After the first 10 games of the season, the Anaheim Ducks appeared to be dead in the water. They were outscored 29-10 and outshot 251-219 during that brutal 1-7-2 stretch. Not only did it appear they would be the NHL's biggest disappointment, but it seemed like a foregone conclusion that they would fire coach Bruce Boudreau and start a full-blown rebuild.
It turns out that a 10-game sample does not an NHL team make.
Since that hideous opening stretch, the Ducks have gone 36-12-6, outscoring opponents 149-117 and turning themselves into the Stanley Cup favorite most believed them to be during the preseason.
While Boudreau and his club have worked their way to first place in the Pacific Division by running a buzz saw through the Western Conference, the question remains: What happened at the beginning of the season? Could it happen again come playoff time?