The Anaheim Ducks are only 15 games into the 2024-25 season, but their offensive production has been disappointing. Expectations are low for the rebuilding Ducks, but two or fewer goals in nine games is a big factor in their 5-7-2 record. Sunday night’s (Nov. 10) offensive outburst in a 4-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets marked only the second time the club scored four goals in regulation and the second time the team had a team-high 5-4 overtime victory against the team. Utah Hockey Club on October 16.
Related: Ducks’ inability to score is painfully obvious in loss to Canucks
Here are some of the numbers behind Anaheim’s rough start. While some of them suggest luck and eventual regression, others reveal systemic problems that call into question the coaches’ use of their offensive weapons.
Goals per game: 2.21 (32nd in the NHL)
The Ducks have had terrible scoring offenses over the past three seasons, and the start of this season has been no different. Through 14 contests, Anaheim’s 31 goals are not just a league low, they are nearly half of the Vegas Golden Knights’ 62 goals in as many games.
Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry are tied for the team lead with five goals apiece, but beyond those two the points gap is quickly disappearing. After a year of work, Frank Vatrano recorded only one goal. The small spine was not very productive. Mason McTavish, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov each have two goals. Trevor Zegras has scored only one goal. Cutter Gauthier has yet to find the back of the net in the NHL.
Numbers below five to five paint a bad picture for the Ducks. Their expected goals percentage (xGF%) is a league-low 42.25, and their 117 most dangerous chances rank 26th. The data backs up the eye test – Anaheim doesn’t generate many chances and those chances rarely threaten.
Shooting Percentage: 7.9% (Tied for 30th)
In a three-way tie with the New York Islanders and Nashville Predators, Anaheim’s shooting percentage of 7.9% is the lowest in the league. In a way, this was bad luck, but there was an expected downside. Vatrano’s 37-goal streak last season was fueled by a 13.6% shooting percentage and 100 more shots (272) than his closest teammate (Terry, 172). He leads the team with 40 shots on goal this season, but his one goal has him shooting at a 2.5% clip.
Gauthier is scoreless despite 35 shots on goal and a team-leading 94 shot attempts, but his 3.06 goals against (ixG) at 5-on-5 leads the team. The lack of scoring at the focal point of the offense is troubling, but he gets the job done, and the goals will come. Relegating him to the fourth line isn’t a permanent solution, though he did record the first assist on Brett Leason’s goal Sunday against the Blue Jackets.
Teams average more than three goals a game in the NHL, so the Ducks will need to put up nearly 40 shots per game at their current percentage to stay competitive most nights. Instead, they are approaching 28 per game. At a league-average 10.7 shooting percentage, they’ll likely be in that three-goal-per-game range.
Power Play: 12.5% (Tied 29th)
A good power play can make up for the deficit at 5-on-5, but Anaheim’s man advantage can’t be mistaken for a weapon. Not only are their six power play goals the second fewest in the league but there are several ways to mitigate their few accomplishments. Two power-play goals came in the same game against the 30th-ranked New York Islanders, and three of the four came against the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks.
This shouldn’t be a personnel problem, as their top-flight talent leads the way on the ice. Despite recording the fifth-most power play minutes in the league, the Ducks ranked 23rd in 26 most dangerous opportunities. There were supposed to be growing pains under new coach Rich Clune’s system, and the process continues. Vatrano was moved to the bumper on the top unit Sunday with McTavish out of the lineup and the team registered seven scoring opportunities and two critical chances in 2:37 of ice time.
Cronin Should Get More From Players
The Ducks have been the most responsible team since Greg Cronin was hired ahead of the 2023-24 season. While generating offense during the Dallas Eakins era was difficult due to the amount of time spent on defense, the players just seemed uncomfortable in Cronin’s offensive structure. Zegras rarely shows the brilliance that makes him a playmaker. McTavish’s production suffered and he continued to take bad penalties while being demoted to the fourth line before his injury. Even if Cronin has the Ducks playing a responsible game, it doesn’t show on the scoreboard and it won’t be how the team reaches its potential with its lineup anyway.
Although they were not expected to be playoff contenders, Anaheim was expected to take a step forward. NHL coaching leashes are notorious – Cronin being in the top half of the list of longest tenured coaches in less than two seasons is proof. If the offense doesn’t improve, he could be the first coach fired this season.
Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference. Enhanced data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
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