The rebuilding Anaheim Ducks haven’t had much to celebrate while going 2-12-1 during their past 15 games.
But rookie center Leo Carlsson continues to show why he was the second overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old scored a highlight-reel goal in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken Friday.
He will have the full attention of the St. Louis Blues (40-32-5, 85 points) when they face the Ducks (25-48-4, 54) on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif.
Carlsson earned an assist when the Ducks fell to the Blues 4-2 in St. Louis on March 17. He didn’t earn a point in his next seven games, but he has a point in each of his last two to boost his season totals to 10 goals and 16 assists.
His skill level was on full display with his goal against the Kraken.
“I had a first-row seat for that one, so it was pretty cool,” said Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas, who returned to the Anaheim lineup after missing the previous 10 games with an upper-body injury.
“Seeing the angle he was shooting at, I would probably break both of my wrists if I tried to do that.
“It was nice to see him do these things and feel confident. I would like to see all of our young guys feel that confidence.”
Ducks coach Greg Cronin also would like all of his players to play at the same competitive level as the team’s prized rookie.
“From where I stood on the bench, it was Leo Carlsson and then a huge gap to the rest of the Anaheim Ducks tonight. Huge,” Cronin said after the loss to the Kraken. “He was one guy that I felt that tried to make something happen every play. He was outworking people for pucks, outskating people.”
The Blues barely are clinging to their mathematical lives in the Western Conference playoff race. So interim coach Drew Bannister looked to the future as he assembled his lineup again Saturday during the Blues’ 3-2 overtime to loss the Sharks in San Jose.
He gave more playing time to younger players the team is developing. Forwards Zack Bolduc, Zach Dean, Nikita Alexandrov and defensemen Tyler Tucker, Matthew Kessel and Scott Perunovich all played while lineup mainstays Kevin Hayes and Torey Krug sat out.
“We’re just giving these younger players a little bit more opportunity to play with better players, and hopefully, give them an opportunity to have success,” Bannister said.
It didn’t work. The Blues’ loss to the Sharks edged them closer to elimination. They are seven points behind the Nashville Predators (44-29-4, 92) for the second wild card in the Western Conference with five games to play.
“I thought we were good in the first and the second,” Bannister said. “It seemed like a little bit of frustration after our (failed) power plays in the second and then we start to try different things through the neutral zone, force plays that aren’t there.”
And there was more bad news, with Jake Neighbours and Justin Faulk suffering upper-body injuries.
“We’ll re-evaluate them (Sunday morning) and have more information at that time,” Bannister said.
The Blues will be looking to sweep their three games against the Ducks this season. They also won 3-1 on Nov. 19.
Since Joel Hofer started in goal in San Jose, the Blues almost certainly will start Jordan Binnington against the Ducks.
–Field Level Media
