Pucks of a Feather
Fansided

Anaheim Ducks Tales: The Past Reminds Us to be Thankful for the Present

By Jonathan Watson

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 27: (L-R) Brendan Guhle #2, Ryan Getzlaf #15, Korbinian Holzer #5, Rickard Rakell #67 and Troy Terry #61 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate after Guhle scored a goal against the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of the NHL game at Gila River Arena on November 27, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 27: (L-R) Brendan Guhle #2, Ryan Getzlaf #15, Korbinian Holzer #5, Rickard Rakell #67 and Troy Terry #61 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate after Guhle scored a goal against the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of the NHL game at Gila River Arena on November 27, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Anaheim Ducks
SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 18: Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks shakes hands with John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 18, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Pavelski; John Gibson /

Bent but Not Broken

While the previous examples of how resilient the Anaheim Ducks have been are remarkable, the most recent example of their resiliency is by far the most remarkable and most daunting. For starters, Patrick Eaves, who came over via a trade with the Dallas Stars, would play only 2 games the following season before he was sidelined with Guillan Barre Syndrome. Ryan Kesler, a mainstay in the lineup after being acquired from the Vancouver Cancusk, only played 44 games before he was done for the season.

Those two guys were key in the previous years’ success, as they went all the way to the Conference Finals against the Nashville Predators. Losing two key players was a big hit to the roster, and it showed, as the Anaheim Ducks went 11-10-4 in the first two months. Some people thought that the Ducks were done and that they should hit the showers early, not wanting the team to keep going on.

Despite the early season struggles and injuries, the Ducks surprisingly won fourteen of the next twenty-six games, finishing seventh by the all-star break. That was huge considering where they started, and they continued that momentum in the second half of the season, winning nineteen of the last thirty-one games to finish second in the division and fifth in the conference. Leading the way in goals and points was Rickard Rakell, while Ryan Getzlaf led in assists with fifty. John Gibson led the team with thirty-one wins, and those three became the main forces behind the second-half push to the playoffs.

The season ended shortly after, losing in a four-game sweep to their divisional rivals from San Jose. The Ducks were gassed from having to climb out of the gutter to finish second, and not having much to play with. However, the Ducks, once again, refused to wave the white flag and surrender the remainder of the season, but instead, fight until the end.

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