Promising Anaheim Ducks goalie steals starting job

Not many predicted the Anaheim Ducks would be tied in their first 10 games, but here they are with a 4-4-2 record to start the campaign. The general consensus is that the Ducks will finish last in the Pacific Division and the NHL as their young group of players continues to develop.

The Ducks suffered a loss before the season even began as their veteran starting goaltender John Gibson suffered an injury that kept him out in the opening weeks. Without him, Anaheim turned to 24-year-old goaltender Lukas Dostal. In response, Dostal has not only stabilized the Ducks, but has essentially stolen the starting job whenever Gibson returns.

The Ducks’ third-round draft pick in 2018 started eight of his first 10 games. He boasts a 4-2-2 record, earning points for his team in six of his eight starts. The start of this album would be impressive enough, but it goes far beyond that.

Dostal played 38 games for the Ducks last year and looked impressive early on. This year it is clear that he has taken his game to the next level in every way. His goals against average is £1.99 and his save percentage is 0.945%.

NHL EDGE stats show that Dostal has been virtually unstoppable in the most dangerous areas of the ice this year. His dangerous shot percentage ranks in the 90th percentile among all NHL goalies, stopping nearly 88% of all dangerous shots. The league average is about 10 percentage points lower. His mid-range shooting percentage is even more impressive: it’s higher than 94% of NHL goalies.

The Ducks are surprising the NHL, and it’s all thanks to Dostal’s play. He plays like an elite puck defender and has solidified his position as Anaheim’s top netminder. If he continues this play, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the NHL realizes it.

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