3 Players to Watch at 2026-27 Anaheim Ducks Rookie Camp

The Anaheim Ducks have announced their roster for the annual Rookie Faceoff and Rookie Camp. The Faceoff event will take place from Sep. 12-15 at Tech CU Arena and Sharks Ice in San Jose. Locally, the team will be holding one Rookie Camp practice at Great Park Ice on Sept. 11.

13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies will head to San Jose to showcase their skills and make a case for their spot on the team’s opening-night roster. A large handful of players from last season are no longer on the team, meaning there are gaps to be filled by players like these young prospects. While the roster is chock-full of talent, here are three players who stand out among the rest.

Roger McQueen

Roger McQueen is a highly anticipated prospect, selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Brandon Wheat Kings. Across his three seasons in the WHL, he had 86 points and also helped Team Canada win a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with seven points in five games.

Last season, he played at Providence College and had a standout performance, scoring 11 goals and adding 16 assists for 27 points in 36 games. He was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team for his showing. He scored three game-winning goals and posted six multi-point games throughout the season.

McQueen is likely to make the Ducks’ opening-night roster. Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers describes him as “a big, highly-skilled centre who can dominate games with quick puck movement and great positioning.” Despite his 6-foot-5 frame, he has impressive skating and solid puck control. He works well as a net-front presence, which is an area of weakness for Anaheim.

He would benefit the team’s young, skilled group, including Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke. Expect to see great things from McQueen at Rookie Camp and all the way through the season.

Jackson Niedermayer

If Jackson Niedermayer’s name sounds familiar to you, it is for good reason. His father and uncle, Scott and Rob, both won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks, and the team retired Scott’s number. The youngest Niedermayer in the organization is a defenseman who signed with the San Diego Gulls, the team’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.

He had a stellar 2025-26 season between Bowling Green State University and the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. With Bowling Green, he tallied 17 points in 32 games, and he notched seven points in 17 games with the Oilers. He is a two-way defenseman who can adapt to whatever role is needed and contribute effectively.

Bowling Green head coach Dennis Williams, spoke highly of him, saying, “His ability to transition to defense during the season and become such a reliable, impactful player on our blue line speaks volumes about his hockey sense, competitiveness, and willingness to do whatever it took to help our team win.”

While Niedermayer will likely remain with the Gulls this season for further development, he has a chance to make a name for himself in the organization at Rookie Faceoff and Rookie Camp. With the Ducks’ defense being drastically changed this offseason, there is a case to be made for adding a flexible, powerful, two-way player like him to the lineup from time to time.

Nikita Klepov

Nikita Klepov drafted in the firs,t round of the 2026 NHL Draft, is an elite playmaker and an extremely skilled all-around forward. Last season with the Saginaw Spirit, he scored 37 goals and added 60 assists for a jaw-dropping 97 points in 67 games and was named to the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) First All-Star and First All-Rookie teams for his performance.

He plays with a calmness that lets him quickly assess the situation and use his high hockey IQ to make intelligent, successful plays. He has quick maneuvering skills, good hands, and impressive vision on the ice. “Klepov has no issue going to the middle of the ice with the puck to make a play and can play anywhere in the offensive zone, making him a threat to fire from anywhere,” Jordan Orth of The Hockey Writers says.

Klepov could crack the team’s main roster this season should he have a good showing at training camp. His playmaking would fit well alongside flashier scorers like Carlsson and Gauthier. He gave up his commitment to Michigan State University to sign an entry-level contract with Anaheim, so making a case for himself is more important than ever in the coming weeks.

These three, along with many other talented rookies, will join players from the Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Utah Mammoth, and Vegas Golden Knights for the tournament. The Ducks play on Sept. 12 against the Avalanche and Sept. 13 against the Kings. Games will be livestreamed for in-market fans on each team’s website.