Ducks Season Preview: In the Middle

As the Ducks convene at Irvine's Great Park Ice this week for the beginning of training camp, our season preview carries on to the faceoff dot, where some of Anaheim's most promising forwards hope to take the next step in their young NHL careers.

Leo Carlsson

2023-24 season: 12-17=29 in 55 games played, -11 rating, 18:07 ATOI

It didn't take long for even the untrained eye to tell the then 18-year-old Carlsson clearly belonged at the NHL level, as the second overall pick recorded three points in his first three games as a Duck while fighting off a preseason knee injury.

"I didn't play all the games and got injured twice, but I feel like I played well again after," Carlsson said. "I played some games better than others, of course. I feel like I could have had more points...[I felt a] huge difference from the first game against Dallas (his NHL debut) and then to the last game against Vegas. More confident, easier to carry the puck."

Among rookies to appear in at least 20 NHL games, Carlsson's .53 points per game ranked eighth. He skated alongside fellow rookie Cutter Gauthier in the club's season finale, and Gauthier's NHL debut, and the two flashed instant chemistry - potentially hinting at a longterm running mate for Anaheim's top-line center.

"That was one of Leo's best games of the year against Vegas," said veteran winger Alex Killorn, who skated alongside Carlsson and Gauthier in Vegas. "You can see how much talent he has and what his ceiling can be. Who knows how good he can be in this league. So much promise with him."

Carlsson also made an instant impact on Anaheim's power play, finishing fourth among NHL rookies in goals on the man advantage (4). He's a virtual lock for Anaheim's top-six and with a season of good health, could continue his ascent as one of the game's best young centermen.

Mason McTavish

2023-24: 19-23=42 in 64 games played, -23 rating, 16:17 ATOI

Still just 21 years old, McTavish enters his third full NHL season this fall after taking a clear step forward in his sophomore campaign. McTavish scored 19 goals in 64 games, coming within one point of his rookie totals in 16 fewer appearances while also improving his faceoff percentage by nearly 10 points (42.3% to 51.7%).

Armed with that NHL experience, his success on the international level and a maturity beyond his years, both physically and mentally, McTavish is already taking on an increased leadership role in Anaheim's locker room.

"It's about consistency," McTavish said at the end of last season. "We have so many young guys who weren't really used to playing the full 82-game schedule, including myself, and I think just getting more seasoned and playing more games together as a group will benefit us."

Ducks coaches and management will also look for the physical centerman to take the next steps in the defensive zone - a challenge issued to McTavish late last season.

"I didn't know the kids [before last season]," Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said. We had no history. What they all said [at the end of the season] was, next year is so much easier because they know me, they know my style, they know my standards. I know them, I know their reactions. And the last 20 games or so, I kind of stepped back and I went into an observing mode. I wanted to watch them and particularly, who is responding? Who can make adjustments? Who's able to actually play to this highest level? Let them do it organically. I don't need to be riding them all the time. Let's just see what happens and have trust that they'll be able to figure out on their own."

McTavish, with Carlsson alongside him, have the potential to form one of the NHL's best 1-2 punches down the middle, a trend the Ducks hope to see already in progress this fall.

Trevor Zegras

2023-24: 6-9=15 in 31 games played, -1 rating, 17:05 ATOI

Maybe Anaheim's most gifted offensive player, Zegras endured a brutal 2023-24 season - first fighting through a preseason core injury only to break his ankle crashing into the boards in Nashville in January.

Zegras returned for the season's final 11 games and quickly showed the potential that made him one of the first core tenets of Anaheim's rebuilding plans, finishing the season on a five-game point streak while expressing a dedicated committment to growing his game off the puck.

"Last year was a brutal year for him. He got injured, he missed a bunch of games early, comes back and breaks his ankle. He had a lot of adversity," Cronin said. "When he came to training camp late, the messaging for me was about, 'Hey, your offense is always going to be there. You got a super IQ on the ice, you make plays, but your focus on defense has to be equally as invested as your offensive focus.' And he tried. He did what we asked him to do. I think analytically, he did a really good job those first 10 or 12 games, whatever it was. He wasn't getting the points, but I was really impressed with his compete level and I was impressed with his defensive details.

"So then he comes back and the poor guy breaks his ankle. Now he's behind the eight ball again. It's an 11-week absence. And then he comes out and again, I thought he was terrific. I don't know how many games he played until the end of the season, but he was visible. I think he probably had close to a point a game if I'm just thinking out loud. His plus-minus was good. So he did a lot of things that I think reflect a lot of growth as a person and as a player and I'm really excited for him. I'm excited to see how he works off of this in the fall."

With experience playing both center and wing at the NHL level, it remains to be seen where Zegras will initially slot in the Ducks lineup - but his versatility certainly offers Anaheim's coaches the ability to try different combinations while searching for the team's preferred line combos.

Zegras will also likely play a crucial part on Anaheim's power play, a role he's consistently excelled at in the past, with 17 power-play points in each of his first two NHL seasons.

Isac Lundestrom

2023-24: 5-6=11 in 46 games played, -1 rating, 14:20 ATOI

Now entering his seventh NHL season, Lundestrom's game is a known quantity to Ducks coaches and management - a straight line, hard-nosed player that excels in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill.

The Swedish native overcame an offseason Achilles injury last season to appear in 46 games, earning a -1 rating despite Anaheim's struggles and scoring five goals while finishing (13.2%) at the second-best rate of his NHL career.

Lundestrom will likely be a fixture of Anaheim's bottom-six, centering the third or fourth line, while being counted on to provide forechecking and defensive value.

Robby Fabbri

2023-24: 18-14=32 in 68 games played, -13 rating, -12:52 ATOI

Anaheim's newest addition up front, Fabbri joins the Ducks as a versatile veteran option with experience playing both wing and center.

The 28-year-old comes to Orange County with 200 career NHL points on his resume, and two goals shy of 100 after a career-tying 18 last year with Detroit.

Fabbri's role remains to be seen, but after Ducks GM Pat Verbeek professed a desire for more speed and skill in the bottom-six, Fabbri - whose 14.6% career shooting percentage ranks 29th among active NHLers (min. 300 career GP) - could fit the bill.

Jansen Harkins

2023-24: 0-4=4 in 45 games played, -4 rating, 8:12 ATOI

If Fabbri's edict in his first season as a Duck is to bring more scoring to the bottom-six, Harkins' is pretty much the exact opposite. The 6-foot-2 American-born forward plays the game at 100 miles per hour, offering an aggressive, physical wrecking ball that Ducks coaches can use against heavy teams.

Last season, Harkins led the Penguins in hits/60 (12.02, min. 15 GP) and finished with 13 blocked shots in 45 appearances.

Harkins will compete for a spot on Anaheim's opening night roster, likely filling a fourth-line role while making an impact on the penalty kill.