- The league announced that Ducks forward Ryan Strome was fined the maximum of $5K for a cross-check on Seattle’s Tye Kartye during yesterday’s game. The incident occurred early in the third period with both players receiving penalties on the play, Strome for the cross-check and Kartye for roughing.
Ducks Rumors
Ducks Sign Nico Myatovic To Entry-Level Deal
The Ducks have signed left-wing prospect Nico Myatovic to a three-year entry-level contract beginning in the 2024-25 season, per a team announcement. Myatovic will finish out the 2023-24 season on a tryout with AHL San Diego. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Myatovic, 19, was the first pick in the second round of last year’s draft. The 6’3″ forward was projected as a rather well-rounded offensive talent, notching 30 goals and 30 assists for 60 points in 68 games with WHL Seattle in his draft year.
After capping off his season with a WHL championship, things soured drastically for Myatovic this season. His Seattle club as a whole largely collapsed, losing multiple players to the pros and their remaining stars missing significant time due to injuries, Myatovic included. He sustained an injury just four games into the season that kept him out through January, limiting him to 34 games on the year. Even when in the lineup, he wasn’t scoring at last year’s rate, lighting the lamp nine times. His overall production remained at the same pace, though, adding 21 assists for 30 points. He checks in as the #12 prospect in the organization in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s latest rankings, sitting among 11 other players in what he terms the third tier of Anaheim prospects.
Myatovic will be 20 by January 1, and since he’s already accumulated four years of service in major junior hockey, he’ll be permitted to play in San Diego full-time next season per the NHL/CHL transfer agreement. However, since he’ll still be 19 as of September 15, his contract can slide one season. If he plays less than 10 NHL games in 2024-25, the contract will defer to 2025-26 and expire in 2028 instead of 2027.
The Prince George, British Columbia native is the second member of Anaheim’s 2023 class to sign a contract, joining second-overall pick Leo Carlsson. He’ll be an RFA upon expiry.
West Notes: McGinn, Grundström, Krug, Joshua
The Anaheim Ducks have announced that forward Brock McGinn has undergone successful back surgery, focused on his intervertebral discs (Twitter link). This operation is expected to hold McGinn out for four months, ending his season early. McGinn has been on injured reserve since February 17th and absent from Anaheim’s lineup since January 25th.
This news marks the final blow in what was a difficult season for McGinn – who suffered a significant lower-body injury just days before Anaheim’s first game of the season that held him out for a month. That injury, as well as a brief departure for the birth of his first child in late December, held McGinn to just 24 appearances in the first half of the season. Those games will now stand as his only this year, marking the least he’s played since turning pro in the 2014-15 season. McGinn managed one goal, three points, four penalty minutes, and a -5 this year while averaging roughly 11 minutes of ice time. Anaheim has utilized a variety of talents in his place – with the Ducks debut of Ben Meyers, the return of Trevor Zegras from injury, and bottom-six stalwarts like Ross Johnston and Benoit-Olivier Groulx working to fill open minutes. McGinn will look to rejoin the bottom-six mix next season, with one year remaining on his contract.
Other notes from around the league:
- Gritty forward Carl Grundström is progressing from injury, joining the Los Angeles Kings on their three-game road trip through Western Canada, per The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (Twitter link). Grundström has been out since February 13th with a lower-body injury that’s earned him a place on long-term injured reserve. He’s managed eight goals and 12 points in 50 games this season. Stephens adds that Grundström is still wearing a no-contact jersey at practice – but his attendance on the trip is nonetheless encouraging progress towards his return from a 21-game absence.
- Defenseman Torey Krug could be held out of the St. Louis Blues’ lineup on Thursday with the flu, per NHL.com’s Lou Korac (Twitter link). Blues head coach Drew Bannister shared that he’s hopeful Krug will be good to go but designated him as questionable. Krug played in the first 69 games of St. Louis’ season but recently missed his first game of the year with a lower-body injury. He’s been a pivotal piece of St. Louis’ lineup when healthy, managing 34 points and 30 penalty minutes in 71 games. The Blues will hope he’s feeling better come tomorrow, as they gear up for a fight with the Calgary Flames.
- The Vancouver Canucks upgraded forward Dakota Joshua to full-contact at their Wednesday-morning practice (Twitter link). Joshua has been out since February 13th, suffering an undisclosed injury in the midst of a three-point night. He’s flirted with a return many times since, but ultimately landed on Vancouver’s long-term injured reserve. While no official designation was provided, Joshua could have a chance to return as soon as Thursday, when the Canucks take on the Dallas Stars.
Gudas (Upper Body) Not On Road Trip
- Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas did not accompany the team on their road trip to Seattle, relays Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link). The 33-year-old has been out for the last week and a half with an upper-body injury. Gudas has played a big role on Anaheim’s second pairing this season, notching 16 points, 124 penalty minutes, 142 blocks, and 213 hits in 60 games; he sits in the top ten league-wide in PIMS and hits.
Ducks’ Trevor Zegras Set To Return From Two-Month Absence
The Anaheim Ducks are getting a star talent back on Tuesday, with top forward Trevor Zegras expected to return from a broken ankle that’s held him out of the team’s last 31 games (Twitter link). It was his second extended absence of the season, also missing 20 games across November and December with a separate lower-body injury.
None of this season has gone according to plan for the 23-year-old Zegras, who didn’t sign a contract for the season until 12 days before Anaheim’s season debut. Contract negotiations held him out of the team’s training camp and his rust clearly showed, with Zegras scoring just one goal and one assist in 12 games before his first injury. He’s since totaled 20 games on the year, managing four goals and seven points. It’s a disappointing step down for the former top-10 draft pick, who has broken the 60-point mark in each of his first two full NHL seasons.
Zegras’ return marks a string of good health for Anaheim’s talented young players. 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson has missed 27 games of his own this season, bearing through a MCL injury in his right knee and separate lower-body and upper-body injuries. Anaheim has played in just eight games with both Zegras and Carlsson in the lineup, setting a 5-3-0 record and outscoring opponents 26-to-22. They’ll relish in the chance to now have a full-strength offense once again, while focus will shift to whether Zegras can rediscover his high scoring.
Ducks Reassign Alex Stalock
- Sticking in the Bay Area, promising shutdown prospect Ty Emberson’s season is likely over due to a lower-body injury, head coach David Quinn said Monday (via Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now). The 23-year-old has missed over 20 games already this season with different injuries and hasn’t played since Feb. 29 against the Ducks. It’s a tough end to an otherwise promising rookie campaign, as Emberson logged 10 points in 30 games and will finish the season with a team-high -4 rating among skaters with at least 10 games played. The 2018 third-round pick of the Coyotes is on his third NHL organization after being dealt to the Rangers in July 2022 and being claimed off waivers by the Sharks to begin the 2023-24 season.
- The Ducks have starter John Gibson back at practice today after he missed Sunday’s loss to the Lightning for personal reasons, Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune reports. As such, the team has returned veteran Alex Stalock to AHL San Diego after he backed up Lukáš Dostál last night. Gibson’s numbers have taken a tumble lately after putting together a solid season prior to the All-Star break, now down to a .891 SV% and 3.40 GAA on the season with a 13-24-2 record. He’s also at risk of failing to record a shutout in a season for the first time in his 11-year career. He hasn’t posted a SV% above .900 in a single outing in over a month.
Alex Stalock Recalled From AHL
- The Ducks announced that they recalled goaltender Alex Stalock from AHL San Diego. The 36-year-old had been brought up four times this season but has yet to see game action with Anaheim, instead serving in a short-term backup role. He’ll be reprising that role against Tampa Bay with John Gibson out for personal reasons. Stalock has played in a dozen games for the Gulls this season while playing on a one-year, one-way deal worth $800K, posting a 3.72 GAA with a .894 SV%. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Zegras Listed As Game-Time Decision For Sunday
Ducks center Trevor Zegras is listed as a game-time decision for their game tomorrow against Tampa Bay, reports Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link). The 23-year-old has missed more than two months with an ankle injury, his second extended absence after missing 20 games earlier in the year with a lower-body issue. In between, Zegras has struggled offensively, notching just four goals and seven assists in the 20 games he has been able to suit up for which fueled trade speculation leading into the trade deadline. With Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson locked in down the middle, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Anaheim deploy Zegras on the wing when he’s cleared to return.
Ducks, Tomas Suchanek Agree To Entry-Level Deal
6:34 p.m.: Suchanek’s deal carries an $870K cap hit, per CapFriendly. The deal pays him a $775K base salary, a $95K signing bonus, an $80K games played bonus, and an $82.5K minors salary in all three seasons.
2:25 p.m.: The Ducks have signed goaltender Tomas Suchanek to a three-year, entry-level deal beginning next season, per a team release. Eric Stephens of The Athletic reported earlier Thursday that the two sides were close to a deal. No financial details have been reported.
Suchanek, 20, is a name familiar to World Juniors watchers. Undrafted, he stole the show at Czechia’s 2023 tournament, posting a .934 SV% and 1.51 GAA in seven games en route to a silver medal and an All-Star Team nod. Again passed over in last summer’s NHL draft as a potential overage selection, Suchanek, who had spent the last two seasons with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, found a professional home with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate in San Diego.
After suiting up in some preseason games for the Ducks on a tryout, he began the season on loan from San Diego to ECHL Tulsa. There, he had a decent showing with a .906 SV% and a 3-5-0 record in his first eight professional games. However, below-average play from the Ducks’ NHL-contracted goalies in San Diego, youngster Calle Clang and veteran Alex Stalock, paved the way for Suchanek to get a recall to the AHL in November.
He hasn’t looked back, proving himself as the best netminder out of the three with a .919 SV%, 2.56 GAA, 12-6-3 record, and two shutouts – all team-highs. They’re exceptionally strong numbers, given his age and the weakness of the club in front of him, which sits four points out of a playoff spot in the league’s Pacific Division.
Suchanek has decent size at 6-foot-2 and 181 lbs, and he’s put up strong numbers at every level since arriving in the North American circuit from Czechia in 2021. In a scouting report last year, Elite Prospects called him a “low-risk, high-reward selection” for teams looking for goalie help in the later rounds of the 2023 draft but cited his overall refinement, post integration, and footwork in the crease as some trouble spots in his game.
He’ll finish the season on an AHL contract, so he won’t make his major league debut before the summer. However, he’ll be eligible to do so as soon as next fall and will remain under contract with Anaheim through 2027, at which point he’ll be an RFA.
Trevor Zegras Close To Return
In an update today on Anaheim Ducks’ forward Trevor Zegras, Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune reports that Zegras has been a full participant in two straight practices. Although there is still no set timetable for Zegras’ return, two full practices without restrictions indicate that he could be making his return to the lineup very soon.
When Zegras eventually makes his return to the active roster, he will have much more responsibility upon his shoulders after the team parted with center Adam Henrique at the trade deadline. As Zegras was also mentioned in trade rumors throughout the deadline season, his play down the stretch may impact the offers that the Ducks receive for his services over the summer.