The Anaheim Ducks head into a season in which they would like to move beyond their rebuilding tag. The number of young players poised to become top-tier NHLers is certainly encouraging.
Top-line center Leon Carlsson looks like the real deal. Mason McTavish, new contract and all, will look to prove he’s worth the money. Top D-man Jackson LaCombe and starting netminder Lukas Dostal round out a fantastic core.
That situation has prompted notable insider Elliotte Friedman to make a bold pick. In the latest edition of his 32 Thoughts blog, Friedman went out on a limb, picking the Ducks to make the playoffs.
He wrote:
“Western team I’d pick to make the playoffs if I had any guts: Anaheim. Here’s my thing with the Ducks — they have a lot of talented young players, some of whom have a chance to be real modern-day studs. But they’re young and they’ve never done it for 82 games. It is freaking-hard to make the playoffs in this league. Are they good enough to push through this meat-grinder? The talent is definitely there.”
As Friedman notes, the number of young, high-end players cannot be ignored. The Ducks have the pieces to build a solid core that could compete for several seasons. The veterans rounding out the lineup make the Ducks a surprisingly deep team.
But one question remains: Can the Ducks get through the “meat grinder”?
Ducks still have plenty to prove this season
The Ducks have all the talent they need to become a dangerous club. According to The Athletic’s projections, Anaheim stands to earn roughly 82 points. However, that total seems a tad low. The Ducks could emerge and rack up more points than expected in the Western Conference.
The biggest change could come behind the bench. The return of Joel Quenneville could be just what the Ducks need to unlock their full potential. That could be the key to the Ducks’ success this season.
However, the Ducks must prove they can get through the gauntlet of a full season. They’ll need to remain relatively healthy, with their stars staying above water.
Even if everything goes well, the Ducks will need to sustain their efforts for 82 games. Consistency could lead to a playoff berth. That consistency is something the Ducks may struggle to keep over the entire season.
But then again, the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues proved something clear last season. A team on the fringes of the playoff race, if they get hot at the right moment, could ride a winning streak into a postseason spot.
A hot streak and overall consistent play could catapult the Ducks back into the postseason in 2025-26.