Anaheim Ducks: 5 Reasons to Look Forward to the 2019-20 Season

Will the Vets Rep?

A lot of talk has gone towards the rookies; however, the veterans have a huge part in deciding how far this team can go. On defense, you look at Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler as the steely vets, looking to get rid of the stench that was last year. Them, along with Josh Manson must step up on both sides of the puck, delivering solid hits on defense and protecting John Gibson at all costs. On offense, they must produce with assists and timely goals. If their play rises to the occasion more times than most, the Anaheim Ducks will return to the bad bullies on the block.

On offense, the possibilities are endless. The youth are accounted for, so where does that leave the rest. At right-wing, there aren’t a lot of players who can be relied upon for a veteran presence. Although he is still relatively young, Ondrej Kase, who has improved as the years have gone by, may be relied upon to carry their weight in that capacity. There’s always the possibility of Patrick Eaves returning from his injuries, but one might surmise that he may be used in limited situations unless they go on a deep winning surge midway through the season.

On the other side, the one Duck that might be on the fringe is Nick Ritchie. While his play has improved significantly, one wonders if his stay is numbered with all the younger guys coming up. The other veteran stalwart is Jakob Silfverberg who has been a consistent scorer as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. If they want to stay on this team, their play must be out of this world. There’s also having to figure out who will replace long time left winger Corey Perry, who was part of the one-two punch with Ryan Getzlaf.

Speaking of Getzlaf, he along with Adam Henrique are the best centers on the team and paired with Rickard Rakell at the wing, the trio could be unstoppable. With Rakell, it’s his speed and grace, though last year he struggled, expect Rakell to bounce back to his normal self and maybe score thirty goals. For Henrique, it’s his shooting ability, creating opportunities for himself as well as his line-mates. His expertise will have to raise to a higher level if he wants to make the cut.

Then there’s the wily, strong like an ox, El Capitan, Ryan Getzlaf. His play will dictate whether he can lead the team into the future, and while he has finally unleashed his cannon-like slap-shot, Getzlaf likes to lead through his passing abilities as well as using his strength to bully people around. With time running out, however, people wonder whether Getzlaf will get back to another Stanley Cup final before his time is through. Either way, if he does return to form, look out NHL, he’ll be gunning for everyone.