Takeaways from the Ducks 2-1 Preseason Loss to the Kings
· Yahoo Sports
Already at the halfway point of the 2026 compressed NHL Preseason, the Anaheim Ducks hosted their rival Los Angeles Kings for their second game of the exhibition season on Wednesday night at Honda Center.
The Ducks iced an NHL-heavy lineup in their exhibition opener against the San Jose Sharks (who did not) on Sunday, but their roster in this game was far more of a mixed bag and far more equal to that of their opponent.
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Heading into the game, the player to watch may have been young Jayden Kurtz (18), who was three months removed from his draft and was tasked with first-pair deployment in his first outing on an NHL ice sheet, paired alongside Pavel Mintyukov to start.
Here’s how the Ducks lined up for this game:
Vatrano-Poehling-Sidorov
Mallot-Washe-Colangelo
Pitre-Procyszyn-Caulfield
Nesterenko-Gaucher-Traff
Mintyukov-Kurtz
Mitchell-Luneau
Smith-Warren
Lukas Dostal got the nod in the Anaheim crease for this game and stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced. He was opposed by Anton Forsberg, who saved 24 of 25.
Game NotesThis game was a somewhat sloppy affair, as has become custom for preseason tilts with rosters such as these. Combined, the two clubs went 0 for 11 on the power play. Lack of finishing touch was apparent from Anaheim’s group, as on the handful of occasions they were able to generate quality looks, Forsberg made a key save on the doorstep.
Tristan Luneau: From the Ducks’ perspective, this game was “The Tristan Luneau Show.” He led the team in even-strength TOI (18:57), over three minutes more than Pavel Mintyukov (15:03). He also led the team in power play TOI (5:51) and shorthanded TOI (3:20).
He displayed every aspect of what can potentially make him a special player at the NHL level. His puck retrievals are now refined, he’s dictating pace when the puck is on his stick, manipulating defenders at the blueline and deep into the offensive zone, and on the defensive side of the puck, his gaps were precise, and his physicality was apparent in the small areas.
Jayden Kurtz: After a pedestrian rookie camp and tournament, Kurtz made his NHL preseason debut and didn’t seem out of place. His instincts are present, as he has sophisticated weight on his first passes out of the zone, displays an effective gap against the rush, and gets his stick in lanes with consistency.
He’s still a raw prospect, but this game showed the first flashes of what he can become at the highest level with a few more years of development under his belt.
Cycle Offense: It’s too early to read into system or style tweaks, but an encouraging sign from this game came from extended cycle sequences when forwards like Frank Vatrano, Nikita Nesternko, Yegor Sidorov, etc. released higher in the offensive zone with possession, opening up new lanes and forcing defensemen to activate, ultimately creating disruption within the Kings’ defensive structure.
Noah Warren: In his development, Warren has come leaps and bounds in terms of his stride and four-way mobility. He’s now a confident, effective, polished defender in every facet (rush, gap, coverage, angles, etc.). However, to have a true impact at the NHL level if/when he gets a shot with the Ducks, his puck skills and decision making under duress will need to reach a certain floor. He had shots and passes disrupted in precarious situations on multiple occasions in this game, and a simplification of his execution may be in order.
The Ducks will be right back at it for Game 3 of their four-game preseason on Thursday evening, when they’ll head north to take on the San Jose Sharks.
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