The Ducks Take Eye Care Seriously
Hockey isn’t exactly the safest sport: twelve players darting around on skates after a small puck, body-checking opponents. With a puck measuring only three inches in diameter, clear eyesight is essential for any hockey player. But all the action—not to mention the velocity of the puck combined with the sharpness of the skates—make hockey players prone to a bevy of injuries. The eyes in particular may suffer from cuts, lacerations, or blunt force trauma. For these reasons, NHL teams monitor the health of their players’ eyes very carefully, and trust only the most qualified professionals with the well-being of their players. That’s why Head Coach Bruce Boudreau of the Anaheim Ducks relies on Dr. Ghosheh to treat not only his athletes’ eyes, but his own as well.
“These guys are the best,” Boudreau said of Dr. Ghosheh and his practice. Boudreau was immediately impressed by Dr. Ghosheh’s expertise. “If he says something, I’m doing it,” Boudreau said, “because I believe he knows what he’s talking about.”
The 2015-2016 Ducks Season
As for Coach Boudreau and the Ducks’ season so far, it’s been fascinating to say the least. The Ducks had a horrific start to the season, prompting an uproar from fans and analysts clamoring for a tanking season. (Tanking refers to hamstringing a team’s roster in order to build up as many losses as possible, thus improving draft positioning). Since then, the Ducks have tightened up their defense with a trap in the neutral zone, and have been getting better shots at the net on offense. Now, they’re on a nine-game winning streak, vying with the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division.
A tremendous trade season has helped cement the Ducks’ success so far. The Ducks’ first move was trading Carl Hagelin—who was performing far below expectations—in exchange for left-winger David Perron. The move for Perron paid off immediately, as the left-winger has scored six goals and eight assists in his young Ducks career so far. Perron connected instantly with center Ryan Getzlaf, who praised Perron for his excellent handling and aggressive scoring mentality.
As if Perron wasn’t enough, just before the deadline the Ducks’ front office made even more trades, adding quality depth to an already solid roster. They even managed to keep their young, talented defensemen together, giving up only two players and late draft picks in the process. The first player, Tim Jackman, had only played two games for the Ducks, and was traded with a 2017 seventh-round pick in exchange for Corey Tropp. The other trade was Patrick Maroon, who was exchanged for defenseman Martin Gernat and a fourth-round draft pick. In other words, the Ducks gave up very little to build a roster with a very real shot at the Stanley Cup.
Replacing Maroon is former Buffalo Sabre Jamie McGinn, who was exchanged for a 2017 second-round pick. McGinn represents a clear upgrade over Maroon, playing with a similar physical style with more experience.
The Ducks also obtained Brandon Pirri from the Panthers by trading away a 2016 sixth-round pick. Pirri is a finesse player who will fit in nicely with the Ducks’ fast-paced offense, assisting with play-making and finishes on the left wing.
The additions of Pirri and McGinn together with David Perron puts the Ducks in a great position to make a run for the Stanley Cup. While they didn’t make a splash by acquiring an excellent prospect like Loui Eriksson, they did make smaller moves that significantly improved what was already a very successful team.
Look out for the Ducks potentially taking the Pacific Division lead on March 3, as they face off against the Arizona Coyotes. Fortunately for the Ducks, the Coyotes have had an awful series of games, and face the very real possibility of losing their playoff spot. They are currently on a six-game losing streak after dropping their last game to Pittsburgh. Making matters worse for the Coyotes, they have since traded their third leading point-scorer, Mikkel Boedker. Their goalie Louis Domingue will also have to improve on his 4.04 goals-against average, if they want to stop a hot Ducks offense boasting a 33-18 scoring advantage over the course of their win streak.
These are exciting times for Ducks fans. Here’s to hoping for a ten-game winning streak and a Stanley Cup. Go Ducks!
Take some advice straight from the highest-level athletic professionals, and visit Dr. Ghosheh today for the best eye care in the industry.