By Matt Weller
@MattWeller_ AnaheimDucks.com
With the calendar now turned to September and training camps just around the corner, the march to Anaheim's season opener on Oct. 12th in San Jose is officially on.
Before the puck drops next month though, AnaheimDucks.com will get you ready for the 2024-25 campaign with a season preview series analyzing the Ducks roster, new faces, prospects on the rise, opponents and more.
Today, we begin on the wings.
Troy Terry
2023-24 season: 20-34=54 in 76 games played, -10 rating, 18:17 ATOI
The soon to be 27-year-old Terry enters his seventh NHL season this fall, after eclipsing 50 points for the third straight year and finishing second among Anaheim team leaders in scoring.
Terry, who wore an 'A' at times last season as one of the Ducks alternate captains, will again be relied upon as one of Anaheim's top offensive weapons, figuring to occupy a right wing position on one of the club's top two lines.
"My biggest thing I've had to deal with as a player is just the mental side of it and sometimes being too hard on myself," Terry said. "There were some really good parts and I also think there's a lot of aspects to my game that I've really taken steps on."
Signed to a seven-year contract last summer, Terry is nearing Anaheim's all-time top-10 leaderboards in goals (95, seven behind Andrew Cogliano for 10th) and points (230, 34 behind Scott Niedermayer and Adam Henrique).
Frank Vatrano
2023-24: 37-23=60 in 82 games played, -20 rating, 18:21 ATOI
Anaheim's best offensive player last season, Vatrano will look to replicate his career year once again after a personal-best 37 goals in 2023-24.
In his second year as a Duck, Vatrano led the team in goals, points, power-play goals (13), shorthanded goals (three) and game-winning goals (seven) while also posting a career-high 23 assists.
Vatrano finishes 2023-24 season with career-best 37 goals
The 5-foot-11 sparkplug also took on an increased penalty killing role and offers head coach Greg Cronin and staff the versatility to play either wing. Like Terry, Vatrano will be a cornerstone of the Anaheim even-strength attack and power play.
"I think he's a great role model for a ton of guys on our team from where his career path has gone," linemate Ryan Strome said. "Everyone talks about the 37 goals, 60 points but. I think he led our team in hits and blocks. Maybe not hits (Vatrano finished second to defenseman Radko Gudas), but those are two very unselfish stats that I think he takes pride in. He's not the most vocal leader, but his play and his work ethic every day leads by example. He's a huge part of this team."
Alex Killorn
2023-24: 18-18=36 in 63 games played, -15 rating, 18:44 ATOI
After 11 years in Tampa Bay, including four Stanley Cup Final appearances and two championship rings, Killorn joined the Ducks last season as a trusted veteran mentor for the club's talented young group of forwards.
Off the ice, Killorn was as advertised in quickly become one of the leaders in Anaheim's locker room. On it, he battled through two frustrating injuries, a fractured finger in the preseason and a knee issue that required athroscopic surgery in January. The 34-year-old rounded right back to form by the end of the season though, tallying four goals in his last nine games and skating on the club's top line for the season finale along youngsters Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier.
"I really liked the way my game was shaping up at the end of the year," KIllorn said. "Felt like I kind of came into my own at the end. I had the injuries with the broken finger and then the knee was bothering me. So after the knee surgery I felt like I had a good end of the season.
"It was a huge adjustment just in the sense that I came to a different place, all new teammates. I was kind of used to one thing and [in Tampa] I knew going into training camp what the coaching staff was going to be, who my teammates were going to be, how I was going to fit in. So in terms of that, there was a lot of unknown this year, but I feel like by the end of the year I really found a place for myself in this team and was really happy with the way that the end of the season went."
Alex Killorn on first season in Anaheim
In all, Killorn averaged a career-high 18:44 of ice-time last season, quickly becoming a trusted two-way presence for Cronin and Co. behind the bench.
Killorn's injuries were rare for the uber consistent veteran too, as he had missed missed just 16 games over the last eight seasons.
Killorn also has experience playing both left and right wing, as well as playing in scoring and checking roles, so his versatility will likely be a key asset as Anaheim's coaching staff tries to find its best forward lines early in the new campaign.
Ryan Strome
2023-24: 11-30=41 in 79 games, -20 rating, 15:48 ATOI
Strome has been consistent throughout his first two years in Anaheim, collecting 41 points in each season and finishing among the Ducks top five scorers both times.
Strome's playmaking has been on display throughout those two campaigns, good for third on the team with 30 helpers last year, but the veteran's stated goal for the 2024-25 campaign is finishing more of his own chances and improving on his 11-goal output.
"One thing I'd like to improve on is get my goal scoring back up," Strome said. "My totals have dropped in the last two years, so I think that's something I can address and work on. You score 10 more goals and not only does it help the team, it helps your year. I'm always trying to find ways to get better. I think that's something I can address."
Strome shot just 8.4% last season, his worst mark since 2017-18, a decent indicator the 31-year-old's puck luck could turn around come the fall.
The former Ranger, Oiler and Islander has mostly played wing for the Ducks, but has experience in the middle and could again fill in at center when needed.
Brett Leason
2023-24: 11-11=22 in 68 games played, -7 rating, 13:01 ATOI
The 6-foot-5 Leason enjoyed the best season of his young NHL career last year, posting personal bests in nearly every offensive category while also carving out a penalty killing role and finishing with two shorthanded goals.
Signed to a one-year contract extension in July, Leason will likely compete in training camp for a right wing spot on the Ducks third or fourth forward line, but he did see occasional top-six minutes last season amidst Anaheim's injury troubles.
And with GM Pat Verbeek looking to get more scoring out of the team's bottom-six forwards, Leason could become a valuable depth option as the 25-year-old has shot near 12% in his two seasons as a Duck.
Brock McGinn
2023-24: 1-2=3 in 24 games played, -5 rating, 11:05 ATOI
McGinn will look for a bounce-back campaign this fall after his 2023-24 season was limited to 24 games due to various injuries, eventually leading to disc surgery (back) in March. The 30-year-old returned to the ice this summer and is expected to be a full participant in training camp.
McGinn offers a unique skillset to Anaheim's bottom-six as an experienced penalty killer who excels on the forecheck and has shown a knack for finishing around the net (12% shooting percentage over the last four seasons).
Acquired from Pittsburgh just prior to the 2022 trade deadline, McGinn is entering the final season of a four-year contract.
Ross Johnston
2023-24: 1-3=4 in 68 games played, -12 rating, 8:12 ATOI
Claimed on waivers from the Islanders just prior to the 2023-24 season, Johnston plays a specific role for the Ducks forward group - a heavy, physical style of play focused on a strong forecheck and protecting his teammates.
Johnston led Ducks forwards with 117 penalty minutes last year, including nine fighting majors - two shy of the NHL leaders.
Entering his second season as a Duck, Johnston is halfway through a four-year contract signed with the Islanders in October 2021.
Cutter Gauthier
2023-24: 0-1=1 in 1 (NHL) game played, +1 rating, 15:24 ATOI
Gauthier's 2023-24 campaign was nothing short of a whirlwind, becoming one of the most productive seasons by an NCAA player in the last three decades while featuring a midseason trade to Anaheim, a berth in the NCAA National Championship Game and an NHL debut.
Gauthier skated alongside Killorn and Leo Carlsson in his initial NHL experience, Anaheim's season-closing win over the Vegas Golden Knights, and immediately flashed an exciting chemistry with Carlsson - a potential longterm running mate.
"We only got the one game, but I was really impressed," Killorn said of Gauthier's debut. "Coming from college, it's a lot different league to play against, especially Vegas in your first game. He handled himself really well and I love that he was making plays. A lot of guys might be shy in their first couple of games to make those plays and he was not afraid to make plays, which was awesome...
"[And] that was one of Leo's best games of the year against Vegas. You see how much talent he has and what his ceiling can be. Who knows how good he can be in this league?"
Gauthier scored an NCAA-best 38 goals last season at Boston College, the most by any NCAA player since 1990-2000. He was named a Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalist, NCAA All-American and Hockey East First Team All-Star. Now, he'll compete for a spot on Anaheim's opening night roster in training camp, hoping to quickly become one of the club's top offensive weapons on the wing.
Like Strome, Gauthier also has experience playing center and did so at times last year for Boston College, but he'll likely spend the bulk of his first NHL campaign on the wing.
Sam Colangelo
2023-24: 1-0=1 in three (NHL) games played, even rating, 12:33 ATOI
Colangelo scores first career NHL goal in debut game
Colangelo too joined the Ducks in late spring after a productive final collegiate season, finishing tied for fifth among NCAA leaders in goals and helping Western Michigan to a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Colangelo then skated in four games with San Diego, collecting 1-3=4 points before signing his entry-level contract with Anaheim and scoring in his NHL debut at Honda Center.
A former second-round pick, Colangelo has the size (6-foot-2, 209 lbs.), speed and skill to develop into a full-time NHL player and will be among those competing for the final forward spots on Anaheim's opening night roster.
Pavol Regenda
2023-24: 0-0=0 in five (NHL) games played, -1 rating, 11:34 ATOI
Regenda has seen limited NHL ice-time in each of his first two seasons in North America, but last year finished third on San Diego with 19 goals in 54 games. Regenda too will compete for a spot on Anaheim's opening night roster in training camp.
