We are getting closer to the start of the season as August rolls along, and the Anaheim Ducks are on the move. While nothing official has happened for the franchise, members of the squad are out and about, creating community and making a name for the team. Players and other notable names have appeared at the annual Shoulder Check Showcase, the NHL Players’ Association’s (NHLPA) Rookie Showcase, and San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). Let’s take a look at these Ducks in action.
Shoulder Check Showcase
The Shoulder Check Showcase is an annual event that happens each summer. This year, it took place at Sacred Heart University’s Martire Family Arena in Fairfield, Connecticut, and 2,700 fans attended in person. Its mission is to bring the hockey community together to promote kindness and mental health awareness. They encourage everyone to check in on those closest to them and to be a safe place for loved ones if and when they are struggling.
Twenty-six NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) players took the ice in this fun-filled scrimmage. Four Ducks joined the match: Chris Kreider, Cutter Gauthier, Frank Vatrano, and Sam Colangelo. By appearing at a community-focused event like this, the four showed that they agree with the organization’s message and mission: “Reach out, check in, make contact.”
Roger McQueen Appears at Rookie Showcase
Roger McQueen, the team’s 2025 first-round draft pick, appeared at the NHLPA’s Rookie Showcase. Each season, players entering the league for the first time attend this event to take merchandising and promotional photos, engage with media and sponsorship opportunities, and learn about the business side of hockey.
The biggest moment to note was the debut of McQueen’s rookie number. As fans had eagerly anticipated, he showed up wearing number 95 as a nod to the fictional character, Lightning McQueen, from Disney’s Cars franchise. With the team being formerly associated with Disney and being located so close to Disneyland, it lines up perfectly. Will the forward opt for the movie anthem “Life is a Highway” as his goal song? Fans will be paying close attention when he scores his first.
McQueen is a very exciting addition to the team’s young core. He will join an elite group of players under 25 years of age: Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson, Tyson Hinds, Pavel Minyukov, and Gauthier, to name a few. He is a “big, highly-skilled centre who can dominate games with quick puck movement and great positioning,” per Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers.
With first-line center Carlsson locked down, we will likely see him rotating through the other lines, especially as he adjusts to NHL-caliber play and finds his perfect spot in the lineup. Last season with Providence University, McQueen had 27 points in 36 games and was named the Pro Ambitions’ Hockey East Rookie of the Year. He is expected to shine bright in his rookie season with Anaheim.
Wild Wing on the Move
The team’s mascot, Wild Wing, has also been making public appearances this offseason. Most recently, he showed up at SDCC, one of the largest cosplay and fandom events in the country. The team distributed physical copies of trading cards inspired by their iconic schedule release video. Anaheim’s DJ, Jojo, teased that fans could get their own trading card pack soon.
Wing also took the stage at Warped Tour, a pop-punk and emo music festival. He joined the band Bayside during their song “Devotion and Desire.” While the mascot himself is fun and light-hearted, his appearances at public events are incredibly smart moves for the organization.
Fans of both the team and hockey in general get excited to see a beloved mascot in unexpected places. They take photos and videos, post them online, and the team gets free promotion. Building hype and fandom is essential for a team that is coming off of a long rebuild, and the Ducks are doing a great job this offseason.
Things will be ramping up in the NHL in just a few short weeks. We have hockey next month, everyone. Hang in there and keep your eye on The Hockey Writers as we inch closer to the start of the season.
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