Troy Terry, Returning from Hip Surgery, 'Likely' to make Season Debut Wednesday

The Anaheim Ducks are in the midst of a five-game winning streak, and entering Wednesday, they sit in third place in the Pacific Division standings with 21 points in 18 games. They’ve scored 26 goals in their last five games and have scored five or more in their last eight games. 

However good their offense has been this season, mostly due to possessing the NHL’s top power play, they’ve given nearly everything back on the defensive end. They’re presently the youngest team in the NHL, averaging 26.45 years of age on their 23-man roster, contributing to most of their issues with details and inexperience. 

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-2 Win over the Penguins

Ducks Boast NHL's Top Power Play, Analyzing the Top Unit's Success

They’re about to inject a veteran star player directly into their forward group, as it is reportedly “likely” that Troy Terry (29) will make his season debut on Wednesday, when the Ducks host the Nashville Predators. 

Terry missed the first 18 games of the season recovering from an offseason hip surgery he underwent on June 9, 2026. He was given an estimated 5-6 month timetable; Monday, Nov. 9 marked five months. He’s been skating for a few weeks, including the last 11 days with the team, in a full-contact jersey. 

From Jan. 2026 until the Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round, Terry rarely skated at any point outside of games, including practices and morning skates. During the entirety of their playoff run, he only skated during games, playing through injury and finishing the season with 57 points (19-38=57) in 61 regular season games and adding 11 points (3-8=11) in 12 playoff games. 

“When you start the year not with the team, you just feel very much removed,” Terry said after his first practice on Oct. 31. “Full summer, then rehab, and just feel removed from playing hockey. And then it’s hard to not be around the guys as much.”

Terry will wear an “A” on his sweater, as he was announced as part of the leadership group that will wear letters this season, along with captain Mikael Granlund and fellow alternates Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson, and Alex Killorn. 

“I haven’t had someone try and take the puck from me since game six against Vegas,” Terry said when asked about how it felt to battle in practice. “So it’s just being on the ice with the other guys was a little foreign. We have a fast team, so just being out there, the speed was good. I felt good.”

Terry skated on a line with center Tim Washe and rookie winger Nico Myatovic on the Ducks’ listed third line during Tuesday’s practice. Head coach Joel Quenneville typically refrains from altering a lineup that won the previous game, but he’s been struggling to find consistency in that spot on the third line between wingers Frank Vatrano and Sam Colangelo. 

“I’m really excited,” Myatovic said after practice on Tuesday. “We all know what Troy can do on the ice, but he’s been huge (for me). I remember my first training camp; I played my first preseason game, and he actually just took the time to come aside and ask how things were in juniors and all these different things. I always remember that, and now I get to be on a line with him in a real regular season game. It’s pretty cool.”

Most of the Ducks’ biggest struggles this season have been defensive: rush defense, breakouts, coverage. Many of those struggles stem from the roster forwards’ inability to help their extremely young defensemen in those situations as they navigate expected growing pains. The Ducks are outscoring their problems, but they can only do that for so long before their 5v5 play catches up to them.

On the season at 5v5 to date, the Ducks are 19th in the NHL in terms of goals-for percentage (47.9%), 21st in shots-on-goal share (48%), and 22nd in shot attempts share (48.4%). The addition of Terry, a 5v5 driver throughout the prime of his career, can significantly boost those numbers when he’s on the ice for Anaheim. 

“I don’t know if you watched practice today, but he looked good,” Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson said. “He’s a hell of a player. He makes plays; he’s skilled, really good off the rush. He’ll help the power play. It’s huge.

“You get a guy like that back, we’ve definitely missed him. I know we’ve been scoring a lot, but it never hurts to get a guy like that back, and he’s a great guy in the room. Guys love him, so it’s been good to see him working hard to get back out there.”

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-4 Win over the Canucks

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-3 Win over the Senators

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-6 Loss to the Sabres