Ryan Getzlaf had a down year in 2011-12 despite finishing his first full season since 2008-09. In order for the Ducks to rebound, he will need to pick up his play being on one of hockey’s best lines along with Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan.

Captain Duck put up staggering numbers in both 2007-08 and in 2008-09, clearly surpassing the 20-goal, 55-assist margin in both seasons. In 2009-10 and 2010-11, he dealt with injury problems and missed about 15 games each year, but still put up some great numbers and was an asset to any fantasy team.

However, his production dramatically dropped off in 2011-12 despite playing in all 82 games. He had a career-low 11 goals, and finished in the minus category for the first time in his career with a minus-11 rating.

Getzlaf has often been a smart choice in fantasy hockey leagues due to his versatility: he can score goals and get assists due to being on the same line as Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry, and he is also a physical force, standing in a 6’4 and 221 pounds.

Getzlaf could be a risky pick due to his struggles last year, but it would not be surprising to see him rebound; seasons like last year’s are uncharacteristic for him and, even more importantly, he is in a contract year.

Getzlaf’s success and the Ducks’ success go hand-in-hand. If Anaheim recovers its form from 2010-11, don’t be surprised to see Getzlaf put up 20 goals and 50 assists again while posting a positive plus-minus. If Getzlaf plays better than he did last year, the Ducks should have a better year and he should see a sharp increase in plus-minus.

While it may be tough to pick Getzlaf looking at his numbers from last year, he has consistently been a solid offensive force throughout his career. Even if he does struggle offensively, his hit total should certainly not diminish. If he is at his best, Ryan Getzlaf could be a huge part of your fantasy team; providing goals, assists, and hits.