Crash The Pond Writers Round-Table: Grades, Team MVPs, and Bold Takes

With the arrival of 2022, the Anaheim Ducks season is quickly approaching the 50% mark. In a season where many critics expected the Ducks to finish 30th-32nd in the NHL, the Ducks currently sit 10th in the league. The writers at Crash The Pond decided to put together some mid-season grades, MVP selections, and make a bold take or two for the rest of the season. Let’s jump right in!

Question: Who has been the Ducks MVP thus far?

Jake R. - Trevor Zegras. He has completely transformed the Ducks attack and has injected much needed creativity into the Ducks lineup. These few games without him have proven that he is the MVP for the Ducks this season. Terry is a close 2nd though because #TroyTerryisVeryGood

Felix S. - Troy Terry: he has consistently been their best skater has been impactful in all three zones.

CJ W. - Troy Terry. Because Troy Terry Is Very Good™ Jake Rudolph All Rights Reserved

Mike D. - Trevor Zegras. His ability to drive offensive play and elevate performance of his fellow linemates has made the biggest positive impact on this year’s Ducks team.

Robert M. - Troy Terry. While there is a case to be made for Zegras, Terry has been consistently the best forward over the course of the season so far. His underlying numbers have been great in all zones.

Eric S. - Troy Terry. Could and maybe should be Zegras here but the Ducks needed goal scoring and Terry has provided it.

Question: Who has been the Ducks best forward thus far?

Jake R. - Trevor Zegras, but I am going to use my why to give accolades to the 2nd best forward in Troy Terry though. Terry always had solid underlying metrics and finally was placed in a position to succeed and he is absolutely thriving.

Felix S. - Troy Terry: he brings it with and without the puck, and now has a shot at 50 goals. Honorable mentions to Trevor Zegras and Ryan Getzlaf.

CJ W. - Troy “Literally Alex Ovechkin” Terry

Mike D. - Trevor Zegras (see MVP explanation)

Robert M. - Lets go with a tie between Zegras and Terry. It's clear the Ducks are far less dynamic without #46 on the ice. He brings an unreal amount of creativity to the team (See "The Bucci") and makes players around him better. Terry is also an easy one, just look at his production. Terry has been on the scoresheet for 31% of Anaheim's goals so far.

Eric S.- Trevor Zegras. He’s fun, incredibly good at hockey, and will be a core piece for a long, long time.

Question: Who has been the Ducks best defensemen thus far?

Jake R. - I am going to go with Cam Fowler. His style of play fits perfectly with the style of play the Ducks are going for this season and his underlying metrics have shown that.

Felix S. - Cam Fowler: has posted the strongest results at five-on-five of any Ducks defenseman, all while carrying Josh Manson around the ice. Fowler is the lynchpin of how Eakins wants his team to play in transition, which makes him the easy choice.

CJ W. - Hampus Lindholm. One of the few guys who can actually limit chances and is a great mentor to Jamie Drysdale.

Mike D. - Cam Fowler. His elite shot suppression, efficient skating, and prowess at generating shots and chances in the offensive zone make him the team’s defensive MVP. He has also been outstanding on the power play.

Robert M. - Cam Fowler. I wanted to say Lindholm, but he just hasn't been at the same level as years past. Fowler, however, has thrived under Eakin's style of play that has been implemented this season. While he's not flashy, he's calm with the puck and makes a his D partners look even better.

Eric S.- Hampus Lindholm. Still as stout as ever defensively and making some impressive plays on offense as well.

Question: Give Dallas Eakins a grade up to this point for the season.

Jake R. - I will give him a B. He certainly has his flaws, like his over reliance on guys like Derek Grant and Nicolas Deslauriers, or his usage of Isac Lundestrom and Jacob Silfverberg, but he also deserves credit for some of the positive things coming the Ducks way. He is the person that put Getzlaf and Terry together, and Milano and Zegras together. Overall he has improved this season and that deserves a B.

Felix S. - B+. Eakins has often been criticized in recent years, and hasn't always been perfect this season, either. That being said, the results are starting to speak for themselves: the Ducks have become a respectable team at five-on-five, and his lineup optimization has improved as the season has worn on. There are still some head scratching moments, but overall Eakins has been a net positive for his club.

CJ W. - C-. Lineup decisions are often still baffling, but but his communication skills and recent ability to spur greater efforts from the team when they need it have given the team some silver linings.

Mike D. - A-. Eakins has clearly fostered an environment surrounding the Ducks that the players enjoy playing in. Eakins has also employed excellent top 6 forward line combinations, although his bottom 6 pairings have not always been optimal. Eakins also deserves credit in hindsight for having withstood the toxic work environment that we now know existed previously under former general manager Bob Murray.

Robert M. - Low B, but not quite a B-. He's made some very questionable lineup choices, but they haven't cost the team largely throughout the season. It's clear whatever culture he was TRYING to implement is starting to reap the rewards, especially with fear-mongering Bob Murray no longer in the picture. 65/35 that he will get a 1-3 year extension.

Eric S. - B+. Some questionable lineup decisions, but the Ducks are seeing success, so it’s hard to complain too much.

Question: Give a grade to John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz up to this point.

Jake R. - Gibson gets a B and Stolarz gets an A based upon the expectation for both players. Gibson has been above replacement on the whole this season, but not to a significant level and when the expectations are for him to be an elite goalie, that deserves a B grade for me. On the other hand, Stolarz has been excellent in his games so far this season, when the expectations were for him to be a replacement level goalie.

Felix S. - Both Gibson and Stolarz get solid B's from me. Gibson has his flashy games, but on balance, he's been closer to good than great. Same applies for Stolarz. Overall, goaltending hasn't been a weakness for Anaheim this year, but it hasn't been an overwhelming strength, either.

CJ W. - B. Not out of this world but stable, which is more than a lot of other teams can say.

Mike D. - Gibson: B. While he has been slightly below average at 5v5, Gibson has been outstanding shorthanded this season. He has also single-handedly earned the Ducks points in several games this season where they struggled greatly at 5v5. Stolarz: A. Simply put, Stolarz has been one of the best backup goalies in the league this season.

Robert M. - B- for Gibby and an A for Stollie the Goalie. Gibson has been good but definitely not great. He has had lots of flashy games, but just mediocre in the others. B- is still above average which is where I'd rank him. Stolarz has exceeded expectations for me. I'm going to get some pitchforks for this, but he's played well enough that I'd listen to offers for Gibson at the deadline to make roster improvements/or pile up a couple high draft picks for 2022 and let Stolarz run the show until next season when Dostal can make the transition.

Eric S. - A. The Ducks have always had stellar goaltending and this season is no different. Glad to see Gibson finally getting the wins he has deserved for years.

Question: Who has been the Ducks most improved player thus far?

Jake R. - The easy answer is Troy Terry. Even though he was excellent the prior years, he has seen his game improve on the offensive side, while his defensive game has remained excellent. As a result of that, the puck has started to go in for him and he has a 20+ goal season before we hit the halfway mark of the season. Sonny Milano also has a case though.

Felix S. - Once again, I have to bring up Troy Terry's name. There are definitely other candidates for this award, Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano come to mind, but Terry's growth offensively cannot be understated. He went from being a defensive specialist in year's past, to a two-way force thanks to his elite-level offensive play.

CJ W. - Troy Terry. Look at the dude. He could give me a swirly and I would say thank you to him.

Mike D. - Sonny Milano. His chemistry with Trevor Zegras has allowed Milano to flourish consistently this season in a way that has not been sustained previously.

Robert M. - Sonny Milano. It still amazes me that he didn't crack the roster out of pre-season. Milano looks to be finally having the success he was projected to have when he was picked 16th overall by Columbus in 2014.

Eric S. - Troy Terry. Feels like this one is pretty self-explanatory from the numbers alone.

Question: Who has been the Ducks best player aged 24 and under thus far?

Jake R. - Trevor Zegras for the reasons I used in the MVP portion.

Felix S. - The answer is Troy Terry once again, but I'll give some time in the spotlight to Trevor Zegras for a moment. His absence since entering protocol has shown just how much he means to this team's offensive game. He truly has revived the franchise, both on and off the ice, and that deserves all the credit in the world.

CJ W. - I’ve said Troy Terry enough so I’m going with Trevor Zegras. Fun. Swagger. The right amount of cockiness that’s backed up by his skill. He’s a thrill ride.

Mike D. - Trevor Zegras (see MVP explanation)

Robert M. - Trevor Zegras. I don't really have to defend this one too much. The kid is talented. His vision is superb. He reminds me of a former Mighty Duck forward who was a lefty whose number is hanging in the rafters of Honda Center.

Eric S. - Trevor Zegras, easy.

Question: Who has been the Ducks best player aged 25 and older thus far?

Jake R. - I am going to give two: Cam Fowler and Sonny Milano. For Fowler see my reasoning for defenseman. For Milano though, he has taken the opportunity given to him to play with Zegras and ran with it. He isn't just a passenger on that line either. His underlying metrics show that he has been a force on that line with Zegras.

Felix S. - Cam Fowler. I was tempted to pick Ryan Getzlaf, but Fowler has been Anaheim's best blueliner by a wide margin, and is showing no signs of slowing down even with a nasty fall against Vancouver. A contract that was once a cause for concern is looking more and more like excellent value as Fowler continues to age like fine wine.

CJ W. - Ryan Getzlaf. Having a resurgent season and seems to be having the most fun playing hockey in years. Captain Dad is forever.

Mike D. - Adam Henrique. His ability to generate chances and shots at 5v5 this season has been among the best on this team, and he has gelled exceptionally well with Trevor Zegras. He has also shown the ability to play solid both ways.

Robert M. - Future Hall-of-Famer Ryan Getzlaf. He may be old, bald, and shoot a ton of snot rockets, he looks like a kid again. The Getzlaf/Terry chemistry has helped resurge the club.

Eric S.- Cam Fowler. Will likely be the next captain after Getzlaf is gone and will be a great veteran presence on the blue line for the next few years.

Question: Who has been the Ducks best defensive forward thus far?

Jake R. - Troy Terry. He is in the 97th percentile of even strength WAR. He is so good along the boards with his stick to disrupt attacks and gain possession of the puck

Felix S. - You could make a very good case for Troy Terry or Ryan Getzlaf here, but I'll show Sam Carrick some love. His underlying numbers are impressive, as he has been one of Anaheim's very best forwards in terms of suppressing both shot quality and quantity against. Looks like it's time to eat some crow after dunking on Eakins for playing him all these years.

CJ W. - Nic Deslauriers. Just kidding put the rocks down. Ryan Getzlaf. Hauling ass to get back and cover a 2 on 1 break should give him an automatic Selke nomination.

Mike D. - Troy Terry. As in previous seasons, Terry’s elite stickhandling and skating control has led to well above average shot and chance suppression numbers at 5v5 this season.

Robert M. - Troy Terry. His ability to break up plays in the defensive zone that leads into a transition attack the other way has been superior. Jake will give you all the fancy pants stats to defend this answer.

Eric S. - Bo Groulx. Hasn’t had a ton of looks this season so far but has seemed very reliable in the opportunities he has been given.

Question: Who has been the LEAST impressive Duck thus far?

Jake R. - This may ruffle some feathers, pun intended, but I am going to go with Isac Lundestrom. The discussion around Lundestrom is that he has taken a big step this season and has been excellent in a shutdown role, but the numbers and the eye test for me just disagree hard with that narrative. There might be other players that have been worse than him, but to me, Lundestrom has been the least impressive Duck.

Felix S. - It has to be Derek Grant, right? He hasn't been the penalty killing ace of years past, and he continues to be a drag at five-on-five. There are other names like Kevin Shattenkirk that comes to mind, but at least with a Shattenkirk there are some redeeming qualities. Not so for Grant.

CJ W. - There’s the obvious answers but I’m going with Jakob Silfverberg. He just doesn’t have it this year and seems to have been hampered by the hip issues. He still has good vision and IQ, but the physical skills just haven’t been there to make him the player he used to be.

Mike D. - Kevin Shattenkirk. He has had a brutal season defensively, although he has not been buoyed by playing with consistently good partners.

Robert M. - Max Comtois. I didn't expect his to be the Ducks top scorer again, but I expected some scoring. His passing has been very poor as well on the powerplay. I feel like he's gotten away from what made him successful, which was driving the net and putting in the dirty work and scoring the "garbage" goals.

Eric S.- Josh Manson. I give him credit for trying to adapt to the new Ducks system of speed and skill but it doesn’t fit his style of play and it shows.

Question: Will Troy Terry finish over or under 64.5 points by the end of the season?

Jake R. - Over…#TroyTerryisVeryGood

Felix S. - Over…He is very good.

CJ W. - Over…He would’ve made the USA Olympic team. Fight me.

Mike D. - Over…#TerryIsVeryGood

Robert M. - Over…#2026GoldMedalistTroyTerryIsVeryGood ......does that suffice?

Eric S. - Over.

Question: Will Trevor Zegras finish over or under 68.5 points by the end of the season?

Jake R. - Over…He is the most entertaining player the Ducks have potentially ever had.

Felix S. - Over…It can't be understated how much of a PR home run he has been for this franchise. This is the most talked-about the Ducks have been in years, and a lot of that is because of number 46.

CJ W. - Under…Keep pissing off old crusty hockey men, my dude.

Mike D. - Over…Calder Trophy, here we come!

Robert M. - Under…I would have said over, but the few games he recently missed is going to put a dent into this. I say Under 68.5, but over 60.

Eric S. - Over.

Question: Will Sonny Milano be nominated AND win the Bill Masterton Trophy?

Jake R. - No…I think that the Anaheim writers will nominate Getzlaf for the award.

Felix S. - No…Milano deserves to be nominated but there are other feel-good narratives out there that will probably win the day.

CJ W. - No.

Mike D. - Nominated, but not win.

Robert M. - Nominated, but not win…He was considered a bust for a long while. Concussion issues lead to some disappointing seasons. His dedication to battling through the head injuries has been fantastic. Ryan Getzlaf gets an honorable mention.

Eric S. - Nominated, but not win…Original Six Bias. Someone in Chicago or Boston that doesn’t deserve it as much will likely win.

Question: What player is MOST likely to be traded by the deadline?

Jake R. - Rickard Rakell.

Felix S. - Rickard Rakell: it doesn't feel like he's making it much of a debate for the front office.

CJ W. - Josh Manson.

Mike D. - Josh Manson.

Robert M. - It pains me to say this, but Rickard Rakell. His price tag is too desirable for a contender. It's possible the Ducks COULD trade him and bring him back if they want, but not likely. Honorable mention to Josh Manson, because he just hasn't been great. He's not going to net a huge return though.

Eric S. - Rickard Rakell. Perfect depth wing addition for a team looking to make a deep run on an affordable deal.

Question: What upcoming UFA player is MOST likely to sign a contract extension?

Jake R. - Josh Manson because I think he is the most likely to take a hometown discount to stay.

Felix S. - Nicolas Deslauriers.

CJ W. - Rickard Rakell.

Mike D. - Hampus Lindholm.

Robert M. - If Rakell is traded, it's Josh Manson.

Eric S. - Hampus Lindholm. Might be an unpopular pick considering his potential trade value, but his value as a current blue liner in Anaheim might outweigh those futures with how the Ducks look currently.

Question: Which upcoming UFA player (if any) is MOST likely to walk in upcoming free agency?

Jake R. - Hampus Lindholm.

Felix S. - Hampus Lindholm.

CJ W. - Lindholm.

Mike D. - Rickard Rakell.

Robert M. - Hampus Lindholm. He wants to win, and he is besties with Rakell. If Rakell isn't around, I can see Lindholm testing the market.

Eric S. - Josh Manson. If the Ducks don’t find a buyer at the deadline, I can’t imagine that he doesn’t at least give the market a test to see what kind of deals he gets offered.

Question: Will the Ducks make the playoffs? If yes, how far?

Jake R. - Yes, lose round 2.

Felix S. - Yes, lose round 2.

CJ W. - Yes, lose round 2.

Mike D. - Yes, lose round 2.

Robert M. - Yes, lose round 3.

Eric S. - Yes, lose round 2.

Question: What is one bold take you have for the Ducks for the rest of this season?

Jake R. - The Ducks move all three of their pending UFAs and use those assets to get Jakob Chychrun.

Felix S. - They sell off their UFA's at the trade deadline, flip the return into roster upgrades, finish second in the division, and win a playoff round.

CJ W. - Troy Terry finishes top 3 in goals in the NHL.

Mike D. - The Ducks finish 2nd behind Vegas in the Pacific and defeat Calgary in Game 7 at Honda Center in the first round.

Robert M. - They will make it to the Western Conference Finals and we will finally get to see #BigBoomingShot play a game for Anaheim.

Eric S. - Trevor Zegras scores two Michigan goals in the second half of the season.

And there you have it! Thanks for joining us on this fun adventure! Remember to checkout the Crash The Pond Podcast on your favorite podcast locations or check us out LIVE Mondays at 8pm PST on Twitch at www.twitch.tv/crashthepond.