Anaheim Ducks: The 2018 Vegas Rookie Face-off in Review
By Ciara Durant
The inaugural 2018 Rookie Face-off in Las Vegas has come to an exciting conclusion. Ducks Nation was given an incredible glimpse of what the future holds for the Anaheim Ducks. We now have a better idea of which prospects have the potential to make the team come October.
Randy Carlyle needs to watch his back, because, after the way the Anaheim Ducks performed at this week’s Rookie Faceoff, he may soon be out of a job. Okay, I know. This is highly speculative. However, there is no denying that Dallas Eakins did an outstanding job coaching the “Ducklings” to victory during the rookie showdown.
A team cannot be cohesive without someone behind the bench who has strong leadership skills, is quick-witted, and knows his players. Maybe, just maybe, Eakins is ready to redeem himself as an NHL coach by taking on the challenge of coaching the Anaheim Ducks?
Where is the proof? As I always say, the proof is in the pudding. The “Ducklings” ended the tournament with a 3-0 record. They led the tournament in goals, with 21 in three games. Not only were they the leaders in goals, but they outscored their opponents 21-9.
The power play units they deployed looked solid, which has been an area of significant struggle for the Anaheim Ducks. They looked great in the net too. The three goaltenders had a combined average save percentage (SV%) of .922%, saving 107 out of 116 goals.
With the way the tournament played out, it is evident that the Anaheim Ducks were the clear winners of the 2018 Rookie Faceoff. We already know they ended the contest 3-0, but how did the other teams fare?
The Golden Knights (18 goals) and the Sharks (12 goals) both finished with a 2-1 record. The Avalanche (14 goals) and the Coyotes (8 goals) each ended the tournament 1-2. Unfortunately, the Kings (7 goals) finished 0-3. Each team played their hearts out, some were just more successful than the others.