Anaheim Ducks 24-25 Season Preview

Anaheim Ducks
Pacific Division

2023-24 Recap
Record (W-L-OTL): 27-50-5
Over/Under: 37-40-5
Home Favorite: 3-1
Home Dog: 9-26
Road Favorite: 1-1
Road Dog: 14-24
Win Score 4 or more: 21 of 27
Lose Give Up 4 or more: 33 of 55
Puck Line Wins: 22 of 27
Puck Line Losses: 27 of 55
Front End Back-to-Back: 3-7
Back End Back-to-Back: 2-8
Goals Scored Per Game/Rank: 2.48 (30th)
Goals Against Per Game/Rank 3.57 (30th)

Additions: Robby Fabbri, Brian Dumoulin, Jansen Harkins
Subtractions: Jakob Silfverberg (retired), Max Jones

The Ducks continue to take baby steps, going from last overall in 2021-22 to 30th overall last season. Anaheim won nine of their first 15 games but had just 18 wins in their final 67 games last season. Second year coach Greg Cronin will once again have his challenges in getting this Ducks team to play meaningful games late in the season. Anaheim has gone six straight seasons without making the playoffs.

Offense
Anaheim averaged just 2.48 goals per game last season (30th overall), finished ahead of only San Jose and Chicago. Frank Vatrano led the Ducks in Goals (37), Points (60), Power Play Goals (13) and Game Winning Goals (7). His 60 points though were just 88th best in the NHL. Rookie, Leo Carlsson, had an impressive first campaign despite being limited to 55 games (team restrictions and injury) with 12 goals and 29 points. Carlsson is projected to center the team’s top line flanked by Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry. Questions surround the future of Trevor Zegras, a 2019 first round draft pick, who is coming off an injury-plagued season (6 goals, 31 games) after back-to-back 20 goal seasons.

Defense
Like their offense, the Ducks defense also ranked 30th overall, giving up 3.57 goals per game. Anaheim saw their goal differential drop from -129 to -91 last season as they cut down on their shots on goal against going from 39.1 two seasons ago to 32.5 last season. While the numbers are moving in the right direction, those are not playoff worthy numbers. Anaheim added 2-time Stanley Cup Champion, Brian Dumoulin in a trade with Seattle in the summer. He joins Cam Fowler, Radko Gudas along with youngsters, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson Lacombe and Olen Zellweger.

Goaltending
Like Zegras, the future of goalie John Gibson in Anaheim remains cloudy. With the emergence of Lukas Dostal, the Ducks find themselves with an opportunity to trade Gibson. One stumbling block could be the reluctance of GM Pat Verbeek to take back any of Gibson’s $6.4 million annual salary (2 years remaining after this season). Gibson’s 44 starts last season were his fewest (in a full season) since making 38 in 2015-16. Dostal had the Ducks' only shutout of the season and recorded a 52-save win in vs New Jersey and 55 saves in an overtime loss to Toronto.

Player to Watch – Cutter Gauthier
The Ducks acquired Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers for Jamie Drysdale, in a swap of former first round draft picks. Gauthier had 38 goals and 65 points last season at Boston College and recorded an assist in his one game with the Ducks to close out the regular season. Gauthier is penciled in on Anaheim’s top line and number one Power Play unit.

Outlook
The Ducks have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and there is no reason to believe this coming season won’t be the seventh. With pending UFA’s in Frank Vatrano, Robby Fabbri and Brian Dumoulin, Anaheim has three players that could be moved at the deadline to help with the Ducks' continued rebuild.

Regular Season Point Total: 70.5 (Over -110, Under -120)
To Make the Playoffs +1400
To Miss the Playoffs: -4000
To Win the Pacific Division: +10000
To Win the Western Conference: +10000
To Win the Stanley Cup: +20000