Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson Swept The “Competition”
The polls have closed, and you, Ducks Nation, have determined which of the Anaheim Ducks has earned the honor of becoming our inaugural “Duck of the Month.” Winning 93% of the vote, it comes as no surprise that John Gibson has swept away the “competition.”
The first month of Anaheim Ducks hockey has come to its harrowing conclusion, and we are starting a new season-long series here at Pucks of a Feather. Each month, we will evaluate the performance of the entire team and choose our Duck and Dud of the Month. It is, in a way, similar to our Three Stars of the Week.
As the new month rolls over, we will choose one player whose performance was stellar and incomparable to anyone else on the team. This player will earn the nomination for “Duck of the Month.”
We will also choose one player whose performance left much to be desired. Of course, we still support them, but they need to step up in a critical way. This player will earn the nomination for “Dud of the Month.”
How do we determine our Duck and Dud of the Month? We choose four players who had either a great or less than satisfactory performance for the entire month. Then, this is where you come in! We put it to a vote, and you, Ducks Nation, determine who wins the nomination.
Our very first set of polls was an absolute success. We had an overwhelming 227 votes for October’s Duck of the Month. Your voice was heard loud and clear. Our Duck of the Month won by a landslide, earning 93% of the votes.
This comes as no surprise to us. John Gibson‘s performance for the month of October was spectacular, to say the least. However, before we jump into why he won, we must first take care of a few honorable mentions.
Duck of the Month Honorable Mentions
Considering who are Duck of the Month is, it is pretty impressive that Hampus Lindholm and Jakob Silfverberg both earned 2% of the votes this month. Compared to the rest of the team, these two Swede’s both had performances that stood out above the rest of the Anaheim Ducks.
Jakob Silfverberg
Jakob Silfverberg missed five games due to a broken finger. Nevertheless, despite the length of time he was out, he still managed to lead the Anaheim Ducks in points for most of October. Despite having one the worst CF% (Corsi For percentage) on the team (36.8%) he has still made one of the most significant impacts as a point producer.
It is a valid argument to say that Silfverberg’s performance has subconsciously been a result of the status of his contract. Being in a contract year can prompt many players to up their game to ensure a good contract when they become an RFA or UFA.
I highly doubt, however, that Silfverberg’s sole reason for playing well is for selfish gain. Silfverberg is a player who’s personality overflows with integrity. Not only does he emit humility, but he is smart on the ice.
Silfverberg always seems to be in the right place at the right time. This has led to him consistently being a 39+ point producer for the Anaheim Ducks since his second season with the club. I think it is easy for us to forget just how talented of a two way forward Silfverberg is.
He was still productive despite the separation from the shutdown line for most of October. He was also given the responsibility of carrying quite a few of the rookies this season. He’s been on a line with Max Comtios, Isac Lundestrom, and Sam Steel. Despite the lack of constancy on his line, he has shown up and made a good effort. It has been a good reminder of how truly talented the 28-year-old forward is and how valuable he is to the team.
Hampus Lindholm
The state of the Anaheim Ducks blueline has been, to put it nicely, awful. The 24-year-old Swedish defenseman, Hampus Lindholm, was the one bright spot in the top four. He has eight points in the past fifteen games, and despite being paired with Brandon Montour, he has become the one constant for the Ducks defensively.
He has a great two-way game, and in my opinion, is one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL. This season, he has definitely been active in his own zone. In 15 games, he’s had 31 blocked shots. That is, on average, two per game. Half of the defensive core is barely averaging one per game.
Lindholm scored the Ducks first goal during their home opener against the Detroit Red Wings. When he is on the ice and makes plays like that, his energy is often infectious and rubs off on his teammates. He is also fourth on the team in shots on goal, and we know how much the Anaheim Ducks have struggled in that area as of late.
Even more so, Randy Carlyle trusts him. The evidence is the amount of time he spends on the ice. He averages 25:09 minutes per night, which is the highest ATOI on the team aside from the goaltenders. As of late, there have been multiple games where Lindholm has been spending up to 30 or more minutes on the ice. That is a lot of responsibility for the young defenseman. Nevertheless, he has taken it in stride and done a good job considering what he has to work with.
Duck of the Month Runner-up: Ryan Kesler
Ryan Kesler earns the honor of being our runner-up for Duck of the Month. He earned 3% of the votes for October, and rightfully so. I know many of you think John Gibson deserves 100% of the votes, and that is a reasonable argument. Nevertheless, I am a sucker for a good story, and I believe Kesler deserves to be our number two for October.
Ducks Nation was sent into a frenzy this past summer when Elliotte Friedman reported that Ryan Kesler could sit out the 2018-19 season. Most people missed the fact that it was only a possibility if he wasn’t 100% and went into panic mode.
Nevertheless, after a summer of hard work and dedication, Ryan Kesler made his triumphant return to the ice at Honda Center on October 10, 2018. It wasn’t long before the Ryan Kesler of old was back. During his second shift of the Anaheim Ducks game against the Arizona Coyotes, he found the back of the net.
A battle for the puck began above the crease. Antti Raanta denied the Ducks several times despite the traffic jam in front of his net. After Rannta lost the puck, for just a split second, off of a rebound, Kesler dug it off of his pads and scored the first goal just six minutes into the opening period.
Although Kesler has only been responsible for three goals and one helper during October, his presence on the ice has been felt. He has been consistent in the faceoff, he’s been a great asset for the Ducks on the power play, and so far, we have seen the reliable, strong-willed, defensively sound, and gritty leader we all know and love.
For a player who had been counted out by a lot of people, his performance this season has been a slap in the face to everyone who doubted him.
Duck of the Month: John Gibson
John Gibson has won the nomination by a landslide. Those of you who voted for the Duck of the Month, John Gibson took 93% of the votes. It comes as no surprise to any of us that he has won by such a large margin.
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Gibson was extended to an eight-year contract over the summer, and he’s been one of the only players to live up to the expectations placed on him. Even more so in some cases. John Gibson has carried the Anaheim Ducks for most of the season so far. It is still early, but if things don’t change soon, he’s going to have to carry him through the rest of the season as well.
No goaltender should have to face 30, 40, or even almost 50 shots on goal per night while his own team struggles to keep up. Nevertheless, John Gibson has done it in stride. He ended the mo
nth of October with a .937 SV% (save percentage), saving 360 of the 384 shots on goal he faced.
It also looks like he has done a few things over the offseason to improve his already phenomenal skills. In our early season goaltender report cards, Jake Robles wrote, “He doesn’t flail at a lot of shots like he used to, which is great considering the volume of shots he faces every night. He also seems to have worked on his flexibility a lot more. I know over the past couple seasons his groin problems have made his splits and pad saves a little sketchy to watch, but so far, he looks good.”
If he keeps performing the way he has been, John Gibson will be a shoe in for the Vezina and maybe even the Hart Memorial Trophy during the NHL Awards for the 2018-19 season.
How Do The Anaheim Duck Turn This Team Around?. dark. Next
There is still a lot of hockey left to play, but if the first month is any indication of the Anaheim Ducks representation in the net, I am pleased to have John Gibson here for the next nine seasons.