ANAHEIM — Right wing Troy Terry had one goal and six assists in his past 14 games, showing more confidence and more aggression with the puck on his stick since he was recalled from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL last month. It was not sufficient to keep him on the Ducks’ roster, though.

The Ducks reassigned him to the Gulls with some direct marching orders: make an impact. It could be viewed as a demotion for Terry, who had four goals and 11 assists in 47 games overall this season with the Ducks. But it was also a chance for him to grow into a new and more important role.

“When he played for us down there last year, he was just an accomplice,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “He did his job, but he was an accomplice. Now, what we’d like Troy to take on is to be the guy to drive the program, to take on a leadership role, to keep that team going in the right direction.

“They’ve been on a hell of a run lately. Their lineup is going to look better and better. Take it one more step now. That team went to the conference final (last season). Let’s take it all the way and get that culture of winning there because it certainly will rub off.”

The Gulls were in fourth place in the AHL’s Pacific Division, holding a one-point lead over the Ontario Reign in a battle for the final playoff spot at the start of play around the league Tuesday. San Diego was 7-1-2 in its past 10 games, vaulting past the Reign, who were 7-2-1 in their past 10.

Terry was sidelined by a fractured leg last season and couldn’t play with the Gulls during their run to the conference final of the Calder Cup playoffs. Eakins, Ducks general manager Bob Murray and the Gulls’ executives and coaching staff believe another extended playoff run is possible.

They also believe it’s critical to the Ducks’ turnaround and Terry’s continued growth.

“He’s played much better as of late, but still that production wasn’t there for him,” Eakins said. “The one thing we’ve concentrated on and where my boss (Murray) has been excellent is, as we continue to transition this organization, the winning has to start somewhere.”

Eakins said the Gulls’ playoff run “paid big dividends for some of our guys.”

ADDITIONAL TRANSACTIONS

The Ducks also reassigned defenseman Brendan Guhle to San Diego. Guhle also was injured last spring and could not join the Gulls during the playoffs. He has two goals and four assists in 25 games overall with the Ducks this season.

In addition, the Ducks reassigned and then recalled left wing Max Jones, right wing Kiefer Sherwood, center Sam Steel and newly-acquired defenseman Christian Djoos to the Gulls in paper transactions that enabled them to be eligible to play in the AHL playoffs.

Djoos was one of six players acquired in deals made before Monday’s trade deadline.

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NHL postpones playoff games for Thursday and Friday The Ducks sent right wing Daniel Sprong to the Washington Capitals to get Djoos. Two others, center Kyle Criscuolo (acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for Derek Grant) and defenseman Joel Persson (traded from the Edmonton Oilers for Angus Redmond), also were assigned to the Gulls.

San Diego begins a seven-game trip Wednesday at Tucson.

BACKES UPDATE

Center David Backes skated with his new teammates for the first time since he was acquired Friday along with a first-round draft pick and a prospect from the Boston Bruins in exchange for right wing Ondrej Kase. There’s no timetable for Backes to make his Ducks debut, though.

Backes hasn’t played since Jan. 9, and he was not in the Bruins’ plans for the rest of the season.