Team-by-Team Season Preview – Anaheim Ducks

After being bounced in game seven of the second round by the Los Angeles Kings last season, the Anaheim Ducks (Click HERE for ANA Cap Situation) beefed up their roster by adding Ryan Kesler via trade from Vancouver. The Ducks did not have to give up too much. They traded Nick Bonino, who played on their third line most of last season and Luca Sbisa who has yet to live up to his full potential. Adding Kesler gives them a bonafide one-two punch down the middle with Ryan Getzlaf, who is entering his 10th NHL season.

Anaheim finished first in the Western Conference last season, just one-point away from the Bruins for the Presidents Trophy. In addition to Kesler, the Ducks took a flier on former two-time 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley, signing him to a one-year, $1 million contract. They also signed Clayton Stoner, 29, who joins a young blueline who has three regulars under 24-years-old (Sami Vatanen, 23 / Cam Fowler, 22 / Hampus Lindholm, 20).

They have a lot of fire power up front, but for the first time in nine seasons they will not have Teemu Selanne, who retired this offseason. Getzlaf and Corey Perry finished second and fifth in NHL scoring last season. Getzlaf had 87 points and was fifth in assists with 56, while Perry racked up 82 points and was second in scoring with 43 goals. It is safe to assume each of them to play at a point-per-game pace in 2014-15 and both should be first-round picks in fantasy drafts.

They let Jonas Hiller walk in free agency in July and enter the season with an extremely young, but capable goaltending duo. Frederik Andersen, 24, was 20-5-0 with a 2.29 GAA and .923 SV% in his rookie season. John Gibson, 20, won all three of his regular season starts with a 1.33 GAA and .954 SV%. He also made four postseason starts, posting a 2-2 record with a 2.69 GAA and .919 SV%. Should either of the young netminders falter, they picked-up veteran Jason LaBarbera to fill-in.

Look to the Draft (Ranking Ducks Fantasy Players)

1. Corey Perry – RW
2. Ryan Getzlaf – C
3. Ryan Kesler – C
4. Cam Fowler – D
5. John Gibson – G
6. Frederik Andersen – G
7. Hampus Lindholm – D
8. Jakob Silfverberg – RW

Click HERE for the Ducks potential line combinations heading into the 2014-15 season. 

Season prediction: Ducks finish second in the Pacific, behind Los Angeles, but reach the 100-point plateau once again.