"That was the big question coming into this year, learning how to defend," Ducks Director of Player Development Jim Johnson said. "He got away with things in junior hockey because of gifted skating ability and his offensive skills. He's got great puck hand and he sees the ice well.
"He's always working on his stick and handling his edge control. I thought he adjusted extremely well after the first two or two months of the American League season, understanding how to defend the bigger, stronger men and not losing his positioning. In juniors, he was always was able to recover, but when you're playing against men, you're going to have to play a little bit different."
Zellweger saw an increased role for the Ducks as the season wound down, skating in at least 20 minutes of ice-time in four of the club's last five games.
"I think he's got a bright future," Johnson continued. "He's gifted breaking the puck out. I would call him a breakout machine. He knows how to evade the forecheck. He knows how to find the first man available and he makes good quick decisions with the puck."
Zellweger will likely play a key role on Anaheim's power play, as he has in each of his first two preseason appearances.
Urho Vaakanainen
2023-24: 1-13=14 in 68 games played, Even rating, 17:39 ATOI
Maybe one of the quietest bright spots of Anaheim's 2023-24 season was the play of Vaakanainen, who shook off injuries in each of the past two years to appear in a career-best 68 games, often teaming with Gudas as an effective defensively-focused duo.
"It's nice to have a season where you don't have any injuries you can build on your game," Vaakanainen said. "[Gudas] and I played really well together and that built momentum and my confidence. I didn't have too many off-games, I felt like I had consistency throughout the whole season. That was important for me. I want to be consistent and bring my best every night."
Vaakanainen grew into a bigger role on Anaheim's penalty kill last season and his even plus/minus was second among Ducks players with at least 10 appearances. This season, he'll compete with the club's several other young defenders for ice time on the left side.
"I was told to be a little more patient with the puck, so I've been trying to show that [in training camp]," Vaakanainen said. "I want to defend the same way I did last year, keep skating, stay as sharp on defense as I can and try to be more patient with the puck. That will be a good combo for me."
Vaakanainen added that a second season under head coach Greg Cronin and assistant coach Brent Thompson, who leads the team's defense and manages the penalty kill, has helped him hit the ground running in camp.
"It's easier to come to camp when you know the drills and the expectations, there are no surprises," Vaakanainen said. "You can build on your game because you know what you're doing [in the system]."
Jackson LaCombe
2023-24: 2-15=17 in 71 games played, -24 rating, 19:23 ATOI
The 23-year-old LaCombe had a trial by fire in the NHL last season, quickly skating on one of Anaheim's top defensive pairs as the right side partner to Fowler. Described by Cronin as a "young 23-year-old" last season due to his lack of professional experience, LaCombe showed the flashes of his high-end athleticism and puck-moving prowess at times while also enduring the typical growing pains of a kid making the jump from college hockey to the NHL.
LaCombe noticeably added weight during the offseason in an effort to better weather the demands of an 82-game season, and this fall looks to build on a strong end to his rookie season - which saw him post four points and a +3 rating in the campaign's final eight games.
A potential symbol of LaCombe's development as an NHLer, the Ducks switched his jersey number this summer from 60 to 2.
Tristan Luneau
2023-24: 1-2=3 in 7 games played, +1 rating, 17:52 ATOI
Regularly descibed by Cronin as a "bronco", Luneau's athletic ability is obvious to anyone who watches the 20-year-old skate. A surprise inclusion to Anaheim's opening night roster last year, Luneau showed plenty of promise in his first seven NHL games last year and is challenging in training camp to earn a full-time spot with the Ducks this fall.
A native of Victoriaville, QC, Luneau was supposed to lead Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship in Sweden, until a knee infection would keep him out of the tournament and end his season.
"His seven games that he played in the NHL I thought were outstanding and I know the coaching staff there in Anaheim was really excited about him," Johnson said. "After his knee healed and he got the infection out, he spent a lot of time in the gym this spring and he's really made a commitment to building his body even better than it was. He's had no knee pain. He's doing all of his exercises right now. He's in the gym every day and he's been on the ice. Things are really looking good for him, he just needs to have a real solid summer, come into camp and earn himself a spot on the NHL roster."
Luneau too has added weight in the summer, a testament to the dedication and maturity Ducks coaches and management see in the young defenseman.
"Tristan's a very focused individual, very passionate," Johnson said. "Like Zellweger, everything he does is about being a better player.
"He's got a high offensive upside, a high NHL upside into his game. He controls the play and he can break pucks out of his own end. He's a big body who skates well and he's progressed well there. I'm really excited where he is at."
