Anaheim Ducks: The Good, The Bad and Things Fans Want to Forget

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Another NHL season is officially in the books. Kenny Marcial takes a final look back at the Anaheim Ducks in 2017-18 with his three-part series. Today, Part 2 – The bad.

A hockey season has its ebbs and flows, and the Anaheim Ducks 2017-18 season was no exception. In part 1 of this series, I went over the good from this past season. In today’s second part, I am going to highlight some of the negatives. There was much to choose from, so if something doesn’t make it into this article, it will likely be addressed in “Part 3: Things Fans Want to Forget.”

Making the Playoffs

Eric Stephens, from the OCR, captured Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray’s thoughts on making the playoffs, “I think it’s remarkable that we made the playoffs. But in making the playoffs, did we screw up some other things? That’s where I’m trying to get my head around. Sometimes it’s better to miss (the playoffs).”

As difficult as it is to hear, his point rings true. Tanking is bad business, but the new lottery system is making fringe playoff teams reconsider being “buyers.” Since the top 3 picks are now up for grabs, missing the playoffs can really benefit teams.

Both the Devils and the Flyers failed to reach the playoffs in 2016-2017. In a stroke of good luck, they won the lottery and acquired elite talent. Their “down” year has them poised for consistent success.

For the Ducks, getting a player like Rasmus Dahlin or Andrei Svechnikov would help ease the concerns of the championship window closing. Even if the lottery didn’t fall our way, we still would have a top 15 pick and several highly talented players should be available there.

PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 03: Chris Wagner #21 of the New York Islanders skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on March 3, 2018. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Chris Wagner for Jason Chimera

Acquiring Chimera was supposed to make the Anaheim Ducks a “Faster” team, but the trade made them a less talented one. It was frustrating to watch Murray trade a solid young player for someone who’ll be spending next year at some golf course in Florida. The Ducks didn’t need only speed, they needed someone with speed and talent, the latter of which Chimera lacked.

Wagner was a “jack-of-all-trades.” If a center went down, he filled in admirably. If we needed a grimy goal, he did that as well (he scored some key goals during the WCF march in 2016-17 like this one). Wagner was also good on the PK and could change momentum with a thunderous hit. It’s hard watching players like Wagner and Stefan Noesen leave for no particular reason. They are guys who easily could have brought long-term consistency to our bottom six forwards.

ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 18: Jakob Silfverberg /

The Second Line

Ryan Kesler missed almost the first half of the season, it was expected the Anaheim Ducks second line would struggle in his absence. Jakob Silfverberg was off his game and left some fans wondering if he was playing through an injury. How else does Silfverberg, arguably one of the best shootout players in the game’s history, take only five shootout attempts all season?

Andrew Cogliano does so many things well and is a key member to the second line when everyone is healthy. He is a third line player who plays in the top six because he has chemistry with his linemates. When Kesler or Silf struggle, Cogs is out of place and the line comes to a grinding halt offensively.

Kesler returned from his injury the day after Thanksgiving. It was obvious the Ducks didn’t get the same player back. He filled his role of shut down center admirably; however, he relied heavily on his ability to read the play in lieu of skating. Consequently, he struggled against faster teams like the Sharks.

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 25: Sami Vatanen #45, Logan Shaw #48, Antoine Vermette #50, and Cam Fowler #4 of the Anaheim Ducks converse during a game against the Los Angeles Kings. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Saying Goodbye to #45

Sami Vatanen’s name had been in the rumor mill for a couple seasons. He was expected to be dealt away in advance of the expansion draft, but a shoulder injury likely delayed his departure. Due to mounting injuries that forced Derek Grant into duty as a top line center, it was imperative the Ducks move the popular defenseman. Subsequently, Vatanen was dealt for Adam Henrique, Joseph Blandisi a, d a 3rd round pick.

More from Pucks of a Feather

Personally, I love how the trade turned out for the Ducks. With that being said, it didn’t make saying goodbye to Vats any easier. His personality was top notch and he was a joy to watch on the ice.

Furthermore, his journey to the Anaheim Ducks was even better. It is well documented he grew up a Ducks fan and, despite being undersized, his beloved Ducks drafted him in the fourth round. To achieve his dream of playing in the NHL, Vatanen destroyed both the Finnish Elite League and AHL.

Unfortunately, we had to bid him adieu. We appreciate all you gave Duck fans Mr. Vatanen and we send you off with a reverberating chant of, “Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Next: Anaheim Ducks can find value with 23rd overall pick

Coming soon Part 3: The things fans want to forget.

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Anaheim Ducks: The Good, The Bad and Things Fans Want to Forget – Part 2