Pucks of a Feather
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Anaheim Ducks: Is Ryan Kesler 100 Percent?

By Chris Bushell

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 03: Anaheim Ducks Center Ryan Kesler (17) gains control of the puck during the Anaheim Ducks versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 3, 2018, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 03: Anaheim Ducks Center Ryan Kesler (17) gains control of the puck during the Anaheim Ducks versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 3, 2018, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 16: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the game against the San Jose Sharks in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 16, 2018, in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan Kesler
SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 16: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the game against the San Jose Sharks in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 16, 2018, in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ryan Kesler /

Ryan Kesler is a massive cog in the Anaheim Ducks machine. Off-season hip surgery a year ago limited him to all but 48 games last season and he looked like a shell of himself. Reports this summer haven’t been the best but is the lack of new news a good sign?

Summer Brings Bad News

ANAHEIM, CA – April 14: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the third period in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 14, 2018, in Anaheim, California. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – April 14: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the third period in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 14, 2018, in Anaheim, California. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Finally, in just about two weeks, the Anaheim Ducks will be back on the ice as training camp begins. With it, we will start to learn what the lines and D combos look like, what rookies could crack the line-up and the health of several players. Patrick Eaves and Cam Fowler are both coming back from very different but equally big injuries. But the injury on everyone’s mind is that of Ryan Kesler. Kesler didn’t look himself coming back from hip surgery halfway through last season and reports didn’t help this summer. First, in June, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Kesler could miss the entire 2018-19′ season.

Then at the season ticket holder beach party for the Ducks General Manager Bob Murray stated; “I’m more confident that Patrick Eaves is going to play for the full season than I am of Ryan Kesler at the moment, although ‘Kes’ says he’s going to be fine”. So this was slightly better than Friedmans quote but since the beach party, the Kesler chatter has gone quiet. The saying goes no news is good news but is that the case? Personally, I believe so.

Positive Thoughts

ANAHEIM, CA – March 26: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal with Cam Fowler #4 and Patrick Eaves #18 to tie the game 2-2 with the New York Rangers during the first period at Honda Center on March 26, 2017, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – March 26: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal with Cam Fowler #4 and Patrick Eaves #18 to tie the game 2-2 with the New York Rangers during the first period at Honda Center on March 26, 2017, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

More from Pucks of a Feather

Well, things certainly don’t seem great with the reports of this summer the lack of reports the last month and a half may be for the best. At the moment the hockey world knows that Kesler is or was injured. This isn’t the playoffs so the Ducks playing coy doesn’t give them a competitive advantage. In fact, it hampers them this season.

We here at PoaF answered the question in the August Monthly Mailbag; Should Ryan Kesler be given a deadline to inform the Ducks if he can play. And while we all had different answers I stand by mine. I believe internally the Ducks and Kesler already know his status. And with that said I believe that means Kesler is 100% or close to. He should start the season or maybe only a couple weeks later. And the reason for this is the lack of news and the player I believe Kesler to be.

Head Scratching Not Dumb

Anaheim Ducks
ANAHEIM, CA – December 1: General Manager Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during a press conference announcing new head coach Bruce Boudreau after morning practice at Anaheim Ice on December 1, 2011, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via GettyImages) /

If Kesler really is missing the season the Ducks would put him on long-term injured reserve. This would give the Ducks back the 6.8 million owed to Kesler to sign someone else. And regardless of how you feel about Bob Murray and his moves the last couple years, he is still one of the best GM’s in the game. He saw what the Ducks looked like without Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf for that matter, last season. It put his team severely behind the 8-ball and quite frankly they never gelled. Yes they made the playoffs and the record was good but the team never came together as a cohesive unit. And with the window closing for the general core of this team Murray wouldn’t leave such a big hole in the line-up to chance.

As much as Murray would give Kesler a long time to see if he could go there reaches a point. Kesler never wants to throw in the towel but he is such a team-first guy and would never let his pride hurt the team. And for all the negative energy that perhaps follows RK17 around the league none of it is ever selfish. He would never put himself above the team. With the culture that the current leadership of the Ducks has implemented they wouldn’t stand for it. I believe Murray, Randy Carlyle, Getzlaf and Corey Perry all know Kesler’s status and as much as we would like to know too we are on a need to know basis.

I am not part of the Ducks organization and as much as I’d like to know inside information I don’t. But with everything this team has done over the years and how Murray runs this team, he will not leave such a question mark to chance. Expect to see Ryan Kesler on the ice for training camp or at the very least a comment about him being close by season start.

Next. Anaheim Ducks: The Past, The Present, and The Future. dark

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