The conference final matchups for the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set. The Dallas Stars will face the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference final while the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricanes. Those four rosters consist of nine former Ducks.
Sam Steel
Drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft (30th overall), Steel had a prolific junior career in the WHL with the Regina Pats. However, his glimmers with Anaheim were few and far between and he was never able to carve out a significant role. But after latching on with the Minnesota Wild ahead of the 2022-23 season, he was able to reinvent himself as a checking forward and parlayed that into a regular bottom-6 role. He’s spent the last two seasons with the Stars in a similar role and recently scored in the Stars’ series-clinching victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
Ilya Lyubushkin
Lyubushkin was a Duck for less than a full season, acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in Aug. 2023 and then flipped at the 2023-24 deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs. During his time with the Ducks, he was leaned on heavily in penalty killing and high-leverage defensive situations by then-head coach Greg Cronin. He was influential in guiding fellow countryman Pavel Mintyukov through most of his first season as an NHLer as well. Lyubushkin signed a three-year deal with the Stars this past summer and has played primarily with blossoming star Thomas Harley.
Jaycob Megna
Megna played sparingly this season for the Panthers after appearing in 44 games last season for the Chicago Blackhawks. But his appearance on this list speaks to his perseverance and work ethic. Drafted by the Ducks in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Megna played nearly three full seasons in the AHL (in addition to two full collegiate seasons) before making his NHL debut in 2017, coincidentally against the Blackhawks. He continued to split time between the NHL and AHL, departing the Ducks organization after the 2018-19 season. He spent the entire 2019-20 season in the AHL before returning to the NHL in 2020-21. Most of his career since then has been as an NHLer, with brief stints in the AHL. 2024-25 was the first time he had played more than 22 AHL games since 2021-22.
Frederik Andersen
The only goaltender on this list now, Andersen was drafted 87th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, the same draft class as Megna. A stellar season in the AHL in 2012-13 led to him getting the call to the NHL in 2013-14, where he was thrust into the limelight due to injuries suffered by incumbent starter Jonas Hiller. Andersen had strong regular season performances as the starter in 2014-15 and 2015-16, but a shaky series against the Blackhawks in 2015 and the emergence of John Gibson made Andersen expendable. He was traded to the Leafs in June 2016 (as a restricted free agent) for two draft picks, one of which became Steel. Funny how things work. After several seasons with the Leafs, Andersen signed with the Hurricanes and has been a rock in net for them. The major issue for him has been staying healthy, which hasn’t been very often. He’s already missed one game in the playoffs due to injury, but hasn’t looked worse for wear since returning.
Dmitry Kulikov
Kulikov was also a Duck for less than a full season, acquired from the Wild in Aug. 2022. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins the following March for Brock McGinn and a third-round pick. As part of the worst Ducks team in franchise history in terms of points, Kulikov was Cam Fowler’s most frequent defensive partner, with the duo almost forced to play major minutes because of the lack of quality on the blue line. After becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023, the 34-year-old returned to the team where he began his career, the Panthers. After helping his first team to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, he signed a new four-year deal on the first day of free agency this past July and continues to be a reliable player for the Panthers.
Adam Henrique
“Uncle Rico” joined the organization as they began their downward spiral, traded to Anaheim in Nov. 2017 with several assets in exchange for defenseman Sami Vatanen and a third-round pick. Henrique proved to be a Swiss army knife of sorts for the Ducks, playing in all situations and even shifting from center to wing at times to help open up spots for other players. One of his best moments in a Ducks sweater came against his former team, the New Jersey Devils, when he lobbed the puck over Vatanen before beating him in a foot race, muscling his way to the net and scoring. The victim of a shocking waiver placement by then-general manager Bob Murray in Feb. 2021 as a means to jumpstart a struggling Ducks team, Henrique demonstrated leadership and was well-liked by teammates and fans during his time with the Ducks. He was traded to the Oilers last season with Sam Carrick, helping them to the Stanley Cup Final. At 35 years old, he’s not the top-6 option that he used to be, but he is still a dependable depth option and reliable in the faceoff circle.
John Klingberg
Klingberg was part of the same Ducks crew as Kulikov, signing a one-year, $7 million deal in the summer of 2022 in an attempt to recoup some of the value lost after he turned down a large long-term deal from the Stars prior to hitting free agency. His time with the Ducks wasn’t very memorable, as he looked like a former shell of himself offensively and a turnstile defensively. Injuries have limited him from getting back to where he was previously, but he is now being relied on heavily in the playoffs by Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. After appearing in just 11 games this season due to injury, Klingberg has found himself as a fixture on the Oilers’ blue line, playing mostly with Jake Walman.
Max Jones
Hailing from the era that produced draft picks like Steel, Troy Terry and Josh Mahura, Jones was selected 24th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was part of a power forward breed that Murray wanted to form between players like Nick Ritchie, Maxime Comtois and him. A tenacious and strong player, Jones proved he could be a versatile player, moving up and down the lineup. But his inconsistent play, penchant for taking ill-advised penalties and inability to stay healthy meant that he was never quite able to gain a foothold with the Ducks. After he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Ducks last summer, he signed with the Boston Bruins but was reassigned to the AHL after just seven games played. A mid-season trade to the Oilers gave Jones another chance to prove himself at the NHL level. Though he was in the lineup regularly when several players were injured, he has now been relegated to a healthy scratch.
Corey Perry
The longest-tenured Duck on this list and by far the most well-known, Perry has had a heck of a ride since being bought out by the Ducks in June 2019. He’s been to four consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with four different teams and is looking to make it five consecutive appearances this season. He’s been praised for his veteran leadership and his fearlessness in going to the net to create havoc. “The Worm” is at his best when he’s within five feet of the crease, and he’s been rewarded by playing on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of late. The wily veteran accumulated almost 400 goals and nearly 1,000 games played with the Ducks, helping them win their first Stanley Cup in 2007 and crafting one of the best moments in Ducks playoff history by scoring the game-winning goal in the “Comeback on Katella” against the Oilers in 2017. At 40 years old, he’s proving that he’s still got it.
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