The Anaheim Ducks made an emergency recall of goaltender Ville Husso from the San Diego Gulls on Jan. 6, 2026, moving a veteran presence back into the NHL lineup and creating immediate ripple effects for the Gulls’ netminding rotation. An emergency recall signals an immediate roster need at the NHL level, and Husso’s combination of recent AHL form and prior NHL experience makes him a logical stopgap between the pipes.
Husso, 30, had appeared in nine NHL games (eight starts) for Anaheim this season, posting a 5-3-1 record with a 3.25 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage. He provided a strong stretch in December, winning three straight from Dec. 5-9 with a 2.24 GAA and .920 SV% and logging a season-long eight-game string of appearances from Nov. 28-Dec. 11. Those shifts in workload reflected his capability to take on a heavy workload when needed.
At the AHL level with San Diego this season, Husso went 8-6-3 with three shutouts, a 2.55 GAA and a .903 SV% in 17 games. Since being acquired from Detroit for future considerations on Feb. 24, 2025, he produced a 15-8-3 record with five shutouts in 26 appearances for the Gulls. Across his AHL career Husso is 74-66-19 with 18 shutouts, a 2.66 GAA and a .908 SV% in 169 games, while his NHL ledger stands at 76-49-20 with seven shutouts, a 3.06 GAA and a .901 SV% in 154 games.
Anaheim locked Husso into a two-year contract extension on June 29, 2025, underscoring the organization’s view of him as a stabilizing depth piece who can step into NHL action on short notice. For the Ducks, that experience buys insurance in the crease and preserves competitive minutes as the team navigates the midseason grind. For the Gulls, Husso’s departure creates an opening for backup options to step up, whether younger prospects get extra starts or the staff leans on veteran call-ups to steady the workload.
Community impact is practical: San Diego fans will see their crease rotation change immediately and should expect lineup updates before puck drop, while Ducks fans gain a proven netminder who can eat starts if the situation demands. Coaches at both levels will juggle minutes and matchups differently now that a key piece of the depth chart has moved.
The takeaway? Keep an eye on starting goalie announcements and short-term call-ups — the Gulls’ next few boxscores will show who benefits from Husso’s absence, and Ducks watchers should track how Anaheim deploys a goalie who’s comfortable stepping into a busy schedule.