Fansided

Ranking each Stanley Cup playoff team’s chances of winning it all

By Adam Strangis

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created with a smartphone.) The Stanley Cup is seen on display during the PreGame
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created with a smartphone.) The Stanley Cup is seen on display during the PreGame /
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EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 25: Ryan Getzlaf #15 and Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate after winning the game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 25, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 25: Ryan Getzlaf #15 and Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate after winning the game against the Edmonton Oilers on March 25, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

11. Anaheim Ducks 

Second in the Pacific, 44-25-13

Why they can win – It’s always funny how teams like the Ducks can get right around the 100-point barrier but fly under the radar. Maybe it’s an East Coast bias thing, since many of their games don’t start until very late out East. The duo of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have some help in the form of young gun Rickard Rakell, who actually led Anaheim in points this season. That only happened because Getzlaf missed some time with injury but Rakell still gets credit. When he was on the ice, Getzlaf was slightly over a point a game player. That will need to continue in the playoffs.

They have a solid, if unspectacular supporting cast around them. Guys like Ondrej Kase and Jakob Silfverberg will have to step up and do a little more. The defense is going to really miss Cam Fowler, who’s out injured and it’s unclear when he’ll be back in the lineup. Can a corps led by Hampus Lindholm hold up for long? In net, John Gibson and Ryan Miller were a solid tandem on the season. So solid that they in fact had a virtually identical goals against and save percentage.

Why they can’t – Despite Getzlaf, Perry and Rakell, the Ducks lack any significant offensive punch. This is evidenced by the fact that are the lowest scoring team in the field and the margin for error every night is razor-thin. If they get down early in a game, can they muster enough goals to get back into it? The goaltending situation has been fine all year but one of Gibson or Miller will likely need to raise their game to get Anaheim deep into the playoffs. Gibson fought an upper body injury late in the season. It remains to be seen if that has any lingering effects.

X- Factor – Adam Henrique: The Ducks really need a secondary option offensively that they can lean on and Henrique is one of the very few who can do it. He’s generally been at over half a point a game during his career. Still only 28, he can be the man that gives teams more to think about than the big three. Anaheim would be far more dangerous with Henrique playing well. If he’s not, it becomes easier on the opposition to contain Getzlaf and Perry. That would likely make for an early out for the Ducks.

First Round Matchup – San Jose Sharks; Sharks won the regular season 3-0-1

This isn’t the best draw for the Ducks in the first round. However, three of the four games between these rivals were one-goal affairs. Anaheim doesn’t have the same amount of playmakers and goal scorers on their squad. They don’t have a Brent Burns and that could make all the difference.

Prediction – Sharks in 7

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