Ducks clinch return
The Anaheim Ducks clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth for the first time in eight years after a Predators loss, leaving them third in the Pacific Division. ( )
Anaheim is back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after an eight-year absence, ending the longest postseason drought in franchise history. (nhl.com) The Ducks clinched Monday, April 13, while idle, when the Nashville Predators lost 3-2 to the San Jose Sharks. Anaheim entered Tuesday at 42-32-6 with 90 points and third place in the Pacific Division. (nhl.com, cbssports.com) Nashville’s loss closed the door on the chase behind Anaheim, and the Ducks became the 15th playoff team in club history. The berth is Anaheim’s first since 2018. (nhl.com, nhl.com) The return reshapes a Western Conference field that had already tightened around the Pacific race. CBS Sports listed Anaheim in the Pacific’s top three as the regular season neared its finish, with seeding still in play. (cbssports.com) For Anaheim, the clinch ends a stretch that started after the Ducks missed the playoffs in 2019 and stayed out through 2025. NHL.com called it the first time in eight years; local team coverage called it a long-awaited berth. (nhl.com, nhl.com) The Ducks did not arrive on a late surge. ABC7 reported Anaheim was 3-5-2 in its previous 10 games when San Jose’s win over Nashville locked in the spot. (abc7news.com) That made the math, not a Ducks game, the decisive moment. While Anaheim waited, San Jose’s 3-2 result gave the Ducks the berth and eliminated the Sharks from contention. (nhl.com, abc7news.com) Anaheim’s next step was immediate: a road game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, April 14, with playoff position still unsettled. After eight years out, the Ducks were no longer chasing the bracket; they were in it. (nhl.com, cbssports.com)
