Ducks return to Stanley Cup playoffs after 7-year absence to face Connor McDavid and tested Oilers

The Anaheim Ducks are returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, facing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round on Monday, April 21, 2026. The matchup is a role reversal from their 2017 series, when veteran Ducks needed seven games to eliminate a young McDavid-led Oilers squad; now Anaheim brings a young, energetic roster while Edmonton enters as back-to-back Western Conference champions. Connor McDavid acknowledged the Ducks as a dangerous team but said the Oilers' experience gives them confidence heading into the series.