ANAHEIM, CA -- The small sample talk is over. The Anaheim Ducks are just over a quarter of the way through their grind of an 82-game schedule, so its time to take stock of this roster.
Key injuries have shuffled the deck chairs, placing certain players in less than ideal roles. Young players, like Troy Terry and Sam Steel, are finding out what life in the NHL is like, while veterans like Ryan Getzlaf are showing its never too late to reinvent your game.
Lets take a look:
Silfverberg has been consistently excellent for Anaheim this season. Head coach Dallas Eakins has used him in all situations, and hes dominated at five-on-five. To boot, he leads the team in scoring with 18 points in 22 games. Once upon a time, Silfverberg was thought to be more of a checking forward, but hes become just as effective offensively. Head and shoulders Anaheims best player so far.
Like Silfverberg, the 29-year-old has done quite a bit to change some preconceived notions of him. Viewed as a second-line center throughout his career, Henrique has been a legitimate first-line pivot for the Ducks, so far. Eakins rolls him out against the other teams best, to great results. He leads all Ducks skaters in on-ice shot share at five-on-five, as Anaheim controls 54.71 percent of the shot-attempts with him on the ice. Hes cooled off after a hot start, but 14 points in 24 games is very respectable.
Known for his goal-scoring as a two-time 30-goal scorer, Rakell can safely add complete player to his resume with the start hes had. With the 26-year-old on the ice, Anaheim has dominated its competition, controlling 53.92 of the high-danger scoring chances. Rakell has been heating up lately, now up to 8 goals in 24 games. After a slower start, hes showing that last seasons downturn was nothing more than a blip on the radar.
Getzlafs grade might feel a touch low here. From a production perspective, he has been beyond reproach with 17 points in 24 games. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that he has already lit the lamp eight times after potting 14 all of last season. Thats largely thanks to a renewed focus on shooting the puck, as he trails only Rakell among Ducks skaters in that category with 60 shots.
Getzlafs overall impact is where he gets docked, but only slightly. His linemates have been all over the spectrum, including Troy Terry, Nick Ritchie and Max Comtois. The most recent stretch of games next to Comtois really hurt Getzlaf-s five-on-five results. Eakins has since reunited him with Rakell, so there should be a jump in that category. Overall, Anaheim cant ask for much more from the future Hall of Famer as he approaches age 35.
Lets just get this out of the way now: Ritchie still takes too many penalties, leading all Anaheim skaters in minor penalties per 60 minutes at five-on-five. However, Ritchie also leads all Ducks in the following: unblocked shot attempts per 60, scoring chances per 60, and high-danger scoring chances per 60. Thats pretty damn good. Anaheim consistently controls play with Ritchie on the ice, and nine points in 24 games is respectable for a guy whos not expected to furnish offense. If he ever truly dials back the penalties, his grade could get even higher.
Kase is still doing Kase things, namely: firing an endless stream of pucks on net, controlling five-on-five play, and getting to the dirty areas of the ice. His process is nearly beyond reproach, save for maybe a slight dip in his defensive game. The offensive output just hasnt been there at all though, as hes scored only twice in the 18 games hes suited up for. Absolutely snake-bitten with a minuscule 4.4 shooting percentage, his goal total is bound to spike up in the near future, leading in nearly every shot rate category among Ducks forwards. Better days are on the horizon for the former seventh-round pick.
The former 2016 first-round pick has been heating up lately, with three goals in his last five games. Offensive production has been hard to come by overall though, with only five points in 20 games. Hes near the top in almost every shooting category among all Ducks forwards, indicating that his production should continue to climb.
Grant has become a fan favorite thanks to a combination of timely scoring, solid penalty killing, and an affable toothless smile. The 29-year-old journeyman has earned his coachs trust in large part due to his proficiency in the faceoff circle. This holds particularly true when the Ducks are down a man, where Grant has won a whopping 65.12 percent of his draws. Five-on-five play has been a much different story, where Anaheim has gotten totally dominated. With nine points so far and solid contributions in at least one key facet of the game, its impossible to grade Grant any lower than this.
Terry looks much improved since last season. He appears more confident with the puck, attempting difficult moves as he dashes up ice. Jordan Samuels-Thomas of The Athletic did a great job outlining these advances here. The issue: he just doesnt shoot the puck enough, ranking tenth among Anaheims 15 forwards in shots per 60 at five-on-five. To be fair, he may end up developing into more of a pass-first winger. Theres also the issue that Anaheim has been consistently out-chanced with him on the ice. Terrys overall improvement has been encouraging though, which is all that the Ducks were surely hoping for.
Steel has exclusively been Anaheims third line center this season, to mixed results. The Ducks have been out-chanced 103 to 88 at five-on-five with Steel on the ice, although they do hold a slight edge in terms of high-danger chances. Learning the ins and outs of the center position can be a lengthy process for a 21-year-old, and Steel still has plenty of time to learn. His skating stride appears to have improved, and hes had good moments on the powerplay as well. Nine points in 20 games isnt too bad, either.
Rowney has formed some nice chemistry next to Grant on the penalty kill, where they have managed to be effective thanks to a more aggressive approach, looking for offensive opportunities instead of just merely dumping the puck out. Unlike Grant, the offensive production hasnt been there, and the Ducks continue to be out-played at five-on-five with him on the ice.
Shore has struggled to find a consistent spot in the lineup. Sure, theres an element of musical chairs at play here, but Shore hasnt provided much in terms of offensive production with only three assists, and doesnt seem to have much of a play-driving impact. Hes had flashes, but it hasnt been enough to secure a full-time role.
Comtois has seen the other side of what NHL life can be like this season. After a magical goal-scoring start to the 2018-19 campaign where he scored his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot and had seven points in ten games, the former second-round pick has only found the back of the net twice in 13 games. Offensive woes arent the reason hes now back in the AHL though; its that his two-way game was simply too far behind the curve. Eakins gave him plenty of opportunity, slotting in next to Getzlaf, but could only stomach the poor results for so long. Comtois still has plenty of potential, but hell need further grooming with the San Diego Gulls before being a true contributor at the highest level. At age 20, thats perfectly normal.
Deslauriers certainly seems to be well-liked by his teammates. After all, not just anyone can readily accept bare-knuckle brawling as part of their job. In that respect, the veteran has delivered with some spirited scraps. Outside of that, there really hasnt been much to write home about. Anaheim has been brutally out-shot with him on the ice, which is a problem considering Eakins wants to roll four lines.
Like this entire Anaheim team, Fowlers season can be neatly divided into two halves: before and after Josh Mansons injury. Before Manson went down, Fowler was dominating at five-on-five on a second pairing with Brendan Guhle. Since that time, the 27-year-old has been besieged by sup-par linemates and a much heavier workload. Guhle missed chunks of time as well, leaving Fowler to skate alongside the likes of Michael Del Zotto, Jacob Larsson and the rookie Josh Mahura, all of whom are better suited for depth roles. Still, Fowler has found ways to make an offensive impact, posting 11 points in 24 games. Once Anaheims blueline gets healthy, Fowlers overall results should experience a significant boost.
Lindholms season was below his own standards even before Manson got injured. Tasked with heavy minutes, Anaheims go-to top pairing just wasnt controlling the pace of play like it had in the past. The 25-year-old has struggled with his own injury issues, cementing the Ducks defensive struggles. Even so, Lindholm is a critical piece for this team and his mere presence on the first pairing improves everyone around him. Surely not the start he hoped for, but a return to full health for both he and Manson should cure most, if not all, of what currently ails Anaheim.
Not the highest-profile of the Ducks youngsters, theres a very good argument to be made that Mahura has been the best out of all them. With four points in only seven games, Mahura has been one of the few Anaheim defensemen to manage positive on-ice shot differentials. His puck-moving smarts stand out among this current group, and his quick shot from the point on the power play also gives that unit a more dangerous look. Granted, Eakins doesnt ask him to take on tough defensive assignments either, which makes sense for such a young player. So far, so good for the 21-year-old.
Manson was off to an uncharacteristically difficult start before sustaining a knee injury that has him on the shelf for the foreseeable future. The front of the Anaheim net was no longer a danger zone for opposing forwards, as they seemed to be able to get there with more regularity. Even so, Eakins was asking the 28-year-old to check the other teams best, which had a distinctly positive effect on the teams overall results. Needless to say, but the Ducks miss him dearly.
Guhle thrived next to Fowler pre-Manson injury, where the two were flying up-and-down the ice. The 21-year-old seemed to have found his timing, supporting the offensive rush at times and holding back in others. Injury troubles cut that start short, and subsequent struggles led to a brief stint in the American Hockey League. Guhle hasnt really been the same since, still looking to find that initial spark.
Del Zotto has been asked to do it all by the coaching staff. Hes played heavy minutes at five-on-five, on the powerplay and on the penalty kill. A depth defenseman in recent years, Del Zotto has shown that he would really stand to benefit from the return of Manson and Lindholm, where he could be slotted into a proper role. His mobility and puck-moving arent necessarily the issues, its his defensive lapses that have simply been all too frequent.
Gudbranson was acquired via trade from Pittsburgh in the wake of the Manson injury. According to Ducks General Manager, the former third-overall pick in the 2010 draft would help Anaheim become tougher to play against. Well, the opposite has happened. The Ducks have been out-chanced 117 to 98 with him on the ice, and 49 to 42 from high-danger areas. Hes had some noticeable gaffes in late-game situations, including in the most recent loss to Florida. His puck moving actually has been much better than expected, but his in-zone play continues to leave wanting.
No one expects Holzer and Larsson -- third pairing guys throughout their respective careers -- in heightened roles. Their performances have been so lackluster though that its impossible to grade them any higher. Anaheim has been consistently out-played all season long with either of the two on the ice, giving up 85 scoring chances in the process. Larsson will be 23 this season, and although theres still time for him to develop, one has to wonder where his career is headed. The 31-year-old Holzer is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the argument to re-sign him isnt the strongest at this point.
Gibson has been asked to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. At times, hes looked capable of not only carrying that weight, but lifting it high over his head. A glistening 37-save performance against St. Louis last Saturday comes to mind in that regard. On other nights, such as against the Panthers on Thursday night, hes shown some signs that he can only carry that weight so far as the teams defensive structure crumbles around him. Anaheim might want to consider cutting down his minutes to prevent a breakdown like last season, especially with how backup Ryan Miller has performed.
The 39-year-old might just play forever, at this point.The Ducks have done a good job of maximizing his performance by being strategic about his work-load. Miller is extremely economical in his movements, but still has the reflexes to make difficult saves when he needs to. As previously mentioned, it wouldnt hurt to mix in a few more starts for him moving forward in order to preserve Gibson. A recent poor outing against Tampa Bay hurt his numbers badly, but hes been solid overall.
See more here:
Grading the Ducks through 25 - The Fourth Period
