Ducks’ fatal flaw that must be fixed in 2024-25 season

The Anaheim Ducks have one of the most exciting rosters in the NHL. They have highly skilled offensive players like Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Leo Carlsson. Anaheim has good complementary players like Mason McTavish, Frank Vatrano, and exciting rookie Cutter Gauthier. The Ducks could use some development on their blue line, but their forwards should be the least of their concerns. However, the Ducks’ offense is undoubtedly their most fatal flaw in 2024-25.

Defense and goaltending were always known as the keys to being a successful team in the NHL. However, there has been a switch where the offense is becoming king. Ironically, the change is led by players like Zegras, bringing a flashier, less physical playstyle. If you can pinpoint a specific moment where the change happened, it’d be when Zegras scored his first lacrosse-style goal or did the flick over the net pass to Sonny Milano.

A lack of offense directly correlated to the bottom three teams in the 2023-24 standings. The Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks were far and away the worst teams last season, and their goals per game reflected it. The Ducks were third-worst in goals per game, averaging just 2.48. It’s hard to believe that a team with as much offensive talent as the Ducks was one of the worst at scoring goals.

The road to contending for the Ducks will go directly through their offense. They’ll have to improve by a goal per game to become contenders in the Western Conference. Gauthier will help that, but early in the 2024-25 season, it seems like the Ducks have the same fatal flaw as last season. Anaheim is 1-1 to start the season but scored just three goals in two games.

Is Trevor Zegras still on the trade block?

The writing was on the wall for Zegras as soon as the Ducks made Pat Verbeek and Greg Cronin their organization’s leaders. Verbeek and Cronin are old-school hockey minds, valuing physicality and grit over flash and skill. It was an immediate eyebrow-raising move, as it seemed like a poor fit for the Ducks’ roster makeup. The Ducks should have brought in a head coach and general manager to fit their prospects for a rebuilding team. However, to the surprise of no one, the new regime feels that Zegras could be a tradeable asset.

Trading Zegras as a team starving for offense is a puzzling decision. Zegras, when healthy, will be the Ducks’ most skilled weapon. He had 126 points in 156 games from 2021 to 2023. He missed just eight games over the two seasons but played only 31 last year. Zegras lacks a massive injury history, so last year’s ailment shouldn’t be a concern. Zegras will likely have a healthy season in 2024-25 and help fix the offensive issue.

Putting Zegras on the trade block would be a mistake for the Ducks but it isn’t that surprising. Zegras has mountains of skill, but his competitive level is spotty. He won’t go into the dirty areas and push anyone around, but give him the puck in the offensive zone and he’ll do something special. In the history of the NHL, Zegras isn’t a player who will win you games in the playoffs. The game gets more physical in the postseason, and Zegras could vanish when the games get hard.

I argue that the Ducks won’t have to worry about the postseason if they don’t improve on offense. Trading Zegras makes them even less likely to score goals, keeping them in the league’s basement. Argue about him being a playoff player all you want, but the Ducks have to get there for it to be an issue.

Cutter Gauthier will help the Ducks

Gauthier was one of the most controversial players in the league last season. He stopped returning Daniel Briere’s calls, which led to the Philadelphia Flyers trading him to the Ducks. It was a bold move for the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, but he signed his pro contract so the decision paid off.

Gauthier was an offensive force in the NCAA. He had 102 points over 73 games with the Boston College Eagles and has the physical makeup to carry that over to the NHL. Gauthier has just one assist over his first three career games, but the points will come as he gets more comfortable.

It’s hard to put that much pressure on a rookie’s shoulders, but Gauthier could be a massive piece of the Ducks turning it around. Leo Carlsson being more comfortable in his second year in the league should also improve their offensive output.

The Ducks can’t expect 2024-25 to be a complete turnaround, but the offense has to stop being their most fatal flaw. They have too much talent on the roster for goalscoring to be their downfall.