Anaheim Ducks: 5 Reasons To Stay Positive 2.0
The summer is over, and we’re gearing up for the best season of all, hockey season! However, the season hasn’t even started yet and I’ve already seen a lot of negativity surrounding the Anaheim Ducks. I think it’s time we revisited a very important question.
At the beginning of the summer, Pucks of a Feather was presented with a very interesting question, “Why is everyone so negative about the Anaheim Ducks?” I was given the task of answering this intriguing question. Thus, my quest to bring optimism back to the franchise and the fans began. Out of that, my five reasons to stay positive article was born.
My answer to the question remains the same. The Ducks reputation precedes them. They have been known for so long as the team that plays dirty. No matter how hard they try to right their wrongs of the past, anyone outside of Ducks Nation can’t see them as anything but what they once were.
I understand, who can take a franchise that was owned by Disney seriously? I’ve heard that argument so many times, it’s laughable. Although Disney hasn’t owned the team for thirteen years, I understand the argument. Disney is all about magic, true love, and friendship. Whereas, the Ducks have a reputation for being dirty and too physical. The team’s reputation was basically the exact opposite of their previous owners.
However, the Anaheim Ducks have gone on to prove themselves tenfold. A Stanley Cup, two Western Conference Championships, six Pacific Division titles, twelve playoff appearances, multiple 100+ point seasons, all in the span of 25 years. Yet, despite their success, the Ducks are still pegged as the laughing stalk of the NHL.
Players like Cam Fowler, Rickard Rakell, and Jakob Silfverberg, with their calm, cool, and collected demeanors haven’t been able to vanquish the Ducks reputation. However, we all know how easily a bad reputation can follow someone, even after they’ve rightfully outgrown it.
Finding Reasons to Stay Positive
What does this mean for the future of the Anaheim Ducks? Will they always be known as the team who plays dirty? Will the cloud of negativity that hangs above their heads ever blow away?
In all honesty, for as long as they are a franchise, the Anaheim Ducks will probably always be viewed in a negative light. However, it is our job, as Ducks Nation, to educate people about our team. We must stand in the gap and show the NHL world that the Ducks are a force to be reckoned with.
Previously, we focused on five reasons to stay positive, but I think we need a review. Reason one had everything to do with our masked men. We have arguably the best goaltender in the league in John Gibson. Not to mention, Ryan Miller is a solid back up in the net.
Reason two focused on the word resilience. As I said, if you summed up this past season in one word, resilience wins by a landslide. Resilience isn’t solely about the recovery, it also includes the process to adjust. Adam Henrique, Brandon Montour, and yes, even Randy Carlyle, proved that the Ducks have the capability to adjust when they are under pressure.
The third reason to stay positive is Rickard Rakell. He is a shoo-in to be the next poster child of the Anaheim Ducks. He is only going to improve from his 34 goals and 69 points last season. The amount of courage and resolve he plays with when he is on the ice is admirable. I may have a biased opinion, but he is unlike any other player in the league.
The fourth reason focused on two of our prospects, Sam Steel and Maxime Comtois. Prospects like them make the future of Anaheim look bright! With the Ducks leaning towards a speed driven system, these players will make the transition easier.
Lastly, we focused on the character of our players by taking a deep dive into what they do to help their community. Being a good team isn’t solely based on how they play, but also how they take care of their fan base and the community around them. There are so many programs and fundraisers the Ducks are involved in, and Orange County is a better place because of them.
These are just five reasons, but there are so many more. I understand how hard it is to be positive about your team when there’s constant negativity. It’s also hard to be positive when there are so many broken promises from the coaching staff and management. Nevertheless, I feel like we all need the reminder as to why we love our team. Going into the 2018-19 season, let’s have a new perspective on the Ducks. We may not be the best team in the league, but we are still good!
#1: The Leadership
The Anaheim Ducks have a long succession of leadership they should be proud of. Paul Kariya, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, and Troy Loney just to name a few. However, the man who is currently at the helm has held the longest residency as captain in franchise history.
As far as success goes, the Anaheim Ducks have had the most under the leadership of Ryan Getzlaf. Of course, Niedermayer captained the 2006-07 cup team, so Getz can’t take credit for that. However, Getzlaf has led the Ducks to multiple 100+ point seasons, seven playoff appearances, and five Pacific Division titles. Not only has he accomplished all of this, but he also hasn’t had anything less than a 50 point season since his rookie debut in 2005-06 (this excludes the lockout of 2012-13.) Adding another cup to all of that will put him in the running as the Anaheim Ducks greatest captain in franchise history.
Not only is Getzlaf a powerhouse on the ice, but he is also a prominent leader off the ice. He isn’t one to give the big extravagant speeches. He is a man of action. He sets the bar high, but not without first being the example. His teammates follow suit not because he is a dictator, but because he has earned their respect. He may be the mediator on the ice, but off the ice, his strong moral fiber and humble character are just as evident.
A captain cannot do his job properly without having a confidant to back him up. Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler may be two of the leagues most hated players, but they have done a great job as Getzlaf’s right and left-hand men. Whether they must step up in the absence of their captain or back him up in a tough situation, they have helped lead the Anaheim Ducks with confidence.
Of course, they both had their challenges last season. Kesler skated around on one hip most of the season and Perry is slowing down and not “up to par” when it comes to his point production. Nevertheless, the pair has been a constant for the Ducks. Ryan Kesler is good for at least 50 points per season, as well as Perry. They’ve had their hiccups, yes. Yet, they are still both great playmakers and talented hockey players.
There is, however, the concern that Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry could spend a significant amount of time off the ice this season. Last season he Kesler pushed himself too hard, and he ended up paying the price. The news of Corey Perry’s injury as well isn’t the best news for the Ducks. We are in very capable hands nonetheless. I have written at length how I believe Cam Fowler will be the next captain.
He has all of the characteristics to make a great leader. He is level-headed, loyal, confident, optimistic, humble, he inspires his teammates, he is a man of integrity, and he is willing to grow. What more could you ask for in a leader?
Stepping up in the absence of Kesler will give him the chance to absorb as much from Getzlaf as he can until he has the opportunity to wear the coveted “C”.
#2: Ondrej Kase
Ondrej Kase was the Anaheim Ducks seventh-round draft pick in 2014. There has been very little success so far with the players picked later than the fifth round in that draft year. Kase is one of nine players, picked later than the fifth round, to play an NHL game. Of those nine players, he is one of four who has played more than 50 games. Statistically speaking, Kase had less than a 5% (4.44% to be exact) chance of making it into the NHL.
In the history of the Anaheim Ducks franchise, they have never had success with a seventh-round draft pick. Yes, they’ve had seventh-round draft picks play in NHL games, but none of them have ever made it past the 16 game mark. That is until Ondrej Kase came along.
In their 25 year history, only five players chosen lower than the seventh round have found any success at the NHL level. However, all of these players, excluding Kase, found their success with teams other than the Anaheim Ducks. So, what makes Kase so special? How has he defied all odds and found the success that no other seventh-round draft pick in his draft class, nor in franchise history, has been able to obtain? Why is he a reason for Ducks Nation to stay positive?
At 21-years-old, Ondrej Kase made his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks. In his rookie season, he played 53 games and he had 15 points to show for it (5g, 10a). Obviously, this isn’t anything to get too excited about. However, he still managed to make a difference out on the ice, which counts for something.
Fast forward to his sophomore season. We all know how tough the 2017-18 season was on the team as a whole. First of all, there were so many injuries that Kase was thrust into a bigger role than most thought he was ready for. Secondly, there was absolutely no consistency for a player who was still relatively new to the NHL scene. If you do the math, success for a player like Kase seemed impossible.
However, Kase proved to all of us that impossible is just an excuse for someone not to try. The word itself says, “I’m possible.” In one season he quadrupled the number of goals he scored and doubled his point production, plus some.
He found instant chemistry with their newly acquired center, Adam Henrique. Together the pair netted 40 goals, making the two of them responsible for 18% of the Anaheim Ducks goals (21% if you add Nick Ritchie into the equation!) They both added much-needed depth to the floundering Anaheim Ducks team. Henrique and Kase were both offered contract extensions over the summer. The hopes that the Henrique/Kase spark would still be burning bright were affirmed during their second preseason game against the Sharks. Kase netted two goals with the help of Henrique.
His success is great, and the fact that we are already getting a small taste of the Kase we all know and love is reason enough to stay positive. However, it isn’t the fact that he can score goals that keeps me positive. It was his ability to prove everyone wrong. Most people see late round draft picks as the “lost causes.” Nevertheless, Kase has gone above and beyond what any of us could have ever hoped.
Despite all of the success he has found at the NHL level, he has remained the humble, hilarious, and smiley Czech we all adore. I expect great things from him this season. He is an example to all of us to keep pressing forward, even in the face of impossible odds.
#3: Young Blood
We have spent a lot of time this summer focusing on our prospects. We may not have the deepest prospect pool in the NHL, but we have still drafted a very talented group of young men over the years.
The rookies have certainly impressed over the past few weeks. Their 3-0 victory in the 2018 Vegas Rookie Faceoff may not have been an NHL level contest, but they still left us awestruck. It has definitely given us a reason to be excited about the future. Not just prospect-wise, but coaching wise too. Dallas Eakins did a fantastic job coaching the lively bunch to their triumphant glory.
As I stated earlier, the future is bright for Anaheim! However, the future is now, and some of these prospects are about to become contenders at the NHL level. Unfortunately, not all of the rookies have impressed the coaching staff as much as the others. That has been evident, as of today, a total of three rounds of cuts have been made. So, who has what it takes to make it at an NHL level if they’re given a roster spot on October 3rd?
Who has Left an Impression?
Sam Steel has it in the bag, and if he doesn’t make it onto the roster during the season opener, I will be shocked. In the rookie faceoff in Vegas, he had a total of five points during their three contests (1g, 4a.) Although he was unable to score any goals during the 25 hours of hockey scrimmage, he found great chemistry with his linemates, Maxime Comtois and Joseph Blandisi.
However, his performance during the preseason has left all of us wonderstruck with the young center. His second-period goal was exhilarating to watch; his sleek toe drag that sent Niklas Hjalmarsson flying across the ice led to a wrister from Steel that gave the Ducks a one-goal advantage, ultimately leading to their win.
Troy Terry is another rookie who could benefit the Anaheim Ducks roster. I have been a big proponent of both Terry and Steel, and the hope of them making the roster is quickly becoming a reality. Terry adds an electrifying presence on the ice. He knows how to create great scoring chances, which after last season, is something the Ducks could use more of. He has the speed, and the size to go with it, that Anaheim needs on their team.
One prospect, who has certainly surprised me, is Isac Lundestrom. I wrote at the beginning of the summer that I thought the Anaheim Ducks has settled with their first 2018 draft pick. He didn’t seem to be the impressive first-round pick everyone expected Anaheim to go after. However, the more I’ve watched him play, and the more research I’ve done, the more I like what I see. He has a lot of power. He is lightning on his skates and he knows how to handle the puck.
His on-ice intuition is impressive, and he knows when it is necessary to change the tempo on the ice. Lundestrom is not afraid to use his 6’0” frame to intimidate his opponents and muscle them off the puck. He has the IQ to make a fantastic NHL player. I think his experience in the SHL, where the players are anywhere from 18 to 32-years-old, gives him a leg up on the other prospects in our system.
Maxime Comtois has also made an impression. Since development camp, he has led the “Ducklings” in scoring. He is an effective goal scorer, creating and executing scoring chances for his team. He uses his size to his advantage, standing at 6’2”, which gives him a powerful presence on the ice. Again, he adds the element of speed, which could serve to influence the veteran Ducks who may be struggling to adapt to the new system.
One or more of these players is bound to make it onto the roster for the season opener. There is a huge prospect pool filled with talented players, and as I said, the future is now!
#4: We’re in a Better Position than Last Season
News broke just this morning that Corey Perry will be out for the next five months due to surgery he had to repair his meniscus and MCL injuries. This news, although not the best, isn’t a reason for us to panic quite yet. Of course, we wish Pears the best of luck in his recovery and look forward to having him back out on the ice. However, we are in a lot better shape than we were last season.
The Anaheim Ducks opened the 2017-18 season with a crippled blue line. Both Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen were out after both suffering injuries during the playoffs the season before. Then, in last November, Cam Fowler missed 12 games due to a knee injury. The Ducks had a solid defenseman in Josh Manson, and Brandon Montour stepped up to the plate when he was called to action. However, to fill the gaps, the Ducks had Kevin Bieksa, Francois Beauchemin, and a bunch of rookies who had no previous NHL experience and lacked development
.To make matters worse, Ryan Kesler was out after major hip surgery, even when he returned, he wasn’t 100%. The Ducks didn’t have a lot of depth as far as centers go early in the season, aside from captain Ryan Getzlaf. Derek Grant did a decent job, but no one would have guessed by looking at his stats from the previous four seasons. However, tragedy struck again when Getz was sidelined for two months in early November after suffering a broken cheekbone.
To make matters even worse, our favorite bearded Duck, Patrick Eaves, was said to have a lower-body injury in late October. However, the devastating news soon broke that he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. For those of you who don’t know, Guillain-Barre is a rare disorder where your immune system attacks your nerves. This leads to weakening of the extremities and eventually paralysis. Fortunately, it was confirmed early in the summer, that he was misdiagnosed. Nevertheless, this left him out for the entire season.
Yes, Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves won’t be starting the season in the lineup, and Corey Perry is out until further notice. Yet, we have a blue line that is way stronger and skilled than last season. Patrick Eaves will most likely join the team soon. Ryan Kesler is taking small steps towards recovery, and it has been stated that he is going to take more precautions going into the new season. Ryan Getzlaf is healthy and we also have Adam Henrique at the start of the season too, and he saved the Ducks in a big way last year.
Our prospects are improving by leaps and bounds and I have confidence they will live up to expectations. We also have the added bonus of having Ondrej Kase, Jakob Silfverberg, and Andrew Cogliano back out on the ice. Plus, who can complain about a brick wall like John Gibson in the net?
We don’t know what this season holds for us yet. Injuries are bound to happen. However, the team is in a better state than they were last year. That in itself should be grounds to stay positive.
#5: We Get to Celebrate 25 Years of Anaheim Ducks Hockey!
What inspires positivity more than a celebration? The Anaheim Ducks have given us 25 years of excellence. They haven’t always been the best team in the league, but they always give us a reason to stay.
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This season is going to be filled with celebrations. We have the October 8th home opener at the Honda Center where the Ducks will face off against the Detroit Redwings. This is an homage to the Ducks first game as a franchise. Hopefully, the outcome is different and the Ducks walk away victorious in round two!
There will be two jersey retirements this season as well. Two of Anaheim’s greatest captains will be honored by having their jersey’s hung in the rafters next to the great Teemu Selanne. Paul Kariya‘s number 9 will be retired on October 21st. Scott Niedermayer will follow shortly after; his number 27 will be retired on February 17th.
Honda Center will be filled with an air of nostalgia this season. The reveal of the Ducks alternate jersey is a tribute to both the Ducks of the past and the present. There will also be multiple throwback nights. It was also recently announced that the best mascot in the NHL (I don’t care what anyone else says), Wild Wing, will once again kick off Sunday games by rappelling down from the rafters.
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We’re in for a fantastic season, folks. There is nothing better than celebrating 25 years of greatness with my favorite franchise in the NHL and the best fans in the league! I look forward to spending this season mourning tough losses and celebrating monumental victories with all of you. Here’s to 25 years of Anaheim Ducks hockey, and hopefully, 25 more!