Ducks News NHL: Anaheim Ducks will not have center Ryan Getzlaf or defenseman Hampus Lindholm for season opener.



Anaheim Ducks 2017 Season Preview



Ryan Getzlaf will miss Anaheim's Season Opener. He may be out for more time too.



Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 9/30/2017.




Anaheim Ducks Line 1 Forwards


Player
Position
Games Played
Height
Weight
Goals
Assists
Points
Rickard Rakell
Left Wing
71
6-foot-1-inches
192-pounds
33
18
51
Ryan Getzlaf
Center
74
6-foot-4-inches
221-pounds
15
58
73
Corey Perry
Right Wing
82
6-foot-3-inches
212-pounds
19
34
53

Anaheim Ducks Line 2 Forwards


Player
Position
Games Played
Height
Weight
Goals
Assists
Points
Andrew Cogliano
Left Wing
82
5-foot-10-inches
181-pounds
16
19
35
Ryan Kesler
Center
82
6-foot-2-inches
202-pounds
22
36
58
Jakob Silfverberg
Right Wing
70
6-foot-0-inches
199-pounds
23
26
49

Anaheim Ducks Line 3 Forwards


Player
Position
Games Played
Height
Weight
Goals
Assists
Points
Nick Ritchie
Left Wing
77
6-foot-2-inches
234-pounds
14
14
28
Antoine Vermette
Center
72
6-foot-1-inches
197-pounds
9
19
28
Patrick Eaves
Right Wing
79
5-foot-10-inches
202-pounds
32
19
51

Anaheim Ducks Line 4 Forwards


Player
Position
Games Played
Height
Weight
Goals
Assists
Points
Dennis Rasmussen
Left Wing
68
6-foot-3-inches
192-pounds
4
4
8
Sam Steel
Center
66
6-foot-0-inches
179-pounds
50
81
131
Chris Wagner
Right Wing
43
6-foot-0-inches
198-pounds
6
1
7


Anaheim Ducks Forwards Review: The Anaheim Ducks have Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler both injured to begin the year. Line 3 center Antoine Vermette may begin on the first line. Sam Steel their 2016 first round pick who led the WHL with 131 points is going to get a 10 game audition on the Ducks roster and if he struggles he'll go back to the Regina Pats in the WHL.


The Ducks have a very talented squad if this is their entire lineup at full health. At the same times injuries with Getzlaf and Kesler could hold the Ducks back plus there is always the possibility Sam Steel isn't ready for the NHL even though I had a top 20 grade on him in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.


The problem is that the Ducks ranked 18th in goals scored and 17th on the power play in 2016-2017. The Ducks may regress depending on how many games Getzlaf and Kesler miss.




Anaheim Ducks Defensive Lines


Player
Line
Games Played
Height
Weight
Goals
Assists
Points
Cam Fowler
Line 1
80
6-foot-1-inches
207-pounds
11
28
39
Sami Vatanen
Line 1
71
5-foot-10-inches
183-pounds
3
21
24
Hampus Lindholm
Line 2
66
6-foot-3-inches
197-pounds
6
14
20
Francois Beauchemin
Line 2
81
5-foot-11-inches
208-pounds
5
13
18
Josh Manson
Line 3
82
6-foot-4-inches
215-pounds
5
12
17
Kevin Bieksa
Line 3
81
6-foot-1-inches
198-pounds
3
11
14


Anaheim Ducks Defensemen Review: The Anaheim Ducks will have on of the best defenses in the NHL when all 6 of these guys are healthy. Unfortunately for Anaheim Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm are both expected to miss the first month of the 2017-218 NHL Season.


Anaheim ranked 3rd in goals allowed and 4th in penalty killing in 2016-2017. Anaheim will be a top 10 team in penalty killing and defensive play during the regular season, but could be a top 5 team on defense during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs if everyone is healthy.


Anaheim can get to the 2018 Stanley Cup with this defense. Everyone has to be healthy in April when it matters the most though.




Draft Utopia Between The Pipes Goalie Tracker


Starting Goalie


Player
Team
Games Played
Record
Shutouts
Save Percentage
Goals Against Average
John Gibson
Anaheim Ducks
49
25-16-9
6 Shutouts
.924
2.22 GAA

Backup Goalie


Player
Team
Games Played
Record
Shutouts
Save Percentage
Goals Against Average
Ryan Miller
Anaheim Ducks
54
3 Shutouts
.914
2.80 GAA


Anaheim Ducks Goaltender Review: John Gibson and Ryan Miller are the goalies for Anaheim. They could struggle early due to a lack of defense. These goalies are going to carry how far the Anaheim Ducks go with the goaltender position being the only position where Anaheim isn't depleted at the moment.




Anaheim Ducks Prospect Pool: Anaheim is thin with prospects for the first time in a while. Anaheim is built to win now and not for the long-term.




Anaheim Ducks 2017-2018 Prediction


Anaheim should be a playoff team. How far they go depends on where they end up. I'll break down how I see the Pacific Division plays out since I don't see the Ducks repeating as the Pacific Division Champions.


Edmonton is my team to beat in this division during the regular season since they are healthy and motivated after losing to the Ducks in the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I have Calgary ahead of them in second place with Anaheim in third. I realize Anaheim swept Calgary last year. Calgary is healthy while Anaheim is dealing with injuries. I still believe Anaheim could beat Calgary as a 3 seed in a 7 game game series plus Calgary would make this series a lot more competitive with home ice this time around.


Unlike last year, I think Edmonton would get revenge on the Ducks this time around. Edmonton would have a lot more experience with dealing with adversity this time around plus there is a great chance they have home ice if the Oilers face the Ducks in the second round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs once again.


The Los Angeles Kings are my fourth best team in this Division. The Kings will be in the conversation with the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues for one of the final wild cards in the Western Conference. If the Kings can get off to a fantastic start in October they have a great chance to jump into the top 3 in the Pacific Division and put Anaheim in a position where they have to compete for a wild card.


My bold prediction is that the San Jose Sharks miss the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I said the same thing heading into the season two years ago and the Sharks made the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They still have too much talent to fall out of the top 5 in this division.


Arizona, Vancouver, and Vegas are the bottom feeders in this division. Arizona may play well enough to avoid a top 5 pick, but this is still a bottom 10 team in the NHL even with the additions they made. I'm gonna put Vegas at 7 and say they finish ahead of Vancouver. I have Vancouver as the worst team in the NHL for the 2017-2018 NHL Season followed by Vegas at 2 so clearly I don't think highly of Vancouver or Vegas.



Click the link below to get information on Anaheim's AHL partner, the San Diego Gulls.










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