It was the best of times... who are we kidding? It was the worst of times.
The season began with a combination of trepidation and excitement. The Anaheim Ducks and their fans knew going into opening night that they would begin the season with a depleted roster, echoes of last year’s ails reverberating through the walls of Honda Center.
The difference between last season and this one, however, was that there seemed to be a new era of Ducks hockey on the horizon. With several roster spots up for grabs, Anaheim was about to see the first of three to four years of drafts focusing on forwards begin to push for roster spots.