Recapping the 2025-26 season for Olen Zellweger, Lucas Pettersson, Tarin Smith, Coulson Pitre, Maxim Massé, Yegor Sidorov, Ethan Procyszyn, Sasha Pastujov and Tyson Hinds.
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 51-60 this season.
If you missed the previous edition of 'By the Numbers', you can click here to read it.
Olen Zellweger
Zellweger was a mainstay on the Ducks' blue line up until the tail-end of the regular season, when a couple of defensive shortcomings seemingly put him in head coach Joel Quenneville's doghouse. There was an emphasis on defensive habits, with Zellweger deployed on the penalty kill throughout the season as opposed to the power play, where his skills may have been better utilized.
Tyson Hinds' call-up and subsequent strong play left Zellweger a spectator at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. He went an entire month without playing in a game before he re-entered the lineup out of necessity for Game 4 of their playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Paired with Ian Moore, he picked up a secondary assist on Moore's game-winning goal while playing mostly sheltered minutes on the bottom pair.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) controls the puck past Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesIn Game 5, his play earned him more ice time and a promotion to the second defensive pair alongside John Carlson. He then tied the game late in the third period, though the Ducks fell in overtime. He was scoreless in Game 6 but had almost 14 minutes of ice time.
A pending RFA this summer, the Ducks appear to be at a crossroads with both Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, who is also an RFA. The two lefties have taken turns showing flashes of what they can become if given the proper ice time and runway. However, neither has been able to do this on a consistent basis just yet. With Jackson LaCombe entrenched as the Ducks' No. 1 on the left-hand side, it's a battle of who will be the No. 2 behind him.
Lucas Pettersson
After splitting time between the HockeyAllsvenskan and the SHL in 2024-25, Pettersson spent most of the past season with Brynäs in the SHL before finishing out the year in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls. He had 20 points in 40 games, primarily playing on the wing. Pettersson was also part of Sweden's gold medal-winning squad at World Juniors, collecting six points in six games.
Drafted as a center in the second round of the 2024 draft, Pettersson may project better as a winger due to his size (5-foot-11) and speed. He is dependable in both zones and has shown that he can contribute offensively off the rush and on the man advantage. He would be a candidate for the penalty kill as well.
As of now, it's unclear whether Pettersson will play for the Gulls in 2025-26 or return to Sweden for another season with Brynäs. The Gulls' forward depth is in flux, with Jan Myšák departed to HV71 in the SHL, Justin Bailey needing a new contract and Nikita Nesterenko and Sam Colangelo expected to be up with the Ducks full-time. If Pettersson does return to Brynäs, it would give him the chance to play either down the middle or on the wing again.
Tarin Smith
Smith was named captain of the Everett Silvertips prior to the start of the 2025-26 WHL season, his fourth full season with the club. He appeared in 60+ games for the third consecutive season, setting a new career high in assists (55) and points (71) as one half of the Silvertips' top defensive pairing.
Unfortunately, his final WHL postseason was cut short due to a dislocated shoulder that he suffered during the Silvertips' first playoff series. He will be out of the sling at the end of June and be able to resume skating in August. November is the targeted date for his full return to the ice, and he'll be doing it in the NCAA after committing to the University of Minnesota this past May.
An offensively-gifted defenseman, Smith was a finalist for the WHL Defenseman of the Year. Continued focus in the defensive zone will be a priority for him as he transitions to the collegiate game and goes up against older and stronger players.
Coulson Pitre
After spending the entire 2024-25 season with the Gulls, Pitre split the 2025-26 season between the AHL and ECHL. He was nearly a point per game player in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers (21 in 26 games), but failed to replicate that kind of production with the Gulls, putting up just five points in 25 games.
An upper-body injury that occurred prior to training camp kept Pitre out until almost November. After returning, he was then assigned to Tulsa, where he remained until January, when he was recalled to the Gulls. Pitre spent most of his time with the Gulls in a bottom-6 role, rotating between center and wing. His development has been hampered by injuries and he hasn't been able to carve out a consistent role with the Gulls through two full seasons.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) controls the puck past Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesLike 2023 second round pick Nico Myatovic, Pitre thrives in a complementary role, forechecking hard, retrieving/recovering pucks and setting up his higher-level teammates. However, it's been difficult for Pitre to find the same level of success at the AHL level that Myatovic has recently started to find.
Health will be paramount for Pitre as he enters the final year of his ELC. He could be in line for a bigger role with the Gulls this upcoming season depending on what moves are made during the summer.
Maxim Massé
Massé had his best season to date in 2025-26, setting career highs across the board. He eclipsed 100 points for the first time in his juniors career and helped lead the Chicoutimi Saguenéens to a QMJHL championship.
After four full seasons in the QMJHL, Massé will be heading to the NCAA to play for UMass. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Ducks prospects Roger McQueen, Alex Blais, Saguenéens teammate Emile Guité and the aforementioned Smith in transitioning from the CHL to the NCAA.
"It's good for the development," Massé said in an interview with THN Anaheim this past February. "We're only playing 30-40 games a season. Gaining some strength in my lower body and upper body, too, and just getting better with my skating. (The Ducks) were supporting me 100% in that."
Improving his skating, in addition to continuing to add strength, has been a focus for Massé since he was drafted by the Ducks in 2024. Playing collegiate hockey will allow him to ply his trade against older and stronger players and provide a bigger challenge than the CHL.
Yegor Sidorov
After a strong rookie season in the AHL in 2024-25 with 34 points in 59 games, Sidorov took a slight step back offensively in 2025-26. He had 29 points in 68 games while finding himself moving up and down the lineup throughout the season.
Scoring goals has never been an issue for Sidorov, who had a prolific juniors career in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades. The big question was whether he could impact the game in other ways outside of scoring. It appears that he is still trying to find his 'B-game' after a promising start to his pro career. Sidorov was also a healthy scratch for both of the Gulls' Calder Cup Playoffs games against the Colorado Eagles, with players like scrappy forward Cal Burke getting the nod over him.
May 14, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) controls the puck past Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesWith a new coaching staff entering the picture, Sidorov could find himself in a more consistent next season. He too is in the final year of his ELC and will likely be part of the group competing for a spot on the NHL roster during training camp, with Troy Terry expected to be out until December after recently undergoing hip impingement surgery.
Sidorov was one of the final training camp cuts last season and if he once again doesn't make the cut, he could at least still be in line for a bigger role with the Gulls. Finding ways to impact the game outside of the scoresheet could help him get that.
Ethan Procyszyn
Procyszyn was a 30-goal scorer for the second consecutive season, also his second season as captain of the North Bay Battalion in the OHL. His points total dipped slightly from his career-high 64 in 2024-25, but he continued to be a driving force for the Battalion in 2025-26.
A gritty, hard-nosed forward, Procyszyn grabs points any way he can and is the true definition of a grinder. His playstyle suits the NHL game quite well, as teams are always looking for players who are willing to go the dirty areas of the ice.
Procyszyn signed his ELC in April following the conclusion of the Battalion's playoff run, though he didn't appear in any games for the Gulls. He'll be able to get his feet wet in the AHL next season as one of the Gulls' depth centers behind captain Ryan Carpenter.
Sasha Pastujov
After a surprise demotion to the ECHL to start the 2024-25 season, Pastujov returned to the AHL with a chip on his shoulder, putting up 45 points in 43 games. He built off of his strong season by leading the Gulls in points (57) in 2025-26 and also finished second on the team in goals (21).
Pastujov is a cerebral player who shows good vision and has a strong shot in his arsenal. Skating has always been the knock on him, an area that he has previously acknowledged needs work. He just completed his third full season as a professional and is a pending RFA. It's likely that he'll be tendered a qualifying offer and should be given a chance to compete for a spot on the NHL roster.
If he isn't able to crack the NHL roster, he'll slot into the Gulls' top-6 and be relied upon as one of their top playmakers.
Tyson Hinds
Another player who went through the rigors of the AHL for a few seasons before finally getting the call to the NHL, Hinds spent most of the 2025-26 season with the Gulls before being called up to the Ducks in April. He appeared in the last six games of the regular season and the first nine games of the Ducks' first playoff run since 2018 before being a healthy scratch for the final three games of the Golden Knights series. This came after logging heavy minutes as part of the Gulls' top defensive pair alongside Tristan Luneau.
May 8, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tyson Hinds (60) plays for the puck against Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) during the first period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesHinds fits the mold of the modern-day stay-at-home defenseman, a mobile defender who uses his length and skating to take away lanes and knock the puck away. He fared well (for the most part) alongside whoever his defensive partner was and wasn't afraid to activate offensively when the opportunity called for it.
He is a pending RFA and will likely be tendered a qualifying offer. The left side of the Ducks' defense is a bit crowded at the moment, so it's difficult to envision there being a regular spot for Hinds. But he showed that he is ready to be an everyday NHLer and could find a role as the seventh defenseman.
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