Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings: Empire Classic preseason opener

The Anaheim Ducks face the Los Angeles Kings today at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, with puck drop at 3:00 p.m. PT (00:00 CEST). It is a neutral-site preseason opener and the first of four September meetings between these Southern California rivals. For Anaheim, this is the first game action under head coach Joel Quenneville and an early opportunity to evaluate a prospect-leaning game group in live competition.

Kickoff details and how to watch

Puck drop is 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time at Toyota Arena. Streaming is available on both teams’ websites, with an additional SLVR feed on Samsung TV Plus (channel 2328) listed on the home side, and radio on the ESPN LA app. For fans in Central Europe, the start is at 00:00 CEST overnight into Monday.

Why this game matters for Anaheim

This preseason sets the tone for systematic improvement. Anaheim’s power play and penalty kill lagged last season, and the new staff will look for cleaner entries, quicker puck movement, and better net-front layers. With the roster skewing young today, the emphasis is on pace, structure, and communication rather than final scorelines. The coaching group wants repeatable habits: short shifts, five-man support, and decisive first passes under pressure.

Confirmed Ducks game group and projected usage

Anaheim’s game group today features forwards Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Poehling, Beckett Sennecke, Nikita Nesterenko, Jansen Harkins, Sam Colangelo, Yegor Sidorov, Tim Washe, Justin Bailey, Nico Myatovic, Nathan Gaucher, and Sasha Pastujov; defensemen Stian Solberg, Noah Warren, Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, Konnor Smith, and Ian Moore; with goaltenders Ville Husso and Calle Clang dressed. Lines and pairs are expected to be Gauthier–Poehling–Sennecke, Nesterenko–Harkins–Colangelo, Sidorov–Washe–Bailey, Myatovic–Gaucher–Pastujov; Solberg–Warren, Mintyukov–Luneau, Smith–Moore, with Husso and Clang likely sharing the crease.

Roles and expectations tonight

The top line should carry play-driving duties: Gauthier pushing shot volume and seam attacks, Poehling anchoring the middle and handling tough draws, and Sennecke providing quick-support touches and timing into space. The second unit leans into forecheck pressure and net-front work; the third utilizes speed in transition; the fourth provides checking utility with Pastujov’s playmaking pop. On the back end, Solberg and Warren manage heavy retrievals and inside-body positioning, Mintyukov and Luneau focus on exits and offensive blue-line play, while Smith and Moore stabilize depth minutes and penalty-kill looks. Between the pipes, Husso sets early depth and rebound control with Clang tracking cleanly through traffic if he enters.

Hopes for visible progress

Even in September, Anaheim benefits from measurable steps. On the power play, fans should look for cleaner entries, faster half-wall decisions, and a defined net-front presence. At five-on-five, the tells are controlled exits, reduced failed clears, and fewer east–west passes conceded in the slot. The Ducks do not need to dominate possession to have a useful day; they need sequences that reflect a growing comfort with responsibilities and pacing under the new staff.

Opposition context and chances

Los Angeles is favored in preseason markets but is also dressing a prospect-heavy lineup, including rookie goaltender Carter George. That dynamic narrows the gap. Anaheim’s chances improve if the game stays five-on-five, if their transition pair (Mintyukov–Luneau) tilts the ice in neutral-zone exchanges, and if the top unit converts on a power-play look. Expect a low-margin game in which execution and discipline matter more than pedigree.

Bottom line

This is a systems shakedown and an audition window. If Anaheim exits with evidence of cleaner special teams, smarter puck management, and a handful of repeatable sequences from each line and pair, it is a productive opener regardless of the final tally. For a rebuilding club, every competitive shift and each incremental improvement is part of the longer climb.