Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson Swept The “Competition”

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.