The Anaheim Ducks have handed the captaincy to Mikael Granlund, putting the veteran Finnish forward at the front of the room 10 days before the club opens its 2026-27 season in Las Vegas.
Granlund, 34, takes over after defenseman Radko Gudas was dealt to the Florida Panthers on June 26 in exchange for forward A.J. Greer. Anaheim will begin the season against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 2.
“It is a tremendous honor to captain the Anaheim Ducks and follow the outstanding captains this organization has had,” Granlund said. “I appreciate Pat Verbeek, the coaches and my teammates for placing that trust in me.”
Granlund said the Ducks already have a deep leadership group and stressed that the team’s veterans will share responsibility both around the rink and in the community.
Alternates set around Granlund
The Ducks named four alternate captains to support Granlund:
- Forward Leo Carlsson
- Forward Alex Killorn
- Forward Troy Terry
- Defenseman Jackson LaCombe
General manager Pat Verbeek said Granlund’s approach has stood out since he joined the club.
“Mikael has shown leadership in our room and with Finland for many years,” Verbeek said. “He fits naturally with the direction of our team. Our hockey operations staff and coaches have watched him lead through his actions, on the ice and away from it.”
Verbeek pointed to Granlund’s professionalism, humility, ability to mentor teammates and steady competitive edge as qualities that can guide a roster with different personalities.
Strong first Ducks season
Granlund enters the second year of the three-year contract he signed July 1, 2025. He posted 19 goals and 22 assists in 58 regular-season games last season, then added five goals and five assists across 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Anaheim reached the postseason for the first time since 2017-18, knocking out Edmonton in the Western Conference First Round before Vegas ended its run.
The captaincy adds to a notable international year for Granlund, who wore the “C” for Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Finland earned the bronze medal.
Veteran résumé
Minnesota selected Granlund ninth overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. Across 960 regular-season games with the Wild, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and Ducks, he has recorded 198 goals and 453 assists for 651 points.
His playoff ledger stands at 21 goals and 31 assists in 89 games.
With Anaheim’s decision, six NHL clubs remain without an appointed captain: the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.
