Ducks News and Notes: Prospects Edition

While there has been little in the way of Anaheim Ducks news at the NHL level, the organization is staying busy with young players in its pipeline. Roger McQueen, an incoming rookie, will make an appearance at the Rookie Showcase, an American Hockey League (AHL) trade occurred this week, and two prospects were signed to professional contracts. Here’s a quick look at this week’s news cycle.

McQueen to Appear at Rookie Showcase

The NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) will be holding its annual Rookie Showcase at the Blackhawks Ice Center Presented by Fifth Third Bank in Chicago. The event will run from July 28-30. The showcase allows newly signed NHL talent to jump into the business side of professional hockey. They will explore their player identity, engage in content creation, and experience commercial opportunities.

Upper Deck will be sponsoring the event. Per a press release, “Over the course of the event, Upper Deck – the official trading card partner of the NHL and NHLPA – will work directly with players to capture photos and video in their official team jerseys for upcoming trading cards, memorabilia, and promotional materials. The showcase gives Upper Deck access to the league’s next generation of talent while giving players a first look at how their name, image, and likeness can connect with fans and collectors beyond the ice.”

Rookie forward McQueen will be representing the Anaheim Ducks at the event. He was selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and recently signed a three-year, entry-level contract. He played with Providence College last season, amassing 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. He was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year. Among his teammates, he ranked second in assists and third in points. He was ranked eighth among NCAA rookies with a 55.1% faceoff win success rate. He will be making his much-anticipated NHL debut this season.

Pastujov Traded

San Diego Gulls forward Sasha Pastujov was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Sean Farrell. Pastujov was a highly respected and well-loved member of the team during his stint in San Diego. Last season, he led the team with 57 points and amassed a total of 124 points in 160 career AHL games. He was selected by Anaheim in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft after a high-performance season with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

Farrell joins the organization after spending three seasons with the Laval Rocket, the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate. He recorded 125 points in 186 career games with the Rocket. Last season, he reached career highs in points and ranked second in assists and third in goals among his teammates. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft and had some standout performances after being drafted.

He represented Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, leading the country in goals and points with three goals and six points in four games. In his second season at Harvard University (2022-23), he was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist as one of the best collegiate players in the country. He was also named the Ivy League and ECAC Player of the Year after totaling an astounding 53 points in 34 appearances. He led his team in points and assists and ranked second in goals scored.

Farrell and Klepov Signed

Unsurprisingly, the Ducks saw major potential in Farrell and signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. While he will likely be primarily playing for the Gulls, we could see him called up to Anaheim’s club a few times throughout the season. He has six games of NHL experience with the Canadiens, where he scored one goal. He is heralded as a creative playmaker, an accurate passer, and a smart risk-taker. He yields positive results with any team he finds himself a part of.

The Ducks also signed forward Nikita Klepov to a three-year, entry-level contract. Klepov was one of the team’s first round selections in the 2026 NHL draft. He led the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in rookie scoring with 97 points in 67 games with the Saginaw Spirit. He was also awarded the OHL’s Rookie of the Year title and was named to the league’s First All-Star Team.

Klepov is touted as a “creative, high-impact player who knows how to both score and make plays for his teammates.” General manager Pat Verbeek indicated that the forward’s availability was a major deciding factor for the in-draft trade deal involving Mason McTavish. “If [Klepov] wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have made the deal. That was the decision that was in our minds, so it was a big part of why we did this,” Verbeek said.

He continued on to say that he was excited to add him and Marcus Nordmark to the group and that the duo “[allows] us more flexibility to bolster our team for the upcoming season to keep pushing this football down the field, so to speak.”

McQueen, Farrell, Klepov, Nordmark, and many other young talents will be making their mark on the hockey club this season. The Ducks open their season on Oct. 2, and the Gulls begin playing the following day.