After pushing the Detroit Red Wings to the brink of elimination in the playoffs last year, hopes were high for the Anaheim Ducks coming into this season. The losses of Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin in the offseason didn’t help their defense, and with some offensive struggles, the Ducks were left just outside the playoff picture in a very competitive Western Conference.
Offense: C+
The Ducks were led up front by their trio of North American Olympians, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf. Perry led the team with 75 points, Getzlaf led with 50 assists and Ryan finished with 35 goals. Veterans Saku Koivu, Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne were the team’s remaining scorers that finished with more than 45 points, and while it’s nice to get scoring like that from veterans, the fact that no other player had more than 10 goals or 30 points was a major problem for them down the stretch, and will be a major area for improvement in the offseason.
Defense: D+ The Ducks have long been a team that won games with their defense, buoyed by some of the best veteran defenders in the game. The loss of both Pronger and Beauchemin certainly hurt, as the Ducks finished the year with the 9th worst goals against in the league. Niedermayer is still one of the best in the business, but finished with an uncharacteristically low -12 rating. A lack of depth on the blueline made itself openly evident throughout the season, and the Ducks will be shopping for help this offseason.
Goaltending: C Jonas Hiller is the future of this club in net, as evidenced by the trade of Jean-Sebastian Giguere to Toronto before the deadline. The Swiss keeper was very good at the Olympics, and was pretty good for the Ducks this year, winning 29 games with a 2.74 GAA. The team’s defensive struggles didn’t help his numbers, but Hiller definitely gives the Ducks a firm base from which to shape this team around.
Special Teams: C The Ducks had one of the better powerplays in the league this year, finishing with the highest powerplay efficiency of any team not in the playoffs, ranking 7th overall in the league. Their penalty kill, on the other hand, needed some help. The Ducks had the 7th worst kill in the NHL, allowing more powerplay goals than any team except the Islanders and Leafs.