2015 Season In Review: Ryan Getzlaf

Ryan Getzlaf had a Ryan Getzlaf year. You could call it pedestrian if it wasn't for the fact that he's one of the top 5 centers in the league.  Among forwards who played 750 even strength minutes or more, Getzlaf was 5th in total points, tied for first in primary assists, and 8th in points/60 min.  He also finished second in blocked shots, if you're into that whole sacrificing your body for the team thing.  The great thing is this was arguably a down year for the Ducks' captain.  In the last 8 seasons, Getzlaf has only finished below a point per game twice: this year and the horrible 2011-12 season.  That's an impressive streak. Perhaps the primary culprit was a large dip in power play production, as Getzlaf went from 23 power play points last year to 13 this season.  It's not really clear why there was such a swift drop, team PP efficiency only fell by .3%. I suppose the real lesson is that the Anaheim PP has been bad since they took Selanne off the top unit two seasons ago.  If the Ducks can get a serious offensive threat on the top line and manage to improve their PP, I think Getzlaf has a good chance of finally getting an Art Ross in the future.

Getzlaf was also productive in the playoffs, setting a new franchise record with 20 points in 16 games. It might sting that Toews et al got the better of him in Western Conference Finals, but a little blame might go to Boudreau for not using his defensive center against that line and Andersen for giving up 3 goals on the first 7 shots he faced. It also would have been nice if a few more of those points had been goals.

The Ducks aren't a strong possession team, and while Getzlaf does drive possession, his ability to block shots makes the unblocked shot attempts and shot numbers look better. His shot attempts numbers were middle of the pack on the team last year, but still better than his last two years. The increase can probably attributed to Boudreau having someone who can split the tough minutes with Getzlaf.

It's hard to summarize a player who is incredibly efficient at his position. Getzlaf scores. He hits. His distribution skills are arguably tops in the league. If you want to critique Getzlaf for anything, he should probably fight less, like not at all.  The turnovers are a bit excessive, but Getzlaf is also capable of making plays with the puck that maybe a handful of guys in the league can make; turnovers are bound to happen.  Other than that, Getzlaf is one of the best producers in the league, and he is a key reason the Ducks continue to have success.

For your enjoyment, here is every goal Getzlaf scored this past season: