The Anaheim Ducks Have Plenty to be Thankful For This Season

Nov 18, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Anaheim Ducks center

(7) skates against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

4. Dependable Players

A final thing that the Ducks should be thankful for is the constant presence of Andrew Cogliano in the lineup. On Sunday, the St. Louis Blues announced that Jay Bouwmeester would miss their game against the Winnipeg Jets, ending his ironman streak at 737 games. That gave the NHL’s ironman streak to Cogliano, who has not missed a game since entering the NHL in the 2007-2008 season. He has been one of the constants for the Ducks and is a player whose contributions go beyond just scoring. Cogliano is one of the Ducks’ most important penalty killers, playing the second most minutes among forwards while the team is shorthanded this season (only behind Kesler). Cogliano isn’t a player who gets on the scoresheet every night, but he is always on the ice giving it his all on each shift, and the Ducks should be very appreciative of that.

Again, the Ducks have had to deal with multiple different injuries and the mumps virus, yet players like Cogliano, who step in each night and consistently give their best effort, have helped minimize the impact of the players who are missed.