While the Anaheim Ducks have had a core roster for a few seasons that has remained consistent, the organization is no stranger to making additions and swaps to personnel when needed. Before (and throughout) this season, the team acquired a handful of new players who have brought their skills to Anaheim and helped them on their successful journey so far.
Related: A Ducks Fan’s Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympic Hockey Tournament
Whether it be from a blockbuster trade, a free-agency pickup, or a rookie season, these players have found their way into Honda Center and onto the team’s roster. In 2025-26 (prior to the 2026 Trade Deadline), the team has acquired six new players: Petr Mrazek, Jeffrey Viel, Beckett Sennecke, Ryan Poehling, Chris Kreider, and Mikael Granlund.
Let’s take a look at each player’s season so far and note what each member has brought to the team, where their strengths lie, and where they could use improvement.
Mrazek: C-
Goaltender Mrazek was acquired in a trade involving goalie John Gibson, a longtime Duck, and two draft picks from the Detroit Red Wings. It was clear to fans and the organization that it was time for Gibson to move on, as his performance had faltered, injuries and illnesses had increased, and his overall demeanour had shifted. However, Mrazek has not lived up to what the team may have expected him to be.
He has played in just 10 games this season and started in eight, mainly due to multiple injuries. The netminder has been on injured reserve (IR) twice and has not played a game since Jan. 5. His age is showing. At 33, it may be time for Mrazek to consider playing at a less strenuous level of the game if he wants to continue his hockey career.
When he is healthy, his performance leaves much to be desired. He has a 3-5-0 record with a 4.07 goals against average (GAA) and a .858 save percentage (SV%). Mrazek just isn’t working for the Ducks. Historically, he has been a higher performer and last season, had a 2.97 GAA and a .896 SV%. While it is good to have a backup goaltender with NHL experience, he has not lived up to his potential in Anaheim. His less-than-average performance leaves something to be desired.
Viel: B-
Viel, a forward, was brought to Anaheim in a trade with the Boston Bruins for a fourth-round draft pick. He has been a consistent fourth-liner in his nine games. While his stint with the Ducks has been short, he has performed decently. Before joining the squad, Viel had just five NHL goals across 83 games. Since the trade, he has scored twice and notched an assist.
He is a physical player, too, and meshes well with other heavy hitters on the team’s fourth line, such as Ross Johnston. He’s tallied 30 hits in nine games, contributing to defensive efforts as well. For a bottom-six forward, he is not looking too shabby. Maybe Anaheim will unlock his potential and turn him into a higher producer as the season continues.
Sennecke: A
Rookie forward Sennecke is having about as good a first season as anyone could hope for. Fans were unsure whether he would play the whole season at such a young age, but he proved himself from the start and earned a rightful permanent spot on the roster. In fact, he was the only player to score in the team’s season opener against the Seattle Kraken.
He has notched an impressive 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in 56 games, giving him the second-highest points record for rookies behind the Montreal Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov. He is tied for first in rookie goals with Oliver Kapanen, another Canadien. It is clear: Sennecke is shaping up to be a superstar and has been one of the major factors in the Ducks’ success this season. His potential only increases with each game.
Poehling: C
Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in a blockbuster trade involving Trevor Zegras, forward Poehling has proved that, unfortunately, the Ducks lost this trade. He is not a bad player, per se, but he is not the offensive weapon that Zegras was and continues to be. His performance this season has been underwhelming, though he does show glimmers of potential here and there.
He has tallied 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 49 games. He can get pucks to the net and regularly takes shots; however, his conversion rate is low at just 9.8%. Poehling does shine in the faceoff dot, as he has won 47.2% of his puck battles this season. His offensive production is lackluster, however, and the team could perhaps benefit from moving him on to make room for a higher-performing forward. Overall, his season has been just average.
Kreider: A
Kreider was a big acquisition for the Ducks in the offseason, being acquired from the New York Rangers for prospect Carey Terrance and a draft pick in a move that shocked the hockey world. He was the longest-tenured Ranger, but his production had faltered in New York, and the team opted to move on. In swooped general manager Pat Verbeek, and Kreider once again lived up to his potential.
2024-25 was a record-low season for the veteran forward– just 30 points in 68 games. In many seasons prior, he was easily notching 45 or more. This season in Anaheim, Kreider has already matched his 30-point pace with many games to go; he has 19 goals and 11 assists, and is starting to look like himself again. He is proof that a change of environment can make all the difference for a player.
He has meshed well with the Ducks, especially playing alongside three former teammates (Jacob Trouba, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano). He fits the system of Verbeek and head coach Joel Quenneville and has made a near-seamless transition. He is on track for a 46-point season and has certainly earned a permanent spot on the team’s roster.
Granlund: B
Granlund, another veteran forward, was signed as a free agent to a three-year contract. Though he did face some periods of injury, he has played 38 games this season and met expectations. He has 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists), including a five-point game against the Bruins and a hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers in which all three goals came on the power play.
Granlund also contributes to the team by spending an average of 18:55 on ice each game and winning faceoffs 47% of the time. He brings a veteran presence that the Ducks value, especially as they eagerly chase a playoff run. In last season’s playoffs with the Dallas Stars, he contributed 10 points in 18 games. He will be a valuable asset for the remainder of the season and, potentially, the playoffs as long as he can stay healthy.
Overall, the Ducks’ newcomers to the team have been factors in their success in various ways. While some are better than others, the roster as a whole seems to mesh well together and has created unprecedented success for the team that Anaheim has not seen in many years. It will be interesting to see what the squad looks like after the trade deadline, but for now, it just seems to work.
