With a 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames last night (April 12), the Anaheim Ducks’ 2023-24 home slate came to an end. It was an emotional roller coaster of a 41-game home schedule that contained three Legacy Nights, triumphant wins, disappointing losses, several NHL debuts, and, as we just found out a couple of days ago, the retirement of longtime Duck Jakob Silfverberg.
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It was fan appreciation night at Honda Center, the annual final home game tradition that honors the Ducks’ faithful support base that has been pretty consistent across its 30 seasons of play thus far. Unfortunately, for about 50 minutes, the on-ice product wasn’t much to be happy about. That being said, the Ducks had a dominant 10-minute stretch in the third period that left us all wondering what they were doing the rest of the game. Let’s take a look at both intervals and Silfverberg’s final home game in a Ducks uniform, in the loss.
Jakob Silfverberg Says Goodbye in Anaheim
Earlier this week, Silfverberg announced that he would forgo not only this summer’s free agency market but also the prospect of re-signing with the Ducks and will retire from the NHL at the conclusion of the season. With a desire to return to his native Sweden, he will finish his Ducks career ranked in the top 10 in numerous offensive categories, including but not limited to points, shots on goal, goals, appearances, and shorthanded goals.
Since his arrival in the Bobby Ryan trade in 2013, Silfverberg has successfully filled a variety of roles for the Ducks. Most notably, his dynamic shot, shutdown skills, and defensive tenacity made him an effective checking-line player in the mid-2010s alongside Ryan Kesler and Andrew Cogliano. Later, he played middle to bottom-six roles but retained a spot in special team situations, including this year. And finally, of course, there’s the off-ice impact he’s had on the young Scandinavian players in the Ducks locker room. Silfverberg has been a dedicated professional his entire Ducks career and deserves the flowers he received last night at Honda Center.
Ducks Had Nothing for the Flames for 40 Minutes
The Ducks offered little resistance to the Flames for most of the first two periods. A shorthanded goal less than five minutes into the game, which resulted from a breakdown in defensive coverage, was hardly a good omen for the night…
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