Derek Lee and Patrick Present discuss the rotation of young defensemen on the Ducks' blueline The Anaheim Ducks announced Friday that they assigned Tristan Luneau to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL after drawing into the lineup for six of the team's first ten games of the 2024-25 season. Tristan Luneau Will Benefit From Ducks’ Numbers Game [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/tristan-luneau-will-benefit-from-ducks-numbers-game] Luneau (20) was held off the scoresheet in his six NHL games this season and only averaged 16:33 TOI. He will likely receive a much-increased role with the Gulls, where he can refine his game and play minutes necessary following an extended absence in 2023-24. Luneau's assignment decreases the Ducks' roster from 23 active players to 22 (13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders). John Gibson has yet to be activated from injured reserve following his emergency appendectomy on Sept. 26. He was given a timeline of three-to-six weeks for recovery. Nov 7 will mark six weeks since his surgery. The Ducks now have intriguing options when it comes to filling out their roster: KEEP 22 PLAYERS UNTIL GIBSON RETURNS The Ducks are in a position where they don't need to make a move to fill out their roster. They've been relatively healthy through ten games for the first time in several seasons, and their lineup has been stable, with everyone playing in their predetermined roles. Lukas Dostal is currently the best goaltender in the NHL by traditional and underlying metrics but has played eight of the team's ten games in 2024-25. Despite his near-perfect start to the year, his workload is likely unsustainable in the modern NHL. The Ducks can keep three goaltenders on the roster to ease Gibson back to full health and give Dostal the occasional night off. Kevin Woodley from NHL.com has suggested in the past that if a team has three goaltenders and two upcoming games on the schedule, to not dress the "game two" starter as the backup in "game one" and to completely give them the night off rather than have them run through their entire warmup routine to dress as a backup, potentially to enter a game cold if the starter gives up too many goals. That would be an unorthodox approach, but it could work in the Ducks' favor in this scenario. RECALL A PLAYER FROM THE AHL The San Diego Gulls, the Ducks' AHL affiliate, are off to a rocky start in 2024-25 (2-6-0), but a handful of players are producing despite their record. The Ducks have struggled to produce meaningful offense this season and on their recent four-game road trip, specifically. In their last four games, they've only managed seven goals and 8.05 expected goals [https://www.naturalstattrick.com/games.php?fromseason=20242025&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=all&loc=B&team=ANA&team2=All&rate=n] in that span. The Ducks could look the Gulls' way if they wish to spark offense. Sam Colangelo (22) is off to a hot start in 2024-25, scoring five goals and eight points in his first eight games. Ducks show both faces in Rookie Faceoff Tournament [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-show-both-faces-in-rookie-faceoff-tournament] Recently acquired players Jansen Harkins (eight points) and Carson Meyer (seven points) have a combined 15 points in 15 games. Pavol Regenda (24) also has seven points (one goal) in his first eight games. If the team opts to carry 14 forwards at any point in the season, one has to imagine one of those four players would be the first recall. OUTLOOK IN NET The looming question with the roster is what the crease will look like when Gibson returns. Ducks Claim James Reimer off Waivers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-claim-james-reimer-off-waivers] If the team doesn't intend to carry three goaltenders on their roster for an extended period, newly acquired James Reimer seems like the odd-man out. The Ducks claimed Reimer on Oct. 7, and he's played two games this season, stopping 57 of 66 shots (.864 SV%) and saving -.4 goals above expected [https://moneypuck.com/goalies.htm]. Several teams may be in the market for a netminder should one, like Reimer, become available due to the state of their own situation in the crease. Because of relative health, the Ducks possess ample time before needing to come to a decision on that front, but a decision looms nonetheless. Once one is made, it will be interesting to monitor how the Ducks intend to fill out their roster thereafter. The Anaheim Ducks' Faceoff Concerns [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/the-anaheim-ducks-faceoff-concerns] The Secret is Out: Lukas Dostal is Casually Incredible [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/the-secret-is-out-lukas-dostal-is-casually-incredible]
