McGinn Settling into New Hockey Home

Brock McGinn knew his phone might be ringing soon.
The newest Ducks winger was enduring a difficult season in Pittsburgh and stuck as a salary cap casualty on a team looking to squeeze in trade deadline adds. He had been sent down to the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and spoken with team management about the possibility of a new hockey home.
So when the news came that the eighth-year NHLer was on the move to Southern California, McGinn was ready to hit the ground running.

"It's kind of an uncertain waiting game," McGinn said. "I'm excited about this opportunity here. It's a very talented young team. I'm just going to come here, try to get better every single day and help the team grow."
McGinn officially joined the Ducks on deadline day, part of the return (along with a 2024 third-round pick) for pending free agent defenseman Dmitry Kulikov.
In terms of potential landing spots for the versatile veteran forward, Anaheim would have been tough to beat. He already knew several of his new teammates, including Nathan Beaulieu, Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry, the latter of whom he met at former Duck Danton Heinen's wedding last summer.
He also got to ask his older brother, former NHL power forward and one-time Duck Jamie McGinn, for some valuable insight on the organization and surrounding area. Like the younger McGinn is doing now, Jamie joined the Ducks at the 2015 trade deadline, appearing in 21 games and helping Anaheim to its fourth straight division title.

"I think that's made the transition a lot easier," Brock said. "Everybody in here has been welcoming too, so it's been an easy transition so far...Jamie loved it here and just the area in general, too. I think it's a good organization here and I'm just excited to be part of it."
Soft-spoken off the ice, but known as a fierce sparkplug on it, McGinn brings Anaheim a tenacious forechecker, responsible defender and unrelenting competitor who players and management alike think will wear off on those around him.
"He's a water bug," Terry said with a laugh. "He's exactly what we needed. He brings that whole aspect to our game, but he can also score. That's a difference-maker. He can shoot and he's been a proven player in this league."
"Puck battles and compete level are so important to the game," head coach Dallas Eakins added. "It's a mindset and it's also a skill, and Brock brings both the mindset and the skill into those puck battles. When you see that being done, you're inspired by it and you want to do more of it. He's certainly doing that for us right now."
McGinn has played four games in a Ducks sweater since the trade, skating on Anaheim's top line with Trevor Zegras and Ryan Strome. He said sees the new setup as a big opportunity, a chance to prove he also has more offense to his game than what his role allowed him to show in Pittsburgh.
"He complements that line and would probably complement any line because of his work ethic," Eakins said. "He's got good details in his game and he's able to play with those guys because he's got finish."
Added McGinn, "I played more of a defensive role in Pittsburgh. Now playing with two guys who are so skilled and when they have the puck they're so dangerous. I just want to work to try to get pucks back, get it to them and get towards the net, because they're good players and they'll make plays to get it there."

That mindset was on display in just his second appearance with the team, last week in Seattle, when McGinn drove the net hard and cashed in on a Zegras rebound for his first goal as a Duck.
"Getting one early definitely does help to settle the nerves," McGinn humbly admitted. "It's nice to help contribute early on. I'm trying to just work every day, get better and show my game."
A four-time Stanley Cup Playoffs participant with two years left on his contract after this one, McGinn will be looked at to help build the type of tough, constantly competitive winning culture general manager Pat Verbeek has preached.

McGinn has seen that mentality up close in personal in past stops, sharing a locker room with future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh, and playing under 2006 Cup champion Rod Brind'Amour in Carolina.
"Playing with those guys, you learn a lot of tricks of the trade and what it takes to win," McGinn said. "Those guys come in and work hard every single day. So I'm going to try to bring that attitude. It's not just talking as much, but more leading by example. I think it helps a lot."
"A lot of young guys here who are in this core are working hard to get to that level," Terry said. "But at the same time, we don't have that experience...To add another guy with that kind of experience is huge for the room, especially when it gets down to crunch time."