The Ducks could be close to getting some real relief.
Head coach Joel Quenneville said Pavel Mintyukov remains day-to-day, Ian Moore has resumed skating, and Troy Terry is “getting close” to making his season debut after hip surgery, according to Derek Lee of The Hockey News.
Terry is the headliner in that group. He produced 57 points in 61 games last season, putting him on pace for the best year of his career and even topping his All-Star stretch from 2021-23.
He had the procedure last June and was initially expected to miss at least until late November, so an earlier return would be a welcome boost for Anaheim. The Ducks have been patching together their top six with different forwards, including 2019 draftees Nikita Nesterenko and Judd Caulfield, and the offense has suffered for it.
They currently own the ninth-worst attack in the league, even with Leo Carlsson carrying a heavy load and showing his value with 13 points in 11 games.
The injury situation has been just as thin on the blue line, where rookie Noah Warren has taken advantage of the opening and is expected to skate on the top pair with Jackson LaCombe tonight. Anaheim has asked plenty of LaCombe, who is logging more than 26 minutes per night as the clear No. 1 defenseman.
Mintyukov, meanwhile, went on injured reserve last week with what appears to be a lower-body issue. The 22-year-old Russian signed a five-year extension with a $7.2MM AAV and is expected to be a key top-four piece thanks to his skill and size.
The Ducks also need Moore to keep developing into that role; the 6-foot-3 right shot is dealing with a lower-body injury after playing his first full-time NHL season last year, when he averaged 13:40 over 67 games and scored 12 points while providing dependable shot-blocking.
Anaheim is trying to get back to .500 against the 2-10-1 Canucks tonight, though Thursday’s game against Buffalo may come too soon for any of the three injured players. There should still be better news by the weekend.
Around the league, Nashville defenseman William Trudeau has started skating again, but there is still no timetable for his return, head coach Andrew Brunette said. Brooks Bratten was among those on the media call.
Trudeau, who was claimed off waivers from the Rangers in late September, played three games for Nashville for the first time in his career before suffering an upper-body injury against Montreal, the team that drafted him. Since then, the Predators have kept shuffling the back end, adding left-shot defensemen by trading for Jayden Struble and claiming Daemon Hunt from Minnesota two days ago.
By the time Trudeau is ready to come off injured reserve, there may not be an obvious spot for him in the top seven. Veteran Ilya Lyubushkin, who was claimed off waivers out of camp, made his Predators debut last week and could eventually slide to the outside as Nashville turns to Trudeau and other younger options.
In Edmonton, the Oilers are also tracking possible returns with the Battle of Alberta on deck at home tomorrow night. Jamie Umbach wrote that Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson are both in line to potentially play.
Ekholm, despite reports three days ago that he was dealing with a suspected concussion, has cleared protocol and has never been diagnosed with one in his 976-game career. He has only three points in 10 games so far, a drop from last season’s 41 points in 82 games, but his value comes from steady play next to Evan Bouchard, the league’s top-scoring blueliner.
Dickinson has had a tougher run with injuries: he was activated off injured reserve earlier this month after an ankle issue, then picked up a groin problem in practice. He has managed only three games, one assist, and 12:12 of ice time in those appearances, but his shutdown work on the penalty kill helps free Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to do what they do best.
Edmonton will also remember that Calgary won three of the four meetings last season as it tries to start 2026-27 on the right foot in the rivalry.
In Other News...
Canucks Bring A Growing Crisis Into Anaheim Against The Ducks
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Manny Malhotra is still shuffling pieces to find the right mix, looking for more scoring and a steadier rhythm from a lineup that has too often gone quiet. One of the more notable looks in practice had DeBrusk back with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, a reminder that Vancouver is still trying to settle on combinations that can do more than just survive the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Moving On From Chris Kreider Looks More Telling Now
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For Ducks fans, the bigger takeaway is how the decision to move on now feels more significant in hindsight. Kreiders age and recent decline were already part of the conversation, but the slow start in Montreal has only sharpened the debate about how much he has left and whether his most productive days are fully behind him. Anaheim had seen enough to chart a different path, and the early evidence suggests that call may look even more prudent as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Ducks Turn A Home Game Into A Da de Muertos Celebration
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The celebration will also carry a charitable angle, with the Ducks Foundation rolling out a themed auction and a Surprise Puck sale tied to local support efforts. For the Ducks, it is another chance to make home games feel connected to the community around them, using the arena spotlight to honor tradition while giving fans a match-night experience that reaches beyond the ice. [Read more 🡒]