The Anaheim Ducks have concluded the first two weeks of their season at a respectable 3-2-1. They’ve handled the teams they’re supposed to beat (San Jose Sharks, twice), shown resolve and determination to net a comeback win in the home-opener over the Utah Hockey Club (Oct. 16), and struggled against higher-tier opponents like the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights. Just about what we expected or hoped for, right?
Given the continued youth movement, the preseason injury to John Gibson, and special teams inadequacies, that the Ducks sit above .500 as they enter a four-game, six-night East Coast road trip against some pretty tough opponents is a good sign, all things considered. Troy Terry has been the best player for the Ducks thus far, while Lukáš Dostál has an equally strong case for that award with stellar play between the pipes. Let’s take a look at all that and more while we preview an important week in the young season for the Ducks.
Terry Making Strong Case as Early-Season MVP for Ducks
Terry went into the season knowing the team could not afford for him to start the way he did last season when he had a similar amount of goals – five – after 30 games as he does in six games – four – so far in 2024-25. Call it a second season in head coach Greg Cronin’s system, new linemates that are giving the Ducks attack a fresh look, or whatever you want, but Terry has found his scoring touch early which is a best-case scenario for both him and the team. He leads the Ducks in goals (four) and points (six) and sits second in shots (15) despite only skating 15:53 minutes a night on average, well off the 18:17 he averaged in a three-season stretch from 2021-2024.
It’s early, and these numbers are subject to change dramatically, but he is producing a lot in less time, and doing it with the energy, jump, and finisher’s touch that we grew accustomed to seeing when he broke out in 2021-22 with 37 goals. He has skated with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome on the third line, which has provided a variety of benefits – it makes Vatrano and Strome dangerous and more of a threat offensively, which gives the Ducks offense three forward lines that are threats to produce offense. The bottom line, a healthy and productive Terry gives the Ducks a chance to win games.
Leo Carlsson has also been a primary driver of offense, and he sits second on the team in goals (three) and points (four), despite the fact that his primary linemates – Alex Killorn and Cutter Gauthier – have been slow to start the campaign. He looks fast, shifty, and more confident with each game and is settling into his responsibilities as a number one centerman quite nicely. The highlight of his season so far was undoubtedly his overtime shift against the Utah, where he put on a puck possession clinic before ultimately cashing in on a beautiful breakaway move to complete the comeback victory for the Ducks. Look for him and Terry to continue to drive this offense while the rest of the guys get going.
Dostál Has Been Equally Masterful in Goal
Not to be outdone, Dostál has been sensational as the lead man between the pipes. The Ducks don’t squeeze a point out of the overtime loss to the Avalanche (Oct. 18) without his brilliance, nor do they have a chance to come back against Utah in the home opener. He has made no less than 27 saves in each of his five appearances and surrendered two goals or less in three of those five. His goals-against average (GAA) of 2.19 is superb, though some would argue it’s necessary for the Ducks to have a chance to win games.
Relying on the Superman-like brilliance of their goaltender is a troubling and unsustainable trend the Ducks know all too well. This reliance is partially to blame for Gibson’s lack of durability across his career. The Ducks need to improve their defense so the same fate does not befall Dostál, who still is only 24 with an entire career ahead of him. For now, though, it’s working, and he is showing with each passing game that he should be the guy moving forward.
Special Teams Need to Gain Momentum After Breaking Through
After failing to convert their first 20 power-play opportunities to open the season (including three in the first period against the Sharks), the Ducks finally broke through on their 21st chance when Terry beat goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood with a top-corner snipe. The solo effort didn’t inspire much confidence that the Ducks “figured out” their power play woes, so to speak, but their second conversion of the game was much more encouraging given it came as a result of offensive zone control, puck movement, and shots on net.
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The Ducks cannot stop there. The failings of their special teams’ groupings, both on the power play and penalty kill, have contributed greatly to their lack of success in recent seasons. That’s largely because they just don’t have the right personnel. Now they do. They have offensively- and defensively-minded players on both sides of the puck. They have skill, finishing ability, and creativity, all of which are more than enough to be better than they have been on the power play. The two power-play goals in the win over San Jose (Oct. 22) were great, but they need to be a catalyst and not an isolated incident. The Ducks stand no chance against the likes of the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins this coming trip if their special teams units are not up to the challenge.
Keys to a Successful Road Trip
Special teams aside, what are some other factors to watch out for as the road trip begins? Let’s take a look.
Get Zegras and McTavish Going
Trevor Zegras and McTavish, with two and three points respectively, have skated together all season but have not impacted the game offensively other than in the victory over Utah. While it’s encouraging that the Ducks sit at 3-2-1 largely without their presence, that won’t be the case for long. Both skaters are essential pieces to the offensive foundation, so once they get going, the Ducks’ attack will get more dynamic. Cronin has split the ice time between his top three lines pretty evenly, so Zegras and McTavish are not short on volume or opportunities. A new line just takes time to click, and perhaps that’s what we’re looking at. McTavish has struggled in the faceoff circle so far at 48%. Something to keep an eye on.
Offensive Production from the Defense
The new-look blue line in Anaheim includes a trio of veteran defensemen alongside a trio of young ones, which includes a rotation of Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe, and Tristan Luneau. Thus far, Zellweger looks the most dynamic with his activity, and ability to skate, defend, and create plays. Mintyukov had an impressive two-goal showing against Utah but otherwise has been average, same with LaCombe and Luneau. Aside from a secondary assist by LaCombe in the win over the Sharks, none of the aforementioned players have produced a point on offense since the home opener, and that will need to change if the Ducks are to find success on a tough road trip. Veterans Cam Fowler, Radko Gudas, and Brian Dumoulin have been fine, but likewise haven’t contributed offensively. You need offense generated from your defense. It’s as simple as that.
Continued Discipline
The Ducks currently possess a middle-of-the-pack penalty kill at 77.8%, which will be tough to manage against their upcoming opponents, particularly tonight against the Rangers. That said, the spread between penalties drawn and taken has been much better so far this season, giving them a much better chance to not only stay in games but have a chance to win them. Look for the veterans of this group to play hard, limit the space of skill players, get pucks back, and give the Ducks’ skill players the time and space to work. If they do that, the Ducks just might come away with a couple of victories over the next week. Stay tuned. The first puck drop of the trip is at 4 p.m. PST tonight at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.
