Anaheim Ducks 2015 State of the Team

NHL Free Agency is starting to wind down and most hockey analysts and insiders are on vacation right now. With only minor changes in store for most teams from now until training camp, this is a good opportunity to take a look at the state of each team.

Let’s take a look at the Anaheim Ducks. They just came off an excellent season; reaching the conference finals only to lose in game seven to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, Chicago Blackhawks. It was the third year in a row that they lost a game seven. However, if you look past the heartbreaking playoff losses, the Anaheim Ducks are the best NHL team to be a fan of right now.

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People seem to agree. The attendance at Ducks games have increased every season since 2010 and they are finally developing a rivalry with the Kings. Now all we need is for the fans to say “Quack!, quack!, quack!” when they score. But besides the increasing support for the Anaheim Ducks, the team is good now and has the depth and youth to also be competitive in the future. Let’s analyze the franchise inside out.

Management

The Ducks have one of the top management teams in the league. GM Bob Murray was the GM of the Year in 2013-14 and coach Bruce Boudreau has a Jack Adams Award on his resume. Despite reports that there are rifts between the two, they seem to cooperate in the end. The impressive coaching squad also includes former Senators coach Paul MacLean, former Blackhawks coach Trent Yawney, Scott Niedermayer, and Dwayne Roloson. Former Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis is also employed by the Ducks.

Grade: A-

Roster

The depth on the Anaheim Ducks is very good. Up front, their two stars, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, are surrounded by an impressive supporting squad of Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg, Patrick Maroon, and Carl Hagelin. It is not as good as the Blackhawks, but still one of the best in the league. People tend to overlook the importance of role players Andrew Cogliano and Nate Thompson as well. On defence, they are loaded. Young ducklings Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, and Simon Despres will be joined by veteran Kevin Bieksa. Goaltending is rock solid on the Anaheim Ducks, with Frederik Andersen and Anton Khudobin.

Grade: B+

Future

What is most impressive about this Anaheim Ducks team is the fact that they also have a decent amount of prospects waiting in the wings. As previously mentioned, the current defence corps is very young, but they also have Shea Theodore and Jacob Larsson, two first-round picks, still developing. Goalie John Gibson has shown some promise and seems to be a future starting goalie in the league. However, he will be given a lot of time to prove himself and will likely start next season in the minors. The most prized prospect in the system, though, is Nick Ritchie. Drafted 10th overall in a deep 2014 draft, Ritchie is a big kid who could score. Hopefully he will turn out to be a good power forward in the NHL, like Ryan Getzlaf.

Grade: B

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