Brock McGinn’s tough run with the Anaheim Ducks just got worse. The veteran winger underwent ACL surgery in Los Angeles last week, ending his season and putting his future with the team in doubt.
The recovery timeline is brutal – seven to nine months. That means McGinn won’t just miss the rest of this season, but might not be ready for the start of the 2025-26 campaign either.
The injury happened on December 23rd against Vegas. McGinn twisted his knee awkwardly while trying to throw a hit in the first period. At first, it didn’t look too serious – he skated off on his own, and the team called it day-to-day.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t McGinn’s first rodeo with injuries in Anaheim. Far from it.
The 30-year-old forward has had terrible luck since coming over from Pittsburgh in 2023. He’s missed chunks of time in all three seasons with the Ducks, including major back surgery last March.
Even before this knee injury, McGinn had already sat out seven games this season with another lower-body problem. Nobody’s sure if the issues are connected, but it’s been one thing after another for him.
When healthy, McGinn has shown flashes of the player who was once a solid bottom-six forward. He had eight points in 26 games this year – not bad considering his limited ice time of about 11 minutes per game.
But the numbers tell a bigger story. Since joining the Ducks, he’s managed just seven goals and 14 points in 65 games. That’s a far cry from his better days with Pittsburgh, where he put up 22 points in 64 games during the 2021-22 season.
The timing couldn’t be worse for McGinn. He’s about to become a free agent, and his current $2.75 million salary was already likely to take a hit. Now? He might have to settle for a training camp tryout contract in September when he’s finally cleared for contact.
For the Ducks, this opens up more playing time for young guys like Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko, plus AHL veteran Jansen Harkins. But it’s another tough break for a player who just can’t seem to catch a break in Anaheim.
