In their sixth and final exhibition game, the Anaheim Ducks managed to announce their projected opening night lineup.

Yes, finally.

When players are asked about the number of games they need to feel prepared for the season, they will typically say two. Some even think one is enough. But those are individuals. We’re talking about a team and its collective preparedness.

The Ducks were like everyone else in deploying mixed lineups. Veterans worked with prospects and probationary players. Fourth-line forwards play de facto as the top line, so the club could get a good idea of ​​the youth and minor leaguers in camp. Some likely forward lines and defense pairs come together in one game, other groupings dress in a different game. Here’s what it could have looked like on opening night.

One change was made after the final preseason game, when the Ducks claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from Buffalo on Monday. Reimer, 36, will support Dostál as Anaheim wanted a more experienced goalkeeper to start while John Gibson recovers from an emergency appendectomy. Calle Clang, 22, was sent to AHL San Diego.

Clang defeated veteran Oscar Dansk in the preseason and it looked like he could make his NHL debut. But the Sabers were seeded with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi in ​​net, so they tried to push Reimer through waivers after signing him to a one-year, $1 million contract. With Gibson being placed on injured reserve, Reimer gives the Ducks a proven short-term option. He has posted a 215-177-63 record and a .910 save percentage in 501 NHL games with five teams.

The Ducks start the season with a back-to-back as they travel to Vegas after playing San Jose. They have a back-to-back against the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils to begin an eastern road trip at the end of this month. It is possible that Gibson could return by then, but the club will obviously make sure it is covered by Reimer in case there is a problem with Dostál.

Otherwise, the Ducks reduced their roster to the maximum of 23 with the Clang assignment and Gibson was placed on IR. They have thirteen attackers, eight defenders and two goalkeepers at the start. Ross Johnston appears to be the extra up front. More interesting are the decisions about defense.

Olen Zellweger and Urho Veelanainen are the extras. Zellweger finished last season with Cam Fowler and participated in many drills with the veteran during the early part of camp. However, Tristan Luneau was Fowler’s partner during recent practices, and that was reflected in Friday’s game. It wouldn’t be a surprise if both entered the lineup early on, but Luneau’s right-hand shot brings more balance to the defense. He got four preseason games and made plays, although there were some mistakes.

As for their readiness, Ducks captain Radko Gudas believed one game was enough, but with a well-spun catch.

“I still think it’s going to take a few games,” Gudas said. “Even during the season. Usually the first few games aren’t the prettiest to watch. Some guys are still searching within the system to find the right positions. You can still see some of these things happening early in the season, but overall the adult teams are usually pretty set.

“I think we’re hungry to get better and hungry to prove ourselves. I think it’s going to be fine.”

There were other things to come out of the Ducks’ preseason. Here are some more small snacks:

• A major aspect of the Ducks winning just 27 games last season was the deadly combination of undisciplined play and poor penalty killing. Their 330 shorthanded times was by far the most in the NHL, and their kill rate was a putrid 72.4 percent, which ranked 31st. Naturally, the 91 power play goals allowed were 24 more than the next worst team.

Increasing aggressiveness was a positive in coach Greg Cronin’s first season, but that can’t happen again if they plan to play meaningful games in the second half. The poor penalty particularly affected assistant coach Brent Thompson, who has overseen it throughout his coaching career.

“Last year he probably got deeper into the weeds than ever before,” Cronin said. “So, what does that do? It’s that little bit of self-reflection. What am I doing wrong? And then I need help. So you start calling people who you know are doing it the successful way at that moment. He did a lot of research and we came up with a plan that we thought would help us become a better punishment killing unit.”

Their most experienced players will be used more often. Cronin said new goalkeeping coach Peter Budaj will also be a valuable resource as he has played in the league and from that perspective can communicate what he sees on video to Dostál and Gibson. Those two will need to improve their save percentages, but as Cronin also noted: ‘The other side of the coin is that if you don’t avoid penalties well and you give them shots at a high percentage, the goalkeepers don’t look as good. You should try to meet in the middle.”

• Leo Carlsson is one of those players who is now a regular on the penalty kill. This is another step in the evolution of Carlsson, who turns 20 in December, into a top center for all situations.

The Ducks saw Carlsson in that role late last season and rotated him frequently with Alex Killorn. Robby Fabbri could also be a shorthanded partner. “Leo is a natural because he has the length,” Cronin said. “He’s got the IQ. He took a quick first step.”

Cronin also plans to use Troy Terry and Mason McTavish because he thinks power play performers can anticipate what teams do when they have the man advantage. McTavish is among their best in the faceoff circle, which could come in handy on defensive zone draws. Managing their ice time will be important so they are still fresh in the offensive zone.

Carlsson is up to the task, even though he says it has been three years since he has regularly killed penalties. His SHL club, Örebro HK, did not allow someone so young to have that responsibility.

“It’s not that hard to see what they’re doing,” Carlsson said. “I know when you’re playing against Connor McDavid and the Oilers’ power play, it’s tougher. But most teams do the same few things. You just have to be willing to block shots and stuff.”

Is he looking forward to being in front of the pucks now? “I don’t know,” he joked. “But if it has to be done, then it has to be done, right?”

• An NHL head coach can always be counted on to change his forwards, whether it’s five minutes in a game or five games in a season. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that three players eager to get the puck — Terry, McTavish and Trevor Zegras — weren’t kept together after starting camp that way.

But Zegras and McTavish remain a pair, with Fabbri joining them. Before Terry was pulled away to play with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome, Zegras considered what was possible by having three of their best offensive players together.

“I think it’s a good mix of everything,” Zegras said. ‘It’s clear that Mac is big and strong. Can use his size around the net. Not that we can’t all get to the net, but I think that’s a great strength of his.”

• Nikita Nesterenko, Nathan Gaucher and Sam Colangelo were all assigned to AHL San Diego, but they could be in the mix for injury calls with the favorable impressions they left.

Gaucher played only once, as he had to overcome a lower-body injury. Nesterenko and Colangelo each got four games because they played together on the same line. Cronin saw growth in both physicality and the way they added other elements to their games.

Of Nesterenko, Cronin said: “He really had to transform himself, and I think he did a lot this summer to improve that. He gained weight. He has gained strength. He did very well in all tests. … He shows he has a reliable identity in that hybrid third- and fourth-line role, even if he has the skill and talent to contribute offensively.

About Colangelo, the coach said: “I didn’t think he played that well in the development camp right after the draft. He went to Western Michigan and Pat Ferschweiler mentored him very well. Besides scoring, he also has a very good shot. He has built that kind of third- and fourth-line checking mentality into his game.”

• Jackson LaCombe quietly had a great camp. The 23-year-old defenseman played a game-high 24:44 in Anaheim’s 3-2 shootout win over the Sharks on Friday. This came after he played 28:41 and 23:47 in his other two matches, while assisting a goal in each match. LaCombe earned a spot next to Gudas with good defense and excellent playing characteristics.

• Cutter Gauthier led the Ducks with 18 shots on goal in his three games. Twelve of those came in one match. He also buried his only shot on a Carlsson one-timer against Utah, and Friday against San Jose he had 11 shot attempts (five on goal) and a score off his own rebound off a feed from Carlsson. It seems like there was a reason why general manager Pat Verbeek wanted to see those two together after signing Gauthier after Boston College lost the NCAA title game to Denver.

(Photo by Leo Carlsson: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)