What Went Wrong: Ducks Amucks

This year's Stanley Cup Playoffs has, so far, been quite amazing and memorable, as we enter the final day of the Division Finals and prepare for the Conference Finals. One of the attributes that has made this year so fascinating is the fact that the Anaheim Ducks actually made it. It had been a tortuous drought for the Ducks, which included being one of the seven teams who missed out of the modified "bubble" playoffs in 2020.

It looked like this year would be more of the same, but the Ducks actually found themselves in first place in the Pacific for a good bit. Granted, they did drop a bit in the home stretch, but it wasn't a bad drop. They and their freeway rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, snagged the last two playoff spots remaining, marking an end to what the third longest running playoff drought in the NHL. They hadn't been in the playoffs since 2018, and they hadn't advanced since 2017. They drew the Oilers in the Pacific Semifinals, and not only did they stymie the Oilers, they actually beat them! Six games!

See, Kings? It's easy to beat Edmonton in Round 1. And the Ducks didn't even win Game One and still did it!

The Ducks reached the Pacific Final and faced the Vegas Golden Knights; salvaging a split in the first two games. Series shifted to The OC, but it was a California nightmare for the Ducks. Game Three saw them trounced on their ice, but they would win Game Four to get another split. Game Five saw the Ducks score first, but they played terribly for the most part. They did make it to OT, but Vegas took that game, and Game Six saw the Ducks completely run out of gas and get blown out on home ice.

The Ducks' season ended on Thursday, May 14, 2026, but the team has a lot to be happy about. The years of building, the years of waiting, they were rewarded very handsomely. A playoff appearance for the first time since 2018. A series win for the first time since 2017. A series win over a team who represented the Western Conference two years straight in the Stanley Cup Final. A bright future with a bunch of young stars.

The Ducks do have quite the group, indeed. Cutter Gauthier led the way during this run with 12 points (4G/8A), one of five players to have at least 10 points. This included longtime Duck Troy Terry, who had 11 points (3G/8A). Regarding other players, Beckett Sennecke, a Calder Trophy finalist, had six points, but five of them went in the net, tying him with Mikael Granlund for the team lead in goals. The player who stood out the most to me in all of this is Ryan Poehling. He only had five points, but four of them went in the net, and that included the insane overtime winner in Game Four against the Oilers.

The Ducks, again, have a lot to be proud of this season. This campaign was unexpected. This year was supposed to be yet another rebuilding year, another year that would have resulted in many people saying, "They're almost there!," but they turned it into a surprising playoff appearance and an advancement to the NHL's Elite Eight. I can honestly see the Ducks being a perennial playoff team, especially if they make some strong moves for next season. For now, Orange County can rejoice. The Ducks are back, and they are stronger, faster, grittier, and ready to really make some noise next year and beyond.