Anaheim Ducks 2020 – Looking into our Crystal Ball
Anaheim Ducks training camp hasn’t even started for the 2018-19 season. Why not look a few years into the future? Every team needs a plan.
The Anaheim Ducks of 2020 will be somewhat different than the team that lines up to start this season on October 3. Young players will force they’re way up to the big club. Conversely, some of the current veterans won’t be with the team
Management and Coaching
As I stated in a previous article, Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray has a job with the team as long as he wants one. When the 2020 season starts, he’ll be 65 years old. If that isn’t his final season, it will be close to the end. Murray will want another shot at the brass ring, so he may roll the dice on a free-agent.
What kind of odds could someone get for Randy Carlyle being the Ducks head coach in 2020? Don’t make the bet. While he is a competent coach, the league is getting younger and faster. Those are two qualities that haven’t been part of his coaching style. A better bet would be current San Diego Gulls head man Dallas Eakins behind the Ducks bench.
Goalies
In 2020 John Gibson will likely be one of the top five goalies in the league. Number 36 has everything going for him, size, skills, and intangibles to be among the best. He will be 27 years old when the season starts. Gibson’s prime years are starting around 2020. He’ll be capable of carrying the team on nights when they aren’t at their best.
Who is going to back Gibson up? Your guess is as good as mine. Recent draft picks Olle Eriksson-Ek, Lukas Dostal, and Roman Durny most likely won’t be ready by then. Additionally, Kevin Boyle hasn’t shown he’s NHL material yet. A league veteran would have to be brought in, to support Gibson.
Forwards
The crystal ball says the Anaheim Ducks forward lines will look like this:
Rakell-Steel-Terry
Jones-Henrique-Kase
Cogliano-Getzlaf-Player received in trade
Comtois-Sherwood-Typical Murray 4th line guy
Sam Steel will spend some time in Anaheim this season, next year he’ll be a full-time NHL player. By 2020 Steel is likely to be the team’s best center. In two years, Ryan Getzlaf’s age will catch up with him. He’ll still be a viable player, but accepting a more defensive role will help the team and he’s a team-first player. Adam Henrique will continue to be what he is, a marginal top six center.
Ricky Rak is the best forward on the team now and that won’t change by 2020. He’ll continue to play on the Anaheim Ducks top line. By then Rickard Rakell will be a 70-80 point per season player. Max Jones should be a year behind Steel. 2020-21 will be his first full-time season with the team. Cogliano enters the final year of his contract. At 33, the Ducks hope he has one year left in the tank.
Troy Terry should be coming into his own by 2020. The University of Denver alum battles it out with Ondrej Kase to be the team’s top right wing. Speaking of Kase, his chemistry with Henrique should continue to grow. He may be a 60 point player in a few seasons. As shown, several current Ducks aren’t listed (more on that later). At this point, the checking line right wing isn’t part of the organization yet.
The fourth line is the hardest to predict. Maxime Comtois should be breaking the surface of his NHL career in two years. Keifer Sherwood will be 25 years old by then. He’ll either be part of the team or out of the organization. Rounding out the line will likely be a “Bargain Bob” special. In other words, a defensively responsible wing on a low-cost contract.
All in all, it will be a talented group.
Defensemen
Fowler-Manson
Lindholm-Mahura
Pettersson-Larsson
Welinski
Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Josh Manson are all signed beyond the 2020-21 season. All three will be key members of the team. In fact, two of them could be wearing an “A” on their sweater by then. They are part of the Ducks next leadership group.
Defensive pairings might be in somewhat of a flux, but the players should be the same. Fowler is a top pairing defenseman now, there is no reason to believe he won’t be two years from now. Manson gets better and better every season, he should grow into a top two role.
Hampus Lindholm is a solid two-way defenseman who can play in any situation. He is also the type of defenseman that can play with almost anyone. He’ll have to be at the top of his game because the Swede gets paired with up and coming puck handler Josh Mahura. The younger blueliner will be starting what the Anaheim Ducks believe to be a high octane career.
Marcus Pettersson and Jacob Larsson will remain in the same roles they are now. It has nothing to do with how good they can be. Neither of the two is going to be better than Fowler, Lindholm, and Manson. The team will, however, control their contracts and utilize them as such. Andy Welinski hangs on as the seventh defenseman.
Special Teams
To begin with, the Ducks should have a fantastic penalty kill. Lindholm and Manson can only get better on the back end. Manson is more than capable of clearing the house for Gibson. Lindholm, on the other hand, can go after the puck and clear it. If they need to switch roles temporarily, no problem. Pettersson and Fowler, maybe Larsson at times, hold down the second unit.
Cogliano is currently one of the best penalty killers in the game. In two years, if Cogs can be 90-95% of what he is now, his job is safe. Terry or Henrique will partner with him up front. The other goes to the second unit with whoever the new right wing will be.
The power play should be dynamic. Getzlaf won’t be at the point as he is now, Steel will take that over. Instead, he’ll be setting up plays from down low. Joining on the forward line, of course, is Rakell and probably Kase. Fowler is the best candidate to join Steel at the point.
Henrique mans the pivot on the second unit. His linemates would be Jones and Terry, but Comtois might get a shot every now and then. Backing them up at the points are Mahura and Lindholm. Both groups have a chance to score lots of points.
Who’s Gone
There are several current Ducks that aren’t included on my 2020 roster. By then, they will be gone from the organization. Most of them get traded and new players come in. Here are their relative dispositions:
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Corey Perry – If this were 30-year-old Perry, he would be on the roster. Instead, the 35-year-old version is the one in question. Perry’s talents are already in decline. It shouldn’t affect his status with the Ducks this year or even next. By 2020 his production won’t justify his salary. It will be the last year of his contract and a buyout seems likely.
Nick Ritchie – Unless he has a drastic turn around the next two seasons, Ritchie will be shown the door. My colleagues may have a bit more faith in him than I do. He’s done more harm than good too many times to stick around for an extended period.
Brandon Montour – This one is purely financial. He signed a two-year bridge deal this past week. The problem is that he becomes a restricted free agent again after the 2019-20 season. Unless his career takes a serious downward spiral, he’ll ask for a big payday. Even then he won’t be a better player than Lindholm or Manson, but will ask for more than either of them will earn. He gets traded before his bridge deal ends.
Jakob Silfverberg – All good things must come to an end, which includes Jakob Silfverberg’s tenure as an Anaheim Ducks player. Henrique’s recent contract extension probably means the Swedish right wing won’t get a new one from Bob Murray. It would be surprising if he made it through this entire season with Anaheim and could still be dealt before it starts.
Carter Rowney – He has a three-year contract. Show of hands, how many think he’ll play out his contract with Anaheim? I agree.
Ryan Kesler – It hurt Ducks Nation to watch him play last year as a shell of himself. How he gutted through through the pain is a testament to his determination. Kesler might not play NHL hockey this year and maybe never again. Hopefully, it’s not the case, but counting on him two years down the road isn’t smart business.
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Things look good for the Anaheim Ducks in the near future. They will be faster and able to put points on the board. At the same time, the Ducks will be solid defensively. Combine those two points with strong goaltending and its a recipe for success.