Troy Terry
There were a lot of unfair expectations put on Troy Terry going into the 2018-19 season. He performed brilliantly during the rookie showcase in Las Vegas and he had a successful development camp. The Anaheim Ducks rewarded him with a spot on the opening night roster against the San Jose Sharks.
After the way the 2017-18 season ended, including the postseason, a player like Terry is exactly what the team needed. He is speedy, tenacious, and quick with the puck. When he’s put on the power play unit, the opposing team fears the one-man advantage. However, Randy Carlyle‘s dump and chase method and rookie jitters did a number on Terry’s confidence, and not in a good way.
He was ineffective during his first stint of the season, aside from his game winning shoot out goal during the home opener against the Detroit Red Wings. Starting the season off with the Anaheim Ducks didn’t offer him the environment he needed to grow. Terry, along with several other rookies, was sent down to San Diego in order to get a little more seasoning.
Under the leadership of Dallas Eakins, he thrived. His confidence grew ten fold and he stood out as one of the best players on the San Diego Gulls roster. This earned him a call up from the Ducks when injury struck. When he returned to Honda Center, he had that extra pep in his step that he had previously been missing, and his game vastly improved at an NHL level. However, his first stint with Anaheim kept the Ducks from utilizing him even earlier in the season.
2019-20 is going to be Troy Terry’s year to show the Anaheim Ducks organization what he can really offer to the franchise when he is in an environment that is conducive to his development and style. Dallas Eakins knows Terry’s strength’s and weaknesses and will put him in a position that will emphasize his strengths and help him improve on his weaknesses.
He doesn’t necessarily need to have the typical NHL “comeback”, especially after his second stint with the Anaheim Ducks. However, if you liked what you saw from Troy Terry last season, just wait and see what he can do when he plays for a coach that can put him in a position to succeed.