2025-26 Anaheim Ducks: By the Numbers, Part 8

The Ducks’ 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.

Today’s edition of ‘By the Numbers’ will feature players who wore Nos. 71-80 this season.

If you missed the previous edition of ‘By the Numbers’, you can click here to read it.

Francis only played in two games this past season, but it wasn’t due to your typical injury. Originally diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2020, Francis is now a four-time cancer survivor after battling a relapse this past October. His cancer again went into remission in December, but Francis did not play for the rest of the season as he recovered from his treatment.

He enters this offseason as a free agent after coming off a one-year, AHL-only deal. It’s unclear if he’ll remain with the Ducks organization, but if he does, it will likely be on a similar contract. Regardless if he continues his playing career, Francis’ perseverance and courage should be lauded.

Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft, Read was expected to play a bigger role in 2025-26 for the London Knights after the departures of key players like Sam Dickinson, Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn’t materialize. Read played just 10 games for the Knights before being dealt to the Niagara IceDogs for Braidy Wassilyn.

Read had a hot start to his IceDogs career, scoring four goals in six games, though he struggled to find consistency afterwards, putting up just 16 points in the next 44 games. Some of that may have been due to his role as part of a checking line, but it would have been nice to see him build off of his first season in the OHL, when he had 26 points in 45 games.

He’ll likely be back with the IceDogs next season and will look to have more of an impact on the scoresheet. His speed and dogged forechecking make him a good fit for the IceDogs system, it’s just a matter of putting it all together on a more consistent basis.

Myšák was one of the Ducks’ final cuts during training camp last fall, hoping to stake his claim as a bottom-6 forward. Coming off the best season of his pro career in 2024-25, Myšák looked like he was on the bubble for an NHL call-up. He spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, serving mostly as their second line center, and had 23 points in 56 games. It was a far cry from his statistical production from the previous season.

In mid-February, Myšák suffered an injury that sidelined him for 14 games and kept him out for over a month. When he returned, he continued to fill the same role, but the offensive production was lacking. He had just two points in nine games after returning from injury.

Sep 22, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Jan Mysak (73) moves in for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Veeti Vaisanen (51) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

After highly-touted prospect Roger McQueen joined the Gulls following the conclusion of his collegiate season with Providence in April, Myšák was demoted to the third line and was even healthy scratched for two games. In fact, Myšák was a healthy scratch for Game 2 of the Gulls’ playoff series against the Colorado Eagles, with head coach Matt McIlvane opting to insert Coulson Pitre into the lineup.

Myšák may have seen the writing on the wall after his disappointing finish to the season, as he recently signed a two-year contract with HV71 in the SHL. Myšák was slated to be an RFA this summer, but it’s now unlikely that he will be tendered a qualifying offer by the Ducks. Originally acquired from the Montréal Canadiens for former first round pick Jacob Perreault in 2024, this trade did not pan out for either team.

Carlson was a trade deadline acquisition for the Ducks, traded by the Washington Capitals in the wee hours of the night ahead of trade deadline day. His addition brought another veteran presence to the blue line alongside Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas, and provided another player on the team who had previously won the Stanley Cup.

A lingering lower-body injury that he suffered while still with the Capitals delayed his Ducks debut initially, but it took him little time to get adjusted. Having another offensive dynamo on the backend fed into the run-and-gun style that the Ducks had spent most of the season operating under. His presence also allowed Jackson LaCombe to man the second power play unit, creating two strong units for assistant coach Jay Woodcroft to work with.

Carlson finished the regular season with 14 points in 16 games with the Ducks, including his first career NHL hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks. He continued to provide value in the Ducks’ first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time and collecting five points in six games.

May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson (74) fights for the puck against Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) during the third period of game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

However, he was almost a detriment to the team in their second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, struggling to adjust to the Golden Knights’ ferocious forecheck and stingy penalty kill. Carlson logged a singular point in the six-game series and had a minus-4 rating.

The expectation is that Carlson, a pending UFA, will hit the open market on July 1. It’s been reported that he is seeking a return to the East Coast and could command upwards of $9 million a year. His acquisition cost the Ducks their 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick, which general manager Pat Verbeek viewed as an adequate cost to provide his team with a strong addition for their playoff run.

In the days leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft, first-round picks have been thrown around like candy to acquire players like Mackie Samoskevich, Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, Šimon Nemec and Bowen Byram. The Ducks potentially could have been in that fold as well if they had retained their pick. Their first-rounder provided the Capitals with the necessary ammunition to acquire Kyrou, after all. Could the Ducks have made the playoffs without Carlson? Who knows. But his presence helped Pavel Mintyukov find consistency in his play down the stretch and provided another resource for the Ducks’ young players to learn from.

Caulfield just wrapped up his third season in the AHL, his best professional season to date. He played up and down the lineup, but most of his ice time down the stretch came alongside Nathan Gaucher as part of the Gulls’ de facto checking line. Caulfield plays a prototypical power forward game, using his size and strength to keep the puck away from opponents and drive to the crease. He was originally acquired by the Ducks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2023 and signed a two-year entry contract (ELC) just days later. He spent the past season on an AHL-only deal following the expiration of his ELC last summer.

Out of contract this summer, Caulfield was one of the Gulls’ most productive players in 2025-26. If brought back, he may not have the same role that he did under a new head coach, with McIlvane now an assistant coach in Boston. But his physical attributes fall in line with what Verbeek values from his players and he was one of the few AHL-only deal players to play in preseason for the Ducks, so it’s possible that Caulfield may get a shot at an NHL contract this summer.

To say that Vatrano’s 2025-26 season was tumultuous would be an understatement. He began the season on the third line, but had just three points through the first month of the season. A brief period on the fourth line helped Vatrano bag his first two goals of the season before he endured 14 consecutive games without a single point. A stint of productivity in mid-December provided hope that he could get back on the right track, but it was derailed when he suffered a fractured shoulder on Dec. 27 after falling hard into the boards.

Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) plays the puck by the boards in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Vatrano did not return to the lineup until Mar. 4 against the New York Islanders. He had been healthy enough to play, but was away from the team after his brother, Sammy, passed away after a five-year battle with glioblastoma. Vatrano played in 12 regular season games upon his return, but was also a healthy scratch in 10 of the Ducks’ last 22 games. He did not make a single appearance during the Ducks’ playoff run, calling into question what his future holds.

There are two years left on the three-year, $13.71 million contract extension that Vatrano signed on Jan. 5, 2025, which includes a seven-team no trade list. Things can only go up from here for Vatrano, who endured the worst statistical season of his pro career while dealing with matters off the ice that are more important than hockey.

After recovering from a ruptured ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2024-25 season, Suchánek began the 2025-26 season in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers, splitting time in net with fellow Ducks prospect Slava Buteyets.

He was recalled to the Gulls in late November and made a pair of starts before being reassigned to the Oilers. By this point, Buteyets had taken control of the crease and was the Oilers’ regular starter. Suchánek made just two starts before again being recalled to the Gulls after the Ducks recalled Ville Husso in the wake of Petr Mrazek‘s season-ending hip surgery.

Suchánek operated as Calle Clang‘s backup for most of the rest of the season, up until Damian Clara joined the team from Brynäs following the conclusion of the SHL season. Once Clara arrived, Suchánek appeared in just one game leading up to the Gulls’ playoff run, a relief appearance for Clang after he suffered an injury during the last game of the regular season. With Clang out for the playoffs, it was Clara who got the starting nod over Suchánek.

San Diego goaltender Tomas Suchanek (30) skates out of the goal during a break in play in the first period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023.

Clang is gone now, back in Sweden with his former club Rögle in the SHL. Buteyets may also be gone, out of contract this summer. That leaves Clara and Suchánek as the goaltending tandem in San Diego, with Husso now the full-time backup in Anaheim and Mrázek also expected to hit free agency.

It was a difficult season for Suchánek in his return from long-term injury. He made 11 appearances for the Oilers, going 3-8-0 with an .884 SV% and 4.27 GAA. He didn’t fare much better with the Gulls, sporting a 5-7-4 record with an .879 SV% and 3.31. The hope will be that he can get back to form next season after having a full season to get adjusted after the long layoff.

In his first season as a collegiate player, Schock had 10 points in 38 games. While it’s easy to look at Schock’s points total and assume that he didn’t do very much offensively, he was part of the 7D rotation to start the season, often flip-flopping with Matthew Mania or even being a healthy scratch. As the season progressed, he began to find a role on the second pairing, playing on his off-side as a left-hander with Ben Robertson.

By the time Michigan was in the stretch run leading up to the NCAA tournament, Robertson and Schock had become a reliable pairing behind Tyler Duke and Luca Fantilli. Schock uses his skating and hockey sense to turn defense into offense and while he isn’t very flashy, the tools that he has can help him become an NHLer down the line.

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