Ducks forward Troy Terry: A game-changer on and off ice
ANAHEIM — Troy Terry, in one take?
No, on the contrary. When he took his turn before the cameras in “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” Terry reported that he needed multiple takes. Shortly after the end of last season, Terry and teammates Trevor Zegras, Cam Fowler, and Max Jones were involved in the filming of a couple of episodes for season two of the series.
“Honestly, I was the one we kept having to retake for,” Terry said. “Z was good. He lives for that kind of stuff. Everyone knows he’s an entertainer on and off the ice. He’s perfect.”
Sports and entertainment collided on Wednesday night at Honda Center. There was a screening of the Disney+ series before the Ducks-Arizona Coyotes preseason game. It was the first game of this preseason for Zegras, Fowler, and Terry as well as prominent Ducks newcomers, defenseman John Klingberg and forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov.
Because producers wanted to maintain a level of suspense about the plot line, Terry couldn’t get overly specific about their “Game Changers” episodes. And so, no spoiler alerts are required here.
“I didn’t have a ton of lines,” Terry said. “I was begging for more. It was fun. It was a team environment that they have and I’ve never been in that culture where they’re making entertainment. They’re making a show and it almost feels like a hockey team.”
Terry has seen all three of the Mighty Ducks movies.
“Those were my childhood favorite movies growing up,” he said. “I’ve got a Disney Plus subscription, so it’ll be weird that I’ll be on there. It’ll be cool.”
A younger Duck, 19-year-old rookie defenseman Olen Zellweger had to explain the gap in his hockey movie viewing history when the Ducks selected him in the second round (No. 34) in 2021.
“I never watched the (Mighty Ducks movies). But when I got drafted here they asked me and I said I didn’t watch them,” Zellweger said. “I did end up watching one or two of them, not all three.”
Zellweger was paired with veteran Kevin Shattenkirk against the Sharks in a 5-4 loss in San Jose on Tuesday and played alongside Klingberg against the Coyotes. Assistant coach Mike Stothers, who runs the defense, said Zellweger is capable of dominating a game.
“He’s up the ice, makes good reads, makes good passes and for an undersized guy he has played very well,” Stothers said. “He’s using his body, using his stick well. If there was something we’d like to see him control is maybe not be so busy on the ice. He likes to do everything.”
That was on display in San Jose.
“There was twice he was first man in on the forecheck,” Stothers said. “It’s not often we want our D to be F1. There were a couple of times where him and Shatty (Shattenkirk) were leading the rush. I’m not sure who was back. It’s easier to correct those or curtail those or maybe harness a little bit. But what he brings is very unique.”
Said Zellweger: “I can learn a lot from just watching too. Last night, I played with Shatty and he was really good with me. I asked him questions and he helped me out right away.”
NEXT STEPS
Terry has been ready to ramp things up.
“You can do all kinds of cardio and be in the best shape you can coming into camp,” he said. “It’s a whole different animal when you’re in a corner battling for a puck against a big strong defenseman. It’s a different type of conditioning you can only get by playing.”
The 25-year-old Terry is coming off a career-high 37-goal, 67-point season.
“My goal is the same mindset as last year – not to get frustrated,” Terry said. “Not to ride the highs and lows and play the way I know I’m capable of. Not get frustrated – either way – however, the game goes.”
Against the Coyotes, Terry was on a line centered by Strome, with Pavol Regenda on the other wing. Of note, Zegras centered Adam Henrique and Vatrano.
ALSO
Jones, who suffered a lower-body injury on Tuesday in San Jose, is considered day-to-day, according to Stothers.
“Certainly not as bad as we first thought,” Stothers said. “Again, it’s one of those ones, situations where you don’t want to rush anybody back. Make sure he’s 100 percent healthy.”
Last season, Jones was injured in the third game of the season, suffering a torn chest muscle.
The Ducks signed defenseman Tyson Hinds to a three-year, entry-level contract. Hinds, 19, was taken in the same draft as Zellweger, picked in the third round (No. 76).