Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale probable to return to Anaheim Ducks lineup against Calgary Flames
The Anaheim Ducks could be getting a nice boost back in the lineup on Thursday.
Coach Greg Cronin told reporters today that forward Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale are both probable to return to the lineup for the team’s 7:00 PM local start against the Calgary Flames on the road.
Per Coach Cronin: Probable that Drysdale and McTavish return. Dostal in net. #flytogether
— Aly Lozoff (@AlysonLozoff) December 21, 2023McTavish has missed the last seven games due to an upper-body injury, but looked like he could potentially dress for the Ducks as early as last week. McTavish struggled before his injury, going four straight games without a goal with a minus-7 rating and just six shots on goal.
Still, it’s been a strong season for McTavish, who has emerged as one of the team’s MVPs. He has 10 goals and 21 points in 24 games, putting him on pace for a 31-goal, 65-point pace. McTavish was one of the NHL’s top rookies in 2022-23, scoring 17 goals and 43 points. But with Trevor Zegras dealing with injuries, McTavish was able to step up big for the Ducks early on, even helping them into a playoff spot at one point.
Drysdale, meanwhile, has been limited to just 10 games total over the past two seasons. The 21-year-old from Toronto, Ontario has been out since Oct. 15 due to a lower-body injury, adding on to his torn labrum that took him out for all but eight games in 2022-23.
But when healthy, Drysdale has been a stout young defender. The former OHL standout has seven goals and 42 points in 115 games while looking good as a power-play dynamo. Drysdale signed a three-year contract extension this past summer with an annual average value of $2.3 million.
Zegras, meanwhile, remains on injured reserve with a lower-body issue.
After facing off against Calgary, the Ducks will welcome the Seattle Kraken to town on Dec. 23 before getting a four-day Christmas break. The Ducks will then host Vegas on Dec. 27 before closing out the calendar year with games against Arizona (Dec. 29) and Edmonton (Dec. 31).