ANAHEIM – Time, patience and a large shot of confidence have brought Jakob Silfverberg to where he is today – as one of the Ducks’ top forwards.

Much of the Bobby Ryan trade that sent the four-time 30-goal scorer to Ottawa in 2013 was about the future. Stefan Noesen just made his NHL debut on Friday while the first-round pick in the deal, Nick Ritchie, is in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

After spending his rookie season with the Senators, Silfverberg was the piece to be a factor for the Ducks now. Those visions have come to fruition as the Swedish winger is emerging as a critical part of their playoff-bound lineup.

Silfverberg’s defensive work has been enough for Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau to insert him in a shutdown role all season. It is his offensive surge over the second half of the season that is making him the important two-way forward the Ducks had imagined when they got him.

In the first 44 games, Silfverberg, 24, had four goals and 12 assists. In the past 35, the numbers are eight and 14.

“I think throughout the year I’ve been playing pretty solid,” Silfverberg said Saturday. “Just maybe didn’t show up as much on the scoresheet in the first half of the season. Lately, I’ve been getting a few more bounces.

“I think I’m playing with a little more confidence in the offensive part of the game.”

Confidence. Silfverberg considers that as the key difference in his more consistent offensive output. He had a career-best three assists and was the Ducks’ best player on Wednesday in their 5-1 victory over Edmonton.

Boudreau sees where Silfverberg has become a more assertive and decisive player in the offensive end.

“I think he’s being more aggressive when he has the puck and I think it comes with confidence,” Boudreau said. “When he gets the puck, he’s not thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get in my spot to shoot.’

“He now knows that if he does the things that are his natural skills, that he’s going to be capable to making a play and getting in that position and doing well.”

In the first half of the season, Silfverberg made his greatest impact with his defense and his deadly wrist shot in the shootout. Now he isn’t just relying on that shot to affect the scoreboard.

“I think I have a little bit more confidence with the puck,” Silfverberg said. “And I think that’s probably the biggest change that’s happened over the last couple of games. Before I was kind of more not having the puck and hoping it would come to me. I’d kind of wait for the other guys to give it to me.

“But I feel like now I take more charge out there and I try to seek out the puck and be the guy that takes the puck to the net or takes the puck to the spot where I want it, instead of just waiting for it to come to me.”

As for that confidence, Silfverberg said Boudreau has instilled that in him with a role that hasn’t changed.

“If you don’t have the confidence it’s very tough to play out there,” Silfverberg said. “Bruce has done a lot. I’m very grateful for that. It’s just really nice to know that Bruce knows what he gets out of me and he likes what he sees. So that’s good.”

NOTES

Left wings Patrick Maroon (flu symptoms) and Matt Beleskey (lower body) still have yet to resume skating with the team, but Boudreau said the two took the ice for a strenuous session before practice and expects that they’ll be part of the next full workout Monday.

Maroon sat out Friday’s loss to Colorado after not playing the third period on Wednesday. Beleskey, who’s also had to deal with a shoulder injury this season, has missed the past three games.

Contact the writer: estephens@ocregister.com