Not many people think about the Anaheim Ducks since they were last in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018. The team has been mired in a lengthy rebuild, where the team's stuck in another year of not contending. Outgoing pieces such as Corey Perry have made it harder for Southern California hockey fans to remember the team. It's gotten to the point where people think more about the Roman Empire than the Ducks.
It's a sad state of affairs when you let go of lesser-known names that turn out to be relevant. William Karlsson and Shea Theodore are perfect examples of this, joining the Vegas Golden Knights and carving out key roles for the team. In fact, they've made two Stanley Cup Final appearances and have hoisted Lord Stanley once. As for the Ducks? Not so much.
It's sad to see a franchise that was literally named after the Mighty Ducks movies fall to such irrelevance. Yet, there's a new tide of hope on the shores of Orange County. Names like Trevor Zegras, Frank Vatrano, and Beckett Sennecke are arriving on the scene, hoping to bring another thrillin blockbuster to the land of Disney.
What will that mean for the Golden Knights heading into the 2024-25 season? What does Anaheim present to the rest of the Pacific Division threat-wise? Most of all, will this finally be the year they return to the playoffs (hopefully, not at Vegas's expense)? There are numerous developing names that could bring playoff hockey back to the House of Mouse. Here's what Golden Knights fans expect from watching the Ducks in the upcoming hockey year.
What's the strength of the Anaheim Ducks? What's their weakness?
Last season, the Anaheim Ducks finished 27-50-5, lagging near the bottom with the San Jose Sharks. That's despite having good scoring options such as Frank Vatrano (37 goals, 60 points), a young Mason MacTavish (19 goals, 42 points), and Troy Terry (34 assists). That's not even mentioning Trevor Zegras was out for most of the 2023-24 season, playing 31 games.
Adding Beckett Sennecke should help bolster this unit, making them even more of an offensive threat. If things go right, they could also develop into a strong special teams unit, where they can capitalize on other team's mistakes. The Ducks can keep the puck in the offensive zone and wear you down, making them tougher throughout the game.
However, there are some problems that could hinder them from getting back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. For example, they led the NHL last season in % of PIM taken with 55.25% and were lacking defensively. That included takeaways from the opponent (417, 25th-best) and giveaways to the opponent (530, 17th-most in the NHL).
The Vegas Golden Knights act as a counter in this regard, where they were sixth in taking the puck away from the opponent (573) and blocked shots (1,506, third-best). By taking care of the puck and applying pressure with the forecheck, they can let Anaheim make mistakes on their own. That's good news for players like William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, and Ivan Barbashev, who thrive on running the play on the rush.