Derek Lee and Patrick Present discuss the Ducks acquisition of Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers The Anaheim Ducks (11-14-4) return home following a four-game road trip and will host the Winnipeg Jets (23-9-1), the team currently at the top of the NHL standings. Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 OT Win over the Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/game-day/takeaways-from-the-ducks-4-3-ot-win-over-the-blue-jackets] The Ducks tallied three points out of a possible eight on their trip. They are 29th in the NHL standings and at the bottom of the Pacific Division. The offense has been inconsistent in Anaheim, to say the least. They have only managed 22 goals in their last 11 games, a stretch where they've gone 3-6-2. They are 1-4-1 in their last six games. The Jets will play their second game of a back-to-back after defeating the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday 4-3. They are 5-1-1 in their last seven games. STATS Jacob Trouba will play his first game at Honda Center tonight in a Ducks' sweater. He will be facing Winnipeg, the team that drafted him ninth overall in the 2012 draft, for the ninth time in his career. He hasn't been known for his offense since he left Winnipeg but has six points in eight career games against the Jets. He hasn't notched a point in his last ten games. Ryan Strome's shooting percentage is usually underwhelming, but he has managed to score six goals on 41 career shots (14.6%) against the Jets. He has 15 points in 22 games against Winnipeg and three points in his last two games following a four-game drought. John Gibson has started six of the Ducks' last nine games. He has a 4-11-3 record with an .890 SV% in his career against the Jets. Lukas Dostal has started one career game against the Jets. On March 23, 2023, he stopped 30 of 33 shots in a 3-2 loss. Kyle Connor has 12 goals and 19 points in 17 career games against the Ducks. He has seven points in his last four games and has 40 points in 33 games this season. Mark Scheifele has 11 points in his last eight games and 37 points in 33 games this season. He has tallied 20 points in 25 career games against the Ducks. Connor Hellebuyck started Tuesday's game in San Jose, so it will likely be Eric Comrie's net on Wednesday. The Jets have lost the last four games Comrie has started. He has a 1-0-0 record in his career against Anaheim, allowing three goals on 22 shots for an .864 SV%. SCOUTING REPORT On the surface, the Jets are a one-line team, with their top line of Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Gabe Vilardi consisting of a significant portion of their offensive firepower with Nikolaj Ehlers on IR. However, they are one of the most disciplined and well-coached teams in the NHL, playing within their systems and recognizing their opportunities to counter. They can attack in a variety of ways, both on the cycle and in transition. They prioritize exploiting a strong-side pinching defenseman on their breakouts to create 2v1 and 3v2 rushes. Their defensive pairs have evenly distributed skill sets throughout, featuring a traditional "puck-mover" and "defensive specialist" on each pair. Winnipeg's zone defensive coverage is as suffocating as it is disciplined. They close along the walls with their speedy forwards and protect the front of the net with diligent defenders. The Jets deploy the league's top power play unit, converting on 31.7% of their chances. Their structure is relatively stationary, relying on chemistry and quick precision passing to manufacture their goals. The Ducks have lost their last eight meetings against the Jets and are 19-20-5 all-time against the franchise. Ducks Have Several Alternate Captain Options to Replace Cam Fowler [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-have-several-alternate-captain-options-to-replace-cam-fowler] Diagnosing the Ducks' Offensive Struggles [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/diagnosing-the-ducks-offensive-struggles]
