Can the Ducks be Considered Contenders Yet?

The Thanksgiving Test

In pro hockey, the U.S. Thanksgiving benchmark looms large for teams with postseason aspirations. According to a stat from 2003, since the 2005–06 season, 76.7% of NHL teams holding a playoff spot on Thanksgiving go on to make the postseason. If the Ducks can stay hot for another couple of weeks, their odds look promising, especially with a lighter second-half schedule on the horizon.

It’s not like they’ve been padding their record against weak competition, either. Anaheim has won nine of its last ten, knocking off legitimate heavyweights like Pittsburgh, Boston, New Jersey, Dallas, and Vegas along the way. Two of their only three losses have come against elite opponents — Tampa Bay and Carolina — both games that could have gone either way.

Now, they’re staring down their toughest challenge yet: the Colorado Avalanche.

The True Contender Test

Colorado is the only team above Anaheim in the standings and looks every bit the powerhouse it’s been for years. The Avalanche have been practically unbeatable at home, but this one feels bigger than a typical regular-season game, with the league’s top two teams battling for early bragging rights.

Both teams enter this matchup red-hot. Leo Carlsson rides a 10-game point streak, including four consecutive multi-point efforts, while Nathan MacKinnon has a nine-game streak and leads the league with 29 points, four ahead of Carlsson’s 25, tied with Connor Bedard for second. Cutter Gauthier has been a standout for Anaheim with 11 goals and 20 points, while Troy Terry, Chris Kreider, Mason McTavish, Becket Sennecke, and Jacob Trouba all have double-digit points, highlighting the Ducks’ balanced offense.

This game might not define Anaheim’s season, but it could reveal something deeper about how good they truly are. If the Ducks can hang with Colorado — even in a tight loss — it’ll say plenty about how far they’ve come. But if they manage to steal a win in Denver, the league may have to stop calling them a fun story and acknowledge their contender status.