Pavel Mintyukov’s top destinations amid recent Ducks trade

The The Anaheim Ducks are atop the Pacific Division at the beginning of December. Anaheim has long been seen as a team on the rise. With a young core that includes Pavel Mintyukov, Leo Karlsson, Kater Gauthier and Beckett Seneca on the roster, this is a team that could compete for a very long time. However, not every member of this core may be on the team come the postseason.

There have been recent reports of potential trade involving Mintyukov. The former first-round pick has skated in 23 of Anaheim’s 26 games so far. However, the young defenseman did not see much of the ice. He averaged about 16 minutes per game, which ranks him sixth in ice time among the team’s regular defensemen.

“After back-to-back healthy scratches, word has come that Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov would like to be moved if he’s not going to play. He’s fallen behind Jackson Lacombe and Olen Zellweger on the left side of Anaheim’s defense,” Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliot Friedman wrote about the situation back on November 20.

“Ian Moore, who had a strong camp, was elevated over Mintyuk. This is the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, so GM Pat Verbeek won’t be rushed into anything. Something to keep an eye on.”

Mintyukov certainly still has the potential to become a top defender in this league. However, the fit with the Ducks is certainly not perfect. With that in mind, here are two teams that serve as intriguing trade destinations for the former first-round pick.

The Canucks could add Pavel Mintyukov after the Quinn Hughes trade

The Vancouver Canucks they had an extremely disappointing start to the 2025-26 season. Entering Wednesday’s game, they owned a 10-14-4 record, just one point ahead of the last-place Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division. at this moment, it’s likely the Canucks will become sellers and start stockpiling future assets.

The biggest question for the Canucks concerns captain Quinn Hughes. The Vancouver captain is a free agent after the 2026/27 season. At this point, an expansion between the two sides seems unlikely. If they can re-sign him, the Canucks could opt to trade Hughes this season or in the summer.

The Ducks could certainly make a play for Hughes, using Mintyukov as part of a package. However, even if Hughes goes elsewhere, a deal with the Canucks makes sense for Mintyukov. He could head to Vancouver and learn from Adam Foote, who was a very successful defenseman in his playing days. And he could be the defenseman around whom the Canucks build their next core.

The Flyers are missing a young, top defenseman

The Philadelphia Flyers are another team that is in the “upcoming” camp with the Ducks. To be fair, Philly hasn’t had the same success. But the Flyers entered Wednesday’s game holding a playoff spot in the East. They could use this momentum to add both short- and long-term pieces to their roster.

Philadelphia is missing a potential top defensive player on the younger side. Oliver Bonk, a former first-round pick in his own right, is the closest option. The Flyers could address that in the NHL draft, sure. However, the opportunity is to add an established NHL player with this type of upside.

The Ducks and Fliers are no strangers to commerce either. These teams pulled the Cutter Gauthier trade back in January 2024. And over the summer they they reunited in the Trevor Zegrass trade. This kind of familiarity helps in negotiations. That could give Philadelphia the ability to acquire Mintyukov if he becomes available this season.