3 reasons why Anaheim Ducks are No.1 in Pacific Division, boasting an 11-3-1 record ft. The Quenneville Effect

The Anaheim Ducks are the surprise leaders of the Pacific Division following a decisive 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night at the Honda Center. The win brought the Ducks’ record to 11-3-1 for 23 points. That’s five points ahead of the second-place Vegas Golden Knights.

While the Ducks were expected to improve this season, few analysts could have predicted the Ducks being this good. The Ducks have seemingly come out of the rebuild and are looking poised to contend in the Western Conference with the likes of the Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Dallas Stars.

So, let’s take a closer look at three reasons why the Anaheim Ducks are the leaders of the Pacific Division at this point in the season.

3 reasons why Anaheim Ducks lead Pacific Division

#3 Lukas Dostal

Let’s start with the team’s MVP, goaltender Lukas Dostal. The Ducks had enough faith in Dostal to trade John Gibson away and then sign the young netminder to a contract extension.

Thus far, Dostal has been money in the bank. He’s got a 2.66 GAA and a .908 SV% to go with eight wins. The numbers may not seem overwhelming, but he’s had brilliant games for Anaheim this season. Sunday night’s win was an example of that. He also made 33 saves against the New Jersey Devils on November 2, surrendering just one goal. Dostal has made 30+ saves seven times this season.

The 25-year-old has provided the solid goaltending the Ducks have lacked for a while. Dostal’s numbers should improve as the defense in front of him continues to play better.

#2 Scoring throughout the lineup

The Anaheim Ducks have been getting scoring up and down the lineup. That’s something the team has not had in a long time. Leo Carlsson leads the way with 10 goals and 25 points in 15 games. He looks like the real deal as he emerges as a top-line center.

Also, Cutter Gauthier has seemingly taken the next step. He’s got 11 goals and 20 points, while veterans Troy Terry and Chris Kreider are third and fourth in scoring on the team, respectively.

Even veteran blueliner Jacob Trouba has had a bounce-back year so far, racking up four goals and 10 points in 15 games. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise has been rookie Beckett Sennecke. The former third-overall pick as six goals and 11 points in 15 games.

All told, the Ducks are getting scoring from various sources in their lineup. That makes them one of the most balanced teams in the league this season.

#1 The Quenneville Effect

The Anaheim Ducks’ controversial hiring of coach Joel Quenneville looks like the move that has pushed the club over the top. Quenneville’s championship pedigree has allowed the Ducks to play with the structure and confidence they lacked under previous coaches.

While the club has been winning games more through offense than solid defense, the pieces are there to sustain their success. The Ducks have bought into Quenneville’s structured, all-around system, making a balanced team.

The biggest question will be whether the Anaheim Ducks can sustain their current level of play. Considering they are still a young team with some veterans mixed in, there’s always the risk that the team could fade down the stretch.

At this point, the Ducks look like a playoff team. As long as they can stick to Quenneville’s game plan, they will have a good chance at making it back to the postseason.