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...
Predators Fans Should Watch How Aggressive Nashville Gets Next
With the trade market already beginning to stir, the Predators are a team worth keeping an eye on in the early going. Nashville has stayed active under general manager Chris McFarland, and theres a sense around the league that the next wave of activity could arrive quickly as clubs start sorting out needs and opportunities.
That matters for a Predators team still looking to keep building in the right direction, especially with other clubs also shopping for scoring help and trying to manage injury uncertainty of their own. The Kraken are in the hunt for a top-line winger, and Nashvilles willingness to keep moving pieces around since June suggests McFarland may not be done shaping the roster just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Surge Puts Craig Conroys Next Roster Calls Under Pressure
The market around the Predators is getting a little more interesting as Nashville keeps looking for ways to add youth and skill to its blue line and overall roster mix. Around the league, teams are already weighing tight cap situations and looming roster decisions, and that has helped keep the conversation active on defensemen who could be available if the right trade materializes.
For Nashville, the timing matters because the chatter at the position keeps expanding beyond the usual names. Craig Conroy and other decision-makers are navigating a league where clubs are trying to balance present needs with future flexibility, and the Predators are right in that mix as they monitor what might become available. The recent surge in Calgary only adds another layer, since the Flames improved play could force tougher calls on players and shift the market again before long. [Read more 🡒]
Predators Still Feel Unsettled As MacFarland Eyes Another Roster Move
Chris MacFarland has not exactly been sitting still as he tries to reshape the roster, and the early returns have already shown why Nashville still feels like a team in motion. The Predators have had the kind of uneven opening that can make a front office more active rather than less, with an overtime loss to Pittsburgh followed by a significant win over Colorado offering both a reminder of the rosters upside and the gaps that still need attention.
The conversation around the blue line is only getting louder, and there is a sense that more than one part of the roster could be affected if MacFarland keeps pushing for change. Ryan OReillys contract situation is also lingering over the picture, leaving Nashville in a familiar spot for a team trying to find the right balance between immediate improvement and whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]