Ducks analysis: What have we learned from the season’s first 20 games?

If the past NHL mentation rings existent that you are who you are by Thanksgiving, past the Ducks are a playoff team. They awoke Thursday greeting to find themselves successful 4th spot successful the Pacific Division, the apical wild-card squad successful the Western Conference with a credible 10-7-3 record.

Most of what’s been bully astir the Ducks’ play this play came during an eye-catching eight-game agelong successful which they were unbeatable. Some of what’s been atrocious astir their play happened earlier and aft their streak. After all, they were 0-3-3 earlier it and present 0-3-0 aft it.

So, what are we to marque of the Ducks aft 20 games?

Well, for 1 thing, they’re a batch much amusive to watch. They person ditched the plodding, grinding benignant of play that propelled them to the Western Conference finals successful 2014-15 and 2016-17 successful favour of a acold much originative crippled that features much speedy passes and accelerated skating done the halfway of the ice.

Mostly, though, they’re a enactment successful progress.

WHAT’S WORKED

Actually, it’s much similar who has worked good successful the season’s archetypal 4th for the Ducks, namely their apical enactment of close helping Troy Terry, halfway Ryan Getzlaf and near helping Adam Henrique. Terry, who has 22 points, Getzlaf (19 points) and Henrique (15 points) are the Ducks’ apical scorers.

Terry had a 16-game scoring streak (12 goals, 10 assists) that moved him among the league’s leaders. Getzlaf (one goal, 18 assists) has been rejuvenated successful his 17th play successful the NHL, each with the Ducks. Henrique (six goals, 9 assists) has rebounded smartly aft a disastrous 2020-21.

Rookies Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras person had their moments of delight and despair truthful far, but that’s to beryllium expected. They’ve been handed the keys to the organization’s aboriginal and they’re making less and less missteps arsenic clip goes by, which cheers the coaches.

Kevin Shattenkirk has recovered a cardinal relation successful the Ducks’ 3rd defence pair, starring their defensemen with 4 goals and 14 points. Goaltender John Gibson, mostly freed from the sorts of onslaughts helium endured past season, has been superb with a 9-5-2 grounds and a 2.53 goals-against average.

Perhaps astir important of all, the Ducks’ peculiar teams, which were thing of the benignant successful caller seasons, person been excellent. Their powerfulness play is the fourth-best successful the league with a 27.9 percent occurrence rate, a existent limb truthful acold this season. Their punishment termination is eighth astatine 85.7 percent.

WHAT’S WRONG

The resignation of longtime wide manager Bob Murray due to the fact that of alleged mistreatment of a squad worker and his determination to question attraction for intoxicant maltreatment formed a acheronian unreality implicit the enactment earlier this month. To their credit, the players didn’t fto it interaction their play.

It remains to beryllium seen whether it has a long-lasting effect connected the mode the franchise does its business. Jeff Solomon was fixed the rubric of interim GM and said helium would trust connected adjunct GMs Martin Madden and Dave Nonis, positive manager of subordinate unit Todd Marchant.

On the ice, the Ducks could usage much scoring extent and much accordant play from their veterans and youngsters alike. The Ducks’ borderline for mistake successful each areas is slim, thing that was evident successful roadworthy losses Monday to the Nashville Predators and Wednesday to the Colorado Avalanche.

Injuries to Max Comtois (hand surgery) and Max Jones (torn pectoral tendon) person tested their extent astatine near wing. Henrique was shifted to near helping from center, but past suffered an upper-body wounded and his presumption for Friday’s matinee against the Ottawa Senators was uncertain.

Comtois struggled mightily to duplicate the violative firepower helium displayed successful starring the Ducks with 16 goals and 33 points successful the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, signaling lone 1 assistance successful 13 games earlier helium underwent country to region a tiny bony successful his close manus past week.

Comtois volition beryllium retired for different 5 weeks. Jones isn’t expected backmost until possibly conscionable earlier the All-Star and Winter Olympic breaks successful aboriginal February. Henrique’s wounded is not believed to beryllium arsenic superior arsenic his teammates’ ailments and he’s expected backmost sooner than later.

BOTTOM LINE

What happens successful the adjacent 20 games volition archer america a large woody much astir the presumption of the Ducks’ rebuilding efforts and it besides could find their springtime destination, whether it’s their archetypal playoff quality since 2017-18 oregon a club-record 4th consecutive postseason absence.