The Ducks make their 2026-27 season debut in Las Vegas, aiming to build on a campaign that saw them earn their first playoff berth in eight years. The matchup serves as a rematch of last season's second-round series, where the Golden Knights eliminated Anaheim in six games, ending with a 5-1 defeat for the Ducks on May 14. Vegas enters the contest with momentum, having already secured a 5-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks in their own season opener this past Tuesday.
For Anaheim, the game marks the start of a critical year in the competitive Pacific Division. Head coach Joel Quenneville, entering his second year, views the team’s postseason experience as a foundation for growth. The roster features high-profile star Leo Carlsson, who remained with the franchise after the Ducks matched a five-year, $90 million offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. Carlsson, coming off a 67-point season, joins forward Cutter Gauthier, who led the squad with 41 goals, in leading a lineup looking to prove their staying power against a division rival that finished just three points ahead of them last year.
NHL.com reports that Ducks forward A.J. Greer is expected to play after missing the preseason with an injury, while Judd Caulfield prepares to make his NHL debut. On the defensive side, Luneau will skate on the top pair following his new six-year, $43.2 million contract. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are expected to ice the same 18-skater group that defeated Chicago earlier this week. The Ducks currently list Troy Terry as sidelined with a hip injury, along with Drew Helleson and Ian Moore.
The game is set for a 10 p.m. ET start as the Ducks seek to reverse the result of their last postseason encounter with the Golden Knights.