Ducks hope to take flight with old-school look, influx of youth

STAMFORD, Conn. -- It is a new era for the Anaheim Ducks.

Call it Orange Country, a brand evolution, or a refreshed identity with a nostalgic twist. The Ducks are hyping a new, primary logo they called a return to the pinnacle of 1990s hockey fashion.

It's a major part of a grand design. General manager Pat Verbeek wants to push for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, even with the Ducks finishing no higher than seventh in the Pacific Division the past four seasons. Several young, talented forwards either in the NHL full time or on the cusp must prove why this season and beyond will be different. 

Anaheim is no stranger to sustainable success; the Ducks enjoyed that between 2005 and 2018 with 11 playoff appearances and becoming Stanley Cup champions in 2007.

"Now it's time to win more games and hopefully play meaningful games later on in the stretch," forward Frank Vatrano said at the 2024 Shoulder Check Showcase on Thursday. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to help this team succeed. We have great younger guys who are going to make big steps next year and we're going to rely on them. We're all playing for the same goal."

Vatrano, 30, is coming off his finest NHL season, with 60 points (37 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games. Core forwards Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish and Troy Terry each is 27 years old or younger. McTavish (No. 3, 2021) and forwards Leo Carlsson (No. 2, 2023), Cutter Gauthier (No. 5, Philadelphia Flyers, 2022) and Beckett Sennecke (No. 3, 2024) each is a top-five pick in the NHL Draft. They were joined last month by Stanley Cup champion forward Robby Fabbri (St. Louis Blues, 2019) and defenseman Brian Dumoulin (Pittsburgh Penguins, 2016 and '17) to upgrade a 27-50-5 season when Anaheim was 30th in the NHL in goals per game (2.48) and goals against (3.57), 31st on the penalty kill (72.4 percent) and tied for 25th on the power play (17.9 percent).

The coach, Greg Cronin, is Anaheim's third since Randy Carlyle was fired during the 2018-19 season. In the division are the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the 2024 Western Conference-winning Edmonton Oilers and a coastal rival (Los Angeles Kings) that has made the playoffs for three straight seasons. 

"Obviously it's on the young guys to take a step but it's for the older guys to help them get there and continue on our trajectories," Ducks forward Ryan Strome said. "We'll see how the next couple of years go. We'll take things slowly and see what happens."

Vatrano can become an unrestricted free agent after this season and is often the topic of trade rumors. But he made it clear he wants to see the rebuild through. 

"I don't want to play anywhere else," Vatrano said. "It's where I want to be. I see the bigger picture. I see how good we're going to be next year and the years to come, so I want to be part of the solution."

Zegras, eligible for restricted free agency after the 2025-26 season, doesn't want to go anywhere either.

"We have a really tight-knit group," he said, "and I really do love being a part of it, so it's a good fit."

McTavish, a pending RFA after this season, is a candidate to earn the title of Anaheim captain, vacant since Ryan Getzlaf retired following the 2021-22 season.

The Ducks are one of six teams without a captain (Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Hockey Club). Verbeek said April 22 that one will likely be named before the season.

"I think it's going to be a first-time captain for whoever it's going to be, but I'm sure they'll handle it," Strome said. "We've had a lot of ups and downs the last couple of years, so I think we need somebody to right the ship, steer the ship and be the leader."

The new brand is another sign of how Anaheim is pivoting; Ducks owners Susan and Henry Samueli call it a symbol of Orange County. The vibe at the Shoulder Check Showcase was relaxed, with a message of mental-health awareness supporting the HT40 Foundation in memory of Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old youth hockey player who committed suicide May 21, 2022.

Vatrano and teammates helped give back Thursday. Anaheim is determined to start winning for its fans and the organization.

"If you have it between the ears and you've got a clear mind and you have a good support group, I think that's what helps you succeed in the long run," Vatrano said. "The whole rebrand, the old school-new school logo, is great, all orange obviously to represent Orange County. We have so many good young guys on our team and a lot of them took a big step for us [last] year."