Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Spor
Given the level of success that the Anaheim Ducks have had this year, there has obviously been no shortage of contributors. But all of those contributors towards helping the Ducks grab at least the no. 2 seed in the Western Conference haven’t exactly put points up on the board.
Those players include the likes of Ben Lovejoy. In his first year with the Ducks, having been acquired early on this season, Lovejoy has surprisingly managed to stick in the lineup with some regularity, after spending his time bouncing in and out of the lineup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On a blue line that features the likes of Francois Beauchemin and Cam Fowler, Lovejoy has found a place for himself. He’s played in 26 games with the Ducks this season, having played in just three with Pittsburgh prior to the trade. In those 26 games, he has nine points. For a player who was acquired for nothing more than a fifth round pick, that’s not bad.
But Lovejoy’s game isn’t really about points. When he plays, he’s a solid depth defenseman. He plays about 17 minutes per in those 26 games, seeing a bit of action on both the penalty kill and on the power play. Three of his points have actually come with the Ducks on the man advantage. He can play the physical game as well, with 65 hits on the year.
In his time with the Penguins, Lovejoy became something of a fan favorite. He wasn’t a flashy player, or a star by any means, but he’s a guy you count on to work his tail off every single time he steps out on the ice. He has continued that trend with Anaheim. Lovejoy isn’t the type of player that’s going to make a tremendous difference in whether or not the Ducks are able to win a Stanley Cup this season. But he has done his part and proven his worth for the organization, there’s no doubt about that.
