The Anaheim Ducks will report to training camp in September. Players like Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, Frank Vatrano, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov will monopolize most of the attention, but there are others worth monitoring.
Some face uphill climbs to secure roster spots, and whether they start in the NHL or the American Hockey League (AHL), youth will be served by the organization in the 2024-25 season.
Tristan Luneau, RD
Tristan Luneau made the NHL roster out of training camp last season. He dressed in two contests before being sent to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL on a conditioning loan. The young blueliner notched two assists and 12 shots on goal in six-minor league outings prior to being recalled by the Ducks in mid-November. He collected one goal, two helpers, and 10 shots on net across over five appearances following the transaction.
Unfortunately, Luneau’s promising start came to a crashing halt shortly after he was loaned to Canada’s final evaluation camp for the 2024 World Junior Championship. He was ruled out for the tournament because of a viral infection, later revealed to be to his knee, and didn’t play again for the remainder of the season. His extended absence could prevent him from sticking with the Ducks to begin the 2024-25 campaign. Assuming he participates in camp and gets into preseason action, the team may want him to start in the AHL to shake off the rust further.
Based on last season, the 20-year-old defenseman deserves a spot on the NHL roster as an active player, not a spectator. Sitting as a healthy scratch for prolonged stretches would do nothing for his development. He is also valuable as one of the team’s few right-handed options. Luneau could be a member of the Ducks to open the season based on that fact alone, but the organization’s cautious approach with him a year ago suggests that he could be brought along slowly again. Still, it will be intriguing to see what kind of condition he’s in ahead of 2024-25 after spending all that time on the sidelines.
Nathan Gaucher, C/RW
Nathan Gaucher played the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL, compiling 10 goals, 25 points, 83 shots, and 68 penalty minutes across 72 matches. He was one of only three players who didn’t miss a single game while being locked into a third-line role for the majority of the campaign. Gaucher didn’t get a chance to make his NHL debut.
He projects as a bottom-six forward at the top level, and it won’t be much longer before he gets a look with the Ducks. The 20-year-old will be a long shot to make the roster out of camp, but it isn’t out of the question, particularly if he shifts to the wing. Isac Lundestrom appears to be the likely choice for the fourth-line center role, but Gaucher could compete with Brock McGinn, Brett Leason, Ross Johnston, and Jansen Harkins for one of the two remaining spots in the lineup.
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Gaucher stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 209 pounds, which will be appealing to a Ducks team looking to add some size and tenacity to the forecheck. He also skates well, can win faceoffs, and is a hard worker at both ends of the ice. While Gaucher’s numbers weren’t head-turning during his first pro campaign, he was never expected to be an offensive force in the NHL. However, he will be a handful for the opposition while becoming a reliable and versatile forward for the Anaheim coaching staff.
Sam Colangelo, C/RW
Sam Colangelo amassed 24 goals and 43 points in 38 games for Western Michigan University during his senior year of collegiate hockey in 2023-24. He agreed to a professional tryout with the Gulls in April, supplying one goal and three assists in four appearances, before inking a two-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks. He wrapped up the 2023-24 campaign in the NHL, providing one goal, seven shots, two blocks, and three hits across three contests.
The Ducks remain thin on the right side, which could aid Colangelo in his quest to land a spot with the team out of training camp. The right-handed shooter can also play center, offers defensive upside, and has plenty of size at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds. If he doesn’t stay with the club for the start of the season, the 22-year-old’s versatility and scoring ability will make him one of the first AHL call-ups should reinforcements be needed.
He would strengthen the Gulls’ lineup and could add some much-needed secondary scoring to the Ducks if he gets another shot. He will likely see more NHL action before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.
Noah Warren, RD
Noah Warren accounted for six goals and 13 points in 50 regular-season games for the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2023-24. He added eight helpers in 14 QMJHL playoff outings. The 20-year-old blueliner accumulated 61 points, including 15 goals, in 188 appearances during his junior career.
The 6-foot-5, 216-pound defender will probably begin his first professional campaign in the AHL, but there’s a slight chance he could stick with the Ducks for the outset of the 2024-25 season. Like Luneau, Warren could benefit from being a rare right-handed option on a defense corps seriously lacking depth in that area. Warren’s size and physicality could make him a solid third-pairing consideration, especially since most of the team’s other defensemen are more offensive-minded puck movers.
Impressing the Ducks in previous camps could help his case if that trend continues. He should receive a long look and could crack the opening night roster, but he likely gets his feet wet in the AHL before making his NHL debut.
Still Plenty of Room for Prospects to Earn Spots
On the surface, there isn’t much room to compete for roster spots, especially at forward and in goal. However, the Ducks will likely be open to any possibility as the team determines the best way to cultivate a deep prospect pool. The Gulls could desperately use an injection of talent, which may impact the decision-making. The Ducks don’t have to rush anyone onto the roster but could be swayed to do so if players prove they are ready.
