The Anaheim Ducks are rolling early in the 2025-26 season. One of the major reasons for this is goaltender Lukas Dostal. Now the full-time starter following the John Gibson trade over the summer, Dostal is proving that he is a legitimate netminder. On Wednesday night, he further proved his value in between the pipes.
Dostal made 36 saves against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night. His effort helped the Ducks claim a 4-3 victory on home ice. More than this, it gave the Ducks netminder his 10th win on the season. He joins Scott Wedgewood of the Colorado Avalanche as the only goaltenders with 10 or more wins this year.
His win completed quite an impressive feat, however. Dostal is the fastest Anaheim goaltender to reach 10 wins since 2013-14, according to NHL Public Relations. Frederik Andersen was the last to reach the mark, needing 12 games to win his 10th contest.
The Ducks lead the Pacific Division on 27 points. This is Anaheim's highest point total through the first 20 games of a season since 2014-15, when they also earned 27 points. It's a very promising start for one of the league's up-and-coming teams.
Dostal, as mentioned, has played a significant role in this surge. He ranks sixth in the NHL for Goals Saved Above Expected, according to Evolving Hockey. He has a better GSAx than names like Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Ducks look like they can not only challenge for the playoffs, but also for the Pacific Division crown. It will certainly be interesting to see how Dostal performs once the stakes start rising throughout the season. Anaheim is in action once again on Thursday night when they welcome the Ottawa Senators to town.
