Episode
Spring Cleaning – Anaheim Ducks
- Podcast
- NHL Wraparound Podcast
- Published
- Jul 14, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 575
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
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Summary
The Anaheim Ducks took a major step forward during the 2025-26 season, ending an eight-year playoff drought by finishing third in the Pacific Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Neil Smith and Vic Morren look back at the moves that fueled Anaheim's turnaround, including the hiring of Joel Quenneville, the emergence of one of the NHL's brightest young cores, and Pat Verbeek's aggressive roster construction. They also examine the Ducks' statistical profile, why the numbers don't tell the full story, and the important contract decisions that will shape Anaheim's future as they continue their climb toward Stanley Cup contention. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] The Ducks complete a remarkable turnaround by finishing third in the Pacific Division, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018, defeating Edmonton in six games before falling to Vegas in the second round. Neil and Vic revisit their preseason expectations after Anaheim added Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, retained Lukas Dostal, and traded longtime goaltender John Gibson to Detroit. [00:01:00] Neil discusses why Pat Verbeek's decision to hire Joel Quenneville proved to be one of the organization's most important moves. The conversation also looks at the growth of Anaheim's young defense, veteran leadership from Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, and the addition of John Carlson at the trade deadline. [00:02:00] Anaheim's season was anything but consistent. After an 11-3-1 start, the Ducks endured an 0-8-1 slide before responding with multiple lengthy winning streaks. Neil explains why those ups and downs are typical of one of the NHL's youngest rosters. [00:03:00] Vic examines why Anaheim's statistics paint a very different picture than their playoff appearan…