The Anaheim Ducks suffered a tough 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, November 28, and have now dropped seven straight games.
Although the Ducks’ 7-4-0 start to the season has lost some of its luster, they should still be prepared for ups and downs as they continue their journey toward what looks to be a promising rebuild.
For the time being, the Ducks should be far more concerned about the struggles of the American Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls and an expanding list of injured defensemen. In the most recent news and rumors roundup, we’ll talk about that and other subjects.
Ducks Lose Lyubushkin and Gudas, Their Defenders
Due to a lower-body injury, Radko Gudas, who signed a three-year, $12 million contract with Anaheim in the summer, was unable to participate in Tuesday’s game. Coach Greg Cronin of the Ducks described the injury as “very short term” during his media availability prior to the game. Gudas has contributed three goals, seven points, 27 shots on goal, 47 blocked shots, 58 hits, and an average of 18:52 of ice time per game this season. With 37 penalty minutes, he is currently ranked ninth in the league. According to reports from The Orange County Register on November 28, 2023, “Ducks’ skid reaches 7 games after loss to Canucks,” he is reportedly dealing with a knee injury that he sustained during the Ducks’ 8-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on November 26.
Ilya Lyubushkin suffered an upper-body injury late in the first period of Tuesday’s loss, meaning Anaheim lost another tough blueliner. After the game, coach Cronin did not provide an update on his condition, and he was unable to return.
Gudas’s absence meant that Tristan Luneau was in the lineup, and Lyubushkin’s early exit meant that Cam Fowler had a season-high 29:56 of ice time.
“I was proud of the way we competed when for most of the game [Lyubushkin] was out,” Cronin said after the loss. “In the second period, we came out of the locker room telling the forwards ‘you can’t make it a tough game for the [defense]’, so put everything deep and we did, we hunted pucks down, got them back and then they gave us a push in the third and we didn’t gain any momentum.”
If Gudas and Lyubushkin are unavailable, the Ducks will need to call up a blueliner before their game against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, November 30. Given that he plays a similar physical, stay-at-home style and has the ability to kill penalties, Robert Hagg is a strong candidate for the promotion. Regretfully, Olen Zellweger’s NHL debut may not be possible at this time. After 15 AHL games this season, the 20-year-old rearguard has three goals and 13 points.
Gulls Eventually End Their Losing Run
Before the Gulls finally got back into the win column on Saturday, Nov. 25, with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves, they were stuck in a 13-game winless streak (0-11-2). In his first AHL start, Tomas Suchanek, a standout performer for the Ducks in the 2023 Rookie Faceoff Tournament, stopped 23 shots in a 3-1 victory. After attending training camp with the Ducks, Suchanek decided to sign an AHL contract with the Gulls. He has played the majority of the 2023–24 season with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL. He has a 3-3-0 record, a 2.68 goals-against average, and a.908 save percentage in six games with the Oilers.
The Gulls’ game-winning goal was scored by Hagg, and captain Chase De Leo assisted on the play. De Leo made his season debut after being placed on the Ducks’ injured non-roster list at the beginning of the season. Arthur Kaliyev of the Los Angeles Kings was suspended for four games due to a sprained MCL sustained during the preseason. During the previous season, De Leo, 28, played in 22 games for the Gulls and recorded nine goals and 23 points.
Sidorov, a Ducks prospect, keeps up his hot November.
2023 third-round pick (85th overall) Yegor Sidorov has been racking up goals in the Western Hockey League this season for the Saskatoon Blades. He has lit the lamp a league-leading 24 times through 24 games and has also been credited with a league-high 127 shots on goal.
Sidorov has been all over the scoresheet in November. He has also provided nine assists this season. He started the month on a six-game goal streak and has scored 16 goals in 13 games, including three hat tricks. On Wednesday, Nov. 29, he will try to increase that total against the Spokane Chiefs.
Ducks Still Searching for Answers
The Ducks’ inability to score goals has been a major issue during their losing streak; in six of their last seven games, they have been held to two goals or fewer. Despite the team’s strong start, there were red flags. While it is undoubtedly disappointing to see Trevor Zegras out of the starting lineup, he didn’t contribute many points while he was there, and it is still unknown when he will be able to play again. For the last two games, Leo Carlsson has been left off the field as he works through the Ducks’ development plan. Although he has only contributed one assist in his last four games, he has the ability to be a sparkplug.
Coach Cronin has expressed concern about the Ducks’ shot total of 29.0, which ranks them 27th in the league. The good news is that in three of the last four games, the team has shot more than the average amount. All that’s left to do is take advantage of as many of their opportunities as possible. Should the Ducks succeed in doing so, they ought to be able to buck another protracted losing streak for the team and emulate their top-minor league affiliate.