The Anaheim Ducks were one of just five teams to keep a 2026 draft pick in the NHL heading into the 2026-27 season, now they’re the first of those five to send their player back to the Canadian Hockey League.On…
The Anaheim Ducks announced that forward Nikita Klepov has been reassigned to the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. Selected 15th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old winger appeared in just four of Anaheim's first 13 games this season, recording zero points and six penalty minutes while frequently sitting out as a healthy scratch.
Writer William Espy criticized the Ducks' handling of Klepov's development, arguing the player had already accomplished everything individually in the OHL. During the 2025-26 season with Saginaw, Klepov won the Eddie Powers Trophy and Jim Mahon Trophy after scoring 37 goals and 97 points in 67 games.
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