As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2023-24. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Anaheim Ducks.
Who are the Ducks thankful for?
Greg Cronin.
An improved defensive structure is the largest reason the Ducks have been among the more surprising teams to kick off the 2023-24 campaign. A 9-9-0 start may not be much to write home about for some, but it’s a stark improvement for a team that finished last in the league last season. Consider that a .500 points percentage currently ties them for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with the Coyotes, and the Ducks’ rebuild looks right on track.
The offseason parting of ways with Dallas Eakins and the hiring of Cronin, a first-year NHL head coach, as his replacement looks to be the right call early on. Higher-ups in the organization preached Cronin as someone who could mold a group of young players into a more well-rounded style – a shift that’s played out in front of fans quickly this year.
Luck has certainly been on the Ducks’ side. After all, Frank Vatrano’s 12 goals in 18 games (and his sky-high 19.4% shooting percentage) seem unsustainable. Their tandem of young Lukáš Dostál and John Gibson in the crease is providing them with truly above-average netminding for the first time in years, as well.
However, that shouldn’t take away from the mindset Cronin has instilled. The numbers back Cronin’s impact up – at even strength, their 47.1% Corsi share, 47.3% share of scoring chances, and 47.5% share of high-danger chances are all significant improvements over last season’s numbers, which resided in the low 40s. Their 56 goals allowed sits right in the middle of the NHL as Thanksgiving rolls around, and while they likely won’t be one of the 16 teams to make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Cronin’s coaching has 2025 looking like a realistic bet.
What are the Ducks thankful for?
Their scouts.
The Ducks have one of the better prospect pools in the league, especially on defense. While they’ve had some high-value picks, the majority of their pool is coming from strong choices outside the top five.
19-year-old Pavel Mintyukov earns an obvious shout here. The tenth overall pick in 2022, he already looks right at home on an increasingly competent NHL defense and had ten points through 18 games. 2022 second-round pick Tristan Luneau has earned an earlier-than-expected NHL look and remains on the active roster, while 2021 second-round pick Olen Zellweger just wrapped up a stellar junior career and has eight points in 12 games with AHL San Diego this season.
And while it will take years to settle the debate between Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson as the second-best player behind Connor Bedard in the 2023 class, Carlsson is looking right at home in the NHL thus far and has six goals through his first 12 NHL games, good enough for third on the team. He’s logging heavy usage for a rookie at over 18 minutes per game and is posting positive possession numbers in the process.
What would the Ducks be even more thankful for?
A happy and healthy holiday season for Trevor Zegras.
Last summer’s drawn-out contract negotiations between the Ducks and the face of their franchise were one of the more surprising storylines. It was even more surprising that Zegras settled for a relatively tame three-year, $17.25MM deal after posting back-to-back 60-point seasons, even if he did have his struggles defensively.
In a small sample size this season, it seems the Ducks’ hesitation around a rich long-term commitment was justified. Zegras has just two points through 12 games and is now dealing with a nagging lower-body injury that’s kept him out of the lineup for the past two weeks. There’s no clear timetable for his return, certainly a concerning development.
What should be on the Ducks’ holiday wish list?
Consistency from John Gibson.
Quietly, the Ducks’ netminder with a former all-world reputation is playing some of his best hockey in years. In six appearances in the month of November, Gibson has posted a .942 SV% and has not posted a save percentage under .900 in a single game since leaving an October 30 contest against the Penguins with an injury.
Dostál is looking like the future in the crease for Anaheim, making Gibson more expendable than ever. That timing lines up well with a resurgence for the American netminder, who is quickly rebuilding his trade value and could earn the Ducks quite a haul if the team does end up moving him after years of trade rumors.
Gibson does have a ten-team no-trade list and four seasons left at a $6.4MM cap hit, but that’s similar to what he would earn on the open market should he hit free agency next summer if he keeps this level of play up for the rest of the season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images