The team has been busy as the Anaheim Ducks prepare for the start of training camp, which opens on Thursday, Sept. 19. The organization has reportedly agreed to professional tryout agreements (PTO) with three players. There was also more speculation about the future of defenseman Cam Fowler and who could be named the next captain.
Finally, there is a retirement and an encouraging injury update to discuss in the latest News and Rumors roundup.
Fowler Back on the Trade Block
Fowler was frequently mentioned as a potential trade candidate before signing his eight-year, $52 million contract in July 2017. The Ducks’ longest-tenured member only has two seasons left on his deal, and it appears as though his time with the organization is ending. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it would not be a surprise if Fowler was traded at some point during the upcoming campaign.
“They’ve got a lot of good, young players. Eventually, what you’ve got to start doing is you’ve got to say, ‘Cam, we’ve got to start taking away some of your ice time so that the other players can learn what it’s like to play in the important situations,'” said Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. “(Fowler) knows that when they’re good and really ready to contend, it’s going to be their team and not his team.”
Related: Ducks: Evaluating Cam Fowler’s Role in 2024-25 and Beyond
Fowler has a four-team trade list but has reportedly been open to expanding it to help facilitate a move. Per Eric Stephens of The Athletic, the list has reached double digits for potential landing spots (from ‘Will the Ducks trade Cam Fowler, what’s the possible timing and which teams might be interested?,’ The Athletic, Sept. 14, 2024). The Ducks and the 32-year-old defender seem to be on the same page, which should help the process.
Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger will probably occupy top-four roles in 2024-25. They both logged time alongside Fowler last campaign, but the team’s abundance of left-shooting rearguards resulted in defenders being forced to adjust to playing on the right side. A trade involving Fowler could result in Mintyukov and Zellweger seeing action in their natural spots on the left, with the potential for Tristan Luneau and Radko Gudas being their partners on the right.
Gudas in Line for Captaincy?
Friedman indicated that he believes Gudas will be named the next captain. A player hasn’t worn the “C” in Anaheim since Ryan Getzlaf retired after the 2021-22 campaign. The thought of Gudas getting the captaincy isn’t new for one of the league’s leading insiders. It began after the 34-year-old defenseman was tabbed as the team’s representative for the NHL/NHLPA North American Media Tour.
He typically leads by example with his rugged style and a high-compete level. It will be interesting to see if Friedman is correct in his assessment. Other strong captain candidates for the Ducks include forwards Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and Leo Carlsson.
Ducks Invite Three to Camp on PTOs
The Ducks added some competition for training camp with the signings of Gustav Lindstrom, Mark Pysyk, and Boris Katchouk on Thursday (Sept. 12) to professional tryouts. All three players should be considered long-shot options to make the roster for opening night, but they could claim contracts if they impress during the preseason.
Lindstrom appeared in 46 games between the Montreal Canadiens and Ducks last season. After the Ducks claimed him off waivers in January, the 25-year-old defenseman contributed six assists, 14 shots on goal, 40 blocked shots and 54 hits in 32 games. He didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the team, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in July.
Pysyk spent the 2023-24 campaign in the American Hockey League (AHL), dressing in eight contests with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and 29 games for the Calgary Wranglers. The 32-year-old defender has 28 goals, 104 points and 162 penalty minutes in 512 NHL appearances. He hasn’t played in the big league since 2021-22, when he suited up in 68 outings for the Buffalo Sabres.
Katchouk registered seven goals, 13 points, 70 shots on net and 82 hits across 59 games between the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators in 2023-24. He also had three goals and two assists in six AHL matches for the Rockford IceHogs. The 26-year-old winger became a UFA after the Senators decided not to tender him a qualifying offer at the end of June.
Stalock Announces His Retirement
Alex Stalock decided to hang up his goalie pads on Thursday (Sept. 12). The 37-year-old netminder spent the 2023-24 season with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, compiling a 2-9-2 record with a 3.82 goals-against average (GAA) and .888 save percentage (SV%) over 15 appearances. In 179 career NHL outings. he earned a mark of 70-65-20 with a 2.70 GAA and .908 SV%.
He was called up by the Ducks six times due to the absences of John Gibson for personal and health reasons, but he didn’t see any playing time behind emerging No. 1 netminder Lukas Dostal.
Excitement Builds for Training Camp
The Ducks don’t appear to have many openings going into camp, but that hasn’t stopped players in the past from playing their way onto the roster. Line combinations and defense pairings will be intriguing to monitor during practices and exhibition matchups.
The team also received some good news on the status of prospect Beckett Sennecke, who is on the mend from a foot fracture. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft might be available to play in some of the team’s final preseason contests. Even though he will likely be loaned to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League for this season, Sennecke could join a lengthy list of Ducks’ prospects who fans should watch closely at camp.
