Ducks “By the Numbers” begins with Dostál, LaCombe, Moore and Gudas as Anaheim turns the page to the 2026 NHL Entry Draft

The Anaheim Ducks’ 2025-26 season is already in the rearview mirror, and the organization is now entering its annual rhythm of evaluation heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. In a new multi-part Ducks recap, Yahoo Sports frames an early “By the Numbers” look at four in-house pieces, including goaltender Lukáš Dostál and three skaters: Jackson LaCombe, Ian Moore and Radko Gudas. The point of the series is not simply nostalgia. It is a structured review of what each player did, what their role likely was, and how their performance fits into what Anaheim wants to build next.

For Dostál, the Ducks’ goaltending story is often the most direct barometer of stability. The “By the Numbers” approach matters because it pulls attention away from narrative hot streaks and toward repeatable trends that can be tracked year to year, especially for a position where small changes in workload, shot profile, and decision-making can swing results. The same Yahoo Sports package includes a game action photo caption placing Dostál in the thick of the postseason, noting a May 14, 2026 moment at Honda Center during the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights, which underscores that his season was not limited to the regular-season arc. For a team in transition, having a starting-caliber goalie who can handle high-leverage hockey is a recurring theme.

Jackson LaCombe’s placement in the “By the Numbers” opening set highlights how the Ducks measure their future at the blue line. Defensemen in modern development programs are evaluated on more than points. Teams track whether a player’s defensive reads hold up across game states, whether gap control remains consistent, and how quickly they adjust to pressure when the puck moves into their zone. The series’ decision to begin with LaCombe suggests Anaheim sees his growth as central to the organization’s next internal timeline, particularly as the Ducks continue to look for a clearer identity in transition defense and possession.

Ian Moore, listed in the same opening group, represents the forward side of that internal audit. For forwards on developing rosters, “by the numbers” reviews typically focus on the parts of the game that do not show up cleanly on casual stat lines: offensive-zone timing, how reliably a player attacks space, and whether they are positioned to make a difference when the play turns from offense to defense. Including Moore alongside LaCombe and Dostál also fits the way teams connect their positional development. A goalie’s ability to reset behind the defense, for example, can make an impact if defenders and forwards are consistently forcing play into the right lanes.

Radko Gudas’ presence in this first installment adds another layer, because his profile as an experienced NHL defenseman generally gives a team a measuring stick. When teams recap seasons through specific player groupings, a veteran like Gudas often serves as both a tactical reference point and a leadership lens. Even without reducing the game to mentorship platitudes, a “by the numbers” review can show how often a veteran’s style translates into team-level outcomes, such as improved defensive structure, fewer defensive breakdowns in key stretches, and more disciplined decision-making under pressure.

What to watch next is how Anaheim’s full multi-part recap connects these individual threads to the bigger organizational question: how quickly can the Ducks turn player development into team identity. The timing also matters. With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, the Ducks will be blending “what we already have” with “what we need to add.” The “By the Numbers” series is positioned as the bridge between those two tasks, giving fans and evaluators a common reference point before the prospect class picture becomes more concrete.

Because the Yahoo Sports item available here is framed as part one and does not provide every underlying number in this view, some of the most specific statistical claims are not directly verifiable without the full charting it references. For readers, the best approach is to treat this as a roadmap to what the Ducks’ internal evaluators likely valued, then confirm the exact metrics once the complete installments or linked statistical breakdowns are reviewed. Still, the selection of Dostál, LaCombe, Moore and Gudas indicates that Anaheim’s immediate offseason work begins with its most important on-ice roles: goalie stability, defensive development, forward growth, and veteran structure as a foundation for what comes after the draft.