The Outlook of the Anaheim Ducks Penalty Kill
The Anaheim Ducks have been dwelling toward the bottom of the NHL standings and most statistical categories over the past six seasons. The penalty kill is no exception.
The NHL Conference Finals are underway in the 2024 Playoffs. The Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, and Florida Panthers are the four teams that remain battling for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Special teams have been a significant factor in determining how these four teams got where they are, both in the regular season and playoffs.
During the regular season, the Rangers (84.5%), Panthers (82.5%), Stars (82%), and Oilers (79.5%) were all in the top half of the league in terms of success rate for their penalty kills.
The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and their penalty kill has been inconsistent, at best.
On May 14, the Anaheim Ducks announced several Hockey Operations changes. Assistant coaches Newell Brown and Craig Johnson weren't to receive contract extensions, but Brent Thompson would remain to coach the defense and penalty kill.
Thompson was brought into the Anaheim coaching staff before the 2023-24 season. He had spent the previous nine seasons as the head coach of the Islanders AHL affiliate team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers/Islanders.
Throughout the year, the Ducks struggled in various aspects of their penalty kill. As the season wore on, Thompson quickly adjusted his system when it struggled to defend in a certain area.
For the majority of the first half of the season, Thompson had the PK running a high-pressure wedge. They didn't force the careless turnovers they were likely hoping for with that style and it caused flank-to-flank seams to open up.
They later switched to a more traditional passive diamond formation. The seam passes were limited, but the low defenseman often struggled to properly box out or time their pressure. Thompson collapsed the diamond to counter.
As the 2023-24 season was coming to a close, Thompson was quicker to adjust and tweak what wasn't working.
For the Ducks' last game of the season against the Vegas Golden Knights on April 18, Pat Verbeek suggested that head coach Greg Cronin give star rookie center Leo Carlsson an opportunity on the penalty kill. Carlsson played 1:31 TOI shorthanded in that game and translated what makes him such a dynamic offensive talent to the PK. He was able to anticipate puck movement and disrupt passing attempts.
"Leo’s long, he’s got the long reach. He’s a really smart player," Verbeek said when asked what went into that suggestion. "One of the things that puts power plays on edge is knowing the players they’re playing against have the ability to knock pucks down, take them the other way, and score shorthanded. That hinders the effectiveness of power plays; knowing they have to be careful in how they attack and if there are turnovers, it could go in their net."
Verbeek also expressed the desire to use 2024 Hobey Baker finalist Cutter Gauthier on the penalty kill in the future. The Ducks and their coaching staff will seemingly explore personnel options on the PK more in the 2024-25 season, as they will continue to with system options.