I have to admit that the NHL season kinda snuck up on me this year. In my own defense it would be easy to forget that there is even a sport called hockey living down here in the swamps of Louisiana. Everything here is football, football and more football. Don't get me wrong, I love football but there are other exciting sports and ice hockey is probably the most exciting that there is.
There is probably no way that I'm going to turn these crazy Cajuns into hockey fans but I feel that for the sake of their own souls I will have to try.
That being said it's time to get to the point at hand. The 2021 NHL season started this week and my Anaheim Ducks started off on the right track by beating Winnipeg 4-1.
It seems like a million years since the Ducks brought the Stanley Cup home in 2007. Last years team was a disappointment so just qualifying for the playoffs this year would be a welcome improvement.
From The Orange County Register: Ducks 2021-22 preview: John Gibson says time is now for a turnaround
John Gibson planted both feet firmly on the ground and spoke his mind one day during training camp. He said he was tired of losing. He said it had become too widely accepted among his teammates. He said it was time for some of them to play larger roles. He didn’t waver, speaking with conviction, with passion.
“I just want to win,” said Gibson, the only two-time All-Star goaltender in Ducks’ history. “The last few years, I’m tired of it (losing). Hopefully, going into this year, we can start off right and turn the ship around because I think if you ask anyone in there (the dressing room), they’re tired of losing.
“I know I am.”
The Ducks were a Stanley Cup contender when Gibson made his NHL debut late in the 2013-14 season, shutting out the Vancouver Canucks in his debut April 7, 2014 at Honda Center. In time, he would win the net and become the latest in a line of superb Ducks goalies.
The good times ended with a first-round sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks in the 2017-18 playoffs, though. The Ducks haven’t had a winning season since then, tumbling into last place in the Pacific Division with a franchise-worst .384 winning percentage and 17-30-9 record in 2020-21.
Going into this season, outside expectations are for another losing season. The Ducks are no one’s idea of a championship contender and it’s anticipated they’ll miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, a franchise first.
“We’ve got to turn the tide,” Gibson said. “I think you have to go into every year fresh. If you go into this year dwelling on last year, you’re not going to have success. So, I think you’ve got to come in fresh every year and go into it with the mindset that we want to be a competitive team and want to make the playoffs.”
“I just want to win,” said Gibson, the only two-time All-Star goaltender in Ducks’ history. “The last few years, I’m tired of it (losing). Hopefully, going into this year, we can start off right and turn the ship around because I think if you ask anyone in there (the dressing room), they’re tired of losing.
“I know I am.”
The Ducks were a Stanley Cup contender when Gibson made his NHL debut late in the 2013-14 season, shutting out the Vancouver Canucks in his debut April 7, 2014 at Honda Center. In time, he would win the net and become the latest in a line of superb Ducks goalies.
The good times ended with a first-round sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks in the 2017-18 playoffs, though. The Ducks haven’t had a winning season since then, tumbling into last place in the Pacific Division with a franchise-worst .384 winning percentage and 17-30-9 record in 2020-21.
Going into this season, outside expectations are for another losing season. The Ducks are no one’s idea of a championship contender and it’s anticipated they’ll miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, a franchise first.
“We’ve got to turn the tide,” Gibson said. “I think you have to go into every year fresh. If you go into this year dwelling on last year, you’re not going to have success. So, I think you’ve got to come in fresh every year and go into it with the mindset that we want to be a competitive team and want to make the playoffs.”
Comments
Post a Comment