Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, 25, has been a crucial player in some of the team’s victories over the last two seasons. Last year, he played behind one of the NHL’s weakest defensive squads since the 2004-05 lockout. This season, the Ducks remain at the bottom, ranking 31st in expected points per 60 minutes (3.03), just behind the Vancouver Canucks (3.08).
Early in the 2025-26 season, Anaheim has had to bear a heavy load as they adapt to new defensive and offensive strategies along with numerous roster changes. So far this season, Dostal has posted an 11-5-1 record with a .904 save percentage and an impressive 10.1 goals saved above expected, ranking 10th in the NHL.
Dostal practiced with the team on Tuesday but missed Wednesday’s game against the Canucks due to an upper-body injury and was given a same-day injury designation. Just before their Black Friday game versus the Los Angeles Kings, the Ducks announced that Dostal would be out for two to three weeks.
Ahead of Wednesday’s game, Anaheim called up Finnish goaltender Wille Husso, who then started against LA on Friday, marking his first NHL game of the season. Husso came into the season with a 6-4-3 record in the AHL, a .908 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The Ducks will depend on Husso along with their regular backup, Petr Mrazek, who has started six games this season and holds a 3-3-0 record with an .881 save percentage.
Over the upcoming three weeks, the Ducks have 11 games scheduled, including seven on the road, primarily during a five-game trip along the East Coast before returning to Anaheim on December 19. After their Friday game, Anaheim stands at 31 points, leading the Pacific Division by two points over the Kings (29), followed by the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, each with 28 points.
Despite leading the division, the narrow point differences, especially with the second wild-card team Utah Mammoths at 27 points and the San Jose Sharks close behind, emphasize the importance of the coming weeks for Anaheim’s playoff chances.
The Ducks need to improve several defensive aspects that have faltered this season, such as net-front coverage, risky pinching, and player assignments against fast attacks.
Both Husso and Mrazek have had uneven NHL careers, and they’ll face a tough challenge if their defense continues to allow the scoring chances it has so far this season.
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Fan Take: This update is critical for hockey fans because it underscores how vital goaltending and defensive adjustments are to a team’s playoff hopes. Anaheim’s ability to navigate injuries and tighten up defensively could well influence the competitive landscape of the Pacific Division and beyond this season.
