Ducks Name Mikael Granlund 10th Captain in Franchise History

The Ducks have a new captain. Following the departure of Radko Gudas in July, there was captain vacancy in Anaheim. Neither general manager Pat Verbeek nor head coach Joel Quenneville committed to a specific deadline on naming the next captain, which came on Tuesday morning. Mikael Granlund, who joined the team in 2025 via free agency, was named the 10th captain in franchise history.

“Mikael has been a strong leader in our locker room and with his national team over the years, and he is a natural fit with where we are as a hockey club,” Verbeek said in a press release. “Both our management group and coaching staff have seen how he leads by example and exemplifies how a captain carries themselves on and off the ice. He personifies the professionalism, humility, mentorship and quiet intensity that will lead the various personalities of our group.”

“It’s an honor being captain of this franchise and for these guys,” Granlund said. “I’m really proud of that. It’s an honor.”

In his first season with the Ducks, Granlund had 41 points in 58 games. It was a productive season despite missing time due to various injuries. He helped lead the Ducks to their first playoff appearance in eight years, where he had 10 points in 12 games as they advanced to the second round.

Granlund has captained Finland at several international tournaments, though this is his first time as an NHL captain.

“There’s probably a reason I was chosen for the captaincy,” he said. “The way I try to do things in the ice, off the ice. How you prepare for the games, how you carry yourself. You want to try to do things as good as you can. You want to do everything you can for the team and help the guys around you. That’s my plan, just being myself and doing whatever I can for this team.”