In a season where the Ducks' expectations were to make the playoffs, they've done that, and then some. At one point, the Ducks were top of the Pacific Division, gearing up for their first division title since 2016-17. But several bad spells in the latter stages of the season relegated them to finishing third in the Pacific, setting up a first round matchup with the defending Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers.
The general media didn't give Anaheim much of a fighting chance. Who could blame them? Anaheim had not been able to demonstrate that they could defense well on a consistent basis, ending the season with the 29th-worst goals against ranking. None of their goaltenders finished the season with a save percentage over .900.
But for as much as the Ducks had defensive woes, so too did the Oilers. The Ducks had shown during the regular season that they had no issues putting the puck in the net. During their six-game series with the Oilers, they scored 26 goals, with eight of those coming on the power play (in 16 power play opportunities).
Apr 28, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Anaheim Ducks celebrate after a goal scored by forward Alex Killorn (17) during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
The drivers of the Ducks' first playoff run in eight years have been acquisitions made by general manager Pat Verbeek, who was hired in February 2022 after the previous general manager Bob Murray has resigned.
On Tuesday, Verbeek was named as one of the three finalists for the 2025-26 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The other two finalists were the Minnesota Wild's Bill Guerin and the Colorado Avalanche's Chris MacFarland. Voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives and media at the conclusion of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It's easy to see why Verbeek was named one of the finalists, especially after watching their first round series against the Oilers. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn performed well against the Oilers. All of these players were acquired by Verbeek, whether through the draft, trade or free agency. Summer trade acquisition Ryan Poehling scored four goals against the Oilers, including the Game 4 overtime winner.
Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson has been a dependable force on the backend, paired with Pavel Mintyukov and creating a reliable second defensive pair that head coach Joel Quenneville can deploy behind Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba. Speaking of Trouba, he was acquired in December 2024 by Verbeek from the New York Rangers. So too was Chris Kreider, who arrived in Anaheim this past June via trade. Kreider was one of six Ducks this season with 50+ points while Trouba has taken the mantle of shutdown defender alongside LaCombe.
May 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba (65) warms up before the start of game two against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Let's not forget midseason trade acquisition Jeff Viel, whose introduction to the team kicked off with a bang. Two goals and three points in his first four games raised several eyebrows and while the scoring eventually regressed, Viel's impact has been felt in the playoffs. His goal in Game 3 against the Oilers gave the Ducks some much-needed insurance after Connor McDavid drew the Oilers within one and his goal in the third period of Game 4 brought the Ducks even, setting the scene for Poehling's overtime winner. His two assists in the series against Vegas have come at crucial times, setting up Beckett Sennecke for the opener in Game 3 and providing Granlund with the (at the time) go-ahead goal in Game 4.
"We have a lot of scouts who do their job, and they do it well," Verbeek said. "I watched him play against us early in the season and I thought he had a pretty good game against us when we played in Boston. He was on a what I call a fourth line-grind line and I thought he did a good job. We saw him in the minors with his skill level and his doggedness to get in on the forecheck, to finish checks. We saw all of that stuff. He's a quiet, tough customer. He's always been there for his teammates, which I love. He's starting to feel really comfortable with our group, with our system. He's been kind of a pleasant surprise for us, but we've seen some of the things that he's showing now in the minors. He looks like he's just gained confidence to be able to do it at the NHL level now."
20-year-old Sennecke is currently on a three-game goal streak, providing plenty of offense against Vegas after being held to just a single point in the Ducks' series against Edmonton. Two of Sennecke's goals have come right in front of the net, a testament to his willingness to get to the dirty areas. His selection by Verbeek at third overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft may have been surprising for many (including Sennecke himself), but the dividends of that pick are already beginning to pay off. The decision to keep Sennecke in the NHL full-time this season has been a boon for the Ducks, who likely would not have made the playoffs without his contributions.
"I think this award really is an organizational award," Verbeek said of his nomination. "You can look at our coaching staff, you look at our coaching staff in San Diego, you look at our development people. You talk to all our scouts, whether professional or amateur. Everybody has had a hand in this scenario. I think that's kind of how I view it, just as a complete organization."
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