{"id":397316,"date":"2026-01-08T10:19:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/397316\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T10:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:19:44","slug":"anaheim-ducks-news-rumors-east-coast-swing-olympic-rosters-and-player-updates-the-hockey-writers-news-and-rumors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/397316\/","title":{"rendered":"Anaheim Ducks News &#038; Rumors: East Coast Swing, Olympic Rosters, and Player Updates &#8211; The Hockey Writers &#8211; News and Rumors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Anaheim Ducks are back in action after the holiday break and ready to get 2026 underway, along with the second half of the season. However, a recent string of losses \u2014 six, to be exact \u2014 has really put a damper on their hopes of starting the new year strong.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/anaheim-ducks-week-ahead-schedule-storylines-mid-season-funk-vatrano-olympics-and-more\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ducks Week Ahead: Schedule &amp; Storylines \u2013 Mid-Season Funk, Vatrano, Olympics and More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In this edition of News &amp; Rumors, we will be looking at the team\u2019s East Coast swing, the Ducks named to their respective Olympic rosters, and some player updates, including injuries and transactions. <\/p>\n<p>An East Coast Road Trip<\/p>\n<p>The team headed east on Monday, facing the Washington Capitals to start the four-game trip. They were optimistic that a change of scenery could mean revival for the Ducks. However, they fell short 7-4 to the Capitals despite scoring three unanswered goals and making a near comeback.<\/p>\n<p>Goaltending was a huge issue in their first road game of the set. <a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/docs\/petr-mrazek\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Petr Mrazek<\/a> let in five-straight goals in the first and second periods and was relieved by Lukas Dostal in the third. The trip\u2019s remaining schedule isn\u2019t easy, either. The Ducks will face former teammate Trevor Zegras and the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday; Zegras is on pace <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player\/424453\/trevor-zegras\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">for an 80-point season<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>They will then head south to play the Carolina Hurricanes, who top the Metropolitan Division with a 25-14-3 record. The Ducks end their road trip in Buffalo to take on the Sabres, who have had a recent uptick in success. They were on a 10-game winning streak before they lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets.<\/p>\n<p>The Ducks will have to bring back that dynamic, powerful offense they had at the start of the season, and Dostal and Mrazek will need to shape up and sharpen their goaltending if the team wants to end the trip with a winning record. <\/p>\n<p>Four Ducks Highlight Olympic Rosters<\/p>\n<p>A multitude of Ducks players will be representing their respective countries on, perhaps, the world\u2019s biggest stage. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/2026\/01\/02\/these-4-ducks-are-slated-to-play-in-the-winter-olympics\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Four players were named<\/a> to the Olympic men\u2019s ice hockey rosters ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The aforementioned Dostal and <a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/docs\/radko-gudas\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Radko Gudas<\/a> will be joining Czechia, <a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/docs\/leo-carlsson\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Leo Carlsson<\/a> will take the ice with Sweden, and <a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/docs\/mikael-granlund\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mikael Granlund<\/a> will appear in his second Winter Olympics with Finland.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Leo-Carlsson-Ducks-1200x800.jpg\" alt=\"Leo Carlsson Anaheim Ducks\" class=\"wp-image-1584156\"  \/>Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p>These players have all been having solid seasons and are among the best from their countries to play the sport. Dostal has a .887 save percentage this season and averages 3.18 goals against. Gudas is a known enforcer who uses his size and physicality to defend the puck and as Ducks captain, is a veteran who brings leadership and mentorship off the ice, as well.<\/p>\n<p>Carlsson has had a particularly impressive season despite his recent slump. The young forward has 42 points in 41 games in 19:30 of average ice time. Granlund suffered an injury earlier in the season, but in his 24 games played, he has recorded 16 points.<\/p>\n<p>Player Updates: Vatrano, Nesterenko, and Husso<\/p>\n<p>Veteran Ducks forward Frank Vatrano suffered a shoulder injury in the team\u2019s recent game against the Los Angeles Kings. He was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ducks\/news\/vatrano-out-approximately-six-weeks-with-shoulder-injury\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">placed on injured reserve<\/a> (IR) and is expected to be out for approximately six weeks. Vatrano had not been performing at a level we\u2019ve seen previously from him. This season, he had just six points in 38 games prior to his injury.<\/p>\n<p>Young forward Nikita Nesterenko was placed on waivers, per <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FriedgeHNIC\/status\/2008615507923230882?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">Sportsnet\u2019s Elliotte Friedman<\/a>. If Nesterenko clears waivers, he will be reassigned to the San Diego Gulls, the team\u2019s American Hockey League affiliate. He had nine points in 27 games. The team also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ducks\/news\/vatrano-out-approximately-six-weeks-with-shoulder-injury\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">recalled goaltender Ville Husso <\/a>from the Gulls on an emergency basis. He previously played in Anaheim as the starting goaltender in the absence of Dostal and Mrazek due to injury.<\/p>\n<p>The Ducks will look to earn a much-needed win against the Flyers on Tuesday night, their second game of a back-to-back. Keep your eye on The Hockey Writers for all things Ducks, NHL, and beyond. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.substack.com\/s\/anaheim-ducks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"122\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ducks_Banner-1200x122.jpg\" alt=\"SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO OUR ANAHEIM DUCKS SUBSTACK NEWSLETTER\" class=\"wp-image-1567223\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/anaheim-ducks\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Anaheim Ducks\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/boston-bruins\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Boston Bruins\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/buffalo-sabres\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Buffalo Sabres\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a 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xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/pittsburgh-penguins\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Pittsburgh Penguins\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/san-jose-sharks\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"San Jose Sharks\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/seattle-kraken\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Seattle Kraken\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/st-louis-blues\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"St. Louis Blues\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/tampa-bay-lightning\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Tampa Bay Lightning\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/toronto-maple-leafs\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Toronto Maple Leafs\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/utah-mammoth\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Utah Hockey Club\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/vancouver-canucks\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Vancouve Canucks\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/vegas-golden-knights\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Vegas Golden Knights\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/washington-capitals\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Washington Capitals\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><br \/>\n<a xlink:href=\"https:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/winnipeg-jets\/\" target=\"---\" xlink:title=\"Winnipeg Jets\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Anaheim Ducks are back in action after the holiday break and ready to get 2026 underway, along&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":397317,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5123],"tags":[3189,2210,233,5292,1739,5,3040,3041,1271,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-397316","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-anaheim-ducks","8":"tag-2026-winter-olympics","9":"tag-anaheim","10":"tag-anaheim-ducks","11":"tag-anaheimducks","12":"tag-ducks","13":"tag-hockey","14":"tag-leo-carlsson","15":"tag-lukas-dostal","16":"tag-mikael-granlund","17":"tag-nhl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/115858975252191009","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/397316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=397316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/397316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/397317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=397316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=397316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=397316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}