Snapshots: Ducks, Smith, Tracy
Shortly ahead of tonight’s game at San Jose, the Anaheim Ducks revealed that Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov wouldn’t play due to lower body injuries.
For Gudas, it more or less confirms the suspicion that the 35-year-old laced them up not yet healthy in order to answer the bell against the Maple Leafs. It’s a commendable act from the Ducks’ captain, especially as Gudas didn’t throw a punch in his scrap with Max Domi, stemming from the controversial hit which ended Auston Matthews’ season. Nonetheless, the Czech stay-at-home man will look to get healthy in time for the playoffs.
Another defenseman, Mintyukov has dealt with his own lower body issue, keeping him out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. The 22-year-old has developed nicely in Anaheim, averaging 18:26 a contest and needing just one more game to make a career high 69 appearances in a season. Mintyukov still has untapped offensive upside, offering 20 points so far in 2025-26.
Neither Gudas or Mintyukov figure to have serious issues, but in the meantime, Ian Moore and Drew Helleson have stepped in.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Los Angeles will weigh their coaching options this summer, as insider David Pagnotta suspected that interim head coach D.J. Smith won’t be back, on Monday’s edition of Oilersnation Everyday. After firing Jim Hiller on March 1, Smith’s efforts to provide a spark have proved often ineffective, with a 5-5-4 record. The former Senators head man has a .465 career win percentage, not winning more than 39 games in a season. This summer will bring major change to the Kings with icon Anže Kopitar set to hang up his skates, but still offering a strong core in win-now mode, Los Angeles will seek a long-term solution behind the bench. Smith, 48, came to the Kings as an assistant in February 2024. If it’s indeed the beginning of the end of his tenure, it’s safe to assume another NHL club will come calling with a similiar job offer.
- The Henderson Silver Knights, aptly named affiliates of Vegas, inked goaltender Alexander Tracy to an AHL contract for 2026-27. The undrafted netminder enters the professional circuit after an impressive four year career at Minnesota State University – Mankato. A native of Chicago, Illinois, the 25-year-old got the bulk of starts for three of his four collegiate seasons. He put up an eye-popping .946 save percentage last season, followed by a .927% this year, winning over 20 games in each. Vegas has had three drafted goaltenders who have gotten significant playing time in the AHL, but behind Carl Lindbom, who has played well, neither Cameron Whitehead or Jesper Vikman have been able to stand out. Vikman was dealt to the Capitals organization as part of the Nic Dowd trade. As a result, the 5’11” Tracy will compete for a backup role in Henderson.
Morning Notes: Panthers, Tracy, Scheel
Florida Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov each suffered injuries in yesterday’s win over the Ottawa Senators, head coach Paul Maurice announced postgame. Per team reporter Jameson Olive, both defensemen “sound like they could miss time” with these injuries.
Ekblad appeared to suffer the injury after blocking a shot with his hand. Maurice told the media, including Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards, that Ekblad doesn’t look good as a result of the injury, and while he is still being evaluated, is likely to miss some time. Ekblad has been Florida’s No. 3 defenseman this season and has 26 points in 72 games while averaging 22:28 time on ice per game. Kulikov has been Florida’s No. 5 defenseman and appeared to suffer his injury after taking a puck to the face. Per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, Kulikov is set for a CT scan to help determine the full extent of his injury.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- The Henderson Silver Knights, AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, announced yesterday the signing of NCAA free agent goalie Alexander Tracy to an AHL contract for the 2026-27 season. Tracy will report to the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters for the rest of 2025-26. He was ranked as the No. 9 player in this year’s NCAA free agent class by the team at Elite Prospects, who called him “a refined goaltender whose greatest asset is that he boasts very few flaws.” Tracy has been a strong goalie at just about every level he’s played at. Playing college hockey for Minnesota State (Mankato), he posted a .927 save percentage in 115 career games, won two conference titles, a conference goalie and player of the year award, and was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist. He is also a Clark Cup champion and playoff MVP from his days in the USHL, and was a top goalie during his lone season in the NAHL. Now, he’ll hope to sustain that track record of brilliance at the ECHL level to begin his pro career.
- Adam Scheel, a former member of the Dallas Stars organization who proved to be a star goaltender in the NCAA and ECHL, has signed a contract for next season to join the Frankfurt Lions of the DEL. The 26-year-old concluded a four-year run playing pro hockey in North America last summer when he signed a one-year deal to be a tandem goalie for Barys Astana, a Kazakh club in the KHL. He ended up making the KHL’s All-Star Game, posting a .908 save percentage in 32 games despite owning a 10-18-1 record. Scheel is a significant signing for Frankfurt, as he has over 100 games of AHL experience under his belt and has proven himself in the KHL. He is set to join a Frankfurt team that ranked as the second-worst in the DEL this season and surrendered the second-most goals.