After a Saturday matinee against the Ottawa Senators, the Anaheim Ducks finished off their five-game road trip last night with a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings and their pair of Calder Trophy contenders, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider.
Gibson Passes Hiller on Ducks’ All-Time Wins List
John Gibson could very well be deemed the Ducks’ greatest goaltender of all time when all is said and done. He played his way to third on the Ducks’ all-time wins list after stopping 44 of 45 shots on Saturday against the Senators. He’s been terrific this season after a couple of subpar campaigns in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Gibson moved past Jonas Hiller on the all-time wins list with his 163rd career win and will now set his sights on passing Guy Hebert, who won 173 games during his tenure with the Ducks. Jean-Sébastien Giguère, who helped lead the Ducks to two Stanley Cup Finals and a Stanley Cup championship during the 2006-07 season, is the current all-time wins leader with 206 victories.
Manson Leaves Senators Game with Injury
Josh Manson left Saturday’s game early after taking a hard hit against the boards and did not return. He missed Monday’s game against the Red Wings with what has been referred to as a finger injury. It’s unknown how long Manson will be out for.
With last night being the Ducks’ final game before the All-Star break, Manson may be able to return to the lineup following the break. There has been plenty of trade interest in the defenseman, and the status of his injury following the break may impact whether he stays or goes at the trade deadline.
Ducks Interested in UDFA Guzda
The Ducks are one of the top teams in the league when it comes to having quality starting goaltenders. The aforementioned trio of Giguère, Hebert, and Hiller are just a few names that have come through Anaheim, along with Frederik Anderson and their current starter, Gibson.
The Ducks are showing interest in Mack Guzda, an overage goaltender currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Barrie Colts. The Ducks aren’t the only team showing interest, though. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek tweeted on Jan. 29 that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes are also interested in signing the undrafted free agent.
The Ducks currently have Lukáš Dostál, Olle Eriksson Ek, and Gage Alexander in the pipeline, but it wouldn’t hurt to potentially add another quality goaltender to the mix.
Rakell Passes Ryan on Ducks’ All-Time Goals Scored List
He might not be the 30-goal scorer of yesteryear, but Rickard Rakell can still score goals in spurts. He’s been doing that recently with goals against the Senators and Red Wings.
His latest goal against Detroit moved him into sixth on the Ducks’ all-time goals scored list after his goal on Saturday tied him with Bobby Ryan for sixth on the list. With 148 goals to his career in the NHL, Rakell is just six goals away from passing Steve Rucchin (153) for fifth on the Ducks’ all-time goals scored list. There’s a good chance he’ll reach that mark by the end of the season.
Verbeek Top Candidate for Ducks’ GM Position?
The Ducks are expected to nail down a permanent general manager within the next month, and Pat Verbeek may be the name at the top of that list, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Verbeek spent 20 seasons in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup during the 1998-1999 season with the Dallas Stars. A two-time All-Star, Verbeek was also captain of the Hartford Whalers for four seasons. Following his playing career, Verbeek was a part-time color analyst for the Red Wings before leaving that position and becoming a scout for the team in 2006.
Verbeek was recruited by longtime friend and former teammate Steve Yzerman in 2010 to join the Tampa Bay Lightning front office. Verbeek has worked alongside Yzerman ever since and moved to Detroit after the latter became the Red Wings’ general manager. Verbeek currently serves as the general manager of the Red Wings’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, and also serves as the Red Wings’ assistant general manager.
Yzerman is widely considered one of the top general managers in the league, so bringing in someone who has worked under the tutelage of the former Red Wing would be an ideal outcome for the Ducks.
Related: Ducks Prospects: Zellweger, McTavish & More
Monday was the Ducks’ final game before the All-Star break, and they won’t be back until Feb. 11, when they take on the Seattle Kraken at home. Gibson, Troy Terry, and Trevor Zegras will all be taking part in All-Star Weekend this Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas.
