Terry's Hip Surgery Leaves a Hole the Ducks Haven't Filled Yet

Troy Terry had 33 assists last season — more than anyone else on the roster — and he won't be in the lineup when training camp opens. The hip impingement and labral tear repair he underwent in mid-June carries a five-to-six-month recovery window, which puts his return somewhere in the middle of the 2026-27 season at the earliest.

The timing is awkward in a specific way. The Ducks just committed $18 million a year to Leo Carlsson and are building their offensive identity around him and Cutter Gauthier. Terry was the connective tissue — the player who made those two more dangerous by distributing the puck. His 46 points came largely through playmaking, and that function doesn't have an obvious replacement on the current roster.

Management has been active. They signed first-round pick Nikita Klepov to an entry-level deal and acquired AHL forward Sean Farrell from Montreal, adding creative depth at the margins. Those are organizational moves, not like-for-like replacements for a top-six winger who led the team in assists. Beckett Sennecke is the next right wing with meaningful playing time, and he's a young player still finding his footing.

The Ducks will open the season short a forward and short the one guy who made their top line hum. The replacements are interesting. They are not yet answers.