The Ducks have assigned right wing Nikita Klepov to the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Klepov, 18 (6/27/08), began the season with Anaheim, appearing in four NHL games with the Ducks while averaging 13:03 time on ice per game. At 18 years, 102 days on Oct. 7 vs. Edmonton, he became the youngest-ever player to appear in a game for Anaheim in his NHL debut. Selected by Anaheim in the first round (15th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft, he became the eighth youngest player in NHL history selected 15th overall or later to make their debut in October following their NHL Draft.
The 6-0, 192-pound forward led the OHL in scoring in 2025-26 as a rookie with Saginaw, recording 37-60=97 points with a +9 rating in 67 games. He was named the OHL’s Rookie of the Year award and to the OHL First All-Star Team. Klepov became the third player in OHL history to win both rookie of the year and lead the league in points in the same season, joining Patrick Kane (2006-07) and Jack Valiquette (1973-74). He is also the first American-born player to win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s top scorer since Jason Robertson in 2018-19. Klepov led all OHL rookies in points, goals and assists last season, and set a Saginaw record for the most assists and points in a season by a rookie.
Signed by Anaheim to a three-year entry-level contract July 27, 2026, the Deerfield Beach, Fla. native led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring the championship-clinching goal. He scored 1-5=6 points in five tournament games.
