With the Rookie Faceoff Tournament in the rearview mirror and training camp right around the corner, the Anaheim Ducks are quickly gearing up for the 2024-25 season. It may be another down campaign for the rebuilding Ducks, who have failed to make the postseason for a franchise-record six straight seasons. Despite recent history, there’s much to be excited about surrounding the team. They ice one of the youngest rosters in the league, including several high-draft-profile players expected to help turn the franchise around.
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From a scorekeeping standpoint, this may be another bad season for the Ducks. However, Anaheim’s future hinges on a lot more than how many pucks went into the net on any given night. Key players are taking on new roles with added responsibilities, and how they develop from this point determines how effective they’ll be on Anaheim’s roster. Some of these developments will be a surprise as the season unfolds. In that spirit, here are four bold predictions for the upcoming season.
While suggesting the Ducks make the playoffs is definitely a bold prediction, it isn’t exactly likely either. These four predictions are going out on a limb, but not to the point of fantasy.
Cutter Gauthier Wins the Calder
Starting with the boldest prediction of the group and one that comes with hardware. The Ducks have never had a Calder Memorial Trophy winner, which is awarded to the league’s most outstanding rookie. They have, however, come close with Bobby Ryan (2008-09) and Trevor Zegras (2021-22) each finishing second.
Cutter Gauthier is commonly listed as the fourth-most likely Calder winner behind Macklin Celebrini, Matvei Michkov, and Logan Stankoven. Gauthier is a sniper with a knack for finding the back of the net, but standing out among this rookie group is a tall order. Celebrini and Michkov are being heralded as franchise cornerstones, and Stankoven’s 43-game (regular and postseason) sample size last season suggests he’s a legitimate point producer in the NHL.
Gauthier’s chances at the Calder are strengthened by the environment he’s entering. He has very little competition to be a top-line winger, which will pair him with the most talented forwards on Anaheim’s roster. He’ll likely be centered by Leo Carlsson, and Zegras could be feeding him passes from the opposite wing. Even with the skilled forwards already on the roster around him, the Ducks have struggled to score in recent seasons. Ducks’ general manager Pat Verbeek traded for Gauthier specifically to address this issue. While it may be difficult to generate noise in a crowded rookie class, Gauthier filling out the scoresheet would go a long way.
Lukas Dostal Out-starts John Gibson
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, someone other than John Gibson will lead the Ducks’ goaltenders in starts. Lukas Dostal has been the goaltender of the future in Anaheim for some time now. The 24-year-old Czechian netminder has played one full season in the NHL, recording 38 starts and another six appearances in relief efforts. Dostal’s numbers compared favorably to Gibson’s including an edge in save percentage, goals saved above average, shutouts, and wins despite having fewer starts.
This prediction has more to do with Dostal’s rise and the stage Anaheim’s rebuild is in and less with Gibson’s decline. Gibson is still capable of the standing-on-his-head performances that once made him considered one of the league’s elite goaltenders in seasons past. He’s only 13 wins away from Jean-Sebastian Giguere’s franchise-leading 206, and he figures to set a new high mark with three seasons left on his contract.
Pavel Mintyukov Records 50 Points
Last season, 20 defensemen around the league eclipsed 50 points. By contrast, the Ducks haven’t had a 50-point season from a blue liner in nearly 15 years. Only Scott Niedermayer (three times), Oleg Tverdovsky (twice), Lubomir Visnovsky, Chris Pronger, and Fredrik Olausson have reached this scoring threshold in a Ducks sweater.
Pavel Mintyukov had an encouraging rookie season for the Ducks, recording 28 points and averaging just under 19 minutes a night in 63 games. The next step in his progression is becoming the team’s top unit power-play quarterback — a role that’s been held by Cam Fowler in recent seasons. Fowler had an extra 67 minutes with the man advantage over Mintyukov last season, but Anaheim’s continuing trend of having a bottom-tier power play is enough evidence a change is necessary.
I’m anticipating a big season out of Mintyukov on the power play, which helps the cause of the final bold prediction.
Ducks’ Power Play Breaks 22%
Last season, Anaheim’s power play converted a 23rd-ranked 18.3% of their chances on the power play, but this isn’t a new issue. Power-play goals don’t appear out of thin air, and the Ducks have ranked in the bottom 10 in penalties drawn in each of the last seven seasons. Additionally, injuries last season forced some patchwork power-play groupings and time-on-ice discrepancies that otherwise should never happen.
This jump from mediocre to a modest weapon is well within the team’s capabilities, especially with some younger players expecting to take a step forward in their development. A clean bill of health for Mintyukov, Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish along with Gauthier’s cannon shot can help establish a formidable top power-play unit. Olen Zellweger on the second power play feeding passes to 30-goal scorers Troy Terry and Frank Vatrano is also an excellent fallback.
It’s unlikely all of these predictions come true, but they serve as a good barometer for where the Ducks are in their rebuild. Gauthier and Mintyukov can be a tremendous boon to Anaheim’s power play. Additionally, Dostal’s emergence as a number-one goaltender is important as the team eventually becomes competitive again.
Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference.
