Overview
- The Anaheim Ducks announced Friday that they have reassigned 2026 first-round pick Nikita Klepov to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and he will play the 2026–27 season in junior.
- Klepov made four NHL appearances this season, finishing scoreless with a minus-2 rating and averaging 13:03 of ice time per game, so the Ducks did not reach the 10-game cutoff that would burn the first year of his deal.
- Under the NHL collective bargaining rules, a player under 20 who plays fewer than 10 NHL games has his entry-level contract 'slide,' which delays the contract’s start and preserves an extra year of team control.
- Klepov signed an entry-level contract after the draft and therefore lost NCAA eligibility for Michigan State; returning to Saginaw gives him the chance for more ice time and further development at a level where he scored 97 points last season.
- The Ducks’ decision balances short-term roster needs with long-term asset management because preserving the slide keeps a contract year in reserve and lets Klepov work on readiness in junior play.