August is still rolling on, but the Anaheim Ducks are already getting their name out there in a few different corners of the hockey world. Nothing official has happened on the ice for the franchise yet, but several Ducks figures have been visible this offseason at the Shoulder Check Showcase, the NHL Players’ Association’s Rookie Showcase, and San Diego Comic-Con.
At the Shoulder Check Showcase, the Ducks had four players in the mix: Chris Kreider, Cutter Gauthier, Frank Vatrano, and Sam Colangelo. The annual summer event was held at Sacred Heart University’s Martire Family Arena in Fairfield, Connecticut, where 2,700 fans were on hand.
Its purpose is straightforward: bring the hockey community together, push kindness, and raise mental health awareness. The message behind it is to “Reach out, check in, make contact.”
The event featured 26 NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League players in a scrimmage, and Anaheim made sure to be part of it. The team highlighted the appearance on social media, noting that the showcase brings NHL stars, creators and communities together to spread kindness and support mental health awareness.
Roger McQueen also made his first big public appearance as a Ducks prospect at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase. The 2025 first-round pick was there for the standard rookie duties - merchandising photos, promotional work, media, sponsorship opportunities, and the business side of hockey that comes with entering the league.
The detail everyone noticed was his number. McQueen wore 95, a clear nod to Lightning McQueen from Disney’s Cars franchise.
Given Anaheim’s past connection to Disney and its proximity to Disneyland, it fits the scene almost too neatly. Fans are already wondering whether “Life is a Highway” will end up as his goal song when he starts scoring for real.
McQueen brings a lot of intrigue to a young Ducks group that already includes Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson, Tyson Hinds, Pavel Minyukov, and Gauthier. Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers described him as a “big, highly-skilled centre who can dominate games with quick puck movement and great positioning,” and that kind of profile makes him one of the most interesting names in the organization.
Last season at Providence University, McQueen put up 27 points in 36 games and earned Pro Ambitions’ Hockey East Rookie of the Year honors. With Carlsson already locked in as the first-line center, McQueen will likely bounce around the lineup as he gets used to NHL-level play and settles into the role that fits him best.
Wild Wing has been doing his part, too. The Ducks mascot popped up at SDCC, one of the biggest cosplay and fandom events in the country, where the team handed out physical trading cards tied to its schedule release video. Anaheim DJ Jojo also said fans could be getting their own trading card pack soon.
Wing later turned up at Warped Tour, the pop-punk and emo festival, and joined Bayside on “Devotion and Desire.” The appearances are playful on the surface, but they serve a bigger purpose for Anaheim: get people talking, get people posting, and keep the Ducks visible while the team continues building momentum after a long rebuild.
The season is getting close now, and the Ducks are making sure they’re not waiting until opening night to stay in the conversation.