Anaheim Ducks
4th in Pacific · 8th in Western Conference
vs Oilers
Wed, Feb 25 · 10:30 PM ET · Sportsnet West, Victory+
4th in Pacific · 8th in Western Conference
vs Oilers
Wed, Feb 25 · 10:30 PM ET · Sportsnet West, Victory+
Buffalo's breakout winger Josh Doan catches the eye of USA Hockey brass as a gritty fit for the 2028 World Cup roster, projected right into that versatile fourth-line role alongside Cutter Gauthier. With Tage Thompson locked in after his Olympic heroics and gold-medal OT winner at the Worlds, Doan needs to sustain this hot streak to crash the party. Front offices whisper that two more years of forechecking fury could seal his spot on the plane to the tournament.
USA Hockey insiders already whisper about locking in core pieces for the 2028 World Cup, with names like Auston Matthews and Quinn Hughes drawing heavy buzz from front-office types who've seen them dominate NHL ice. Bill Guerin and his crew debate tweaks on defense, eyeing stars-in-waiting like Jackson LaCombe to pair with studs such as Zach Werenski and Brock Faber.
Matthew Schaefer owns the Calder conversation at 18, turning heads with game-winners like his OT dagger against his hometown Leafs and even Olympic buzz for Canada. Ivan Demidov leads rookies in scoring for the Habs, while Beckett Sennecke fits seamlessly into Anaheim's surprising contender core alongside Hart hopeful Leo Carlsson.
Radko Gudas, the NHL's resident enforcer now suiting up for Team Czechia, gets mic'd up and drops a homophobic slur during an Olympics clash that everyone's buzzing about. Locker rooms have cleaned up their act over the years, but this kind of throwback noise from a guy with his mileage in the league hits different - especially with the NHL's recent pride tape flip-flops and fines still fresh in memory.
The Edmonton Oilers roll into Honda Center as slight favorites, but Anaheim's scorching 9-2 run has bettors second-guessing the line after the Ducks cashed the moneyline in nine of their last 11. Edmonton's road puck-line cover rate shines in two periods, yet their first-period struggles and over trends scream caution for sharps eyeing the total at 6.5. With playoff odds neck-and-neck around 75% for both clubs, this late-February clash carries real weight for positioning before the stretch run.
The Anaheim Ducks are 4th in the Pacific Division with a 30-23-3 record (63 points). Key injuries include Lukas Dostal (Upper Body, IR), Mikael Granlund (Lower Body, IR), Petr Mrazek (Hip, IR), and 2 others on IR/LTIR, totaling $29.32M on injured reserve.