Taking a look at Anaheim’s side could cheer the Canadiens’ fans on.
The young Ducks team lead the Pacific section with a 17-9-5 record.
At the dawn of the season, general manager Bob Murray, fired since for his boorish ways, had yet announced a reconstruction.
The Ducks, it is true, have entered a phase of rejuvenation in 2020, among other things by ditching Corey Perry, but also without making clean house.
But bad seasons for three years have allowed them to draft two gifted young people, Trevor Zegras in 9e rank in 2019 and Jamie Drysdale in 6e rank in 2020.
Goalkeeper John Gibson, 28, has been the same for six years.
PHOTO CHARLES LECLAIRE, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
John gibson
Their top three defenders in terms of average playing time per game, Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson, are 30, 27 and 30 years old and have been with the club for at least 2014.
Ryan Getzlaf, Adam Henrique, Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg are still on the attack there, and they still have an important role to play.
Two gifted young people
Zegras, 20, who arguably prepared for the year’s goal last week, and Drysdale, 19, are making an impact, but they are well surrounded. After getting just one point in his first five games, Zegras has amassed 22 in his last 24, in the middle of a line with Sonny Milano and Rakell.
Drysdale is playing in the first pair with Hampus Lindholm and leading the first wave in power-play. He has 13 points in 24 games. Two players who were not drafted in the top five, let us remember. But Anaheim also owes its success to the genius of its amateur recruiting director, Quebecer Martin Madden Fils.
Six of the top nine forwards, the top four defensemen and the goalie were drafted by the Ducks. Anaheim would be even more powerful if they hadn’t traded Shea Theodore, William Karlsson, and Marcus Pettersson.
Developing is important
The development system has a lot to do with it as well. Troy Terry, 24, was eagerly awaited in 2018 after a spectacular career in the NCAA. He did not produce on the spot and needed to hone his craft in the American League. He has 29 points in 30 games this season in the top line with Getzlaf and Sam Steel.
Terry, Steel, Max Jones, Sam Carrick, Josh Mahura, Isac Lundestrom and Maxime Comtois all had a profitable experience during a long run in the AHL playoffs in 2019 under the current coach of the Ducks. , Dallas Eakin.
PHOTO TED S. WARREN, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Maxime Comtois and Mason McTavish
The Ducks are successful even though their top scorer last year, Maxime Comtois, 22, is having a tough season with an assist in 13 games. He has been away since mid-November after undergoing surgery to repair a broken hand.
Next year, the Ducks could welcome another top young center, Mason McTavish, third overall in 2021. McTavish started the season in Anaheim, having three points, including two goals, in nine games, touching a little in the American League, before being wisely returned to the junior ranks. He will be a leader of the Canadian team at the World Championship.
CH now
The Canadian will obviously not revive his organization by shouting scissors. The Ducks drafted well, developed well, and they already had some solid stuff in place.
In Montreal, the goalie is at the end of the course. Defense is aging. But the team have their prominent young center, Nick Suzuki. Cole Caufield seems to be gaining in confidence from match to match, the same goes for Alexander Romanov in defense. There are some good young veterans on offense, one of whom is Josh Anderson. Christian Dvorak is only 25 years old.
Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris (if he signs), Jan Mysak, Sean Farrell, Jesse Ylonen and Joshua Roy may not be superstars in the making, but still offer depth in terms of hopes.
With a quality pick this summer among the first, and another next year, who knows if Montreal and its fans could “suffer” two or three years, instead of five or six?
This daily column will take a break from today for the holiday season. Back in early January. Happy Holidays to all !
Goodbye Mattias …
A few years ago, the Canadian believed he had made a steal in the draft by betting on defender Magnus Nygren in the fourth round of the 2011 vintage. Before crossing the Atlantic, at 23, Nygren dominated in the Swedish first division with 32 points. in 51 games. Nygren did well offensively the short time he played in Hamilton, AHL on two separate stints, between 2013 and 2015, but he never really adjusted to the North American style of play and was homesick.
CH defense prospect Mattias Norlinder, 21, may already be on the plane en route to Sweden, after six games in Montreal and six in Laval. The last two were tough with the Rocket. Norlinder had already expressed his wish to join Frolunda. Still learning the rigors of the North American game would have served him better. Will we ever see him here again? His decision today certainly does not bring him closer to the NHL …