Ducks sign Greer, Jensen for depth at forward, defenseman

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts in September. Today, the Anaheim Ducks:

2025-26 season: 43-33-6, third in Pacific Division; lost in Western Conference Second Round

Key arrivals

A.J. Greer , F: The 29-year-old signed a four-year contract July 1, two days after he was acquired in a trade with the Florida Panthers for Radko Gudas. Greer had NHL career highs in goals (17), assists (15) and points (32) in 78 games last season while leading the Panthers with 203 hits. He won the Stanley Cup with Florida in 2025. … Nick Jensen, D: The 35-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1. Jensen had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 61 regular-season games for the Ottawa Senators last season while averaging 17:01 of ice time. He did not play after March 11 because of a knee injury. … Jeff Malott, F: The 29-year-old signed a three-year contract July 1. Malott had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 58 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Kings last season with a team-high 166 hits. … Laurent Brossoit, G: The 33-year-old signed a one-year contract July 1 and could compete with Ville Husso for the backup role behind Lukas Dostal. Brossoit played one game for the San Jose Sharks last season. … Anton Wahlberg, F: The 21-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on June 26 with a second-round pick in the 2026 draft for Olen Zellweger. Wahlberg had 37 points (nine goals, 28 assists) in 68 games for Rochester of the American Hockey League last season, ranking third in assists and tied for fourth among team leaders in scoring, and has 71 points (21 goals, 50 assists) in 140 AHL games.

Key departures

John Carlson, D: Traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on June 27 for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and defenseman prospect Kyle Masters. Carlson then signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1 after he and the Hurricanes were unable to agree on a contract during an exclusive negotiating window. He had 60 points (14 goals, 46 assists) in 71 regular-season games last season, including 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 16 games and six assists in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games after he was traded to Anaheim by the Washington Capitals on March 5. … Mason McTavish, F: Traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 26 for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks in the 2026 draft. McTavish had 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games last season and six points (one goal, five assists) in 10 playoff games. … Jacob Trouba, D: Signed a four-year contract with the Sharks on July 1. Trouba had 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 81 regular-season games last season, led the Ducks with 149 blocked shots and was third with 143 hits. He scored one goal in 12 playoff games. … Radko Gudas, D: Anaheim's former captain had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 56 games last season and no points in one playoff game. … Olen Zellweger, D: Traded to the Buffalo Sabres on June 26 for Anton Wahlberg and a second-round pick in the 2026 draft. Had an NHL career-high 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 76 regular-season games last season and two points (one goal, one assist) in three playoff games.

On the cusp

Roger McQueen, F: The 19-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on April 18. McQueen had three points (one goal, two assists) in six games for San Diego of the American Hockey League after signing an amateur tryout agreement April 1. The No. 10 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games for Providence College. … Tristan Luneau, D: The 22-year-old scored in his only NHL game last season, Anaheim's 5-4 victory at the Nashville Predators on April 16. Luneau had 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 70 games, setting an AHL career high in goals and leading Gulls defensemen in assists, points and shots (156). ... Nikita Klepov, RW: The 18-year-old was selected in the first round (No. 15) of the 2026 draft. Klepov will play at Michigan State after he led the Ontario Hockey League with 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games for Saginaw. He won the 2026 Hap Emms Award voted as OHL rookie of the year and was the first rookie to lead the league in scoring since Patrick Kane (London) in 2006-07. … Damian Clara, G: The 21-year-old was assigned to the AHL on April 4. Clara started three regular-season games and two Calder Cup Playoff games after going 17-15-0 with a 2.52 GAA, .887 save percentage and two shutouts for Brynas in the Swedish Hockey League. He played for host Team Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he had a .911 save percentage in four games while leading all goalies with 133 saves, including 46 against Team Sweden and 48 against Team Switzerland. The Ducks made Clara the first player from Italy taken in the NHL Draft when they selected him in the second round (No. 60) in 2023.

What they still need

Somehow retaining leading scorer and restricted free agent forward Cutter Gauthier (69 points; 41 goals, 28 assists). The Ducks have little room under the NHL salary cap of $104 million for the 2026-27 season after signing RFA defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year contract July 5 and matching a five-year, $90 million offer sheet tendered by the Philadelphia Flyers to RFA forward Leo Carlsson. They still must deal with the absence of forward Troy Terry (hip impingement and labral tear surgery) until at least November. Even with Gauthier, Carlsson, Terry (57 points; 19 goals, 38 assists in 61 games) and Calder Trophy finalist Beckett Sennecke (60 points; 23 goals, 37 assists) in the lineup, an offense ranked 13th in goals per game (3.23) last season averaged 2.17 goals in the second round, a six-game loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. There's also a gaping leadership void following the departures of McTavish, Gudas and Trouba.

They said it

"I want to help the people around me and win. And we do have some really good veterans on this team too. It's a young team, but they got a good vet presence. And you look at guys like (Chris) Kreider, (Alex) Killorn, these are big-time guys who I know that those young guys will be sponges around, so I'm just trying to add on to that. I'm not trying to come in and disturb anything. I'm really trying to fit in and really be the puzzle piece to a bigger thing that's coming for the Anaheim Ducks." -- Ducks forward A.J. Greer

EDGE stat to watch

Gauthier led the Ducks in goals (41; tied for 11th in NHL), points (69), power-play points (19) and shots on goal (285; sixth) last season. He was also among the NHL’s top five forwards in hardest shot (99.90 mph; third) and 80-plus mph shot attempts (108; fourth) and was among the best in the entire NHL in midrange shots on goal (117; fourth) and midrange goals (18; tied for fourth). -- Troy Perlowitz

Fantasy spin

The departure of Carlson solidifies Jackson LaCombe’s role as the Ducks’ No. 1 defenseman, and he’s ranked among NHL.com’s top 15 fantasy options at the position for this season. LaCombe, who’s coming off a breakout postseason for Anaheim (10 points in 12 games) and also had career highs in assists (48), points (58), power-play points (17), shots on goal (157) and average ice time (24:15 per game) last regular season, is ranked sixth among 25-and-younger defensemen for fantasy keeper and dynasty leagues. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Chris Kreider -- Leo Carlsson -- Cutter Gauthier 

Alex Killorn -- Mikael Granlund -- Beckett Sennecke

Frank Vatrano -- Ryan Poehling -- A.J. Greer 

Jeff Malott -- Tim Washe -- Sam Colangelo

Jackson LaCombe -- Drew Helleson

Pavel Mintyukov -- Nick Jensen

Tyson Hinds -- Ian Moore

Lukas Dostal

Ville Husso

Injured: Troy Terry (hip)