Calle Clang is heading back to Sweden, and that move changes the shape of his path in the Anaheim Ducks system.
The Ducks acquired the goaltender from Pittsburgh in the Rickard Rakell deal after the Penguins took him in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 77th overall. Clang spent the entire past season with the San Diego Gulls, and it was easily his best year yet in North America.
In 36 games, a career high, he went 18-9-9 with a 2.80 goals-against average, a .897 save percentage, and three shutouts. He began the season as Ville Husso’s backup, then took over as San Diego’s starter once Husso was recalled to Anaheim for the rest of the year.
Clang also missed about a month while on personal leave in December, and if he had been with the Gulls then, he likely would have been the one called up to Anaheim instead of Vyacheslav Buteyets, which would have led to his NHL debut. He was one of San Diego’s two representatives at the AHL All-Star Game, but his season ended on a rough note when he was injured in the final game of the regular season and missed both playoff games.
There was progress across the board from the year before. His goals-against average dropped from 3.17 to 2.80, his save percentage ticked up from .895 to .897, his win total climbed from 11 to 18, and he posted the first three AHL shutouts of his career. At the same time, the month away on personal leave meant he still didn’t get the full uninterrupted season that would have made the year even cleaner.
Now Clang is set to return to Rögle BK in the SHL, the club he played for before coming to North America. That move makes sense with Anaheim’s crease getting crowded this season by Laurent Brossoit, Tomas Suchanek, and Damian Clara. If Clang had stayed in North America, there was a chance he could have ended up in the ECHL, and the SHL should give him a better chance to play regularly.
Going back to Sweden likely slows the timeline on his NHL shot. Last year, there was a thought he could have a chance at the NHL in the 2027-2028 season, and that remains possible if he dominates in the SHL. Still, the road looks less direct now, and it will be worth watching whether he comes back to North America for the 2027-2028 season or stays in Sweden longer.
Clang is currently unsigned and remains a restricted free agent. Because his SHL decision was announced before qualifying offers were due, Anaheim’s decision to qualify him was a little surprising.
The likely reason is simple enough: if he does return to North America, the Ducks can still control his rights. For now, he sits in the same restricted-free-agent position as Judd Caulfield did last season.
In Other News...
Ducks Offseason News Still Leaves One Big Question Hanging
The Ducks have spent the offseason putting a few things in place, from their national broadcast slate to a home promotional calendar that includes 13 theme nights and a steady stream of giveaways. They also added another prospect to the organizational pipeline, signing Cruz Lucius to an entry-level contract after acquiring him from Pittsburgh for future considerations.
Still, for all the activity, one of the more important items on the board remains unresolved. Cutter Gauthier is still unsigned, and there has been no recent movement on his contract status, leaving Anaheim with a notable question hanging over an otherwise busy stretch of team business. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Next Wave Could Quietly Solve A Growing Roster Need
The Ducks prospect pipeline still has more to prove at the top, but the middle of the list is where some quietly useful NHL pieces start to take shape. In the 11-15 range, Anaheim has a group built less on headline star power and more on specific jobs: wingers who can score, defensemen who can defend, and centers who can eventually stabilize the lower end of the lineup. That kind of depth matters for a club trying to build a roster that can withstand injuries and keep prospects moving into the right roles on schedule.
Mathis Preston and Tarin Smith stand out as two of the more intriguing names in that tier, each with a development path that points toward a bigger future if their progress keeps moving. Prestons scoring touch and Smiths all-around defensive upside give Anaheim different ways to solve the same long-term problem, while Noah Warren and Nathan Gaucher add even more size, structure and versatility to the group. The timeline is still a few seasons out for most of them, but for a Ducks team that needs the next wave to arrive with purpose, this is the part of the system worth watching most closely. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks National TV Slate Says A Lot About Their Rising Attention
ESPN and TNT Sports gave the Ducks another sign of where the franchise sits heading into 2026-27, announcing a national television slate that puts Anaheim in front of a bigger U.S. audience more often. The schedule includes seven games that will air nationally, along with eight Ducks games that have adjusted start times, and the full television plan still hasnt been released.
The mix of national windows says plenty about how the league and its broadcast partners are viewing the Ducks right now, with opportunities to reach fans well beyond Southern California on some of the sports biggest stages. The first of those dates is already on the calendar, and the second TNT appearance comes later in the season, leaving the rest of the broadcast picture to fill in when the complete schedule is unveiled. [Read more 🡒]