Anaheim Ducks: Countdown to the Season Opener- Josh Manson

Dropping the Gloves

Josh Manson is well known for his defensive flare out on the ice. However, he is also notorious for not shying away from throwing some pretty good punches. Although Manson is the furthest thing from an aggressive player, he’s been known to drop his gloves a time or two.

It is no secret that the Anaheim Ducks like to play a physical game, and Manson is the biggest physical force out on the ice. During the 2017-18 season, he was involved in a total of four fights. One of his most memorable bouts during the season came out of a brawl that broke out between the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames.

On January 6, 2018, with only 1:05 left in the second period, the Ducks were down 2-0. There has always been plenty of heat between the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary, this game was no different. Anaheim Ducks center, Derek Grant, upended Flames’ goalie Mike Smith as he skated behind the net.

You could practically see the steam coming out of the ears of every player from the opposing team. Within seconds, Grant was being ambushed by vehement players with flaming C’s on their sweater. Gloves were dropped, and an outnumbered Grant didn’t stand a chance. However, that was before Josh Manson stepped in.

Coming to his teammate’s defense, Manson jumped in, breaking away from the pack after Sam Bennett. The brawl stopped, and all eyes were on Manson and Bennett as the two threw punches at one another. Manson was able to get in a few good hits, but I must give props to Bennett. He was able to stand his ground pretty well and put in a good effort.

I consider this to be one of Manson’s best moments, not because he fought, but because he was willing to defend his own.

Even though Grant shouldn’t have tripped Smith, the Flames had an unfair advantage against him. Coming to Grants defense is evidence of Manson’s good and genuine character.

He Keeps Getting Better

20017-18 proved to be Manson’s best season yet. This is an impressive feat, especially considering that he was Anaheim Ducks 6th round draft pick (160th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Of course, it’s not impossible for a 6th round draft selection to make a name for himself in the NHL. However, this makes more sense if you take a look at the 2011 draft as a whole.

From the 2011 6th round, there are only twelve players, out of thirty to play an NHL game. Of those twelve, there are only two who have played more than 100 games. If you do the math, that means that Josh Manson statistically only had about a 6.7% chance of excelling in the NHL. He has beaten the odds, and that is phenomenal.

What has led to his success with the Ducks has been his consistency. When he is out on the ice, he pushes himself to new lengths. He is never content just “staying the same.” He makes opportunities for himself, and he isn’t afraid of a challenge. This past season, his role as one of the only healthy defensemen on the blueline definitely played in his favor. Playing in 80 regular season games aided him in surpassing his old stats and snatching up new career high’s.

Josh Manson posted new career highs in goals, game-winning goals, assists, and points. During 2017-18 he scored seven goals, two of which were game-winners,  and added 30 helpers. His point total stands at 37. That is 20 points more than the 17 points (5g, 12a) he had the previous season.

Manson also had a career-high plus/minus of +34. We will focus a lot more on that number in a minute. There is also reason to believe that he was more confident with the puck this season as well. The number of shot attempts he made increased from 181 in 2016-17 to 223.

Almost Breaking the Franchise +/- Record

The current plus/minus record for the Anaheim Ducks is held by Paul Kariya at 36. However, Josh Manson came within three points of dethroning the Ducks legend. The very fact that he came that close is a reason for celebration.

In all honesty, I didn’t know what plus/minus was until this past season. So, if you’re anything like me, here is a quick break down of what the stat means. If you already know what it means, it’s always good to review.

Plus/minus is the statistic that is used to determine a players impact while he is on the ice. A player is awarded a “plus” if he is on the ice when his team scores a goal, whether at even strength or shorthanded, except will on the power play. He is awarded a “minus” if the opposing team scores a goal while he is on the ice (except shorthanded).

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There are some people who think plus/minus should be done away with. I agree with the argument that a goal isn’t the best predictor of a players production value on the ice. Nevertheless, in Manson’s case, I think it is a good representation of his contributions to the Anaheim Ducks this past season.

Not only did he have a better season, the team was better when he was out on the ice. He rightfully earned his spot in the top four. He also had an undeniable chemistry with Hampus Lindholm, which served to benefit both of them.

If Josh Manson keeps playing like he did last season, he will break Paul Kariya’s record in no time.

What was your favorite Josh Manson moment of the 2017-18 season? Let us know by leaving a comment down below or finding us on Facebook and Twitter!