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The Anaheim Ducks are struggling again in 2024-25, with 23 points out of 25 games. Carrying a six-year playoff drought, things have to turn around soon. There are many reasons why Ducks fans should be concerned, as their forward prospects like Trevor Zegras have not developed into stars. But goaltender Lukas Dostal has been fantastic, giving them some hope.
The Ducks have had a franchise goalie for the better half of a decade. John Gibson has played the most games of any goalie in Ducks history. He is ten wins away from being the winningest goalie in franchise history and has been the steady piece through this rebuild. But his job is slowly being taken away. The 24-year-old Lukas Dostal has been spectacular this season
In 15 games, Dostal has a .921 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average. Both of those numbers would be far and away the best of his young career. Having a star goalie will help a rebuild, but the Ducks know it is not everything. He is a restricted free agent this summer and the Ducks should lock him up quickly this summer.
With those stats, Dostal's record should be better than 6-7-1. He has faced the fifth-most expected goals of any goalie in only 15 games, per MoneyPuck. Everyone else in the top 15 has played more games than Dostal. Not only has the defense not supported Dostal, but he has not gotten the goal support he deserves.
The Ducks are built around their forward prospects. Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, Cutter Gauthier, and Leo Carlsson are all first-round picks but none of them have popped yet. The rookie Gauthier leads that group with 11 points this season. This should be the biggest concern for Ducks fans this season.
Young forwards must explode for the Ducks
Zegras is the only member of that group who has signed a second contract, so he has the highest expectations. Trade rumors swirled the New York native, especially with the Rangers looking to improve their team last summer. But he remained in Anaheim and it has been a poor start. He has four goals and six assists in 25 games, following up a six-goal, nine-assist season in 31 games last year,
Gauthier was traded from the Flyers to the Ducks last season after a falling out in Philly. Anaheim sent promising defenseman Jamie Drysdale in exchange, expecting the Gauthier that lit up college hockey. Instead, he has struggled to start his rookie season. With 11 points through 25 games, they need to see improvement from the 20-year-old this season.
The most concerning forward prospect on the Ducks is Mason McTavish. The center is only 21 years old but has not scored at a high rate in the NHL. With two goals through 19 games that has continued in 2024-25. Zegras and Gauthier are wingers while McTavish is a center and his face-off stats have been poor. He has won only 46.7% of his face-offs this season.
General manager Pat Verbeek has done an extraordinary job building through the draft and making trades for young prospects. Those players must hit for him to keep his job and keep the core together. That starts with the forwards, who need to score enough to not waste all of these great Lukas Dostal games.
How can Jacob Trouba help?
The Ducks landed Jacob Trouba in a massive trade with the Rangers. With rumors swirling on Broadway, it was only a matter of time before someone snagged New York's captain. The Ducks hope that the veteran can help shepherd along their young defensemen like Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zelweiger.
If Trouba improves on what he showed in his final days with the Rangers, he can help Dostal's great season end in wins. The worst-case scenario is he continues to struggle but there will still be positives. They may need his $8 million cap hit to hit the salary floor next season.
The Ducks have tried this move with their young forwards and it has not worked. With Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn, and Troy Terry up front, they aren't all young prospects. Trouba's addition could bring more success than those veterans did, including his former Ranger teammates Strome and Vatrano.
