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Anaheim Ducks Season Grades – Defensemen Part Two

By Ed Stein |
SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 18: Josh Manson #42 of the Anaheim Ducks warms up against the San Jose Sharks in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 18, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Manson
SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 18: Josh Manson #42 of the Anaheim Ducks warms up against the San Jose Sharks in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 18, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Manson
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Pucks of a Feather concludes our season grades for the defense. Today, we feature the top four Anaheim Ducks blueliners; Brandon Montour, Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, and Josh Manson.

This is part two of the Anaheim Ducks defensemen season grades. In case you missed them, click on the links for management, goalies, and defense part one.

Brandon Montour: C+

Brandon Montour gets a C+. His season was a good news/ bad news situation. The good news is Montour is developing into a fine NHL defenseman. The bad news is, he is still developing. There is hope.

Montour was forced to grow up in hurry last season. The Anaheim Ducks started the season without stalwarts Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. Additionally, it ended without Cam Fowler. In those instances, Montour had to log top-four minutes. Those were situations that exposed his deficiencies on the back end.

Had things been different, he would have had more time to develop his game at the NHL level. When the Ducks defense corps was at full strength, Montour played on the third pair. Coach Randy Carlyle could put Montour in situations where he had better chances to succeed.

Watching the offensively minded blueliner with the puck on his stick shows game-changing potential. At his best, Montour makes tape-to-tape as well as any defenseman on the team. His decision making has to improve for him to be a legitimate play-making threat.

His shot needs no improvement. When Montour pinches in the offensive zone and lets the puck fly at the net, he is flat out dangerous.

Throughout the rest of his tenure in Anaheim, he will be compared to former Ducks prospect Shea Theodore. It’s very unfair, but he can blame General Manager Bob Murray for that. Murray sent Theodore to Vegas, and kept Montour, in a move designed to save the integrity of the Anaheim Ducks roster ahead of the expansion draft.

EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 25: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Hampus Lindholm (47) scores the game-winning goal on Edmonton Oilers Goalie Cam Talbot (33). (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 25: Anaheim Ducks Defenceman Hampus Lindholm (47) scores the game-winning goal on Edmonton Oilers Goalie Cam Talbot (33). (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Hampus Lindholm: B-

As mentioned previously, Lindholm started the season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. That limited him to only 69 games played. The former sixth overall draft pick of 2012 still managed to set a career high in goals with 13. His other stats, although not career highs, were very good as well. All totaled, Lindholm had 31 points, eight on the power-play, and finished at +16.

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Lindholm’s strong two-way game makes him a valuable member of blueline corps and the team in whole. Carlyle can use him in any situation and he will thrive. The Ducks penalty kill was in in the top five this year, he was a big part of it. Lindholm was a mainstay on the Ducks second power-play unit; and was occasionally pressed into service with the top group.

His defensive game is as good as anyone the Ducks have had on the team in the last decade. Lindholm is both fast and strong. He keeps up with the speedy forwards in the league. He also doesn’t get muscled off the puck by physical players.

Lindholm’s dependability as a player and on ice and leadership off it make him a future Anaheim Ducks team captain. He is a key piece of the team’s future.

ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 02: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler with the puck in the third period of a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets played on March 2, 2018. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 02: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler with the puck in the third period of a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets played on March 2, 2018. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Cam Fowler: B

Vin Scully could have used his famous John Greenleaf Whittier quote in regards to Cam Fowler, “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'”

Had Fowler not suffered a grade three shoulder separation early in April, who knows what the Ducks could have done in the playoffs. That isn’t to say Fowler’s presence would have changed the eventual outcome, but it certainly would have made it interesting. Until he got hurt (again) he was having a great season, even after missing a month in late October, early November.

Fowler scored 32 points and went +3 in 67 games. The numbers don’t describe his impact on the team. Cam Fowler played his heart out this season. He did everything he was asked to do by the team and went further.

He was a member of the defense’s top pair all season. After Sami Vatanen was traded, Fowler took over the quarterbacking the top power-play unit. He also played significant shorthanded minutes. Whatever the need, Fowler was there to fill it.

Another important factor in his grade was leadership. Even though Fowler didn’t have a letter on his sweater, he led by example. While some of the leaders on the club lost their heads at times, he kept his. Fowler was there to defend a teammate (even if things didn’t go exactly as he planned).

Fowler earned his “B” grade handily. He might have had an “A” had he played some more.

CHICAGO, IL – FEBRUARY 15: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson (42) celebrates his team’s goal during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks on February 15, 2018. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – FEBRUARY 15: Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson (42) celebrates his team’s goal during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Anaheim Ducks on February 15, 2018. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Josh Manson: B

Entering this season, what was the over/under on Josh Manson’s point total for the year? 20? 25? What kind of odds could you have gotten on 30 points, or better yet 35? Probably pretty darn good.

More on Manson’s offense in a minute. Carlyle doesn’t deploy him on the blueline because Manson is an offensive weapon. He’s there because of his defense, tenacity, and physicality.

His +37 at even strength led both the Ducks and all NHL defensemen. That number is even more incredible considering the Anaheim Ducks as a team had a goal differential of 22. Throw in Manson’s 180 hits and 99 blocked and a better picture of his strengths come into focus.

Back to his offense. Manson’s season-high point total before this year was 17 points. Before this season started, if offered a 25 point output from Manson, Carlyle would have easily taken the deal.

It would have been a fool’s wager. Manson ended up leading all Ducks defenseman with 37 points (7g, 30a). He scored that much without getting much time on the power play. Getting back to the opening, a gambler could have made a small fortune betting over 35.

Next: 2017-18 Anaheim Ducks Left Wing Grades

Coming up in the next few days are our grades for right wings and centers.

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