Like Guy Hebert before Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Giguere before Jonas Hiller, Hiller before Frederik Andersen, and Andersen before John Gibson, Lukas Dostal has inherited the Honda Center/Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim crease as the unequivocal starter for the Anaheim Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks]/Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Dostal (25) spent the last two seasons in a relatively evenly split tandem with Gibson when the pair was simultaneously healthy. This offseason provided a seismic shift to that dynamic, as just weeks before Lukas Dostal inked a brand new five-year contract ($6.5 million AAV), John Gibson was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. “Lukas has proven he is a No.1 goaltender, and we are so pleased to get this deal done,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said following the contract announcement. “He is just entering the prime of his career with his best hockey ahead of him.” In the last two seasons, Dostal posted league-average traditional stats (.902 and .903 SV%, respectively) and stellar advanced metrics (7.83 goals saved above expected [https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerteams.php?fromseason=20232024&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=all&score=all&stdoi=g&rate=n&team=ANA&pos=S&loc=B&toi=0&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410&lines=single&draftteam=ALL]) in his 98 total appearances for the Ducks despite playing behind one of the league’s poorest defensive teams in that stretch. Poll: Which Anaheim Ducks Offseason Acquisition are You Most Anticipating? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-which-anaheim-ducks-offseason-acquisition-are-you-most-anticipating] Poll: Was Beckett Sennecke a Good Pick at Third Overall in 2024? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-was-beckett-sennecke-a-good-pick-at-third-overall-in-2024] Poll: Who is the Anaheim Ducks' Number One Defenseman of the Future? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-who-is-the-anaheim-ducks-number-one-defenseman-of-the-future] Internal improvements, a brand new, potentially elite coaching staff, and the additions of three defensively savvy forwards could likely unlock another level to Dostal’s impact and make his game-to-game workload considerably easier as the Ducks look to turn the corner on their rebuild and push for a playoff spot. “I truly believe it. It was one of the reasons that I was willing to sign a long-term deal,” Dostal said when asked about the organizational outlook in Anaheim. “It’s always about trusting the process, and I really trust the process of what’s going on in Anaheim right now. It’s very exciting for the future.” Dostal is now the tenth-highest-paid goaltender in the NHL and is no longer a hidden gem who can sneakily steal a game from an unexacting team. The secret is out: Dostal is elite. His demeanor remains unwavering as he trusts his toolkit and strives to find new ways to positively impact the game. He is positionally excellent, invariably square to pucks, even ones he cannot see. Very few pucks trickle through his arm and body into the net, as soft goals are a rarity. His most special yet underrated trait is his ability to track the puck through and around traffic in the defensive zone, while possessing the capability to dazzle with a show-stopping athletic save and play pucks like a third defender. Dostal continues to improve his game management skills, reading situations on the ice and capitalizing on changing opponents or freezing pucks when his teammates need a whistle. Teams in every league and division play differently when they trust the guy on the ice wearing the biggest pads to make the saves he’s supposed to. Dostal’s third full season in the NHL has potential for a true breakout, and if the Ducks do achieve their lofty goal of making the playoffs, there isn’t a shred of doubt Dostal will receive Vezina votes. Poll: When Will the Anaheim Ducks Make the Playoffs? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-when-will-the-anaheim-ducks-make-the-playoffs] Poll: How Would You Grade the Job GM Pat Verbeek has Done so Far? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-how-would-you-grade-the-job-gm-pat-verbeek-has-done-so-far] Poll: How Would You Grade the Job GM Pat Verbeek has Done so Far? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/players/poll-how-would-you-grade-the-job-gm-pat-verbeek-has-done-so-far]
