and skill, but he’s not a future top-line guy. And that’s fine; those are hard to find. But there are a few boom-bust offensive types in the system, such as Maxim Massé, Mathis Preston and Marcus Nordmark. I do like Nikita Klepov, though – there’s potential for a top-six forward there. Beyond that, they’ll need to get creative to find some goals.
Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Pat Verbeek
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Martin Madden
Dir. of Player Development: Jim Johnson
AHL Affiliate: San Diego Gulls
ECHL Affiliate: Tulsa Oilers
Recent Graduates: Beckett Sennecke, RW
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Roger McQueen, C, 19 (San Diego Gulls, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 10th overall, first round in 2025
McQueen had 11 goals and 27 points in 36 games with Providence College this past year. Nothing spectacular, and, to some, perhaps concerning for a top-10 draft pick. But the context is important: McQueen had to play some serious catch-up after skating in just 17 regular season games with the Brandon Wheat Kings the year prior. His responsibilities started to rise as the season wore on, and he was quite consistent with and without the puck in the second half. The 6-foot-6 center is still extremely difficult to contain on the rush, and he’s a tremendous playmaker, too. There will be a lot of eyes on him as he heads to San Diego full-time this year, but I actually thought some of his late-season AHL duty was solid. I still have a lot of hope for McQueen.
2. Tristan Luneau, RHD, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)
Acquired: Drafted 53rd overall, second round in 2022
With the Ducks set to boast… an interesting defense group in 2026-27, there has never been a better time for Luneau to steal an NHL roster spot. The 22-year-old has played 14 NHL games over three seasons and even scored in his lone effort in late August. He’s a high-end shot-generation machine from the point and has managed to pull his weight even in some lopsided affairs over the past few years. He’s a mobile right-shot defender who excels at clearing the puck from danger and can go 1-on-1 with the best of them. Some health issues stunted the start of his pro career, but after racing up nearly 100 points in San Diego over the past two years, it’s time for him to push for a bottom-pair role with the big club.
3. Stian Solberg, LHD, 20 (San Diego Gulls, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 23rd overall, first round in 2024
I was hoping to see Solberg get a taste of NHL action this past year, but it never happened. Still, I like him, and that faith was renewed after the 2026 IIHF World Championship, where he helped Norway win bronze. Known more for his physical play, Solberg has continued to develop his puck-handling and has become more confident as a rusher. He just finished his first year of North American pro hockey, where he put up a solid 12 goals, 24 points and 102 penalty minutes in 71 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Solberg can physically dominate opponents, and he continues to become significantly more dangerous with the puck as he gets older.
4. Nikita Klepov, RW, 18 (Michigan State University, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 15th overall, first round in 2026
Klepov was a great pick in the first round back in June – and I think he has top-six potential. The winger is a tremendous playmaker and finished the year as the OHL’s top point producer with 97 points. But he’s also a stout shooter and wasn’t far from reaching the 40-goal barrier. It was surprising, given he only put up 31 points in the USHL the year prior. The Michigan State University commit plays with a ton of finesse, but he’s physically strong, too. He’s just an OK skater, but Klepov tends to make things happen when he’s in control of the puck on the attack. I like him as a potential secondary scorer in the NHL.
5. Lucas Pettersson, C/LW, 20 (San Diego Gulls, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 35th overall, second round in 2024
I thought Pettersson could have been a first-rounder in 2024, but the Ducks snagged him with the 35th pick – a nice value option, in my opinion. After a quiet year of pro hockey two seasons ago, Pettersson finished with just under half a point per game in the SHL and helped Sweden win gold at the World Juniors. There’s nothing flashy about his game, but he’s a solid two-way forward whom you can rely on defensively, and his shot is nothing to sneeze at. I feel like he’s more of a bottom-six player who can kill penalties, but one who could step up in spurts if needed.
6. Herman Träff, LW/RW, 20 (San Diego Gulls, AHL)
Acquired: Traded by New Jersey Devils in 2025
This past season, Träff was the most productive U-21 player in the second-tier Swedish league by quite a margin. The 6-foot-3 winger uses his big frame to check hard, win battles, and consistently power through to the net. Träff has a good shot, battles tenaciously and makes you pay if you hold onto the puck too long. There’s some good power-forward energy here, but Träff does enough in his own zone to be intriguing. Träff joined the Gulls to close out the season, and I expect him to find his footing there somewhere in the middle six this year.
7. Tarin Smith, LHD, 20 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 79th overall, third round in 2024
An injury prevented Smith from partaking in most of Everett’s playoff run or the Memorial Cup. But the captain is coming off a mega season in which he scored 16 goals and totaled 71 points in 65 games. He has always been a productive defender, and he served as a mentor for top 2027 NHL Draft prospect Landon DuPont this year. Defensively, though, Smith has taken big steps forward, using his mobility to take time and space away while also being more difficult to play against physically. Smith is, by all definitions, a fun defender – but college will be a whole other experience. He’ll likely need to calm down the puck rushes, but I feel confident he’ll be fine for the next level.
8. Eric Nilson, C/RW, 19 (Michigan State University, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 45th overall, second round in 2025
Nilson put up a modest 11 points in 35 college games and another three points in seven WJC games. Overall, though, it felt like we were watching a player who would give you consistent effort at both ends of the ice and wouldn’t make many mistakes with the puck. He’s added some muscle to his game over the past year, and it shows in how he handles the puck through traffic on the rush. I’ve never expected Nilson to be an offensive contributor at the next level, but if he can double his output (or, better yet, hit 30 points) next year, he could start to look like a real steal for the Ducks.
9. Maxim Massé, RW, 20 (University of Massachusetts, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted No. 66, third round in 2024
Massé was an absolute star this past year, registering 51 goals and 102 points to help the Chicoutimi Sagueneens make the Memorial Cup. He had a quiet showing in Kelowna, but his team won just a single game and had nothing else to show for it. Massé is a solid two-way player with good energy. His skating isn’t great, but there has been some steady improvement over the past 12 months. Massé’s shot looks pro-ready, and I appreciate how active he is on the penalty kill. I had some concerns about how he’d play outside of a scoring role when he was drafted, and I don’t think those have fully fizzled out yet. But if he keeps going bonkers in the NCAA, he’ll be lethal.
10. Mathis Preston, RW, 18 (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
Acquired: Drafted 50th overall, second round in 2026
I thought Preston was a great value pick at No. 50 – about 25 spots lower than I think he should have gone. He’s an undeniably talented player who could become a top-six threat down the line. Preston has a remarkable shot and often wastes no time firing in the back of the net from the slot. It’s NHL-ready right now – something very few 17/18-year-olds can claim. Preston consistently finds open space, but he can also create those opportunities with his skating. He’s fast, can start and stop on a dime and can often skate himself out of dangerous situations. The production just needs to follow his top-end skill if he’s ever going to have a chance at cracking the top six.
Other Prospects: Nathan Gaucher, C (22); Ethan Procyszyn, C (19), Yegor Sidorov, RW/LW (22), Coulson Pitre, RW/C (21), Nico Myatovic, LW/C (21), Anton Wahlberg, C/LW (20), Sasha Pastujov, RW/LW (22), Kyle Kukkonen, C (23), Michael Callow, RW (22), Alexandre Blais, LW (20), Austin Burnevik, RW (21), Émile Guité, LW (19), Noah Read, C (19), Brady Turko, RW (18), Marcus Nordmark, RW (18), Noah Kosick, C (17), Rian Chudzinski, RW (18), Konnor Smith, LHD (21), Noah Warren, RHD (21), Darels Uljanskis, LHD (19), Tyson Hinds, LHD (23), Lasse Boelius, LHD (19), Anthony Allain-Samaké, LHD (18), Alexis Mathieu, LHD (19), Drew Schock, LHD (19), Eric Frossard, LHD (18), Jayden Kurtz, D (18), Jimmy Rieber, D (18), Tomas Suchanek, G (23), Elijah Neuenschwander, G (19), Gleb Peshkov, G (18), Damian Clara, G (21),
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