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...
Kings Lineup Spark Turns Into Another Brutal Reality Check
An early jolt from the top line gave the Kings a brief reason to believe they might finally have found some traction, with Alex Laferriere stepping into a first-line look alongside Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin. It paid off almost immediately against Boston, as Los Angeles grabbed the opening goal and showed a little of the pace and finish that has been missing through the opening stretch.
What followed, though, was the same harsh script the Kings have faced too often already, as the Bruins settled in and rolled to a 4-1 win. Los Angeles is still searching for its first victory and now heads into a five-game road trip carrying the frustration of an 0-6 start, with the pressure only growing as the losses pile up. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Early-Season Spiral Just Took Another Frustrating Turn
The early hole the Kings have dug only got deeper Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena, where a 4-1 loss to the Bruins pushed Los Angeles to six straight defeats to open the 2026-27 season. Alex Laferriere gave the building a quick jolt with the games first goal, and for a while it looked like the Kings might at least steady themselves after a rough opening stretch.
Boston answered, though, and the game unraveled from there as the Bruins pulled away in the third period. Los Angeles continues to search for a first win and for any sign that this skid can be interrupted before it becomes an even bigger weight on an already frustrated start. [Read more 🡒]
Reign Let This One Slip And Fans Will Want To Hear Why
The Ontario Reign had enough work on their hands trying to keep pace with Henderson at Toyota Arena, and once the Silver Knights finally broke through early in the second period, the game tilted quickly. Joe Hicketts and Aatu Jmsen supplied the Reigns offense, while Hampton Slukynsky turned aside 22 shots in a loss that never really let Ontario settle in.
Joe Hicketts goal came in a much more unusual sequence, giving the Reign a brief spark when they needed it most, and Jmsen also found the net as Ontario tried to claw back into the night. But Henderson kept answering, and the late stages only added to the frustration as the Silver Knights put the result out of reach in a game the Reign will feel they let slip away. [Read more 🡒]