Even onlookers with the most orange-tinted lenses probably didn’t see this coming.
November 4th, 2017: the Anaheim Ducks are set to face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. The familiar faces that have dotted this rivalry, however, are not present. In lieu of Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim’s top centers go by the name of Derek Grant and Chris Wagner.
Although the Ducks would offer a quasi-respectable performance that evening, it did little to abate the concern that the injuries had cast over the franchise. They would continue to besiege the roster for the next two months, like a fighter constantly being hit with jabs.