The 2024-25 season kicks off for the Anaheim Geese on Friday (Oct. 11) in San Jose. Expectations aren’t excessive for the Geese, because the franchise continues to trudge by a multi-season rebuild. Regardless of the glum short-term expectations, the longer term is vibrant in Anaheim. The youth motion is in full impact, as their roster is the fifth-youngest within the NHL.
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Whereas this season could also be one other troublesome 82-game slate for the Geese, there are many causes to remain invested. As Anaheim will get prepared to start the season, right here’s an inventory of predictions for this upcoming marketing campaign — from the participant who scores essentially the most objectives, to the group’s closing place within the standings.
Most Objectives: Cutter Gauthier
Cutter Gauthier was introduced into Anaheim to attain objectives. Common supervisor Pat Verbeek mentioned as a lot within the hours after the bombshell commerce that noticed the Philadelphia Flyers’ fifth general decide despatched to Anaheim in trade for Jamie Drysdale. A 12 months after torching the NCAA with 38 objectives in 41 video games for Boston Faculty, Gauthier is prepared for the subsequent step in his growth and already has a outstanding function in Anaheim’s lineup.
How typically will a rookie lead their group in objectives? In Anaheim, it’s occurred as soon as — a 20-year-old Paul Kariya recorded 18 objectives throughout the group’s second season in 1994-95. The present model of the Geese is determined for goal-scoring, however not fairly the identical magnitude a Nineteen Nineties enlargement membership may need felt. This probably advantages Gauthier, as he’ll get the advantages of skating alongside Anaheim’s high playmakers whereas going through no actual competitors because the membership’s high left wing possibility.
Different potential candidates embrace Troy Terry, a former 37-goal scorer, although his numbers have dropped in consecutive seasons since this career-high. Frank Vatrano led the group with 37 objectives a season in the past. A pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), Vatrano is a probable candidate to be moved by the commerce deadline.
Most Factors: Trevor Zegras
Some severe consideration ought to be given to Mason McTavish, who appears poised for a breakout. Nevertheless, the slight edge goes to Trevor Zegras, who led the group in scoring throughout the 2022-23 season. 2023-24 was a catastrophe for Zegras, however a bounce-back is the expectation for the 23-year-old playmaker.
Zegras mustn’t solely return to type, however he ought to be capable to construct upon the figures he reached in his first few seasons. His career-high is 65 factors. Solely two Geese gamers have exceeded 70 factors within the final decade — Ryan Getzlaf (twice) and Terry.
Group MVP: Lukas Dostal
All through their rebuild, Anaheim’s on-ice success has been measured by how far the goaltending can shoulder the remainder of the group. John Gibson has been the face of this thankless activity, backstopping an offense that failed to provide ample purpose help. He might be lacking the beginning of the season whereas recovering from emergency appendectomy surgical procedure, and in consequence, Lukas Dostal might be seeing a heavy workload within the interim.
Even when Gibson returns to the lineup, this could possibly be the season Dostal asserts himself as Anaheim’s high goaltender — or on the very least the 1A to Gibson’s 1B. The beginning distribution final season was surprisingly shut with Gibson having a 44-38 edge.
Largest Leap: Pavel Mintyukov
Certainly one of Anaheim’s most spectacular rookies from a season in the past was defenseman Pavel Mintyukov. The tenth general decide from the 2022 NHL Draft, he shortly asserted himself as essentially the most gifted two-way defender on the roster. He completed with 28 factors in 63 video games, with 19 factors within the first 40 video games earlier than struggling a separated shoulder.
Getting into his second season, Mintyukov is able to assume a fair bigger function. As a rookie, he logged 122 minutes on the facility play, trailing solely Cam Fowler. As Fowler’s obligations proceed to decrease, Mintyukov goes to get loads of time and scoring alternatives whereas on Anaheim’s high energy play. His growth because the unit’s quarterback is pivotal to the Geese’ rebuild, and he’ll be given loads of room to develop.
Most Impactful Newcomer: Robby Fabbri
We’ll take into account a newcomer right here to be somebody taking part in their first sport for Anaheim this season, ruling out a few of final season’s late arrivals like Gauthier or Olen Zellweger. It was a quiet offseason for the Geese, and solely three new names are on the opening roster. Robby Fabbri, the one new ahead, has one of the best likelihood to make a constructive impression on his new membership.
Fabbri is the kind of participant the Geese must combine into their lineup to climb out of the rebuild. On a robust roster, he tops out as a third-line ahead with a little bit little bit of a scoring contact. Anaheim’s roster remains to be a piece in progress, so he’ll probably have a bigger function, particularly as accidents happen all through the season.
As a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), Fabbri’s impression can also be measured by his return if he’s dealt by the commerce deadline.
Huge Transaction Not Involving a UFA: Cam Fowler
Anaheim’s vaunted defensive pipeline is beginning to get clogged. This was inevitable — there are extra prospects than positions accessible, to not point out the unlikelihood of icing (and ultimately paying) a blue line of all under-23s. Ultimately, the Geese should decide concerning their prospects. Within the meantime, Fowler could possibly be the odd man out on the blue line.
Fowler leads Anaheim defensemen in most statistical classes, together with video games performed, objectives, assists and blocked pictures. After signing an eight-year deal within the 2017 offseason, he’s had the unenviable activity because the membership’s de facto high defenseman whereas his fellow blueliners have been traded away within the identify of the rebuild. With Mintyukov, Zellweger, and Tristan Luneau increasing upon their roles with the NHL membership, Fowler’s providers are certain to decrease. Elliotte Friedman prompt the Geese and Fowler could possibly be working collectively to discover a new residence for the veteran defenseman.
Factors and Standings End: 71 Factors, sixth in Pacific
Even with particular person gamers taking a step ahead of their growth, this roster remains to be a piece in progress. Anaheim completed with 59 factors final season, so a leap into the 70-point threshold could be mirrored in about 5 additional wins by comparability. Nevertheless, this received’t be mirrored in an enormous leap within the standings, as 71 factors would have positioned the Geese twenty eighth within the league a season in the past.
A sixth-place end retains Anaheim out of the underside two within the Pacific Division. The Geese have been regulars within the cellar in latest seasons, however different groups within the division could also be on the precipice of their very own rebuilds. The San Jose Sharks are continuously predicted to complete on the backside of the standings, however the Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken are two bottom-10 groups from a season in the past that might proceed their tumble. I wouldn’t be stunned if Anaheim finishes above a kind of groups.
