Going into the 2018-19 season, every NHL team has their eye on one thing: The Stanley Cup. As of October 3rd, opening day of hockey season, it’s fair game. Do the Anaheim Ducks have what it takes to be contenders for the Cup come April?
The harrowing defeat that came at the hands of the San Jose Sharks last season still weighs heavily on all of our minds. Not to beat a dead horse, but being swept by San Jose wasn’t the most enjoyable end to the 2017-18 season. The Anaheim Ducks certainly have a lot to prove going into 2018-19. Not just to all of Ducks Nation, but also to themselves.
The way things are looking, this is feasibly the last season Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry could bring the Stanley Cup back to Anaheim. Last season was a perfect example of what not to do. By that logic, it is safe to say that something needs to change. I trust that both the staff and players of the Anaheim Ducks have all come to the same conclusion. Let’s just hope they put it into practice.
There is, however, one question that still remains. How do the Anaheim Ducks make themselves contenders for the Stanley Cup come next April? I am a firm believer that if the Anaheim Ducks choose to learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future they will have a lot of success in the 2018-19 season. They may not win it all, but they will have a fighting chance.