The start of the highly anticipated 2026-27 regular season is officially here as the Ducks (0-0-0) travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights (1-0-0).
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Prime Video and FOX Los Angeles + (channel 13 KCOP).
Anaheim enters this season fresh off its most successful campaign in recent years. With Joel Quenneville at the helm for his first season as the Ducks head coach, the team finished with a 43-33-6 record (92 points) and scored 265 goals, the most for the franchise since the 263 scored in 2013-14.
They also made the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons, advancing to the second round.
The offseason was also a busy one for the Ducks. Anaheim inked a number of their core players to extensions including Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov, Tim Washe, and Tristan Luneau, while matching the offer sheet for Leo Carlsson. Additionally, the team added forwards A.J. Greer and Jeff Malott as well as defenseman Nick Jensen in free agency.
With his team ready to go, Quenneville shared what he’s most eager to see from his players tonight.
“We want to play with some speed, we want to play with some energy, we like the enthusiasm in our team,” he said. “A lot of new faces, a lot of new players and at the same time, we've got some guys that we're excited to see how they're going to do this year and I think they should be getting better and that's what we're looking forward to as well.”
Tonight’s game is a rematch of the second-round playoff series but given the roster shuffle as coach Q noted, the Ducks enter with a new-look team.
The season opening roster includes defenseman Noah Warren and forward Judd Caulfield who will be making their NHL debuts after spending the last few seasons with the Gulls.
“I’m really excited, it’s a dream come true to play in my first NHL game,” Warren said. “I’ll try to not think about it too much tonight but we’ll see what happens … I feel proud of myself and I think I’m ready.”
“I’m looking to establish my physical presence out there,” Caulfield said of his gameplay going into tonight. “Just be hard to play against, finishing checks, [be] good in the defensive zone and playing my style of game.”
Vegas already has a win on the season after beating Chicago, 5-2, on Tuesday. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists in the victory.
The club is led by first-year head coach Ryan Craig who has spent time within the organization as a previous assistant coach as well as the head coach of the team’s AHL affiliate for the past three seasons.
Lukas Dostal will get the nod in the net per Quenneville.
