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What's the Plan for Ducks Rookie Nikita Klepov?
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- What's the Plan for Ducks Rookie Nikita Klepov?
Nikita Klepov (9-20-26)
In an offseason full of surprises for the Anaheim Ducks and the NHL as a whole, one of the most underdiscussed stories is the signing of 18-year-old Nikita Klepov to his entry-level contract in late July.
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During the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, the Ducks traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the 15th overall pick (Klepov) and the 29th overall pick. Following the draft, general manager Pat Verbeek remarked that Klepov could be on a "fast track" to the NHL despite his commitment to Michigan State University, where he was slated to begin his collegiate career in 2026-27.
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Klepov decided his development had advanced beyond the CHL; in his first year in the OHL, he led the league in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 games. The Ducks seemed to agree and took it a step further by signing him to his ELC.
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As 2026-27 is his draft+1 season, Klepov is ineligible to play in the AHL and is now ineligible to play in the NCAA. He must either play in the NHL or head back to the OHL this season. The Ducks have the option of sending him to the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for a 14-day (maximum) conditioning stint if the team scratches him for five consecutive games.
To begin his NHL career, Klepov has been healthy-scratched through the Ducks' first two games of the season. They opened their schedule on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights and traveled home to host the Florida Panthers. Those first two opponents represent not only cup-contenders, but two of the more physical teams in the NHL.
In a season where the Ducks moved on from McTavish and fellow top-six forward Chris Kreider, compounded by the fact that they'll be without forward Troy Terry for the first 2-3 months of the season, they'll be relying on young pieces to step into scoring roles. Klepov presently has clear top-six skill, and if he can mitigate some of what the Ducks will be without, his services would be a welcome addition.
However true that may be, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville and (presumably) Verbeek felt it best for him not to make his debut this past weekend against Vegas or Florida.
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"Well, it's early, and we're going to get him in a game here real soon. And, I think that offensively, I think he's got some great feel to the game," Quenneville said before their season-opener in Las Vegas on Friday. "He's got a great understanding of the game. You know, he's 18. There's some big guys on our opponents tonight. It's a different night than maybe some other teams.
"And so, watching's not a bad thing, and getting to observe and watching some situations that put yourself in that spot: what would you do, and how would you handle it? But we'll get to see him play."
Verbeek and the Ducks are no strangers to playing their young future stars in the NHL right away or sooner than perhaps anticipated. A year ago, there were heavy assumptions and speculation that now-star Beckett Sennecke would play his 2025-26 (his D+2) season in the OHL and return to the Oshawa Generals. Under Quenneville and due to injury elsewhere on the depth chart, he played early and often and was allowed to make mistakes, learn on the fly, and ultimately became a Calder Trophy finalist.
After Leo Carlsson's draft year, it was speculated he'd return to the SHL to play for Örebro again in 2023-24. Instead, Verbeek, the Ducks front office, and the coaching/development staff concocted a game-management plan for their future franchise player that would let him play two games per week, build strength on off days, and avoid burning out halfway through the season, as is common among young rookies.
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The fruits of the development plan were never fully realized, as Carlsson spent a significant amount of time injured during his rookie year. However, the blueprint is well-regarded league-wide, and Carlsson is now flourishing into the next generation of NHL stars. The Ducks seem to be eyeing a similar development model for Klepov in his D+1 season.
When asked about it, Quenneville said, "I would say there's some balance to that thought process, exactly like that."
The Ducks won their first two games against the Knights and Panthers, so it will be curious to see if the coaching staff decides to insert Klepov anywhere in the lineup. It's too early to draw conclusions regarding Anaheim's possession numbers just two games into the year, but sliding him into the middle six (or top nine), as presently constructed, would give the depth chart a boost beneath Carlsson, Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, who are driving the entirety of the early offense for the Ducks.
Next on the Ducks' schedule is another cup-favorite team: the Edmonton Oilers, who will travel to Anaheim for a matchup on Wednesday. Their roster has had an early run in with the injury bug, as they've been incredibly top-heavy up front, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark, and Matthew Savoie all on IR.
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With Edmonton running a lineup with little to no depth, and with the Ducks having the benefit of last change, the game on Wednesday may be as good a time as any for Klepov to make his NHL debut. However, Quenneville has made a habit of being reluctant to alter a lineup that won the game prior in any meaningful way.
Following their game against the Oilers on Wednesday, the Ducks will head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Friday, followed by a home-and-home against the Calgary Flames. One would be surprised if Klepov returned to Anaheim on Saturday, Oct. 13, having not made his debut. Beyond that, it's conceivable his usage will be driven by performance vs. development.
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