push back in order to survive. Under Randy Carlyle, though, Gibson was the sole form of resistance.

Up front, injuries and an aging core conspired to hamstring the attack. Two-way center Ryan Kesler (8 points in 60 games) missed one-quarter of the season, and even when he was in the lineup, he looked like a shell of his former self. You can’t question his grit and desire, but his three-zone influence was virtually unrecognizable from merely two years ago. Reports suggest his recovery from hip surgery may sideline him for the whole 2019-20 season.

While there are better pieces around than a hobbled Kesler, no one can replace his heart-and-soul contributions.

Meanwhile, winger Corey Perry missed about 50 games with a knee injury. When he returned, he posted just 10 pointsgoing to grab the reins? Adam Henrique? He’s as middle-of-the-road as it gets. Carter Rowney? Daniel Sprong? Kiefer Sherwood? Andrew Cogliano performed so poorly that he was traded for Devin Shore, who out-produced him by a hair once he landed in Anaheim.

Unfortunately, Carlyle’s system only worsened matters. The Ducks took an old-school approach to an ever-evolving game and never paused to adjust when the losses began to pile up. The attack felt lifeless and static, as though the players were merely going through the motions rather than moving the puck with purpose and creativity. That limited captain Ryan Getzlaf’s impact as a high-end playmaker. He would scan the ice for openings only to find teammates stuck in the mud. He led the club with just 48 points in