Brett Leason may have just played his best game in a Ducks sweater. Was it enough to earn more games in the future?

Brett Leason may have just played his best game in an Anaheim Ducks sweater in Sunday night’s loss against the Nashville Predators. He scored a goal and an assist with two shots on goal in 15:47 of TOI while taking Troy Terry’s spot on a line with Mason McTavish and Frank Vatrano.

Leason’s production in Sunday’s game was merely a bonus. He was a presence on every shift and in every zone of the ice. Defensively, he was disruptive with his stick and kept his feet moving in coverage while not giving an inch to attackers. He was relentless during puck battles and chased down opposing rushes. Offensively, Leason was engaged, got to the dangerous areas of the ice, and his decision-making with the puck was effective and efficient.

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“I thought (Brett) was terrific,” Ducks head coach Greg Cronin stated after Sunday’s game. “He had a goal and an assist. He could have had a second goal too. He had a semi-breakaway and I think he shot it wide.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s7p0fn6xYg[/embed]

Sunday was Leason’s first game back in the lineup after a six-game stint of healthy scratches. In 2023-24, he’s tallied seven goals and seven assists in 44 games while averaging 12:51 TOI.

Two weeks ago, The Hockey News’ Derek Lee asked Cronin what Brett Leason needed to do to become an everyday NHL player. Cronin listed three specific areas he needed to address:

“One is, when he goes in on the forecheck, he’s got to make sure he goes helmet to helmet and maintain his balance on contact,” Cronin said. “Second thing is, when he goes to backcheck, he has to go through people’s hands. He’s a reacher. The third thing is, in the offensive zone, when he gets the puck, he’s got to drive his feet and be a threat.”

The Ducks’ next game is on Thursday in San Jose when they’ll take on the Sharks. Troy Terry is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, so it’s unclear if he will be healthy enough to take the ice in that game. Terry’s status aside, there would appear to be a high likelihood that Brett Leason will find his name on the lineup sheet.

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