Five things Ducks fans should be thankful for this season

Happy Thanksgiving Ducks fans! Despite a loss to the Vancouver Canucks last night by a final score of 5-4, the Anaheim Ducks still find themselves sitting at the top of the Pacific Division. As an unofficial line of demarcation, American Thanksgiving is an important date on the NHL calendar. According to ESPN, 77.1% of teams that are in a playoff position during the holiday, will be in the playoffs come springtime. For the first time in years, the Anaheim Ducks have finally been invited to sit at the adult table for Thanksgiving.

With an exciting quarter of the season already in the books, and while the turkey is still cooking and the side dishes are being prepped before the guests arrive, here are five things Ducks fans should be thankful for.

1. The new/old look

While most fans would welcome the comfy nostalgia of the old eggplant and jade look, the new(ish) orange kits are a decent alternative. Outside of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Edmonton Oilers, orange is not a common color in the NHL, much like eggplant and jade was not. Combined with an updated version of the old logo, the Ducks marketing team has fully embraced the orange monicker. The newer jerseys have coincided nicely with the recent ascent of the team, and this new rendition of the Ducks has a design that is their own; no longer living in the shadow of the Getzlaf and Perry webbed "D" design or the Mighty Ducks Selanne and Kariya design.

2. Lukas Dostal's Glove

With a cursory glance at his basic stats, a .904 save percentage and a 2.81 GAA in 17 starts, an outsider might assume it's been a rather pedestrian season from Anaheim's number one goalie. However, Dostal has been an absolute rock in the net for the Ducks. Dostal's advanced stats paint a clearer picture, chiefly the 10.1 goals saved above expected. Dostal has made key saves in key moments, allowing the team in front of him to play to their strengths and get back into games, rather than Dostal trying to keep the team afloat while the ship sinks, as in seasons past.

3. Cutter Gauthier's shot

The Ducks have not had a true sniper since Corey Perry left Anaheim in 2019. Enter Gauthier, his lethal release, and his meteoric rise up the shooting charts. While he had a modest rookie campaign last season, 20 goals and 24 assists in 82 games, Gauthier has evolved this season. Gauthier never sees a shot he doesn't like, and the stats from the first 23 games illustrate that point: third in NHL total shots with 98, second in NHL shots per game at 4.26, and a 0.61 goals per game average. With 14 goals already this season and consistent offensive zone time, do not expect regression from Gauthier; he is the team's new sniper.

4. Troy Terry's passing

While most of the young guns on the Ducks are getting their glow up, and rightfully so, Terry has provided a steady two-way presence in the top six. The 28-year-old forward has 26 points already (7 goals and 19 assists) in 23 games, good for third on the Ducks. Dangerous at scoring in his own right, Terry has taken up the role of facilitator for his linemates, averaging 0.83 assists per game (first on the team) with over half of those assists being primary assists. If he keeps up his point production, 1.13 per game average, Terry will easily surpass his personal best of 67 points from the 2021-22 season.

5. Radko Gudas' cannon

Just over a week removed from returning to the lineup, the grizzled captain of the Ducks plays a solid game on the bottom pair of the defense. While Gudas is known for throwing hits, 42 for the season, it's his slapshot that Ducks fans can be thankful for. There is just something about seeing a guy take a good old-fashioned clapper from the point. Though he hasn't found the back of the net often, just once actually, the old school approach from Gudas is respectable.

While there are many other things Ducks fans should be thankful for during the holiday, the hockey watching can pause for a day. Eat and be merry. Be thankful for another day.

And let's wallop the Kings on Black Friday.