The Anaheim Ducks will open training camp Thursday at Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena in Irvine, beginning their attempt to rebound from their seventh consecutive non-playoff season.
The Ducks were 27-50-5 in the 2023-24 season, finishing seventh in the eight-team Pacific Division under first-year coach Greg Cronin.
The Ducks have divided the 66 players on their roster into three groups. Thursday’s practices will begin at 9:15 a.m. with Group 1 practicing at Great Park Ice’s Rink 3, followed by a second practice at FivePoint Arena’s Rink 4 at 10 a.m.
Group 2 will practice at 10:45 a.m. at Great Park Ice’s Rink 3, and at 11:30 a.m. at FivePoint Arena’s Rink 4.
Group 3 will practice at 12:15 p.m. at Great Park Ice’s Rink 3, and at 1 p.m. at FivePoint Arena’s Rink 4.
All training camp practices are open to the public and free of charge.
Fans are recommended to visit AnaheimDucks.com for updates as training camp times are subject to change.
The Ducks will hold their #FlyTogether Fan Camp Saturday. Fans are invited to join the team for warm-ups at 8 a.m. to get a close-up look and interact with players in front of Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena on the east grass area.
The first group will start skating at 9 a.m.
Festivities will include what is billed as a special surprise from mascot Wild Wing. Fans will have the opportunity to receive giveaway items, including tickets to select games throughout the season, and hear live music. There will also be appearances by the Ducks Power Players promotional team and Wild Wing.
The Ducks will begin preseason play Tuesday at San Jose, then play host to the Sharks Thursday at Honda Center. They will open the regular season Oct. 12 at San Jose and play their home opener Oct. 16 against the Utah Hockey Club, which the NHL considers a new franchise, with players from the Arizona Coyotes.
The Coyotes’ franchise is inactive, with a right to reactivate if owner Alex Meruelo has fully constructed a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team within five years.