Just when it looked like the Anaheim Ducks would falter on Wednesday (Dec. 18) despite playing one of their best games, they rallied with two goals in the final five minutes of the game to seal an improbable victory over the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets. It was precisely the kind of game that the Ducks have figured out how to lose in recent seasons: they play well but just can’t finish, and their opponent does.
Pleasantly, that was not the case on Wednesday and the Ducks have now hit the 30-game mark of the 2024-25 season with a two-game winning streak, their first since rattling off wins over the Detroit Red Wings (Nov. 15), Dallas Stars (Nov. 18), and Chicago Blackhawks (Nov. 19). These latest wins included a litany of positives that should have them feeling good about their game ahead of a daunting matchup tonight with the Colorado Avalanche. Let’s check in on the state of the team after 30 games, which we’ll do first by evaluating a series of “bests” in different categories.
Best Forward: Troy Terry
No surprise here – Troy Terry has been the Ducks’ best forward this season from game 1 to 30. He had goals in three of the Ducks’ first four games and had points in eight of the first 10. There was a stretch of nine games in mid-November through early December when he didn’t score, but he maintained his production by collecting several assists. To date, he has nine goals (co-leads team) and 16 assists (leads team) in 30 games which puts him on pace for a career-high in scoring. He is a plus-2 in plus/minus.
Thus far, he has performed to the level that many expected he could, some would say needed, to hit this season after struggling to produce at many points in 2023-24, especially early on. He has played with energy and confidence, and his ability to facilitate to the tune of 16 assists in 30 games clearly suggests his development into a well-rounded playmaker, and not just a finisher. He has demonstrated these abilities in spurts ever since his 2021-22 breakout, but he is doing it on a consistent basis this season and it is having a major impact on the Ducks’ offense and his most common linemates, which we’ll get into next.
Best Line Combination: Troy Terry-Ryan Strome-Frank Vatrano
We need to maintain objectivity here and concede that the Ducks still struggle to generate an offensive spark on most nights. They still rank at the bottom of the league in goals scored, trailing only the surprisingly woeful Nashville Predators. They are not yet at a point where they can reliably score three goals. It has compelled head coach Greg Cronin to juggle lines nearly every night. He eventually arrived upon this trio, and it works. Here’s why.
Strome is flanked by two players with both finishing and playmaking ability. Terry has been leading the way from the start while Vatrano has really come on in the last few weeks. Strome and Vatrano play with a competitive edge and aren’t afraid to shoot the puck, critical traits according to Cronin’s vision for this team. Each of them has been especially impactful lately, as Terry, Strome, and Vatrano have six, four, and five points in the last five games, respectively. After the win over the Jets, Cronin discussed the pros and cons of keeping the line together or splitting them up to light a spark elsewhere in the lineup. He felt that given their cohesion, it makes sense to keep them together. It’s the right idea as the Ducks move forward.
Best Defenseman: Jackson LaCombe (Honorable Mention: Olen Zellweger)
Jackson LaCombe emerging as the Ducks’ best and highest-producing defenseman to this point is certainly in the running for most pleasant surprise. The suspected immersion of Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Tristan Luneau into significant roles on the blue line before the season left LaCombe in an uncertain spot, with many expecting, including myself, that he’d likely settle into a depth, perhaps irregular, role on the backend. However, Luneau underwhelmed to begin the season and is getting developmental minutes in San Diego. Mintyukov has had an up-and-down sophomore season, and the Ducks traded Cam Fowler, which has created an opportunity that LaCombe has taken considerable advantage of.
Related: Ducks September Series: 2024-25 Expectations for Jackson LaCombe
LaCombe handles the puck and makes plays in all three zones with confidence. He plays with his head up and uses his smooth skating to be an impact player at even strength and on special teams. He leads Ducks defenseman in goals (six) and points (11) while doing so in five fewer games than Zellweger, his primary competitor for the honor. These two, along with Mintyukov, are critical pieces of a defense core that is shaping up to be as big and physical as it is mobile and skillful. Expect LaCombe to continue playing with confidence in a major role on the Ducks’ blue line.
Best Goalie: Lukáš Dostál
Lukáš Dostál was thrust into a starter’s role when John Gibson began the season recovering from an emergency appendectomy. Dostál began 4-2-2, which included a whopping four 40-plus save performances and an additional three 30-save performances. He served as a steadying presence in the same way Gibson did in previous seasons. Dostál’s .920 save percentage (SV%) sits fourth among goaltenders who have played in 11 or more games. However, he, like Gibson, often falls victim to his team’s lack of offensive consistency, so his 7-8-3 record is nothing to marvel at.
Gibson has played well in his return, thereby lessening the load placed on the young goaltender. But if his early-season workload is any indication, Dostál is ready to become the next man in goal for the rebuilding Ducks.
These Players Have Been Good, but Ducks Need More
Though additional players have had moments, it is Terry, Strome, Vatrano, LaCombe, and Dostál who primarily have enabled the Ducks to hover around .500 (12-14-4) through 30 games. They have played fewer games than most teams thus far, giving them a chance to gain some ground should they string together additional wins before the short holiday break. Should Mason McTavish, Zellweger, Mintyukov, Leo Carlsson, and Cutter Gauthier re-enter the conversation offensively, though, then the Ducks might remain relevant long enough so Trevor Zegras can return to meaningful hockey games in the season’s second half.
What do you think of the list? Any other options for the best player in each category?
