The Anaheim Ducks followed up their decent showing against the Montreal Canadiens (Dec. 9) with a lifeless effort against the Ottawa Senators last night (Dec. 11). By the time the game clock struck zero on the first period, the Ducks were out of the game. They faced a 3-0 deficit, surrendered 19 shots on goal, and committed three minor penalties. The Senators scored once in the second and once in the third to complete the 5-1 rout. The loss has cemented the Ducks’ arrival in “no-man’s land” 27 games into 2024-25. With 57 games left, they are by no stretch mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but this team isn’t going anywhere.
The immediate turnaround tonight – against the Toronto Maple Leafs, by far their best opponent on the road trip – doesn’t help matters. Let’s look at a few reasons why last night’s loss stings and why tonight’s matchup is sure to add insult to injury.
Penalties and Defensive Coverage Doomed This Team Against Senators
Before last night, the Ducks were rarely their own worst enemy when it came to discipline. In the first period, however, they were all over the place with their infractions. From the drop of the puck, they were not ready to play, and it showed. The Senators scored two power play goals in the opening frame. I wrote in the game preview that winning the special teams battle would be the key to the game, as it often is, and it sure was.
Related: Top Ducks Storylines Ahead of Matchup vs. Senators
The Senators were certainly in sync, but the Ducks didn’t help themselves, or John Gibson, for that matter, on the penalty kill or even strength. The Senators were quicker, smarter, and faster which enabled them to control the puck at will in the opening frame. The Ducks looked confused and flat-footed and were certainly outmatched all night long. There really isn’t much to say about the game itself, but rather what we can conclude about this team based on the effort. Let’s dive into that.
The Ducks Are a Depleted and Lifeless Team
In a bizarre and unfortunate twist of fate, the same three young Ducks – Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Leo Carlsson – that suffered from injuries last season are once again battling health problems in 2024-25. Barring a surprise diagnosis, all signs point to Zegras being done for the season with a knee injury. Carlsson missed a handful of games before returning in last night’s loss, and McTavish has likewise missed action already. Carlsson’s injury disrupted his flow, while, McTavish, who has struggled all season, is likely neither helped nor hurt by the time off.
For the Ducks, the primary on-ice problem with guys missing time over the last few seasons is that it has left holes in their lineup that other players have been unable to fill. Last season, it was understandable. The injuries were rampant, and the personnel just wasn’t ready. This season is far less explicable. McTavish and Zegras appeared primed for breakouts. Cutter Gauthier, NCAA hockey’s golden child from last season, entered the mix. Alex Killorn and Carlsson entered season two in a Ducks uniform healthy. To top it off, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, offensively minded dynamos on the blue line, were ready to usurp Cam Fowler of his grip atop the defensive depth chart. The pieces were in place to at least be better than this. It’s simply not happening. Most nights, this roster simply looks content to be there.
There Is Nothing to Be Excited About
Before the season started, we were excited about this mix of young and veteran talent, and what the prospect of a healthy offense could achieve. To date, it has been largely underwhelming. The Ducks have scored the second-fewest goals in the NHL after the Nashville Predators, who have been the league’s biggest disappointment thus far. Occasionally, they exhibit offensive bursts that reveal their explosive potential, but it’s so minimal and random that it doesn’t inspire any confidence that they are on their way to doing it consistently.
We were also excited about the revamped blue line. Zellweger, Mintyukov, and Tristan Luneau were poised for big roles. However, Luneau was sent to the American Hockey League after a few weeks, and Mintyukov has not followed up his impressive rookie season with a better, let alone similar, sophomore season. Thank goodness for Zellweger, who plays every shift like it’s his last. He’s competitive, skates hard, zips the puck around, and takes chances. His performance alone though is not enough to cloud the fact that the blue line, collectively, is still too young to overcome its limitations and lack of experience. Growing pains in all areas of the Ducks’ game was expected, but not even being exciting to watch? Given the young and exuberant roster, no one saw this coming.
They Face a Murderer’s Row of Opponents to Finish 2024
If you looked to the schedule for signs of relief, you won’t find it there. One look at what remains in 2024 likely leaves you wondering when, or if, things will get better for the Ducks. They close out the calendar year with nine games in 20 days against the likes of the Maple Leafs tonight, the Winnipeg Jets (Dec. 18) and Colorado Avalanche (Dec. 20) next week, and the Vegas Golden Knights (Dec. 23), Edmonton Oilers (Dec. 29), and New Jersey Devils (Dec. 31), to name a few.
Not coming ready to play for a winnable game after picking up a point in Montreal is a significant indictment of where this team is at. They are a team that can’t stay healthy, with a system that doesn’t maximize its players’ talents, and displays no signs that they are starting to figure things out. It’s dire straits in Anaheim and their season faces a rapid downhill spiral over the next few weeks if they can’t beat some of these talented teams.
Do we really expect things to look better tonight when they face off against Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and company? We’ll watch with one eye and find out. Puck drop is 7 PM EST at Scotiabank Arena.
