The Anaheim Ducks’ Fan Guide To The 2022-23 NHL Season
The Anaheim Ducks finished the 2021-22 NHL season with a lot of positives after a good year of rebuilding with the young team. Now entering 2022-23, it is time for this team to thanks things to the next level.
The Ducks saw young stars Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras lead the way in 2021-22, and the team will be relying on them heavily again this upcoming season. The Ducks enter this season trying to compete for a playoff spot within the Pacific Division but to do that they will need to knock out one of the teams that were there last season.
The Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Los Angeles Kings all expect to be back in the postseason this season, mix in the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights and the Ducks look to be facing a very uphill battle this season.
Ducks fans should be excited about this upcoming season. There are a lot of reasons to be excited and optimistic about the future, so let’s dive in with this year’s guide to the 2022-23 NHL season.
The Anaheim Ducks’ Fan Guide To The 2022-23 NHL Season
This season will be the first without longtime captain Ryan Getzlaf on the roster. Getzlaf retired at the end of last season. Getzlaf will be missed on the ice, where he managed to put up the fifth-best point total on the team with 3 goals and 34 assists. More importantly, he will be missed in the room as the leader and longtime face of the franchise.
2021-22 Season Stats:
Regular Season Record: 31-37-14 (76 Points)
Seventh in Pacific Division
Goal Leader: Troy Terry (37)
Point Leader: Troy Terry (67)
Power Play Percentage: 21.92%
Penalty Kill Percentage: 80.80%
2021-22 Recap:
The Anaheim Ducks had a really strong season in 2021-22. While the team struggled with consistency, they did have some sparks of electric and competitive play throughout the season. The young guns lead by Zegras and Terry made for some fun and exciting hockey every night.
I mean, take a look at some of the goals they were scoring last year:
The Ducks competed with some of the best teams in the league at times, and they will have to do that a lot more this season.
2022-23 Preview:
As I already mentioned, this season is going to be a tough one for the Ducks. They are a better team on paper from last season, but they need to jump a lot of teams to get into the playoffs.
For them to make the playoffs they need to finish in front of some combination of Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Vegas and LA. That is not an easy task without even mentioning the Central Division teams hoping to get in with a wild card spot.
This season will be about the young players on the roster again. Zegras and Terry are in contract years, and Jamie Drysdale has someone to learn from on the blueline with John Klingberg on the roster.
Leadership:
General Manager: Pat Verbeek
Head Coach: Dallas Eakins
On the ice, the Ducks lost their best leader this past season when Ryan Getzlaf decided to retire near the end of last season. Getzlaf spent 17 seasons with the Ducks playing in 1157 games. The former captain even won a championship with the franchise.
Check out a quick tribute from his last game with the team.
Getzalf will certainly be missed. His departure starts a new era in Anaheim, one with Zegras and company at the center. Still, the team does not officially have a captain for next season.
Key Additions:
Dmitry Kulikov, Ryan Strome, John Klingberg, and Frank Vatrano
The biggest addition here has to be Ryan Strome. Strome is a great center that recently went to the conference finals with the New York Rangers. Adding him to the team will be a big boost next season in the top six.
The other big addition is John Klingberg. Klingberg with the team is a win-win as Klingberg got his contract for a season and an opportunity to get a lot of ice time, while the Ducks got someone they can put in a mentorship role for their young defensemen.
Key Subtractions:
Ryan Getzlaf, Sam Steel, Sonny Milano, Zach Aston-Reese, and Jacob Larsson
It has already been mentioned, but losing Ryan Getzlaf is a tough loss for the team as he was the voice in the locker room. This is the beginning of a new era of Ducks hockey, and it will be fun to watch.
Three Games On The Schedule:
Oct. 12, 2022: Home Opener Against Seattle
The Ducks have a lot of important games this season, but one of the most memorable has to be the home opener against the Seattle Kraken. This is a division rival still fresh in this league. Getting the opportunity to open the year against a team in their sophomore season is a gift that the Ducks need the two points from.
Dec. 20, 2022: A Trip To LA
The Ducks and Kings play just three times this upcoming season. Once in December, February, and April to end the season. Their first matchup is on the road while the second two will be at home.
This is an important game for the Ducks as if they plan to compete for the playoffs they need to win these games against a division rival. I am excited about this game as it has the potential to really bring back the rivalry.
Jan. 28, 2022: The Coyotes Come To Town
Remember last season when the Coyotes and Ducks got into a big fight on the ice? Who could forget that? Not Ducks fans.
This upcoming season sees the Ducks and Yotes face off in Anaheim on the 28th of January, and this is going to be an important game to get tickets to help bring the energy and excitement to the game.
2023 Draft Picks:
The Ducks have no shortage of picks this upcoming draft. During the 2022 draft, the Ducks picked Pavel Mintyukov with the tenth overall pick at the draft. While I do not think we will see him in the NHL this upcoming season, he will be a big part of the team’s future down the line.
Here are all the picks Anaheim holds for the 2023 draft:
2023 First Round Pick
2023 Second Round Pick
2023 Second Round Pick (BOSTON)
2023 Second Round Pick (COLORADO)
2023 Third Round Pick
2023 Third Round Pick (MINNESOTA)
2023 Fourth Round Pick
2023 Fifth Round Pick
2023 Sixth Round Pick
Outlook and Predictions:
The Ducks still have plenty of draft picks to work with in rebuilding this franchise. So another year of rebuilding wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for this team. However, there comes a point where you want your team to start getting more experience. I think that is where the Ducks are at.
They no longer want to be in contention for a lottery pick, instead, it is time to really be taking a push for the playoffs seriously, even if it doesn’t exactly work out that way.