Things are looking good again in Anaheim: a new member of the Ducks has been named an Olympian, several key players are back in action and despite some new and lingering injuries, they have found their way to a five-game winning streak. We’ll look at all these updates in detail in this week’s edition of News & Rumors.
Lacombe a new Olympian
It was announced on Wednesday that defenseman Jackson LaCombe has been named to Team USA and will take the international stage at this year’s Winter Olympics. He replaces Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones, who was recently transferred to the wounded reserve (IR) and will not be able to participate in the upcoming tournament.
LaCombe, 25, is the third-youngest defenseman on the U.S. team. This will be his first appearance at the Olympics and his third time representing his countryas he has also played on World Junior Championship and World Men’s Championship teams. The blue liner has had two solid seasons with the Ducks after getting off to a great start as a rookie.
Last season he established himself as a two-way defenseman, posting 43 points in 75 games. This season he serves as alternate captain and recently signed an eight-year contract extension. He has collected 31 points in 50 games and is on pace to finish the season with over 50 points.
“It was always (a dream),” LaCombe said of his Olympic candidacy. “It is clear that you are looking at the miracle (Miracle on ice) film. You just see all the teams that played before. Anytime you get to represent Team USA, it’s obviously a dream come true and special, and I’m just really excited. ”
Head coach Joel Quenneville was happy to see a sixth member of his team go to the Olympics. “I think everyone is happy for him,” he said. “He has been very good in this last bit here. Everyone is supporting him. He is a very likeable boy, and he is also one of the boys. That is a great opportunity. Last year he had a small chance at the World Championships and he did well.”
LaCombe and Team USA begin their hunt for gold when the Olympic hockey tournament begins on February 11.
Injury updates – Carlsson, Terry, McTavish
While Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier have returned, Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish have gone out. The good news: McTavish does listed as daily after missing Wednesday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Jansen Harkins was included in the line-up in the absence of the attacker.
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Unfortunately, Carlsson will be out for approximately three to five weeks after undergoing a procedure to treat a lesion on his femur. The Ducks are obviously behind, but depending on his recovery timeline, he could also miss the Olympics. With the tournament officially starting in two weeks, he must recover quickly to be 100% fit for the Games.
Terry was placed on IR (retroactive to January 6) with an upper body injury. Now that the mandatory seven-day IR period has passed, he can return when he is healthy. He has not taken the ice in Colorado, but is traveling with the team on their five-game road trip. according to Patrick Present.
A winning streak blossoms
The Ducks have overcome their midseason slump and are now in the midst of a five-game winning streak. They have overtaken the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers in the regular season, as well as the Los Angeles Kings in both overtime and a shootout. They recently defeated the Avalanche in a shootout, winning 2-1. These wins are much-needed and have moved the team back to a third-place playoff position in the Pacific Division.
Even in the absence of key players like Carlsson, Terry and McTavish, Anaheim has found what works and stuck with it. Lukas Dostal stands on his head match after match, robbing opponents of what should be certain goals. Points come from all over the ice, with both forwards and defensemen scoring goals and providing assists in every game.
Young players like Beckett Sennecke and Gauthier have been offensive weapons lately. Sennecke has four points in the last five games, and Gauthier scored two goals against the Rangers, his 21st and 22nd goals of the season. Even the team’s newest member, Jeffrey Viel, has two goals: he’s scored just five in his NHL career.
The team is clicking again and wants to finish strong for the Olympic break. They’ll go for their sixth win against the Seattle Kraken on Friday and end the road trip against the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.
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