The Anaheim Ducks are preparing for the 2025-26 NHL season that starts in just two weeks, and there is a lot of anticipation in the air. After the Ducks hired Joel Quenneville, there are higher expectations for this hockey team. A new coaching staff gets to play with talented young players. Notably, young talent like Leo Carlsson will set the tone for the Ducks and be one of the more integral players on the team. While Carlsson is a Ducks key player, he cannot do it alone. No, there is another Ducks X-factor to look at.
The Ducks have some training camp battles going as they prepare for the 2025-26 NHL season. But if they truly want to end their playoff drought, they need players to step up. The coaching staff looks great. Yet, the players also need to do their part to help bring playoff hockey back to the Honda Center.
Carlsson could take that next step in his third season and become a point-per-game player after scoring 20 goals and 25 assists last season. But he needs help from others. Several players could be the Ducks' X-factor, but one specifically stands out and can share the success with Carlsson that they established last season.
Leo Carlsson will still be exceptional for the Ducks
This is not to say that Carlsson won't be great. In fact, there are higher expectations for him than ever. When the Ducks drafted Carlsson, rather than selecting Adam Fantilli with the second pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, it signaled confidence in him being the new franchise player. Some have compared Carlsson to Ryan Getzlaf, the former captain who spent his entire career with the Ducks.
Getzlaf broke out in his third season. Likewise, many expect Carlsson to break out in his third season. With the second-winningest coach in town, it should give him more of an opportunity to do better things on the ice. Carlsson has displayed pure skills, from his puck handling to his passing and, of course, his shooting abilities.
This will likely be the season where Carlsson breaks out. Yet, he is not the Ducks' X-factor who will make all the difference. Others on the team can help shape this team into a playoff squad.
Other players who could be Ducks X-factors
With a full squad, this team could look very dangerous. However, Mason McTavish remains unsigned and is currently in a contract dispute with the Ducks. Assuming the Ducks can actually sign McTavish, they would have a talented two-way player on the ice. McTavish netted 22 goals and 30 assists last season. Therefore, he could be a Ducks X-factor.
However, the fact remains that he is still unsigned. As a result, it further affects what he can do this season. Even if the Ducks were to sign McTavish within the next two weeks, he would still need time to get ready for the season. There remains a great possibility that the lack of availability at the Ducks' training camp could cause him to struggle early. Remember, the Ducks are learning an entirely new scheme with a new coaching staff. That is not easy to learn overnight.
Troy Terry was on the Ducks the last time they made the playoffs and scored 21 goals and 34 assists last season. Yet, he is not the Ducks' X-factor because he seemed to hit his peak in the 2021-22 NHL season when he scored 37 goals and 30 assists for 67 total points. No, the Ducks' X-factor for the 2025-26 season is Cutter Gauthier.
Why Cutter Gauthier could be the Ducks' X-factor
When the Ducks traded for Gauthier, it was the first move in what seemed like a new direction. They found someone who could score goals. Of course, the Ducks have struggled to score, ranking 30th in goals last season.
In addition to Quenneville, Jay Woodcroft will have the task of fixing an Anaheim power play that converted just 11.8% of its opportunities, marking it dead last in the league. That is where Gauthier comes in. Last season, he had 20 goals and 24 assists, but only two power-play goals and four assists on the extra-man advantage. Although lines will shift, he is currently on the second power play. Gauthier could benefit from Woodcroft's instruction and become a better shooter on the extra-man attack. It could increase his goal output and set a precedent for a potential career season.
This is technically his second full season in the NHL, but officially his third. It's time for Gauthier to become the Ducks' best goal-scorer, and possibly become the best scorer the team has had since Corey Perry. Carlsson may be the best overall player on the team, but getting extra scoring from Gauthier could help push the Ducks over the top and into the playoffs.
