Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Kesler’s Scoring Drought Comes to an End

Ryan Kesler’s scoring drought came to an end last night during the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 shutout win against the Minnesota Wild.

Since the Anaheim Ducks acquired him in 2014, Ryan Kesler has been a fan favorite. The feisty 34-year-old shutdown center is often one of the most dedicated players on the ice. However, it is no secret that, as of late, he has received a lot of criticism for his recent regression.

His hip, which required surgery prior to the 2017-18 season, has seemed to be Kesler’s undoing. Last season, he essentially played on one hip, limping his way through the Anaheim Ducks “push to the playoffs.” There was quite a bit of speculation about whether he would even return for the 2018-19 season.

After an intense summer of rehab, however, RK17 made his triumphant return to the ice in mid-October. During his first game back, just moments into his second shift, he scored the first goal of the game. While he had only played one game with the team, it seemed as though the gritty center was back and better than ever.

Ducks Nation was ecstatic, especially since we were under the impression that Kesler would be rested when needed. If he continued to play like that and listened to his body, he should have been a valuable asset to his team the entire season. Nevertheless, that game marked the beginning of his steady decline that would eventually find him on the fourth line.

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The Scoring Drought Begins

Between December 5th and February 17th, Kesler had no points credited to his name. That is 25 games where he made no impact on the scoresheet. Even worse, there are 39 games between his most recent goal and the one he scored prior to that. With some players, things like that happen, but that is not something you would expect from one of your highest paid players.

Due to his drop in production, as previously mentioned, he was demoted to the fourth line. Rumors have surfaced that Bob Murray has even asked him to waive his no-movement clause, but Kesler has refused. Whether that rumor is true or not remains to be seen. Many believe it’s time for the veteran to hang up his skates, and it could very well be high time he did just that.

Ryan Kesler Scores His First Goal in 38 Games

Last night, during the Anaheim Ducks game against the Minnesota Wild, Ryan Kesler scored his first goal for the first time in 39 games. While Kesler is not known for scoring an exuberant amount of goals, suffering from such a scoring drought is rare for him.

The Ducks were up 2-0, with goals from Jakob Silfverberg and Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler’s opportunity came with 4 minutes left in the third period. A 2-on-1 breaks out, with Kesler on his off wing. He pulls the puck into his wheelhouse to improve the angle from which he is shooting. In beautiful form, he snipes the puck over the left leg pad of Minnesota’s goaltender, Devan Dubnyk.

A goal from RK17 is definitely a reason for Ducks Nation to celebrate. However, the best moment of the night may not have even been the goal itself, but Ryan Kesler’s own celebration. The smile on his face was one filled with relief and gratitude. His teammates were just as exhilarated as he was.

While one goal may not be a sign that the “old” Ryan Kesler is back, it could be a sign that his days of being snake bitten are over. I don’t expect to see a dramatic increase in points for the center, but we could see him pot a few more goals before the season ends.

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