On Thursday (Jan. 4), the NHL will unveil the first group of players selected to participate in the 2024 All-Star Game in Toronto. Thirty-two players will be selected, with one representative from each team. Fans will vote in an additional 12 players throughout the rest of January. All-Star Weekend begins Feb. 2.
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If not for the league’s rule to have at least one representative from each team, the Anaheim Ducks would likely be left out of the entire weekend. At 13-23-0, they’ve had an underwhelming first half of the season, highlighted by injuries to a handful of key contributors. Even with the difficult season, Anaheim has had a few players who have stood out, as well as a few players who would simply make All-Star Weekend more fun. Here are a few Ducks players who could receive the All-Star nod.
John Gibson
In the past, John Gibson has been the go-to selection to represent the Ducks at the All-Star Game. Anaheim has struggled to score in recent years, leaving few options among their skaters. Not to mention, the Pacific Division’s goaltending has been unpredictable, and Gibson has been arguably the most reliable from year to year.
The Ducks are, once again, operating as a bottom-five offense in terms of scoring, but I doubt Gibson will receive the All-Star nod he’s been given by default in recent years. Even with the game moving away from divisions and into a draft format, he’s far from the best choice within the Pacific. Joey Daccord seems far more likely to receive a nod as a goaltender buoying an anemic offense to stay in the playoff race.
Frank Vatrano
If anyone among Anaheim’s skaters is having a breakout year, it would be Frank Vatrano. The ninth-year pro is riding a 14 percent shooting bender to the tune of 17 goals, already just seven short of his career-high. After a lull in December threatened a fall back down to Earth, he’s recently caught fire again with three goals in his last four games.
If there’s any knock on Vatrano’s case as an All-Star, it would be how he’s played without Mason McTavish. That previously mentioned scoring lull occurred while McTavish was out of the lineup, and the reality is that he has practically carried Anaheim’s second line. Vatrano and Ryan Strome have been on the ice for 90 minutes together without McTavish and have yet to record a goal at 5-on-5. However, it isn’t likely the NHL will dip into advanced statistics, so Vatrano’s goals and points could be enough to warrant the All-Star nod.
Trevor Zegras
Trevor Zegras has an interesting case to be a focal point of All-Star Weekend. The 22-year-old playmaker is the perfect kind of player to participate in the newly revamped All-Star Skills event. If he performs well enough in the first six events, he’d have a chance to show off his shootout skills like he did two years ago. NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said he wanted the players participating to have personality while being competitive, a description that seems tailor-made for Zegras.
The change to the All-Star Skills format also significantly reduces the amount of players participating in the competition. Only 12 players across the league will participate, so there are bound to be plenty of snubs. Zegras only has five points in 16 games, so his body of work is far from All-Star caliber. Fans of other teams will rightfully be annoyed if he is shown some sort of preferential treatment over someone who has comfortably outperformed him throughout this season.
Mason McTavish
My top candidate for the Ducks would be McTavish. Not only has he carried Anaheim’s second line, as previously mentioned, but he’s a young player with legitimate star potential. With 24 points in 29 games, he’s the Ducks’ closest player to the point-per-game threshold.
If the NHL wants to highlight the Ducks in some sort of positive way, an All-Star nod to McTavish is the most appropriate. While the on-ice results have been poor, the rebuild is heading in the right direction. McTavish’s development is a positive sign. His style of play is reminiscent of Ryan Getzlaf, who represented Anaheim in three All-Star Games throughout his 17-year career.
While only one Ducks player will be announced initially, there is a chance Anaheim could see additional representation through the fan vote. Troy Terry was one of four players voted in by fans in 2022, and one of McTavish or Vatrano is likely on the ballot after the other makes the initial roster. With the number of players being voted in jumping up to 12, there’s a fair chance both end up in Toronto in February.