Anaheim Ducks 2015-16 NHL Preview

By Josh Hill | Oct 7, 2015

May 3, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Nate Thompson (44) celebrates with his team after he scores an empty net goal against the Calgary Flames during the third period in game two of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. The Anaheim Ducks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Western Conference. Anaheim Ducks. 1. player. 105. <p class=. Central

Team MVP

Ryan Getzlaf – C

Last season the Anaheim Ducks fell short yet again in the Conference Finals and failed to get the Stanley Cup — something that could break a team’s spirit. Most of the Ducks stayed intact this summer and new pieces like Carl Hagelin have been added to help get over that postseason hump.

A lot of that will fall on Getzlaf and how well he can rally the troops while there is room to get down about the Ducks lot in hockey life. A lesser team would let the crushing defeats break them — looking at you, San Jose — while the Ducks have the makings of a squad that will bounce back and keep grinding until they get it right. That begins and ends with Ryan Getzlaf and he needs to make sure he brings this team together and holds them there.

Best Case Scenario

The Ducks can very easily win the Stanley Cup this year, which isn’t any kid of ground breaking news. The West is the better of the two conferences, and the road is a lot tougher, but Anaheim made moves this summer to get better and quicker on the ice so that they can get over the hump that has plagued them for the last few years.

Anaheim is better than every single team in the West, including Chicago and Minnesota, and if they can stay out of their own way the length of the postseason then there is absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t be Stanley Cup favorites this season.

Worst Case Scenario

The key is the Ducks staying out of their own way — something they haven’t been able to do. Whether it’s something out of their control like injuries or something like not being able to find solid or consistent goaltending, something has always gotten in the way of Anaheim making a push for the Cup and it hurts their stock.

Anaheim is better than every team in the West, this is true, but are they too good for their own safety? It’s almost as though they’re cursed to have the talent to win a Cup and have a dynasty but seemingly always find the one flaw they have and use it against themselves at the worst possible time. Another repeat of a Game 7 loss in the Conference Finals is the very definition of the worst case scenario.

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