On July 13, 2022 (the first day of free agency that summer), the Anaheim Ducks signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract that carries an AAV of $5 million. Strome was the second unrestricted free agent signed by then-new Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, with the first being Frank Vatrano a few hours earlier.

Since that date, and in the three seasons that followed, Strome (32) has been an automatic 41-point center for the organization, reaching that exact total in each of his three seasons in a Ducks sweater. Only Troy Terry, who scored 61 points (23-38=61) in 2022-23, 54 points (20-34=54) in 2023-24, and 55 points (21-34=55) in 2024-25, could challenge Strome and make an argument as the team’s most-consistent player.

Until this preseason, Strome had been among the healthiest Ducks, playing in 243 regular season games of a possible 246.

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-2 Loss to the Islanders

Beckett Sennecke has Entered the Early Calder Trophy Discussion, From Draft Day "Reach" to Rookie Scoring Leader

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Shootout Win over the Penguins

Strome missed the Ducks' first 16 games of the 2025-26 season due to an upper-body injury sustained in a preseason practice, which was later revealed to be an oblique injury. Without him in the lineup to start the season, the Ducks got off to their best start to a season in over a decade, with an 11-4-1 record.

“I think it was good for me to challenge myself and try to be a good teammate to support the boys,” Strome said after his return from injury. “I try to act the same every day, no matter how it’s going. It’s a little harder when you’re hurt, but I was really proud of how the guys played. It’s been a great start to the season, just excited to contribute in any role I’m given and try to help the team here.”

Since he’s been a member of the Ducks’ organization, Strome has been a stabilizing veteran presence in the locker room and a vocal leader to a young, talented group.

With those combined factors in mind, it was strange and eyebrow-raising to see Strome’s name pop up in a column from premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Thursday evening.

Friedman wrote, “Those looking for a middleman are keeping a closer watch on Anaheim’s Ryan Strome. Delayed start to the season, in-and-out of the lineup. Ducks surging, is there a spot for him? If not, there will be interest.”

Strome managed three points (1-2=3) in his first nine games upon his return to the lineup and to start his 2025-26 season, playing relatively well despite the lack of production in a third-line center role.

To kick off December, Strome served as a surprise healthy scratch for the Ducks’ 4-1 road win over the St. Louis Blues and 7-0 home loss to the Utah Mammoth on Dec. 1 and Dec. 3, respectively.

Strome returned to the lineup when the Ducks hosted the Washington Capitals on Dec. 5, a 4-3 shootout win. He met the adversity with a positive, team-first attitude when discussing his situation with the media after morning skate on the day of their game against Washington.

“Anyone that’s competitive wants to play. I think you’ll never find a guy that gets a healthy scratch that’s happy about it,” Strome said. “So, you know, luckily, I have a wealth of experience to draw on, some highs and lows in my career. So, you know, you just roll with the punches and work hard (over) the last couple days and get back at it.

“At the end of the day, it’s a team game, and our team’s had a really good year, and I think the attention should be on that, not any individual. I also think the opportunity for myself to, you know, lead by example in the situation, because obviously it sucks, but I can’t bring the team down, right? It’s all about the team. I think we’ve had a really good mindset with that this year. Unfortunately, I was kind of the example of that.”

In the modern NHL, strong center depth is needed to win Stanley Cups. Strome can play both center and wing, but the trade market indicates several teams are in need of a reliable middle-six center. On Friday, Friedman reiterated his written note on Strome when he took to his “32 Thoughts” podcast to expand.

“Strome, I think that one’s obvious. He was hurt, he was late to play. Anaheim got off to a really good start. Players took roles,” Friedman said. “I don’t think this is so much an indictment of Strome as it is that the team got hot when he was still hurt and everybody kind of lined up their spot, right? So when he came back, it was harder to find his way back into it. So I don’t think anybody would look at this, with the healthy scratches and things like that, and say they’d be hugely surprised.

Los Angeles Kings center Philip Danault’s name popped up earlier this month in potential trade reports, but Friedman relayed that a source of his somewhat dismissed that notion, highlighting the Kings’ potential lack of center depth without him.

The Ducks, however, are deep at the center position. On their current roster, they have Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Strome, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Jansen Harkins, who can all play naturally down the middle, along with Tim Washe, who’s having an excellent rookie year for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, with 18 points (10-8=18) in 22 games.

“So I had someone who said to me, ‘Unless there's a team out there that makes it worth the Kings while, they're not going to do it because they've had trouble with their fourth line,” Friedman said of Danault’s situation. “But the same people said to me, ‘He’s not the same player as Danault, but if you’re looking for a center, (Ryan) Strome could be out there.’ We’ll see what happens. That’s a guy they’re watching.”

The Ducks overhauled their coaching staff in the 2025 offseason, adding Joel Quenneville as the team’s new head coach, Jay Woodcroft as the power play and forwards coach, and Ryan McGill as the penalty kill and defensive coach. By missing the first 16 games of the season and the team’s record being so impressive without him, Strome has struggled to carve out a role under the new staff and in their new system.

Interestingly and surprisingly, considering the NHL player contract landscape, Ryan Strome’s contract does not carry any trade protection, a rarity among eligible unrestricted free agency signings. In theory, the Ducks could move him to any team without requiring approval from Strome.

Since returning from his healthy scratches, Strome has played three of four games firmly in a fourth-line role, registering 8:00, 11:44, 8:31, and 8:06 TOI in those games. He’s tallied five points (1-4=5) through 13 games this season despite excellent underlying numbers. At 5v5, the Ducks hold 57.34 % of the shot attempts share, 58.78% of the shots on goal share, and 59.55% of the expected goals share when Strome is on the ice, but in those minutes, they’ve been outscored 7-4.

Strome’s production dipped when he signed in Anaheim, as he’s now on his third head coach in four years, and the roster has been in a significant period of transition for his entire tenure with the Ducks. However, in the four seasons leading up to his signing with Anaheim in 2022, Strome had his best statistical years of his career as a member of the New York Rangers, where he scored 195 points (71-124=195) in 263 games, averaging 0.74 points per game.

Ducks’ Husso Impressing In Extended Opportunity

The "Trouba Train" Appeared over the Weekend, Causing Injury and Sparking Discussion

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-1 Victory over the Blackhawks

With less than a second remaining on the clock and the St. Louis Blues desperately attempting to hold onto a one-goal lead, Brayden Schenn and Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard met at the faceoff dot. 

Schenn was attempting to do whatever he could to prevent Bedard from getting the puck to his net. Bedard, on the other hand, was doing whatever he could to guide the puck to the net and generate a quick chance. When the puck was dropped, it played out as such. Bedard attempted to shoot the puck off the draw, and Schenn attempted to tie up his stick and prevent the puck from advancing.

Unfortunately, it appeared that the pair's sticks and arms were tangled, and Bedard injured what looks to be his shoulder. The 20-year-old superstar immediately skated off the ice in plenty of discomfort, grabbing at his shoulder the entire way off. 

In the Blackhawks' post-game press conference, coach Jeff Blashill described the incident as a freak accident, mentioning that Bedard won't play on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, and further updates will be provided on Monday. 

Connor Bedard got injured and had to hurry to the locker room after this play to end the game pic.twitter.com/DzjpgWCgYa

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 13, 2025

It's awful news for Bedard and the Blackhawks. The Hawks are a far more competitive team this season, largely due to Bedard's emergence as a true superstar. He finished the game with two assists, adding to his impressive tally this season. He ranks tied for fourth in goals with 19 and tied for third in points with 44. 

Additionally, Bedard is feverishly battling for a spot on Team Canada's Olympic squad. A long-term injury could spoil his chances of making the team. 

While Blashill described it as a freak accident, Blackhawk fans and NHL fans in general weren't as kind to Schenn.

On social media, fans are calling for the Blackhawks to call up enforcers to target Schenn in their next matchup, asking for the Blues captain to be arrested and referring to the hit as a "scumbag move."

Every person is entitled to their own opinion, and no one wants to see another player get hurt, which makes it hard to imagine that Schenn intended to injure Bedard, rather than protect their one-goal lead. 

The Blues and Blackhawks will meet again on Jan. 7, and in all likelihood, the Blackhawks will want Schenn to respond for injuring their franchise player. Whether it was intentional or not, or if Bedard is out long-term or not, Schenn will be expected to answer the bell. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild shocked the NHL when a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Quinn Hughes happened on Friday night.

The cost was steep for Minnesota but it had to be to acquire a player of that magnitude.

Minnesota gave up Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick for Hughes.

Hughes, 26, is widely known as the second best defenseman in the NHL behind Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar.

Since making his NHL debut on March 28, 2019 vs. Los Angeles, Hughes leads all NHL defensemen in assists and power-play points and ranks second among blueliners in points.

Since the start of the 2021 season, Hughes ranks first in assists (285), second in points (335) and power-play points (144). Makar ranks first in points (371). That is 335 points in 330 games for Hughes.

The craziest thing about this trade is some of the top defenders in the league are now all in the Central Division.

Hughes on the Wild, Makar on the Avalanche, Miro Heiskanen on the Dallas Stars and Josh Morrissey on the Winnipeg Jets. Morrissey ranks sixth in assists (213) and seventh in points (270) in 348 games.

Heiskanen ranks 11th in assists (180), 14th in points (217) and fifth in ice time (25:08). Morrissey is 13th (24:10), Makar is second (25:34) and Hughes is third (25:29). Brock Faber is actually seventh (25:02).

Not to mention Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators. He is fifth in assists (215) and fourth in points (290) since the 2021 season.

The Central Division is already the best Division in the NHL. The Avalanche are first in the NHL, the Stars are second and the Wild are fifth in terms of points. Minnesota has beaten both teams this season.

Hughes is one of the best defensemen in the NHL, there is no question about that. Players like Hughes almost never become available, and when they do, the cost reflects it. Minnesota paid that price because this version of the Wild believes its window is open right now.

The ripple effect stretches beyond St. Paul. The Central Division was already the NHL’s most demanding grind, and now it features four of the league’s elite defensemen logging massive minutes every night.

Minnesota has already proven it can go toe-to-toe with Colorado and Dallas this season. With Hughes in the fold, the Wild didn’t just keep up with the division’s arms race, they stepped directly into it, prepared for whatever comes next.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

Wild Acquire Quinn Hughes From Vancouver, Sending Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Plus MoreWild lands Norris-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes in a high-stakes blockbuster.

- When The Ice Shrinks, The Wild's Game Is Built To Hold Up.

- 'Sometimes You Gotta Look Yourself In The Mirror': Matt Boldy's Message Has Now Become The Wild's Mantra.

- Wild Place Jake Middleton and Mats Zuccarello On The Injured Reserve.

- Wild Recall Defenseman David Jiricek From Iowa.

- A Historic Start: Wild's Jesper Wallstedt Joins Nearly Century-Old Company With Record Rookie Surge.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are home to take on the Vegas Golden Knights at 7 PM.   

Vegas Golden Knights - 15-6-9 - 39 Points - 5-2-3 in the last 10 - 1st in the Pacific

Columbus Blue Jackets - 13-11-6 - 32 Points - 3-3-4 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 20.0% - 14th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 71.8% - 29th in the NHL
• Goals For - 90 - 20th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 108 - 30th in the NHL

Golden Knights Stats

• Power Play - 24.5% - 7th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 81.6% - 13th in the NHL
• Goals For - 92 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 85 - 12th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheGolden Knights

• Columbus is 7-6-0-1 all-time, and 4-2-0-1 at home vs. Vegas.
• The Jackets are 3-3-1 against Ottawa in the last 7 home games.
• The CBJ went 1-1 vs. the Knights last season.

Who To Watch For TheGolden Knights

• Tomáš Hertl leads Vegas with 13 goals.
• Jack Eichel leads the VGK with 28 assists and 40 points.
• Akira Schmid is 11-2-4 with a SV% of .903. His last start was on December 11th.
• Goalie Carter Hart is 2-0-1 with a SV% of .889. His last start was on December 9th.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Golden Knights

• Zach Werenski has 8 points in 12 games against Vegas.
• Kirill Marchenko has 4 points in 5 games.
• Sean Monahan has 7 points in 16 games vs. the Golden Knights.

Injuries 

• Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 23 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
• Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 8 Games - IR- No timeline for a return

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 61

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Bob Wischusen will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 THE FAN, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

Let us know what you think below.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

If the San Jose Sharks end up being sellers, defenseman Timothy Liljegren will be a player to keep an eye on. This is because the 26-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and could generate interest from clubs looking for more defensive depth ahead of the playoffs. 

Due to this, let's take a look at three teams that could consider targeting Liljegren if he is made available by the Sharks this season. 

Detroit Red Wings 

The right side of the Red Wings' bottom pairing could use a boost, so Liljegren would have the potential to be a nice fit if acquired. He would serve as an upgrade over veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic in the role. 

New York Islanders 

The Islanders are having a strong 2025-26 season, and it could very well lead to them being buyers at the deadline. When looking at their roster, they could use more depth on their right side, so they could make sense as a landing spot for Liljegren. 

Ottawa Senators 

The Senators are another club that could use more depth on their blueline, so they could be a good fit for Liljegren. He could work well on their bottom pairing and would also offer them another potential option to consider for their penalty kill. 

The Chicago Blackhawks had a quiet 2025 NHL off-season, but they did make a few moves. Among them was acquiring forward Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Joe Veleno.

Yet, in the end, the Kraken's main purpose for this trade was to rid of Burakovsky's $5.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. This is because the Kraken immediately bought out Veleno, and the former Blackhawk ended up signing with the Montreal Canadiens.

Now, as we are approaching holiday break, it is abundantly clear that the Blackhawks are benefiting very nicely from bringing in Burakovsky from the Kraken. 

Burakovsky is having a strong season for the Blackhawks so far, as he has recorded eight goals, 13 assists, 21 points, and a plus-3 rating in 26 games. This is certainly solid offensive production from the veteran forward, but especially when noting that the Blackhawks did not need to give up much to land him in the first place.

Burakovsky is continuing to make an impact as the season rolls on for the Blackhaws, too. In his last two games, the 6-foot-3 forward has recorded three points. This included him posting a goal and an assist in the Blackhawks' most recent game against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 12.