2022-23 NHL team preview: Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks lost 11 straight games at one point last season. GM Bob Murray resigned in November and he entered an alcohol abuse program. Pat Verbeek was named GM in February and traded Josh Manson, Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell. Ryan Getzlaf retired at the end of the season, but Trevor Zegras had a memorable rookie season and Jamie Drysdale showed significant promise as a 19-year-old.

The Ducks were anemic on offense last season, but they were more dangerous and interesting than they have been in years. Zegras, 21, had 29 points in 33 games after the All-Star break and he's flashing potential to become a star No. 1 NHL center. Terry, 24, is a prospect who scored 37 goals last year. Verbeek switched philosophies and behaved more aggressively this offseason, adding Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano and John Klingberg.

Anaheim Ducks were below average defensively in 2021-22. They traded Manson and Lindholm and have a very mobile team with lots of mobility but little snarl. The forwards are the only major physical threats.   The team should be fast and fun but will get pushed around and allow plenty of chances.

John Gibson has five years left on his contract at a $6.4 million cap hit. He has struggled recently and posted a .904 save percentage in 2021-22. Gibson is 61 out of 84 goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played at 5-on-5 in the past three years.

Dallas Eakins has been a coach for five seasons in the NHL. He has never won a playoff game. Anaheim Ducks gave him a contract extension for 2022-23. He's been promoted to the Anaheim's AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, for 2019-20.

Mason McTavish is currently playing for Canada at the World Junior Championship. He got a nine-game sample last season before being returned to major junior. Jacob Perreault, a winger drafted 27th overall in 2020, played in one NHL game last year. Olen Zellweger, who was drafted in 2021, could play in training camp.

Anaheim Ducks are looking for a new team. They traded away some players at the 2022 trade deadline and added some new ones this summer. Klingberg is a one-year contract.

John Gibson has denied the rumors of a trade. Gibson is an All-Star player, but he's expensive and the Ducks would have to pay part of his AAV for many seasons.

Max Comtois has been a healthy scratch for stretches of the season. Com tois is 23 and capable of 15-plus goals.

Anaheim Ducks have the best foundation of young players since the early days of Getzlaf and Perry. The franchise is travelling in the right direction but it's just a matter of how long the rebuild will take after Verbeek set the timeline back with his sell-off trades last season.