{"id":262761,"date":"2026-04-11T15:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/262761\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T15:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:22:09","slug":"how-week-24-went-from-bad-to-good-for-the-anaheim-ducks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/262761\/","title":{"rendered":"How week 24 went from bad to good for the Anaheim Ducks"},"content":{"rendered":"

They finally did it folks, after a miserable six-game losing streak that jeopardized their playoff chances<\/a>, the Anaheim Ducks secured a much-needed win by defeating the San Jose Sharks with a resounding 6-1 victory at Honda Center. And depending on your opinion and how you view the current roster, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek was also given a multi-year extension. Despite how the on-ice performance has spiraled in the wrong direction lately, the conclusion of week 24 of the NHL season can be viewed as rather positive, and the vibes are finally trending upward again.<\/p>\n

Playoff picture <\/p>\n

With no games played on Friday, April 10th, the standings are frozen just for a moment and can provide some clarity on the Ducks playoff chances. The Ducks sit in third in the Pacific Division with 89 points in 79 games played. The Vegas Golden Knights are in second with 89 points but hold the tie breaker with 28 regulation wins versus the Ducks 25. The Edmonton Oilers lead the Pacific with 90 points and 31 regulation wins. The Los Angeles Kings currently hold down the second wild card spot in the Western Conference with 85 points and 20 regulation wins. <\/p>\n

93 still looks to be the magic number for the Ducks<\/a>. If the Kings win their next four games, they too would be at 93 points, but would lose on the tie breaker. So, the Ducks season has come down to a best of three or else, they could lose control of their destiny. <\/p>\n

Verbeek gets an extentsion <\/p>\n

With the Ducks at the cusp of their first playoff appearance in years, it was no surprise that Verbeek got a multi-year extension. <\/p>\n

Proud to announce General Manager Pat Verbeek has agreed to a multi-year contract extension.<\/p>\n

Mike Stapleton has been elevated to Senior Vice President & Associate General Manager.<\/p>\n

Details \u2b07\ufe0fhttps:\/\/t.co\/Dhitm58Fhw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

While he has made some questionable trade decisions <\/a>and has not really hit that home run trade to push the Ducks into the next stratosphere, Verbeek has at least shielded the young skaters with capable veteran talent. The hiring of Joel Quenneville, while controversial, has allowed the young talent to grow and take their lumps, even at the cost of team defense. If the Ducks do make the playoffs, as MoneyPuck has them listed at a 98.2% chance of making the opening round<\/a>, Verbeek’s mandate of making the playoffs in the offseason now seems more plausible than originally anticipated. <\/p>\n

Three stars of the weekThird star: Pavel Mintyukov <\/p>\n

Despite some early season consternation due to healthy scratches, Mintyukov has reestablished himself as a reliable defender. Though he and the rest of the Ducks got blitzed by the Nashville Predators earlier in the week, his return did eventually stabilize the second defensive pair. Averaging 18:23 in ice time and notching two assists, Mintyukov earned his place in the lineup over Olen Zellweger, which speaks volumes about Mintyukov’s level of play. <\/p>\n

Second star: Leo Carlsson <\/p>\n

The Ducks go as Carlsson goes and the win over the Sharks only exemplified that thought. Even though he only scored one goal, Carlsson set the tone for the Ducks with his high-flying play making ability and had numerous scoring chances in the victory. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 Leo \ud83d\udea8<\/p>\n

That one’s for the highlight reel!!
We lead 1-0! #FlyTogether<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R34YfRPJRw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 10, 2026<\/a>First star: John Carlson <\/p>\n

Carlson nothced only his first career hat trick, but the first hat trick for a Ducks defenseman since Cam Fowler in 2018. The veteran defenseman finally had his break out moment for the Ducks, as he was an absolute offensive menace against the Sharks, which can hopefully carry over into their reamaining games and into the postseason. <\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa9 JOHN CARLSON HAT TRICK \ud83c\udfa9#FlyTogether<\/a> | @JohnCarlson74<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qlD25jv2il<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 10, 2026<\/a>Biggest concern Two of three<\/p>\n

Forget the injuries, the meager powerplay<\/a>, leaky goaltending, and shoddy defense; it’s down to the final week. Two wins in their next three games, will get the Ducks into the playoffs. If the Ducks were to fall just short, the season would be deemed somewhat of a success, as they would have finally played meaningful games late in the season. To the fan base though, a miss would be a failure, after riding high for most of the season and even holding down first place in the Pacific Division for weeks at a time, the Ducks cannot afford to flounder at the finish line. <\/p>\n

What’s next? <\/p>\n

This is it; three games left in the regular season. The Ducks host the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night, for their final home game of the season before heading out on the road. The Ducks will play the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, who might not have anything to play for and could be resting their key starters. The conclusion of the Ducks regular season will be in Nashville on Thursday, which could carry some heavy postseason implications. <\/p>\n