The Anaheim Ducks continue to slog through a strenuous, injury-riddled stretch of their 2023-24 campaign. They haven’t been fully healthy all season, and that leaves us wondering how good they can be when they are 100%. We just don’t know yet.
Related: Ducks: Expect McTavish to Build Upon Rookie Season
One thing we do know is how good of a sophomore season Mason McTavish is having. That’s not up for debate. His 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) trails only Frank Vatrano’s 26 for tops on the Ducks, but he’s played seven fewer games. In fact, he has often been the catalyst that’s sparked Vatrano’s resurgence this season. His strong first half makes it a good time to compare him to his fellow NHL sophomores.
McTavish Displayed Offensive Versatility and Instincts in Rookie Season
By the end of his impressive 2022-23 rookie season, McTavish was a go-to player for the Ducks in many respects. He was getting big minutes, including and especially on the power play, where he developed a nice one-timer that he used a number of times to beat goalies.
It wasn’t just the skill on the power play that stood out. He was excellent in tight spaces, knew where to go to score goals, was calm and strong with the puck, and finally, capable of plays like this. He’s such a well-rounded player offensively and those flashes of potential are what had many people, myself included, thinking he would take a big step forward in his second season.
McTavish Has Quickly Emerged as a Top Weapon in Thin Ducks Forward Group
It didn’t take long for McTavish to start making a serious impression this season. He, on a line with Vatrano and Ryan Strome, started the season red hot. Each were on a point-per-game pace for the season’s first month. McTavish played hero in a variety of high-profile and impressive wins, from his game-winning goal with 10 seconds left in a stunner over the Pittsburgh Penguins (Oct. 30), to an overtime winner over the mighty Boston Bruins (Oct. 26), and, more recently, a three-assist night in the upset win over the Vegas Golden Knights (Dec. 27). Those are just a few of his highlights this season, and we’re not halfway through.
Another indicator of his impact is what we’ve seen happen to the Ducks’ offense when he doesn’t score or make plays. Most nights, especially early on, the Ducks simply weren’t making plays or creating chances unless he or his line was. The McTavish-Strome-Vatrano line has been that important to their efforts, and its consistency is what brought the Ducks some semblance of stability while other forwards such as Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Adam Henrique, and Alex Killorn found their offensive games. The line has since been broken up a few times in an attempt to provide the team a spark, including Strome, who has cooled off significantly since his superb opening month of the season.
He Also Has the Intangibles You Want in a Hockey Player
McTavish possesses a lot of the intangibles you want in a hockey player. He’s captained a gold medal-winning World Junior Championship team. You won’t see him take an undisciplined penalty, or get involved too much in extracurriculars that can hurt the team. He has even on occasions accepted responsibility for mistakes. He’s made of NHL-captain material and we’ll see if he follows in Ryan Getzlaf’s footsteps one day at the next Duck to wear the C.
Comparing Him to Other NHL Sophomores
| Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Points per Game | |
| Mason McTavish | 29 | 10 | 14 | 24 | .82 |
| Matty Beniers | 38 | 5 | 13 | 18 | .47 |
| Owen Power | 38 | 2 | 14 | 16 | .42 |
| Matias Maccelli | 36 | 6 | 21 | 27 | .75 |
| Wyatt Johnston | 36 | 10 | 13 | 23 | .63 |
Reigning Calder Winner Matty Beniers
McTavish is well ahead of his Seattle Kraken counterpart from a statistical and eye-test standpoint. For one reason or another, Beniers has struggled this season after a highly-impressive rookie campaign that earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy. He has 18 points to McTavish’s 24, and five goals to McTavish’s 10. Keep in mind that McTavish has played in nine fewer games. Beniers plays for the better team, and got the better of McTavish in the Kraken’s recent victory over the Ducks (Dec. 23), but he’s not having the same impact.
Owen Power
Owen Power finished third in 2022-23 Calder Trophy voting and the big, skilled Buffalo Sabres defenseman is eating up 20-plus minutes a night. He is a positive player in plus/minus, plays in all situations, and stands to be a leader alongside Rasmus Dahlin on their blue line for years to come. It’s not a direct comparison between him and McTavish given the positional differences, but his impact is just as tangible.
Matias Maccelli
By the NHL’s definition, Matias Maccelli is considered a “sophomore”, but it’s worth noting he played 23 games in 2021-22 before his 2022-23 “rookie” season. In any case, he, like McTavish, is an essential player of the Arizona Coyotes’ offense. He’s played in every game this season and sits second in points with 27, a similar number to McTavish, despite playing in seven more games. Maccelli likewise got the better of McTavish and the Ducks in the Coyotes’ recent win (Dec. 29), but he’s also surrounded by a better team.
Wyatt Johnston
Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars and McTavish had similar rookie seasons stat lines. The Stars and Ducks however finished on opposite ends of the standings in 2022-23, with the former reaching the Western Conference Final. Johnston is currently better situated, but that may not always be the case given the youth and potential the Ducks have. This season, Johnston is tied with McTavish for goals but trails in points.
McTavish Leading an Elite Class of Second-Year Talent
McTavish’s scoring pace not only leads the Ducks but also all NHL sophomores, many of which he will face off against in the Pacific Division and Western Conference for years to come. Team success has not exactly followed, but the Ducks remain firmly entrenched in their rebuild, while the rest of the teams are further along. The Ducks’ turn will soon arrive, and expect McTavish to be leading the way then as he does now at just 21-years old.
