The Ducks just made a major Mikael Granlund announcement

The wait is over in Anaheim. After training camp opened without anyone wearing the C, the Ducks handed the captaincy to Mikael Granlund on Tuesday, making him the 10th captain in franchise history.

The move fills a leadership void that opened after Radko Gudas left the organization this summer and landed with the Florida Panthers.

Gudas wore the letter for two seasons, and once he was gone, Anaheim needed a fresh voice heading into camp.

At 34, Granlund brings a resume that goes well beyond his own locker room.

He signed with the Ducks as a free agent on July 1, 2025, inking a three-year, $21 million deal, and quickly became one of the steadiest players on the roster.

He was also just named captain of Finland for the 2026 Winter Olympics, so leading under pressure is nothing new for him.

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek didn't hold back explaining the call, pointing to how Granlund leads by example on and off the ice.

Anaheim also rounded out its leadership group by naming Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn, Jackson LaCombe and Troy Terry as alternate captains, giving the team a nice blend of veterans and rising stars this year.

The timing matters too. Anaheim made the playoffs in 2026 for the first time since 2017-18, finishing third in the Pacific Division before falling in the second round.

With young talent like Carlsson pushing the roster forward, the front office wanted someone who could steady that growth, and Granlund fits the bill.

It says plenty that management landed on him so fast once the job opened up.

For a Ducks team that spent years searching for direction after Ryan Getzlaf retired, this feels like a genuinely good fit rather than a placeholder move.

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