The Anaheim Ducks took the ice today for their first practice back from the Olympic break, with Leo Carlsson and Frank Vatrano full participants, as noted by Derek Lee of The Hockey News. Both players are working their way back from procedures.
In Carlsson, the 21-year-old young star was one of the biggest stories of the first half of the campaign, as he has broken out along with his Ducks, putting up 44 points in as many games. Carlsson was on his way to representing Team Sweden at the Olympics until a Morel-Lavallée lesion sidelined him in mid-January, requiring surgery.
On the other hand, while many Ducks have enjoyed such breakouts in 2025-26 under new Head Coach Joel Quenneville, it has been the opposite for Vatrano. The 31-year-old has just three goals and six points in 38 games, night and day from his 37-goal production two seasons ago. Although, to be fair, it came at an unsustainable 13.6% shooting percentage, and the emergence of several young forwards has cut his ice time dramatically. The Massachusetts native sustained a shoulder fracture in late December which brought a six week timeline estimation.
Currently clinging to the second Wild Card spot, where they’ll look to hold off rivals and end a seven year postseason dry spell, Anaheim returns to action on February 25 as they host the Oilers.
Elsewhere across the conference:
- Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach Jeff Blashill told reporters, including Greg Boysen of Blackhawk Up, that Wyatt Kaiser will remain sidelined after the Olympic break, but it’s expected he will return at some point later in the season. Back on February 4, the defenseman had an awkward leg injury against Columbus that was cause for real concern. The 23-year-old has a subpar 45.8% corsi for at even strength and is a -12, but he’s averaging 19:10 a night, the most in his career so far.
- Mammoth forwards Logan Cooley and Alexander Kerfoot were both regular participants in practice today, but still working their way back to game shape, as reported by Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. Cooley hasn’t played since early December after a scary lower body injury which thankfully avoided season-ending designation. Meanwhile, Kerfoot underwent a procedure in October, delaying his start to the campaign until January. The 31-year-old found the back of the net once in nine games, the 99th goal of his career, but appears to have had a setback. Both players returned to the ice February 2 in non contact jerseys, with another step in recovery today. Even without their young star and a veteran role player, Utah is marching along toward the playoffs this spring.