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Things are looking promising in Orange County after the Anaheim Ducks hired Joel Quenneville as their new head coach. Now, there is some rising talent to look at. This could be the year that the NHL sees three breakout stars on the Ducks. With the 2025-26 NHL season around the corner, there are three players who could emerge.
Anaheim still has a decent salary cap floor, and still has room to extend some of their rising talent. After the Ducks signed Mikael Granlund, there is hope that this team could go further than ever. They already traded for Chris Kreider and extended Lukas Dostal. Therefore, there is a lot of optimism in Anaheim.
The issue last season was goal scoring. Overall, Anaheim ranked 30th in overall goals, displaying an inability to finish. To fix this, the team upgraded several positions. But they will also need these three guys to have big years.
Leo Carlsson is one of the biggest Ducks breakout candidates
Leo Carlsson was solid in his second season, tallying 20 goals and 25 assists in 76 games. Now, there is a legitimate chance he could take another step up in his third season. Some have compared Carlsson to former Duck Ryan Getzlaf, the center who spent his entire career in Anaheim. Notably, Getzlaf blew up in his third season, scoring 24 goals and 58 assists in 78 games.
Carlsson is one of the Ducks' breakout candidates because he has a similar skillset to Getzlaf. Additionally, the pairing with the second-winningest coach of all time could skyrocket his metrics. Carlsson is elite at passing the puck and also solid at scoring. Currently, he is set to center the first line, with Cutter Gauthier (more on him later) and Troy Terry. Carlsson has already established some chemistry with both. Now, with Quenneville guiding him, that chemistry could create a potentially lethal first line.
Carlsson was explosive in March 2024, tallying nine goals and eight assists over 15 games. Ultimately, there is a legitimate chance that he could become a point-per-game player as his third season rolls around.
Cutter Gauthier could score a lot of goals in the 2025-26 NHL season
Gauthier scored 20 goals and 24 assists over 82 games last season. As he prepares for his second full season, many believe he could be one of the Ducks' rising talents. As mentioned before, he will play alongside Carlsson and Terry.
In addition to benefiting from Carlsson's rise, Gauthier will also benefit from a better coaching staff. Quenneville hired Jay Woodcroft to man the power play. Substantially, Woodcroft has 10 seasons of experience as an assistant coach. Teams he has coached have finished in the Top 5 on the power play in seven seasons under his leadership. How does this help Gauthier?
It adds another element to his game. Instead of being hesitant on the power play and making a bad pass that leads to a turnover, Gauthier might learn a few things. Gauthier is projected to be on the second power play, alongside Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, Alex Killorn, and Olen Zellweger. Thus, he and Vatrano will be the shooters, and Woodcroft's help could help give Gauthier the boost in his career that he needs. Getting better on the power play will help Gauthier and the team, and it could lead to a breakout season.
Mason McTavish is a coveted Ducks rising talent
The 2025-26 NHL season is less than two months away, and the Ducks have not signed Mason McTavish yet. Assuming the team eventually does extend him, he will be one of the more crucial players on the team.
McTavish finished the 2024-25 NHL season with 22 goals and 30 assists. With several teams coveting the Ducks' youngster, there is no shortage of belief that he will be one of the emerging stars in the NHL. As with Carlsson and Gauthier, McTavish will only benefit from what looks like an elite coaching staff. It will help him fix any issues that are in his game, while allowing him to elevate what he already does well. McTavish had his career high in points last season. Still, there is no reason to believe that he is done.
Mason McTavish will likely center a line with Strome and Vatrano. Playing alongside two established veterans can help. Of course, things can change as the season goes on, as the coaching staff looks to see what works. McTavish has established himself as an emerging Ducks breakout candidate and could break through to 60 points and beyond this season. Although he has not signed a contract yet, there is hope he will very soon. When he does, McTavish will be ready to emerge and help the Ducks make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018.
