The Anaheim Ducks have posted a 4-6-2 record to begin the 2024-25 campaign while ranking last in the league with 2.08 goals per game.
It has been a troubling start to the season for the Ducks. However, the latest News and Rumors roundup will check in on players in the organization who have been successful out of the gate and examine the speculation surrounding two integral restricted free agents (RFA).
Ducks Have Two Key RFAs to Manage
Mason McTavish is starting to produce following a sluggish start to the season. After contributing three helpers across his first eight appearances, the 21-year-old forward has one goal and three assists in his last four outings. The bulk of his offense has come on the power play, with his past five points being on the man advantage.
McTavish is playing in the final season of his entry-level contract, so he won’t have the benefit of taking the Ducks to salary arbitration. That will hurt his bargaining power in negotiations, but he can still create plenty of leverage if he continues to be an offensive factor on a team as goal-starved as the Ducks. McTavish leads the club in assists (six) and power-play points (five) in 2024-25. Unfortunately, he is first on the team with 14 penalty minutes and will need to be more disciplined to increase his ice time.
Even though signing him is a top priority, the Ducks will likely be patient. He could land a contract similar to the seven-year, $49 million agreement Troy Terry signed in August 2023, though Quinton Byfield’s five-year, $31.25 million extension is a suitable comparable.
Related: Ducks September Series: 2024-25 Expectations for Mason McTavish
Lukas Dostal is the other pending RFA the team will need to handle at some point. He has been outstanding to begin the 2024-25 campaign, posting a 4-4-2 record with one shutout, a 2.40 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage through 10 starts. Dostal has the most saves (330) and has faced the most shots (355) while ranking first goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.
The Ducks may regret not signing him earlier, but general manager (GM) Pat Verbeek has established a track record of holding firm and not rushing into things. “We’ll take our time on that,” said the Anaheim GM at the start of training camp in the fall. “We haven’t really started thinking about that yet, but we’ll lay a plan out for when we’ll start talking about all that stuff. To me, that’s far down the road.” Still, Luke Fox of Sportsnet wonders if the red-hot play of Dostal will make the goalie a candidate for a contract extension during the season instead of the summer, which would be a first for Verbeek. The 24-year-old netminder has been the best story on the team as he looks to prove he can handle the responsibility of being the No. 1 option between the pipes. He was already a prime candidate to make significant strides this season before John Gibson’s absence due to an appendectomy.
If Dostal can maintain his momentum, he could push for a long-term contract. If the negotiations stall until the season ends, he will have arbitration rights and could make an impressive case for himself.
Smith Earns Monthly Honor
Ducks prospect Tarin Smith was named to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Team of the Month for September and October. The league decided to merge the months for the honors because September didn’t have many games.
Smith accounted for three goals and 18 points in 13 appearances for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He failed to earn at least one point on only two occasions during that span while beginning the season with a four-point (one goal, three assists) performance in an 8-2 win over the Portland Winterhawks. He led all WHL defensemen and ranked second among all CHL blueliners with 18 points.
The Ducks selected the 18-year-old in the third round (79th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He has 20 points, including 16 assists, through 15 appearances this campaign after providing eight goals and 44 points across 67 outings in the 2023-24 season. He added one marker and four helpers in eight playoff contests.
Harkins Producing in the Minors
Jansen Harkins has three goals and a team-leading 13 points in nine games with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. He is tied for second in the AHL in assists and points.
The 27-year-old forward contributed five helpers in a 6-4 win over the Abbotsford Canucks on Sunday (Nov. 3) to rally his team from a 4-1 deficit to claim a come-from-behind victory. He set a new Gulls record for assists in a single game, and his five points matched the franchise’s record for points in a match.
Harkins had one shot on goal, one hit, one blocked shot, and won four of his seven faceoffs in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 18 during his debut with the Ducks. If he keeps producing for the Gulls, he could earn another trip to the big club soon.
Ducks Must Improve During Homestand
The team returns to action versus the Minnesota Wild on Friday (Nov. 8). Anaheim has been outscored by a 9-3 margin in losses to the Chicago Blackhawks (Nov. 3) and Vancouver Canucks (Nov. 5) to begin a six-game homestand. The Ducks host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday (Nov. 10) before welcoming the Vegas Golden Knights (Nov. 13) and Detroit Red Wings (Nov. 15) to Orange County.
