Sports Interaction
Promotions
Sports Interaction
Promotions

Mighty Anaheim Ducks: Best Bets for a Surprising Team

  • Edgar Chaput's Author profile. Edgar Chaput

Add Sports Interacton as Your Preferred News Source

A month of hockey supplies a decent amount of data to draw some conclusions, however early, about all 32 NHL teams. The Bruins, Golden Knights, Avalanche, and Hurricanes are as good as they have been for years. The Oilers and Flames have disappointed.

Conversely, some clubs are performing beyond expectations. The Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings come to mind. Another is the Anaheim Ducks. They’ve been a bottom feeder for a handful of seasons by now. Anaheim last earned a postseason berth during the 2017-2018 campaign. The months ahead will reveal just how much better the Ducks have become, but after 12 games and a 7-5 record, they are a legitimately tough outing for any opponent. Furthermore, they’re an incredible 9-3 ATS.

So what is so special about this oft-overlooked club and what upcoming props should players take note of?

Check out our NHL odds for plenty of hockey action.

Anaheim Ducks Improvements

A team can’t grow from one season to the next without doing specific things better than before.

In 2022-2023, Anaheim had the second-worst offence in the NHL, scoring only 2.51 goals per match. They also conceded an alarming 4.09, which slotted them dead last among all 32 franchises. Not helping matters was their 28th ranking in total shot attempts and the fact that opponents fired the most shots at their net all season.

Through 12 contests, Anaheim is netting 3.08 goals a night, which is middle-of-the-pack but a lot better than last year. Frank Vatrano is having a breakout season thus far, having already scored nine times. Mason McTavish is close behind him with six markers. Four players have at least 10 points: Vatrano (12), McTavish (13), Ryan Strome (11), and Troy Terry (10).

The biggest improvement is in goals conceded. Anaheim is suddenly a stout unit concerning the prevention of other teams scoring on them. It starts with shots allowed, and Anaheim currently ranks as the ninth-best team in the NHL. As for goals, on average they give up 2.83 per tilt, a full 1.2 goals less per game than last year. What’s more, that average is good for ninth league-wide. The collective save percentage is a terrific .920, which puts them seventh.

Veteran John Gibson and third-year player Lukas Dostal share goaltending duties. Gibson isn’t winning many games (2-4) but his GAA is only 2.41 and save percentage .921. Dostal is earning the glory with a 5-1 record and a respectable 2.80 GAA.

Only three players on the roster who participated in all 12 matches have a negative +/-. This is radically different from a year ago when virtually everyone on the team had horrendous +/- figures, many below minus 20.

Anaheim Ducks Best Bets

With all that in mind, and given that the Ducks are healthy, what are some of the best bets on the horizon?

It’s a little late to talk about Friday night’s game at home to the Philadelphia Flyers (whom they buzz sawed 7-4 a few weeks ago in Philly), but the San Jose Sharks come up right after. That’s on Sunday night, November 12. That sounds like as good an opportunity to take the puckline as ever. If any points props come up for players like Vatrano and McTavish, those are likely as well. The Sharks are awful this season on both ends.

They visit Nashville on Tuesday, November 14. Considering how much Anaheim has improved on defence and in the net and that the Predators have Juuse Saros (assuming he plays), the under is probably a smart move here.

The Ducks venture to Colorado on Wednesday, November 15 to play the Avalanche. This one might be a big ask. Might be best to stay away from this except for any potential saves prop, as in the number of saves the starting goalies will perform. Keep the over in mind.

Lastly, in exactly a week, the club returns home for a Friday night date with the Florida Panthers. Florida has been decent but not great so far. They’ve played worse on the road than at home, which is the opposite of how they did in the playoffs last year en route to the Final. This would be another feather in the Ducks’ cap should they pull it off. Based on how they’ve faired so far, there’s no reason to believe they can’t, even against the puckline.