After a disappointing season for the Ducks in 2019/2020, they made some big moves to ensure they got back into the playoffs.  Despite trading for Anze Kopitar, Josh Morrissey, and Adam Gaudette, then adding Kyle Palmieri and TJ Oshie in free agency, the Anaheim Ducks missed the playoffs again with an identical 81 point season.

There was a lot of optimism heading into the year that Anaheim had added star talent to increase goal scoring, but the team finished 22nd in goals for and 21st on the powerplay.  On the defensive side however, things looked good.  The Ducks were 9th best in goals against, had the 7th best penalty kill, and starter Connor Hellebuyck finished tied for 7th in goals against average for goalies playing at least 40 games.  Ultimately it was their underwhelming offence and problems winning the big games that killed their playoff hopes.  This is the first time in franchise history the Ducks have missed the playoffs twice in a row and only the third time overall.

So what’s next?  The team already traded away picks to Seattle for the Kraken to select Chris Tierney to save others in the expansion draft.  TJ Oshie, Kyle Palmieri, and Alex Stalock lead the UFA group and will all likely be gone.  Gaudette, Kerfoot, and Peterson are the main restricted free agents.  There’s a lot of talk that Brent Burns might be on the move, which would be a major shakeup for this group.  He has 732 career points – 425 of those with Anaheim – but the Ducks are looking to put him in play.  He is still very effective, having put up 61 points this past season, just outside the top ten for defenders league wide.

In goal, Hellebuyck and Peterson appear to be solidified as the tandem, with Nurse, Morrissey, and Severson as the main group on defence.  The bigger questions remain up front, as Kopitar has come up in trade discussions, and no one appears to be safe.  The Ducks will be making changes, that much is clear, it is just a question of how big will those changes be?