Revealing Top Player in Team History & Discussing Must-Watch Games This Season
Welcome to the THW Anaheim Ducks Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Ducks writers.
In today’s edition, we present the 10 greatest players in franchise history, give you five must-watch games on the schedule, discuss early-season concerns for the Ducks’ offense, and more.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Ducks’ Tristan Luneau Defies Odds, Makes Opening Night Roster
October 14, 2023 by Evan Sabourin
That’s one way to start the season. Make it interesting. Real interesting. The Anaheim Ducks made some very intriguing decisions as they finalized their roster for their home opener with the defending Cup champs, the Vegas Golden Knights. But one in particular raised a lot of eyebrows as defenseman Tristan Luneau was added to the initial roster. This was shocking, to say the least as not many members of the organization expected the 19-year-old to start the season with the team. Anaheim’s timeline to compete is skyrocketing upwards and the Ducks have made it clear that they are going to play their young prospects to start the 2023-24 season.
Ducks Gameday Preview: Vegas Golden Knights – 10/14/23
October 14, 2023 by Jordan Reinhardt
Well, that preseason finale didn’t go as planned, eh? That was an atrocity, and the Anaheim Ducks have been stewing in that embarrassing blowout loss for almost a week now. Good thing there’s nowhere to go but forward, but things get twice as hard from here. Their opponent in game one? Nothing major, just a clash on the road with the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights, who have won their first two games by a combined score of 8-2.
The games count now. The roster is set. If the Ducks don’t manage to find the urgency with the flip of a switch, then the Knights are going to mop the floor with them tonight (Oct. 14). Anyway, let’s preview the opening game of the season for the Ducks by looking at storylines, personnel, and tactics.
Anaheim Ducks: Counting Down the 30 Greatest Players (5-1)
October 14, 2023 by Charlie Hiller
With the Anaheim Ducks celebrating their 30th anniversary this season, now is the perfect time to look back. In the last 30 years, the Ducks have made history – from the Disney days to winning the first Stanley Cup in California and the decade of contention that followed – and now is the time to look back at the players that made these moments possible.
This is the fifth and final installment of the countdown. We’re down to the top five. These players gave their best years to Anaheim and are closely tied to the organization’s success. Previous entries can be found below.
Anaheim Ducks: Counting Down the 30 Greatest Players (10-6)
October 13, 2023 by Charlie Hiller
With the Anaheim Ducks celebrating their 30th anniversary this season, now is the perfect time to look back. In the last 30 years, the Ducks have made history – from the Disney days to winning the first Stanley Cup in California and the decade of contention that followed – and now is the time to look back at the players that made these moments possible.
This is the third installment of the countdown. Previous entries can be found below. The countdown will conclude at the end of this week before Anaheim’s opening game on Saturday, Oct. 14.
Ducks’ Offense a Concern with Carlsson and Killorn Injuries
October 11, 2023 by Corey Abbott
The Anaheim Ducks struggled in just about every facet of the game last season. The team was porous defensively, had its fair share of goaltending problems, and could not find much success in the offensive end.
The Ducks were unable to generate much in the attacking end and were unable to take advantage of the opportunities that were created during the 2022-23 campaign. The club ranked 31st in the league last season with 2.51 goals against per game and placed 28th overall with 28.4 shots for per game. In 5-on-5 situations, Anaheim was 30th in expected goals for, 31st in scoring chances, 29th in high-danger scoring chances, and 30th in high-danger chances that led to goals. The Ducks’ power play also finished 31st a season ago, scoring the second-lowest goals (36) in the league over 229 opportunities.
5 Ducks Games to Watch This Season
October 11, 2023 by Jordan Reinhardt
The Anaheim Ducks will look to rebound from a franchise-worst 58-point campaign in 2022-23 when they open the regular season in a few days against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While 2023-24 also figures to be a challenging year, hockey that counts is right around the corner, and with that, a sense of hope and excitement permeates arenas and fanbases.
The Ducks have a slew of games that are worth watching this season, their 30th in franchise history. Let’s look at five matchups worth tuning into (hint: it starts with the opening puck drop).