The Anaheim Ducks are in the middle of a breakout season, and their playoff run has brought even more attention to a young team quickly changing its image in the NHL. What once looked like a rebuilding phase has become a real contender story.
Now, Brady Tkachuk has made his feelings clear about the Ducks’ rising face of the franchise, adding even more fuel to an already compelling playoff narrative.
Brady Tkachuk Praises Ducks Franchise Cornerstone
Anaheim finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 43-33-6 record (92 points), earning third place in the Pacific Division. Entering the postseason as underdogs, they immediately turned heads by knocking out the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers in six games, scoring an impressive 26 goals across that series.
One of the biggest storylines from Round 1 was Jackson LaCombe. He earned widespread praise for his shutdown defense against Connor McDavid, helping tilt the series in Anaheim’s favor.
Now in Round 2, the Ducks are locked in a 2-2 series with the Vegas Golden Knights. The matchup has been tight and physical. Both teams were trading blows in a classic back-and-forth battle. On Sunday night, the Ducks responded when it mattered most, grinding out a 4-3 win in Game 4 to even the series.
Speaking on the Wingmen podcast, Brady Tkachuk offered high praise for the young Ducks core, saying: “We played them in the regular season, we beat them, but I’m like, this team is going to be a problem for the next 10+ years. This team, that (Leo) Carlsson is a complete weapon out there. (Jackson) LaCombe is so nasty, (Beckett) Sennecke. They’re built now for the next bunch of years.”
“They’re going to be a wagon, and they’re going against a team that has that cup experience, and they’re fighting the good fight,” he added.
One of the breakout names, 20-year-old Beckett Sennecke, has now scored in three straight games, rare production for a player his age in the playoffs. At the same time, Leo Carlsson has stayed consistent, posting 10 points in 10 postseason games and firmly establishing himself as a key driver of the Ducks’ offense.
Brady’s brother, Matthew Tkachuk, also weighed in on Anaheim’s surge. “Anaheim, I mean, they’re playing great right now,” he said. “They’re sneaky, a sneaky bunch.”
The Ducks head to Vegas for Game 5 on Tuesday with the series tied, as they look to pull off another upset against the experienced Golden Knights.
