How the Ducks caught the Kings in the Pacific Division
How things can change in a hurry.
On Jan. 20, the Los Angeles Kings were cruising atop the Pacific Division, with 61 points and a cushy nine-point lead over the San Jose Sharks. The Arizona Coyotes occupied third place in the division, while the struggling Anaheim Ducks sat outside of a playoff spot, 16 points back of their division-leading rivals.
That was then, and this is now.
Related: Gibson leads red-hot Ducks to 9th straight win
The Kings have seen their lead atop the Pacific evaporate completely, sitting tied with the Ducks at 78 points with just 20 games remaining. To put the improbable shift into context, Anaheim has managed to make up 16 points in just 18 games.
| Team | On Jan. 20 | Since Jan. 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Kings | 29-13-3 | 8-8-1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 19-8-7 | 16-1-1 |
The Ducks are without a doubt the hottest team in the league right now, sporting a record of 16-1-1 - highlighted by nine consecutive victories - over the past six weeks. They've received help from the Kings, as well.
Here's how Anaheim's impressive resurgence occurred:
The Perron-Hagelin Trade
The Ducks traded forward Carl Hagelin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward David Perron on Jan. 16. The exchange paid immediate dividends, sparking a significant change in Anaheim.
Related: Ducks trade Hagelin to Penguins for Perron, Clendening
Perron recorded points in five of his first six games with the Ducks, and has continued to produce at an impressive clip. After recording just four goals and 12 assists in 43 games with the Penguins, the 27-year-old has tallied seven goals and 10 assists over 19 contests in Anaheim.
With the sudden addition of a near point-per-game producer, the Ducks were able to split up stars Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, creating a much more well-rounded top six. It also allowed iron man Andrew Cogliano to drop down a spot, forming a solid third line.
First half of the season, Ducks averaged 1.85 goals/game, last in NHL.
- Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) February 28, 2016
Since All-Star break, averaging 3.69, first in NHL.
The trade has benefited the team's top players. This is best exemplified in Getzlaf's resurgence since Perron joined him on the No. 1 unit:
| Players | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Getzlaf | 19 | 6 | 20 | 26 |
| Corey Perry | 19 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| David Perron | 19 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
| Ryan Kesler | 19 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Rickard Rakell | 19 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Sami Vatanen | 19 | 3 | 9 | 12 |
With a 16-2-1 record - including a loss in the first game - since Perron joined the lineup, the Ducks are a much better team than they were with Hagelin. They should be even better with the trade-deadline additions of Jamie McGinn and Brandon Pirri.
The Kings Have Stopped Scoring
The Kings have indirectly done their part to contribute to the Ducks' resurgence. They've been treading water for well over a month, and have a disappointing record of 8-8-1 over their last 17 games. An alarming trend has developed during their recent stretch of mediocre play: They can't seem to put the puck in the back of the net.
Los Angeles has scored just 12 goals in its last eight games. In fact, the club's five leading point producers - Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Tyler Toffoli, Jeff Carter, and Milan Lucic - have combined for just three goals during that span. This low-scoring trend dates back to Jan. 20:
| Player | Games | Goals Since Jan. 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Anze Kopitar | 16 | 5 |
| Drew Doughty | 17 | 3 |
| Tyler Toffoli | 17 | 2 |
| Jeff Carter | 17 | 2 |
| Milan Lucic | 17 | 2 |
Jonathan Quick has been solid, leading the Kings to four wins in their last five games, despite them averaging just two goals during that stretch. But their scoring woes are an indication they could very well continue to fall in the standings, perhaps even below the Sharks, who are four points back.
The Ducks and Kings will play each other in two more games before the end of the season, beginning Saturday in Los Angeles. If the past six weeks serve as any indication, Anaheim appears primed to win the Pacific for the fourth year in a row since the lockout-shortened season in 2012-13.
If the trend continues for the final 20 games of the season, Los Angeles will face a tough opening-round matchup versus San Jose, while Anaheim would very likely go up against a more favorable opponent in the Nashville Predators. While it's no easy consolation, it's a stunning and unlikely outcome of an amazing resurgence.
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