Where Go the Ducks From Here?

By: Michael A. Chase Jr.

03/15/2023

It has been another trying season for the Anaheim Ducks as they call the bottom of the standings home once again. The Ducks now sit at a very crucial point in their rebuild as they have a young group figuring out how to win, along with a group of veteran players that may need to be moved on from. The question becomes, what are the next steps for Anaheim to become a winning club again? TUSV is here to discuss the struggles of the Ducks this season while describing the parts of their roster that will be key in their turnaround.

The Anaheim Ducks currently sit 3rd to last in the Western Conference and with the 4th worst record in the NHL at 22-35-10.  It will be the fifth straight season they will finish under .500 and miss the postseason. This is the latest installment in the recent futility of the franchise on the ice. The numbers further showcase their struggles as they rank near the bottom of the league in every major category.

Offensively they have scored 169 goals through 77 games which is tied for last in the league, and 4th worst offense in the sport. They score just 2.5 goals a game which is tied for 32nd and have a 31st-ranked power play that operates at just 16%.  Add in they have produced the 27th most shots on goal at 1,936 and it is easy to see why they struggle to score. This lack of offense is surprising with forwards like Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, Isac Silverberg, and Mason McTavish on the roster. Add in notable offensive defensemen like Cam Fowler and Kevin Shattenkirk and the offense should not be this bad. This just shows the Ducks still need their young players to take the next step to become formidable offensive forces, while adding productive veterans around them.

They've struggled even worse defensively allowing a league-worst 268 goals. They allow 3.87 goals per game and have a -99-goal differential which both are also league-worst. Add in that they allowed 2,621 shots and are tied for 2nd worst penalty kill operating at just 72.9% and the numbers firmly show their issues in goal prevention. A team with a defense core that includes the likes of the previously mentioned Fowler and Shattenkirk, along with all-world goalie John Gibson would be far better. But a season-ending injury to young defenseman Jamie Drysdale earlier in the season and a lack of defensive commitment have contributed to the struggles. One could say also say the inclusion of further youth into their lineup is an explanation for their struggles as these youngsters go through growing pains. In all the Ducks will need to rework the systems they have in place to better fit their young players, while they need some of these prospects to develop sooner to begin to move along their rebuild.

Now the question becomes, what steps do the Ducks need to take to move closer to becoming a winning club again? Well, the main thing they will focus on is the continued development of their young players to form their next winning core. It's difficult but they've begun to commit to it with 11 players under the age of 26 playing on their roster currently. It all starts with forward Trevor Zegras (21 goals, 56 points) who has posted a 2nd straight 20+ goal campaign. However, his -21 plus/minus is tied for 3rd worst on the team and at times he has been inconsistent in his scoring stretches. They will need Zegras to grow more on the defensive side while emerging as a top-of-the-league scorer for Anaheim to reach the potential they see in him. All-Star Troy Terry (19 goals, 49 points) made his second straight All-Star team but will also need to provide more as a top-six forward. Add others like Mason McTavish (40 points), Isac Lundestrom (14 points), and Simon Benoit (7 points) and a majority of their prospects need to pan out for the Ducks' rebuild to stay on course. They will also need to make decisions on veterans like Cam Fowler, Adam Henrique, Ryan Strome, and Kevin Shattenkirk as to when and if they move them during the next two seasons. As they try to make room for other rising prospects and get large contracts off the payroll.

In the end, the Ducks hope to see their now half-decade run of futility end sooner than later. Oddly, a franchise that had been so consistently strong for a decade is now in the midst of such a rebuild. But the time comes for all franchises, so it will be interesting how they continue to handle things. Ultimately finding out if they can fix their issues and find their path to their next winning decade.