One of the more surprising teams early on in the 2023-24 NHL season has to be the Anaheim Ducks. Many expected this team to take a step this year. They hired a new coach in Greg Cronin to lead their young core. And that same young core, consisting of guys like Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras, showed some promise a year ago.
Now, we're seeing early signs that this team is closer to contention than we previously thought. Anaheim is currently one of the hottest teams in the entire league. In fact, they recently handed the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights their first regulation loss of the year.
That said, there are also negatives to go with these positives. This is still an inexperienced team led by younger players. A hot start to the new season doesn't erase that fact. So, let's briefly go over their start to the year before looking at the Ducks' biggest early season surprise and biggest disappointment of 2023-24.
Anaheim's start to the year
The Ducks began the year facing the Golden Knights on the road. And Anaheim didn't get off on the right foot, losing 4-1. They would go on to lose four of their first five games in 2023-24. Anaheim's only win during that span was a 6-3 triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes.
However, things began to turn around. The Ducks played a close game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road, emerging victorious 3-2 in overtime. That game began the current six game winning streak the team currently enjoys. This streak includes victories over the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Golden Knights.
The Ducks' resilience is incredible
John Gibson said it best after the team's 4-2 victory over the Golden Knights on Sunday. “It doesn't really matter how as long as you find a way to get two points,” he said. That line of thinking has rang true for the Ducks this season.
During this six-game winning streak, the Ducks trailed in five games. And yet, Anaheim has found a way to come back each time. On Sunday, they became the third team in NHL history to post five or more third-period comeback wins during a wining streak of any length, according to NHL Public Relations.
Perhaps that win against Vegas was their most impressive. Trailing by two against a team that hadn't lost in regulation, Anaheim scored four unanswered in the final frame to pull away with the win.
This is the team's most pleasant surprise, to me at least. Anaheim falls behind in games, sometimes by more than a goal. But it doesn't faze them in the slightest. The Ducks find a way to battle back and get the job done. The season will only get more difficult as it progresses. If Anaheim can keep fighting like this, they'll be in good shape.
Trevor Zegras needs to step it up
Before the season, many would have expected Trevor Zegras to be a major part of any stretch like this for Anaheim. And yet, that just hasn't been the case. After producing another 60+ point season a year ago, he hasn't looked that effective to begin the new season.
In fact, Zegras has barely produced this year. In 11 games, the 22-year-old has just one goal and one assist to his name. He hasn't recorded a point in three consecutive games. And at one point, he went four games without producing offensively.
Zegras has all the talent in the world. He has shown that on multiple occasions. Reaching 60+ points last year gave fans hope he could reach that mark consistently in his career. However, if he doesn't turn things around soon, he might fall well short of that total in 2023-24.
Follow Us
Subscribe