Ducks Head Into 2026-27 Short-Handed on Defense and in Goal

Troy Terry's absence has been the loudest offseason story, and I've written about it already — but it's worth noting what's sitting behind it. The Ducks traded away both Olen Zellweger and John Carlson this summer, and the back end entering training camp is thin in a way that was already visible last April. In the final 10 games of 2025-26, Anaheim gave up 4.1 goals per game, and Pavel Mintyukov was eating over 21 minutes a night just to keep the unit functional. That's a lot to ask of a young defenseman, and it's the kind of structural problem that doesn't fix itself.

Jackson LaCombe logged 24.4 minutes per game last season and remains the clear anchor. The drop-off behind him is steep. The offseason moves — re-signing Mintyukov long-term, adding AJ Greer, signing Nikita Klepov to an entry-level deal — address organizational depth, but none of it directly fills the second-pairing hole that the Zellweger and Carlson trades opened up.

In goal, the situation is similarly thin. Lukas Dostal is the starter, and right now there's no established backup behind him with meaningful NHL playing time. Petr Mrazek is currently listed as out. That's a one-goalie operation heading into camp, which is a fragile way to open a season.

The Ducks have Carlsson, Gauthier, and a real core to build around. But the roster around that core — on the blue line and in net — needs answers that the offseason hasn't fully provided yet.