The Anaheim Ducks Are Underrated
By Frank Walker
The Anaheim Ducks are underrated. In the final push towards the Stanley Cup Playoffs there has been very little talk about the team in the lead for the Presidents’ Trophy. They are the overlooked team of the 2014-2015 season.
What really makes the Anaheim Ducks primed to take a step forward in the playoffs this season and win another cup for the “Disney” franchise is the addition of Ryan Kesler. After being traded to the Ducks in the off season, with a third round pick for Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa and a couple of draft picks, Kesler’s career has fit the bill for what the Ducks needed. He has been a high end second line center. In Vancouver there was higher emphasis on Kesler to score where as in Anaheim he has flourished and is counted on to do a little more playmaking.
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Do not forget that this was an amazing group of forwards prior to the addition of Kesler. Perennial Hart Trophy candidate Ryan Getzlaf is leading the team offensively with 24 goals and 44 assists. All-Star right winger and classic “hard to play against” type Corey Perry is having a strong year with 32 goals and 20 assists. The third and fourth line forwards have also made offensive contributions when needed and provided quality ice time.
The strong defensive corps was made deeper though a deadline day trade. In addition to defencemen such as Hampus Lindholm and Francois Beauchemin the Anaheim Ducks added James Wisniewski. Wisniewski is a player who plays mostly solid defense, but his strength is the power of his slap shot from the point. Expect that whenever the Ducks go on the power play in the postseason that he will be firing pucks from the point; creating scoring opportunities for forwards to try and tip the shot in near the net.
Last year the team’s goaltending situation was torn by indecision. Throughout the playoffs it almost seemed as if Bruce Boudreau was flipping a coin between Jonas Hiller and John Gibson. This season the combination of Frederick Andersen and Gibson has performed well for the Ducks.
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While this is a team that can compete for the cup it will come down to how the goaltenders respond in the playoffs. Conventional wisdom holds that success in the playoffs depends on picking one goaltender to start so that he can get into a rhythm and be successful. In the past head coach Bruce Boudreau has show a propensity to switch up his goalies when one isn’t playing well and the other is hot.
How far the Anaheim Ducks make it this year in the playoffs will be determined by how well Boudreau can make decisions concerning who plays in net. If he will stick with one or if he can switch them in and out. What is equally important is how Gibson and Anderson respond to his tactics.