Derek Lee and Patrick Present discuss the Ducks top defensive pair of Brian Dumoulin and Pavel Mintyukov

On Nov. 28, 2024, the Ducks sit at .500 with a 9-9-3 record with a minus-7 goal differential. At this time last season, they held a 9-13-0 record with a minus-17 goal differential. Marginal progress has been made standings-wise, but there is plenty to be thankful for aside from that.

Dynamic duo in net

An emergency appendectomy kept goaltender John Gibson out for the first 13 games of the season. In his absence, Lukáš Dostál stepped up and kept the Ducks from tumbling down the standings right out of the gate.

In the 11 games before Gibson's season debut, Dostál went 4-5-2 with a .922 SV%. Dostál has maintained that .922 SV% since Gibson's return.

Gibson has yet to lose in regulation, sporting a 4-0-1 record after a 42-save performance on Thanksgiving Eve against the Seattle Kraken. He has allowed more than three goals just once so far.

With steady performances from both of their netminders, the Ducks can afford to roll with a rotation and have full confidence that whoever is in net will perform at a high level.

In previous seasons, the concern was always that Gibson had taken on too much of a workload by March and April. With Dostál now in the mix as a regular, he can spell Gibson more often and keep the latter fresh into the later months. Gibson at his best also helps take pressure off of Dostál as he continues to acclimate to a higher workload himself.

A healthy Trevor Zegras

Zegras played in just 31 games last season due to groin inflammation (osteitis pubis) and a broken ankle. He is already almost at that total this season and is starting to find his groove offensively. National media has expressed concerns about whether turning him into a more well-rounded player has neutered some of his offensive ability. That hasn't been the case as Zegras now has seven points in his last six games.

Zegras' name never seems to escape the trade rumor mill, but he is demonstrating how integral he is to the Ducks' offense and how his absence for most of last season is why they struggled to generate offense. His improved defensive work has also aided the Ducks in generating chances off the rush, where Zegras can pick out teammates using his high-level vision.

Scoring depth

With players like Zegras, Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish struggling to score goals early on, the Ducks were buoyed by goalscoring from players like Brock McGinn, Brett Leason and Isac Lundeström. Cutter Gauthier is starting to come into his own now after a 16-game goal drought to start the season. Offense from the blue line has also improved compared to last season.

Five different players found the goal column in Anaheim's latest win, a testament to their improved depth compared to last season. When the top guns aren't firing, the ability to have goalscoring come from players lower in the lineup shows the makings of a strong team. That is something that Anaheim is striving to become.

Youth movement

Though Leo Carlsson is currently on the shelf, his tantalizing combination of size, speed and play-making ability powers the Ducks' offense in many ways. In combination with McTavish and Gauthier along with Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov on the blue line, the core of the team is very young.

In fact, the Ducks are carrying the most players in the NHL 21-and-under with Carlsson (19), Gauthier (20), Mintyukov (21), McTavish (21) and Zellweger (21). Zegras and LaCombe are also just 23, Dostál turned 24 this past summer.

All of these players hold important roles for the Ducks at such a young age. LaCombe and Zellweger are even skating together as a defensive pair with Cam Fowler currently out due to injury. There are still growing pains, but these young players' ability to handle so much responsibility so early on in their pro careers bodes well.

Improved discipline

Last season, the Ducks were by far the most undisciplined team in the league. Their 377 minor penalties in 2023-24 paled in comparison to third-worst Montréal (308). Ironically, the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers were second worst (362). However, the Ducks' poor discipline combined with a penalty kill that was second-worst in the league (72.4%) did not bode well. By comparison, the Panthers' penalty kill was tied for sixth-best (82.5%).

This season, the Ducks sit just outside the top 10 for the least amount of minor penalties taken (69). The penalty kill percentage (74.1) is still near the bottom of the ranks, but subtle adjustments in their penalty-killing formation have led to five consecutive games without a power play goal against.

Nov 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson (43) and goaltender John Gibson (36) celebrate defeating the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

One penalty that the Ducks have cut down on substantially is bench minors. They led the league with 16 last season. This season, they've taken just two thus far.

The injury bug has started to bite, much like it did last season. But it hasn't been as severe and reinforcements should be coming soon. Synergy between lines has begun to develop and with experience comes maturity. Being able to consistently shut down games while leading late is the next step toward becoming a playoff team again. But right now, there is still a lot to be thankful for.

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