Top 3 Underrated Anaheim Ducks in the 2025-26 Season – The Hockey Writers – Anaheim Ducks

As the Anaheim Ducks are in the midst of their playoff run, it is time to reflect on the regular season. The team had some tremendous wins and made their name as the NHL’s “comeback kids” due to their 26 come-from-behind wins and 12 third-period comebacks. We saw the emergence of incredible young talent and continued veteran talent in players like Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Mikael Granlund.

However, Anaheim could not have made it this far without the help of its entire roster, including some underrated members of the squad. These players may not have been the team’s superstars, but their efforts made a difference game after game and continue to help the team as they chase the Stanley Cup.

Ryan Poehling

Poehling was a new acquisition this season, coming from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade involving forward Trevor Zegras. While Poehling was not a point-per-game player or offensive star, he contributed to each game in under-the-radar ways.

The forward was critical at the faceoff dot, winning 48.4% of his puck battles. He made a consistent effort to get pucks on the net, throwing as many shots as he could toward the opposing goaltenders. In 75 games, he took 94 shots. 11 of those were goals, and he also totaled 25 assists.

Poehling also made sure to play a two-way game as the center spent 42.8% of his time on ice in the defensive zone. He also blocked 86 shots and delivered 44 hits. All in all, he was a solid bottom-six forward for the Ducks, and they signed him to a four-year contract. Through five playoff games, he has been a critical part of the team’s offense with three goals on nine shots, including the overtime game-winner in Game 4. Keep an eye on Poehling as the postseason continues.

Ville Husso

Husso became unexpectedly important this season after backup goaltender Petr Mrazek suffered an injury that landed him on long-term injured reserve. Husso had been playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the San Diego Gulls before being called up to the Ducks. In the AHL, he played 17 games and had a .903 save percentage (SV%) and 2.55 goals against average (GAA).

While the team prefers to start Lukas Dostal, they knew they had a reliable backup option in Husso. He started 19 games this season (played 20) and finished with a 10-8-2 record. While his SV% and GAA were not quite up to par with his AHL performance, he still finished with a .884 SV% and 3.25 GAA. For comparison, Dostal finished the regular season with a .888 SV% and 3.10 GAA.

He is on par with the Ducks’ starter and could expect to see some additional play time in the postseason. Husso stepped up in Mrazek’s absence and became an important part of the team’s final record and its road to the playoffs.

Jeffrey Viel

Viel, acquired from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick, has spent a lot of time in the AHL, playing 349 games between the San Jose Barracuda, Manitoba Moose, and Providence Bruins. In 64-career NHL games before joining the Ducks, he had just three goals and two assists. Now, he’s become a “vital part” of Anaheim’s success.

The Canadian forward had a career season, literally. In the regular season, he doubled his entire career points total with three goals and seven assists for 10 points. In just 35 games, he proved himself to be a key piece to the team’s fourth line, especially in the long-term absence of Ross Johnston. Viel has brought the same physical presence to the ice as Johnston, but has been more successful in his offensive production.

He has been a huge part of the team’s success in the first round of the playoffs, too. Viel scored two critical, timely goals in Games 3 and 4 to give his squad the wins. Each of his goals tied up their respective games and allowed Anaheim to make the last-minute pushes for their victories. He’s found his spark and carved out his role on the team. Expect to see lots more from Viel as the playoffs roll on.

These players are just three small pieces to the team’s success this season, but they deserve more credit and recognition than they received. As the chase for the Cup continues, who else will shape up as an underrated talent? The Ducks continue their playoff run and look to advance to the second round on Thursday night.