NHL EDGE stats: Ducks’ surprising start to 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we identify some key advanced metrics behind the Anaheim Ducks during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the NHL’s most-improved teams this season, and their advanced metrics in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have helped them take a commanding lead on the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference First Round.

The Ducks have a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series against the Oilers, who made the Stanley Cup Final in each of the previous two postseasons (lost to Florida Panthers). The Ducks are averaging the most goals per game (5.00) and have the best power-play percentage (50.0; 6-for-12) through their first four postseason games after ending a seven-season playoff drought (last appearance was 2018).

Anaheim, which had an eight-win improvement under new coach Joel Quenneville in the regular season (43 this season; 35 last season), trailed in the third period at home in Game 4 but tied the game on Jeffrey Viel's goal with 6:29 left in regulation and won it 2:29 into overtime on Ryan Poehling’s goal. It marked Anaheim’s third straight comeback win (Games 2 through 4), establishing the second-longest streak in franchise history (had four straight comeback wins against Winnipeg Jets during 2015 playoffs).

The Ducks also had plenty of comebacks and flair for the dramatic during the regular season. Anaheim had 10 wins when trailing after the first period during the regular season (tied for fifth most in NHL) and nine overtime wins (tied for sixth). The Ducks, who had been rebuilding prior to this season, finished third in the Pacific Division (92 points) and were only three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights (95) for first place in the Pacific and one point behind the Oilers (93) for second.

Anaheim has an elite young core, led by forwards Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, rookie Beckett Sennecke and defenseman Jackson LaCombe, and that group is complemented by key veterans like John Carlson, Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider. The Ducks have gone toe to toe with the Oilers, who are led by all-time great offensive postseason performers in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, in what has been an extremely high-scoring series. There have been at least seven total goals in each of the first four games (35 combined goals in span) and an average total of 8.75 goals per game during the series.

Here are three underlying storylines behind the Ducks’ impressive start to the postseason and some signs they could carry over their success for at least another round.

1. LaCombe’s possession brilliance

LaCombe surprisingly leads the entire 2026 playoffs with eight points (one goal, seven assists) through four games against the Oilers. He also has the best 5-on-5 shot attempts differential of any player League-wide this postseason (plus-48).

This is especially impressive when considering LaCombe’s pair with Jacob Trouba has played the most ice time with McDavid on the ice among Ducks defensemen in this series: Trouba has been on the ice for the most of McDavid’s ice time (57.3 percent), while LaCombe is second (53.3). LaCombe has not been on the ice for any of McDavid four points (one goal, three assists) in the series.

Through four games this postseason, the Ducks rank seventh out of 16 playoff teams in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (52.9), while the Oilers are 10th (47.1). Anaheim ranked seventh in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (52.2) this regular season, a drastic improvement compared to last regular season (46.3 in 2024-25; 30th out of 32 teams).

After taking a step further in terms of points (58 this season) following his breakout performance last season (43 in 2024-25), LaCombe is covering key advanced stats categories for the Ducks in the playoffs and thriving on a separate defense pair from Carlson, who was acquired prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. LaCombe is among the defenseman leaders this postseason in total skating distance (16.06 miles; 95th percentile), max skating speed (22.15 mph; 93rd percentile) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (six; 91st percentile), helping him constantly join the rush and create offense during this topsy-turvy series.

2. High-danger goals

The Ducks, as a team, are top five in both high-danger shots on goal (34; third) and midrange shots on goal (41; fifth) this postseason. They are tied with the Buffalo Sabres for first in high-danger goals (nine) during the playoffs. Per NHL EDGE IQ, six of the eight shot attempts with the highest Projected Goal Rate in this series have come from the Ducks.

Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Viel are tied for Anaheim’s most high-danger goals (two each; tied for second in NHL behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel’s four) this postseason. Killorn, who won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, is another veteran bringing important experience to the young Ducks.

Killorn (five points in four games this postseason) is the only player in the NHL with at least one point at all strengths (even-strength, power play and shorthanded) this postseason. Killon’s line with Granlund and Sennecke has given Anaheim’s offense another dimension on top of its dominant first line of Carlsson, Gauthier and Troy Terry and equal, if not better, scoring depth compared to Edmonton so far in the series.

The Ducks have also used their speed to combat the Oilers’ trademark style. Edmonton has the most 20-plus mph speed bursts (158) this postseason, but Anaheim also ranks highly in that category (99; sixth). Poehling leads the Ducks in max skating speed (reached 23.39 mph in Game 3) and quietly has the fourth-fastest burst in the entire NHL this postseason (ahead of McDavid’s fastest burst of 22.99 mph, which ranks eighth).

3. Shot metrics

Carlsson ranks second in the entire NHL in shots on goal this postseason (22) behind Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (23). Carlsson is also tied for second in the entire NHL in midrange shots on goal (nine) behind Tage Thompson of the Sabres (10).

Carlson set the new hardest shot of the 2026 playoffs in Game 4 on a shot attempt of 102.72 mph, which was blocked. Carlson has also been a standout among defensemen in terms of average shot speed (76.59; 95th percentile) and offensive zone time percentage (45.8; 86th percentile) this postseason. Gauthier, meanwhile, has excelled among forwards in average shot speed (69.64 mph; 99th percentile), hardest shot (88.92 mph; 92nd percentile) and midrange shots on goal (six; 92nd percentile) this postseason.

Per NHL EDGE IQ, Anaheim has scored 13 of its 16 goals on inferenced shots on offensive zone plays, meaning they occurred five or more seconds after entering the offensive zone. Inferenced shot attempts exclude those taken greater than 60 feet from the goal, beyond the goal line or against an empty net.

The Oilers have shown the ability to flip the switch during many of their past playoff series wins during the McDavid-Draisaitl era, most notably when they trailed 3-0 during the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers but won three straight to force Game 7. But considering the Pacific Division title race was wide open up until the final days of the regular season, the Ducks’ array of strong advanced metrics gives them a ceiling of not only winning this series but also potentially coming out of their side of the bracket.