The Anaheim Ducks have turned a corner this season. A franchise that spent years rebuilding now sits at the top of the Pacific Division, with its Stanley Cup odds steadily shortening as the first half of the schedule unfolds. Oddsmakers still view Anaheim as a longer shot than the elite contenders, but the gap has narrowed as the Ducks pile up wins and bank points in a crowded Western Conference race.
At the center of this shift is a clear organizational reset. Anaheim replaced Greg Cronin with veteran bench boss Joel Quenneville in May, brought in proven playoff performer Chris Kreider over the summer, and watched a wave of young talent take another step. The combination of a Hall of Fame résumé behind the bench, an emerging core up front, and more reliable goaltending from Lukas Dostal has pushed the Ducks into far more serious conversation, including among bettors and at Neteller Casinos and other major sportsbooks.
Anaheim is currently first in the Pacific Division at a very respectable 19-10-1 and will look to hold on to that lead against the Islanders tonight in New York.
Coaching Change Sparks New Identity
Quenneville’s arrival gave Anaheim instant credibility and structure. Known for detail-oriented systems and an emphasis on two-way play, he inherited a roster heavy on young skill but light on results and quickly imposed clear roles and expectations. The Ducks now play faster, defend in layers, and manage the puck with more purpose than in recent seasons, which has translated into fewer extended defensive-zone shifts and more controlled entries.
The impact shows in both their record and night-to-night consistency. Anaheim has moved into positive territory in goal differential and leads the Pacific Division, buoyed by a strong October and a productive, if more uneven, November stretch. The Ducks are winning more one-goal games, closing out third periods, and showing the kind of maturity that had been missing during the latter stages of the rebuild.
Young Core Driving The Offense
The Ducks’ surge begins with a trio of young forwards who have assumed primary scoring roles. Cutter Gauthier entered the year with breakout buzz and has delivered, producing at a top-line rate while driving play at even strength. His shot volume has climbed as his minutes increase, and he has emerged as one of Anaheim’s most dangerous threats off the rush.
Mason McTavish has continued his steady climb as a reliable top-six center. Coming off a 22-goal, 52-point campaign and a 6-year, $42 million contract extension, he has again tracked near a 60-point pace, adding power-play production while handling tough matchups and significant defensive responsibility. His ability to win puck battles, get to the interior, and contribute on both special-teams units has made him one of Quenneville’s most trusted forwards.
Leo Carlsson, meanwhile, has taken a star turn. After a promising rookie year, the former No. 2 overall pick has surged into the league-wide scoring conversation, sitting near the team lead in goals, assists, and shot generation. His combination of size, vision, and poise in the middle of the ice gives Anaheim a genuine top-line center presence that transforms the offense and raises the team’s ceiling.
Kreider’s Veteran Impact
The trade for Chris Kreider initially drew scrutiny, but it has already started to make sense on the ice. The long-time Rangers winger arrived with a reputation as one of the league’s premier net-front presences and clutch scorers, and he has settled into a top-six role that complements Anaheim’s young skill. Even after some late-career inconsistency in New York, Kreider brings a consistent threat on the power play, a strong forecheck, and the ability to finish in tight.
In Anaheim, Kreider’s influence extends beyond the scoresheet. His presence has helped stabilize the top power-play unit, opening space for shooters like Gauthier and Carlsson while providing a reliable screen and rebound option at the crease. In the room, his playoff experience and professionalism give a young group a tangible template for preparation and habits, which are crucial for a team transitioning from development mode to a win-now mindset.
Rookie Spark From Beckett Sennecke
The Ducks have also benefited from another injection of youth in the form of rookie forward Beckett Sennecke, who has quickly become one of the most encouraging storylines of the season. Slotted initially into a depth role, he forced his way up the lineup with responsible two-way play, strong skating, and an ability to chip in timely offense. His production has outpaced typical expectations for the bottom six, providing Anaheim with valuable secondary scoring.
Sennecke’s emergence has allowed Quenneville to roll four lines more comfortably, easing the workload on the top forwards and helping the Ducks maintain energy late in games. His versatility – the ability to play both wing positions and contribute on the penalty kill – has made him a key piece in the coaching staff’s matchup plans. On a team that already leans heavily on youth, another rookie hitting above projections had been a significant bonus.
Dostal Solidifies The Crease
Behind this improved structure, Lukas Dostal has taken meaningful steps toward his goal. After posting a 3.10 goals-against average and .903 save percentage last season, he has improved those marks this year, settling in around a 2.80 goals-against average with a save percentage just over the .900 mark. The raw numbers do not yet place him among the league’s elite, but they represent evident progress for a young starter handling a heavier workload.
The Ducks still give up their share of chances, as any young team does, but Dostal has provided stability that Anaheim lacked in earlier stages of the rebuild. His composure, rebound control, and growing confidence have turned more high-danger looks into routine saves, and he has delivered key stops in tight games. Combined with better defensive structure under Quenneville, his play has nudged Anaheim closer to the league’s middle tier in goals against while the offense pushes toward the top.
Stanley Cup Odds Keep Tightening
The on-ice results have been reflected in the betting markets. In the offseason, Anaheim sat firmly in long-shot territory on the Stanley Cup futures board, often in the +10000 to +15000 range. As of mid-December, some major operators now list the Ducks in the +4000 to +6000 range to win the 2026 Stanley Cup, a significant tightening of their odds that mirrors their rise in the Western Conference standings.
Advanced projection models tell a similar story. Some publicly available models have boosted Anaheim’s playoff odds into a strong position, giving the Ducks a realistic, if still modest, chance to win it all. While that still leaves them outside the inner circle of favorites, it underscores how far they have come in a short period. A year ago, the conversation centered on lottery odds; now it revolves around seeding and whether Anaheim can make noise in a best-of-seven series.
The path from intriguing rebuild to legitimate contender rarely runs in a straight line. For the Ducks, however, the combination of Quenneville’s structure, the breakout of stars like Gauthier and Carlsson, the steady evolution of McTavish, the veteran addition of Kreider, and a deepening supporting cast led by Senneke has accelerated that timeline. If Dostal continues to hold the fort and the young core keeps pushing, Anaheim’s odds – both on the board and on the ice – may have more room to shorten before this season is done.
