Anaheim's long-awaited season opener comes tonight in Vegas, it's first game since COVID-19 ended the Ducks' season last March 11 when they weren't one of the 24 teams to qualify for the NHL's modified Stanley Cup Playoffs. That marked a two-year absence from the postseason, where Anaheim used to be a mainstay and perennial competitor.
The goal is to get back there, and that trek starts tonight at T-Mobile Arena in the opening of a two-game series with the Golden Knights. The double set comes as part of a compacted
56-game schedule
in which teams will only play within their newly formed divisions to reduce travel during the pandemic.
Game Notes
The Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights will be in the West Division. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when each round will be best-of-7.
Tonight marks the 21st time in franchise history the Ducks will open a season on the road and first at Vegas. Anaheim has won a club record three straight season openers dating to 2017-18, including Oct. 5, 2017 vs. Arizona (5-4), in addition to wins on Oct. 3, 2019 vs. Arizona (2-1) and Oct. 3, 2018 at San Jose (5-2).
Tonight's opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights, embark on their fourth season as a franchise tonight. In their first, they went to the Stanley Cup Final. Last season, they won the Pacific Division for the second time in their three seasons, losing in the Western Conference Final to Dallas.
Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf comes into the new campaign 23 points shy of tying Teemu Selanne (988) for Anaheim's all-time points record and 35 points shy of becoming the first player in Ducks history to record 1,000 points with the franchise.
Anaheim's 20-man roster includes 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.
The Ducks six-man taxi squad will include three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender.
Roster is below, but
click here for full roster
.
Forwards
12 Sonny Milano
14 Adam Henrique
15 Ryan Getzlaf
20 Nicolas Deslauriers
23 Sam Steel
24 Carter Rowney
33 Jakob Silfverberg
38 Derek Grant
43 Danton Heinen
48 Isac Lundestrom
49 Max Jones *
61 Troy Terry
67 Rickard Rakell
Defensemen
2 Brendan Guhle *
4 Cam Fowler
22 Kevin Shattenkirk
28 Jani Hakanpaa
32 Jacob Larsson
42 Josh Manson
47 Hampus Lindholm
Goalies
30 Ryan Miller
36 John Gibson
Taxi SquadForwards
21 David Backes
40 Vinni Lettieri
53 Max Comtois
Defenseman
44 Kodie Curran
45 Andy Welinski
Goalies
41 Anthony Stolarz
* Brendan Guhle and Max Jones will begin the season injured.
