Anaheim Ducks 15 Thoughts After The Home Opener

By Griffin Foster |

The Anaheim Ducks home opener was not what fans had been dreaming about all summer long. Vancouver got the shootout win at Honda Center Monday night despite the Ducks being the better team for the majority of the game.

The Ducks outshot the Canucks and the lone goal that Freddie Andersen gave up was off of a weird and somewhat lucky bounce that went Vancouver’s way.

The Ducks will look to bounce back tonight against the Arizona Coyotes who have started off the season with wins over Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, go figure.

With that, here are 15 quick thoughts on the Ducks home opener.

1. Hampus Lindholm is clearly the Ducks number one defensemen and his ice time thus far reflects that. Lindholm’s time one ice per game thus far is 25:12 and he trails only Doughty, Letang, Karlsson, Faulk, Subban, Hamonic and Pietrangelo in that category. Pretty elite company.

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He wasn’t perfect in the home opener but his defensive game is evolving. At one point it would have been logical to assume that Lindholm would become a regular 50 point defensemen, but he may becoming more of a defensive minded two-way defender. He stopped a pair of key 2-on-1’s against Vancouver.

With Sami Vatanen and Cam Fowler being the offensive minded guys on Anaheim’s blue-line, it would be almost perfect if Lindholm becomes a shutdown type of guy.

2. Sami Vatanen and Clayton Stoner were not very good in game one against the Sharks. A number of questionable passes and decisions were made in that game by both guys. The home opener was a different story however. Vatanen was outstanding in that game both defensively and at the offensive end.

He scored the Ducks lone goal and made a few really under the radar defensive plays as well.

So, is Clayton Stoner holding Vatanen back? Stoner does not appear to be improving his game and he may be putting Vatanen in some tough situations with the plays he’s making. Should Josh Manson get a shot at playing with Vatanen tonight?

Stoner didn’t skate this morning, may be something, may be nothing, but Manson could draw in.

3. Simon Despres continues to impress. He is a big bodies defensemen but is an excellent skater. His patience with the puck has been noticable as well and he is also evolving into a really nice defensive minded blue-liner.

His chemistry with Fowler has not diminished at all and he is proving to be worth every penny of that new 5 year $18.5 million dollar deal.

4. Kevin Bieksa looked good again on Monday night but he and Lindholm are still working through some kinks. It will take time for the two to develop some solid chemistry, don;t judge this pairing until the 10-15 game mark.

Remember, Lindholm played with Francois Beauchemin during his first two NHL seasons, the timing and communication aspect of things with Bieksa will come eventually.

5. Through two games the Ducks defensemen’s roles on the blue-line are becoming more clear.

Fowler and Vatanen clearly have the green light to join the rush, especially with Fowler having Despres to rely on. Lindholm and Bieksa will eat up ice time this season as the steady defensive minded first pairing, I don’t think your going to see many goals being scored at even strength when 47 and 2 are on the ice.

Stoner is, well, he’s just kind of figuring out what role he’s supposed to be playing. Josh Manson is still waiting at the door looking to join the party.

6. The Ducks power play is still pretty ‘lame’ to put things nicely. After going back and watching their power plays from the home opener, I have finally found the words to describe what is going on.

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The Ducks power play is spending too much time looking to find structure and they are not spending enough time looking for plays to be made. There comes a time when skill and instincts have to outweigh format and procedure. It often appears that the Ducks are trying to hard and they are simply not using the skill they posses to generate scoring opportunities on the man advantage.

It almost appears that the Ducks are looking to make one or two specific plays that have been drawn up and when those plays don’t become available, it turns into panic mode and nobody wants to shoot the puck. They seem to be over thinking things.

7. Bruce Boudreau’s impatience is in mid-season form. After one game of splitting up Getzlaf and Perry, Boudreau has put the twins back together.

They looked really good playing with eachother on Monday night. They were both really jumping and had a ton of energy. Getzlaf just missed the stick of Perry on the doorstep at one point and in overtime if Getzlaf controls his toe drag on the power play, he’s hitting Perry in front for a tap in.

8. Jiri Sekac looked great playing alongside Getzlaf and Perry. His combination of speed and skill looks to be a really good compliment to what the twins offer.

Sekac made a few jump out of your seat type of plays and if he continues this, he’ll lock in his spot on the Ducks first line.

9. The Ducks fourth line of Pat Maroon, Shawn Horcoff and Chris Stewart played great in the home opener. They were arguably one of the Ducks best lines in that game.

Maroon and Stewart bring a lot of tenacity and they won a ton of puck battles in the corner. They cycled the puck well and all three guys could have easily scored in that game.

Maroon and Stewart playing together presents some serious big boy bruising type of hockey.

10. Clayton Stoner could be a healthy scratch soon. He continues to make questionable decisions with the puck and he botched a few offensive opportunities as well. Josh Manson could draw in sometime this week.

Boudreau does not like to keep any one of his defensemen out of the lineup for to long and giving Manson some game time seems like a logical decision, especially with Stoner’s performance Monday night.

As I mentioned, Stoner did not skate this morning, could be something, could be nothing.

11. Bruce Boudreau does not want to use Ryan Getzlaf on the penalty kill this season.

Against Vancouver, Kesler went to the box and Getzlaf was out to take the defensive zone faceoff but as soon as he won the draw and the puck was cleared, he skated right to the bench. Kesler, Horcoff and Thompson (when he’s back from injury) will be the Ducks penalty killing centers and it should benefit Getzlaf’s offensive contributions.

Rickard Rakell even got some time on the kill against the Canucks.

12. Shawn Horcoff was the Ducks best faceoff man Monday night. He continues to turn back the clock and he looks to be a really nice fit on the Ducks fourth line.

He made some really sound neutral zone plays that prove he is a good defensive minded center. That style of play will really improve the Ducks neutral zone play and penalty killing.

13. Vancouver may be better than expected. They have some nice depth up front but it is the emergence of guy like Chris Tanev that will allow their defense to stay steady.

The departure of Bieksa may not be all to costly for Vancouver’s defensive unit if Tanev plays like he did Monday night.

14. Andrew Cogliano was moved from the Kesler line down to the Rakell line Monday night. This is an interesting move as it puts the Cogliano on a line that was once thought to be more offensive minded.

Carl Hagelin looked good playing alongside Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg so expect that line to stay intact for the time being. It will be interesting to see how Cogliano can help Rakell contribute offense because secondary scoring will be needed from that third line.

15. Freddie Andersen has been wonderful so far. Two great performances have him looking like a true number one net-minder.

The lone goal he gave up against Vancouver came on a lucky bounce and Freddie could have easily had a shutout. Anton Khudobin will make his Ducks debut tonight, but Freddie Andersen came ready to play this season.

There appears no need for John Gibson to be up with the big club right now, thanks to Freddie Andersen’s play thus far.

Next: Anaheim Ducks Monday Mornin' On The Pond

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