Nikita Klepov’s spot on Anaheim’s roster hasn’t come with much ice time. The Ducks’ 15th overall pick in June has appeared in just two games this season, even after choosing to leave his college commitment when he was told he’d have a real shot to make the team.
That leaves Anaheim in a tricky spot. Head coach Joel Quenneville recently told reporters including Derek Lee of The Hockey News that he still doesn’t know whether the Ducks will keep Klepov in the NHL all season or send him back to junior at some point.
Because Klepov is not eligible for a full-time AHL assignment this year, the only options are for him to stay with Anaheim or be loaned back to OHL Saginaw. If he plays in nine or fewer games with the Ducks, his contract will slide and remain at three years heading into next season.
In Edmonton, the Oilers made a roster move of their own, assigning forward James Stefan to AHL Bakersfield. Stefan had opened the season on an injured/non-roster designation, but he has now been cleared to play.
The 23-year-old, who is the son of former NHLer Patrik Stefan, spent most of last season with ECHL Fort Wayne and posted 17 goals and 17 assists in 38 games. He also has three goals in 51 career games with the Condors as he enters the final season of his entry-level deal, with a qualifying offer in June still something he has to earn.
On the Kings’ side, Mats Zuccarello is traveling with the club on its five-game road trip. Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported that the winger has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury and currently carries a week-to-week label.
Zuccarello has one assist in three games this season and is expected to come off injured reserve at some point during the trip, which runs through October 27th.
In Other News...
Troy Terrys Recovery Just Became A Real Ducks Story
Troy Terrys recovery has turned into one of the more encouraging developments around the Ducks, even if it is still too early to call it a full return. The forward is with the team as Anaheim opens a four-game road trip, staying around the group while he works back from hip surgery and continues the next stage of his rehab away from home ice.
For a Ducks team that has had to manage plenty of roster uncertainty of its own in recent seasons, simply having Terry on the trip matters. It keeps him close to the day-to-day rhythm of the club, gives Anaheim a better read on his progress, and offers a small but meaningful sign that the comeback process is moving in the right direction, even if the final step remains ahead. [Read more 🡒]