Record: 21-20-7 Conference Rank: 12th Division Rank: 5th Top Scorer: Corey Perry (18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points) Top Goalie: Jonas Hiller (17 wins, 2.78 GAA) Midseason Grade: D
After an impressive showing in the 2009 postseason, Anaheim was supposed to be one of the top teams in the Pacific Division, if not the Western Conference. The Ducks have taken a step backward this year, while the rest of the division has gotten much better, with San Jose, Phoenix and Los Angeles all enjoying great seasons. There is good talent on the Ducks’ roster, as evidenced by the large number of Olympians they’re sending to Vancouver. Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Jonas Hiller, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Scott Niedermayer, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney will all be playing at the tournament in February.
The Ducks’ offense has been mediocre this year. Perry and Getzlaf are having solid seasons, as is the young Bobby Ryan, but after that it gets a little cloudy. Selanne and Koivu are not the superstars they once were, and the Ducks are getting very little offensive pop from their 3rd and 4th lines.
Defensively, the Ducks are certainly feeling the absence of Chris Pronger. A team once built around its defense is now one of the 5 worst teams in the Western Conference with 150 goals allowed. JS Giguere will likely be headed elsewhere, as Hiller has taken a firm grip on the starting job.