Ducks News & Notes: Playoff Recap and Offseason

The Anaheim Ducks have concluded a brilliant season with a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They finished with a 43-33-6 record, 92 points, and a playoff bid, where they impressed by advancing to the second round. As the team begins to get some well-deserved rest this offseason, let’s take a look back at the playoffs and forward into the future.

Playoff Recap

The Ducks had a stellar showing in the first round of the playoffs, taking a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Each game was hard-fought by the team. In each of their four wins, they scored no fewer than four goals and proved that they had what it takes to tackle the big guns and be in serious Stanley Cup contention.

In the second round, they started to falter against the Golden Knights, however. The team was unfamiliar with John Tortorella’s coaching style and Carter Hart’s goaltending abilities, as both positions had been filled after the regular-season matchups had concluded. They were never able to solve those puzzles, and they fell 4-2 in the series.

They fought hard against the Golden Knights, however. Their wins came to the tune of 3-1 and 4-3, and they brought one loss all the way to overtime before falling short. They did not have the same level of experience as Vegas, and their special teams faltered.

Playoff MVPs

There are a few clear MVPs of the Ducks’ postseason run. Unsurprisingly, Cutter Gauthier was the top performer in the playoffs. His point-per-game clip kept his team in the fight through 12 games. Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry were not far behind, with each totaling 11 points. Jackson LaCombe and Mikael Granlund were other big factors in their postseason success with 10 points each.

Scoring came from all over the ice, too. For example, Jeffrey Viel was a surprising force in critical moments against the Oilers. The fourth liner had two goals and two assists in Round 1, and each goal was monumental to the team’s success. One gave the Ducks a two-goal lead, and the other tied the game late.

Third-liner Ryan Poehling was a key contributor, as well. He had four goals and one assist, including an overtime winner that crossed the goal-line by mere centimeters. Except for Radko Gudas, Ross Johnston, and Pavel Mintyukov, each skater registered at least one point in the postseason.

Injury Updates

At the end of every playoff run comes a laundry list of injuries that players fought through to help their team succeed. While the full rundown has not yet appeared for the Ducks, we do know a few things. Poeling was injured in Game 5 of the second round after being hit by Brayden McNabb, who was ejected and later suspended for the action. We don’t know the extent of the injury, but he was wobbly getting off the ice and appeared to have been hit in the head and neck area.

During exit interviews, Gauthier disclosed that he broke his L1 and L2 vertebrae on March 30, but returned just two weeks later to play in the postseason. He will likely need further recovery time for such a serious injury. The list of further injuries is expected to come out soon after all players are cleared for the season.

The Offseason

Until the start of training camp in September, the Ducks are officially on vacation and resting up to post another spectacular season in the fall. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any excitement to be had. The NHL Entry Draft takes place June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.

The Ducks have six selections in the draft, and for the first time in many years, will not be selecting in the first round. They will be looking to fill their pipeline with future talent rather than seeking a superstar to fill out their team immediately. They have the young talent locked up, and they can only bolster their future success with this year’s draft picks.

There is also the free agency period to look forward to. General manager Pat Verbeek is known to make bold moves in the offseason to shape his team and set them up for success the following season. Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, Radko Gudas, Ross Johnston, Jansen Harkins, and Jeffrey Viel are all unrestricted free agents. Could we see one or more of these players go elsewhere?

As the postseason and offseason continue, keep your eye on The Hockey Writers for all things Ducks and beyond.