Ducks Struggle to Open 2022-2023 Season
The Anaheim Ducks returned home last night after a turbulent visit into the Eastern time zone this past week, where they posted an alarming 0-4-1 record, bringing their overall record to 1-4-1 (3 points, 7th in Pacific Division). Crash The Pond will review Anaheim’s 5v5, special teams, and goaltending play through the first six games of the season, and we will look ahead to the next stretch of games as the Ducks make their return to Honda Center later this week. We note that due to the very small sample size of games played thus far, the statistics we cite below should be interpreted solely as a diagnostic for how the team has played thus far, and should not be used to draw robust and definitive conclusions about individual players or line combinations. Unless noted otherwise, all statistics cited below are courtesy of Evolving Hockey.
5v5 Play
Through the first six games of the season, Anaheim has struggled at 5v5, posting an xGF% below 50% for each game except the final game of their road trip against Detroit (graph courtesy of MoneyPuck).
The Ducks are 30th in the league at 5v5 in both xGF% (40.7%) and CF% (41.1%) through their first six games. In examining forward and defensive pairing results at 5v5 (minimum TOI: 20 minutes), the top forward line of Henrique-Zegras-Terry has performed exceptionally well thus far, posting a 57.1% xGF, while the forward line of McTavish-Vatrano-Strome has struggled, posting a 32.2% xGF. None of the defensive pairings have posted an xGF% above 50% through the first six games of the season. Needless to say, the Ducks will need to improve their overall play at 5v5 to be more competitive going forward.
Special Teams Play
The Ducks have also struggled on both the powerplay and the penalty kill to start the season. Anaheim is currently ranked 26th in the league in xGF/60 on the powerplay (6.4) and 25th in xGA/60 on the penalty kill (9.4). In addition, the Ducks have amassed the 6th most shorthanded TOI in the league to date (40:37). Special teams were a major issue in Anaheim last season when they ranked 29th in xGF/60 on the powerplay (5.8) and 24th in xGA/60 on the penalty kill (8.2) (Yes they were able to score goals, but the on-ice process did not reflect that). To start this season, the team has not shown any signs of improvement in their special teams play.
Goaltending Play
Ducks netminder John Gibson’s recent struggles were documented in our Season Preview article from several weeks ago. To start the 2022-2023 season, Gibson has continued to struggle, posting a -3.1 GSAx. He has played particularly poorly shorthanded, where he has posted a -2.8 GSAx. Backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz has been close to replacement level thus far to start the season.
Looking Ahead
Anaheim will play seven games in the next two weeks, beginning on Wednesday night when they host the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lighting at Honda Center. They then play a pair of difficult games at Vegas and home against Toronto before embarking on a three-game road trip that takes them to both San Jose and Vancouver. The Ducks will then return home to face a potent Florida Panthers team on Sunday, November 6.
Final Thoughts
While there is no question the Ducks have struggled in all facets of their game to open the season, it is still far too early to draw definitive conclusions about individual player and line performance. The purpose of this article is to report on what has happened so far and highlight aspects of their play that bear watching as we head into the next phase of the Ducks season.