HockeyIzCool

Even if the Ducks finish last, I'm not going to get my hopes up about landing Bedard. That will suck, but at least we know the worst we'd have is a Top 3 pick, and the other options on the board are likely to be high quality players.

This is true, but they're also guaranteed no worse than the 3rd pick, and they have better odds to get the 2nd. The 2nd & 3rd picks are going to be high quality players. Bedard is in a class by himself, but it's still a good thing to be picking in the Top 3. Plus the worst team still has the highest probability of picking first.

If I'm not mistaken, Ovechkin is an outspoken supporter of Putin. You would think that fact would perhaps make people think twice about supporting him. Yet they were talking him up on the All Star Game today. Pretty disgusting that he is about to overtake Gretzky for goal scoring. Putin is a Murderous Dictator, nothing less. Anyone who openly supports him is Horse Poop.

Yeah, that thought crossed my mind. I'm conflicted, because I think he deserves the honor on his own, since he played in Anaheim his whole career.

I thought for sure that would happen this season, and have been announced by now. Has anybody heard anything of whether it will?

We're going to be Sellers at the TDL, not buyers. But the bigger problem is that we have nobody really desirable, that another team would want. We traded of most of them at last year's TDL. If Verbeek calls other clubs, the names that are going to come up are Zegras, Drysdale, Terry, McTavish. When Verbeek mentions the names Henrique or Shattenkirk, if he doesn't hear a click, he'll get an offer of 4th or 5th Round picks, or a 3rd line player.

I dislike Eakins as much as the next guy, and was ASTOUNDED that they picked up his option for this season, after Murray was let go. But honestly, with this overall roster, could another coach have done much better? I feel like we would be, but the difference would probably be marginal. And at least now, it's likely we're going to get a Top 5 pick out of it. The bigger problem is the fact we've rarely been a club that went into the UFA market to acquire a game changing player. We'll always try to get a middle level player on the "cheap," after half the league has already passed on them. I'm not saying a marquee player would turn this team around, but if the idea is to build the club around guys like Terry, Zegras, McTavish & Drysdale, we're in big trouble for the foreseeable future. Even if those players have the potential to become superstars and leaders, unless we have some real talent surrounding them, it's going to be the 2030's before we'll be serious contenders for the Cup. If we are at all.

You know who also didn't used to play much Defense? This guy named Selanne. I suppose if Zegras starts putting up Selanne type #'s, his Defense limitations might be less noticeable. Right now, he's decent, but he definitely ain't no Teemu.

Saying this team is NOT READY to be Stanley Cup Contenders, is the understatement of the year. Right now we're not even contenders to finish 7th in our Division. I don't trust the Draft Lottery either, but like any lottery, you can't win if you don't even play. The fact remains that the worst team in the league, theoretically has the best shot at the #1 pick. And at worst, they end up with the #2 pick. And if we're going to stink, we might as well stink with at least a chance to get a player who is being highly touted. Sadly, even then there are still a considerable # of holes to fill. At this point, we really need to add some good, experienced players to the roster, that everyone agrees will be solid contributors. We need to also shed at least some of the dead weight. I honestly don't know if ownership cares about putting a "Contender" on the ice. Whether they've told management to do whatever it takes to turn this into a Playoff team. That also means getting a good Coach for next season. Next season needs to be a brand new start. And it would be great to do that with the #1 pick in our pocket. But it won't be easy. Chicago & Columbus are going to make it a challenge.

What's sad is that this will be the 16th complete season since we won the Cup, and not only haven't we reached the Finals in all that time, even if we manage to start filling all the holes we have, it's probably going to be at least several seasons before we could even hope to make them again, and that's only if everything fell into place. It's like simply making the playoffs as an 8th seed would be a huge accomplishment at this point.

I completely understand the Sabres example, but don't understand why the Oilers keep getting mentioned. Sure, they have a problem "finishing," like we did in the mid-10's, but at least they're fairly consistently a Playoff team. This year, they're over .500 points average. Perhaps their problem is not surrounding McDavid with sufficient talent to get them deep in the Playoffs. But he is clearly a superstar in the league, and they might be down in the standings with us without him.

I don't like being called a "troll," merely because I'm hoping they lose so they get a higher draft position. If anything, I'm trying to be optimistic about the future. Finishing with 85 points, does not get you anywhere near the playoffs, nor does it get you a high 1st round pick. And as for morale, a large part of the roster is going to change over anyways, and nobody is going to remember that comeback win in January 2023, come January 2024. Or how Gibson stopped 40 shots against a team, any more than when he gave up 7 goals to Boston. Someone please explain what several 70-80 point seasons in a row has gotten us? Do you think a few more picks in the middle of the 1st round is going to put us in Cup contention any time over the next decade, let alone in the Playoffs? Given how management has never shown interest in pursuing a marquee UFA, it makes me think the Ducks are One & Done in terms of achieving a Championship. At this point, I'll take my chances with a horrific worst in the league finish, and a Top 2 Draft pick, over a still utterly depressing 75 point season, and someone who might fill a need on the 2nd line in a few years.

At this point it's clear that they're not going to do anything about Eakins until after the season. Trade deadline isn't "looming," it's still 2 months away. I'm not sure anybody would take those guys you mentioned, off our hands. Playoff teams looking to trade for Vets at the trade deadline are looking for guys that are actually good, and the ones you mentioned don't really meet that standard. As for Drysdale, last night the TV announcers said that he was out for the rest of the season. I'm not so sure they'll bring him back for just a few games, even if he's ready, and risk re-injury. Not when the games are going to be meaningless for us. My guess is that Chicago is going to end up with the #1 pick, and they stink so bad the league doesn't even have to pull strings to make that happen. Ducks will probably screw themselves by playing decent enough to get pick #4, perhaps a good player, but not a game changer like the #1 pick is expected to be.

It's ridiculous that almost 3 years to the day that Covid was a thing, we're still having this discussion. I'm too exhausted to argue about it anymore, and I've long since stopped caring. All I know is Millions around the world died from it, in an extremely short period of time, and I personally know several, and have heard of others known by people I know. Even know a couple of vaccinated people who were hospitalized, and told by their doctors that they would have died without the vaccine. It's sad how we as a society used to value the opinions and judgement of doctors and scientists. But suddenly when there's a real threat, those same doctors and scientists are involved in some global conspiracy, and we know better. Sorry I brought it up. I did not cheer for Todd Bertuzzi when he was with the Ducks, and I won't cheer for Tyler if he ever is. He has every right to make his own choices, and if his teammates want to support his decision, then they have that right too. My choice is not to support him, Ever, and I won't. And I'm one of the few who still despise Paul for the way he screwed the Ducks organization over, those many years ago. Don't care if his # was retired, or that he's in the HOF. He showed his true character, or lack thereof, with what he did, and although he couldn't care less what a poor SSH like myself thinks, I'll forever think of him the way I do, for the choice he made.

Regardless, it was selfish. He handicapped his team by the fact he was not able to play in any Canada games. And nobody said the vaccine would prevent you from getting Covid. But it certainly minimized symptoms and longevity if you did catch it. When you are the only player in the entire league to refuse, it doesn't make you smart. It makes you an egotistical Ass. And you show your intelligence by calling the Covid pandemic "hysteria." Plenty of unvaccinated people died from Covid, because they thought the same. But I guess since he didn't, and obviously you didn't, I guess it was all a great big hoax, and the vaccines were as well. LOL.

Oh God, not Bertuzzi. The ONLY player in the entire league who refused to get vaccinated. I realize that's not something likely to be relevant in the future, but it shows selfishness. Like Kyrie Irving in the NBA. Not to mention his Uncle was also a douche.

Is it true that under the Draft format, a team can only fall a maximum of 1 spot? Meaning the worst team in the league is guaranteed at least the #2 pick?

Thank you. It's sometimes hard to recall, based on the Ducks' performance these past few seasons, but there was a time when I was optimistic about the team. I remember complaining about how they kept losing Game 7's at home, all of which I attended, and how I hated that they fought all season to get that Game 7 at home, only to play pathetically. I guess those days weren't so bad after all. The only benefit is now I don't have to plan my summer vacations around a potential playoff appearance. Knowing that's impossible before Christmas is a bit ridiculous though. I've learned that being bitter about your favorite team, does not make you any less of a fan. Before the last season, I really thought the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles (or whatever they're called), were going to finally be a playoff team. When they got off to a great start, I began to feel I was right. So I started looking at, not posting on, their main fan message board, "Angels Win." When they began to collapse roughly 1-2 months into the season, setting a club record for losses, and all but sealing their fate for the season, you wouldn't believe the reactions from many long time supporters of the club. These weren't trolls, or band wagon fans, there were folks who had followed the Angels for decades, and were ripping the team to shreds on the message board. It was clear that many of them had finally had enough, and were not afraid to express that fact. I fear we're approaching that with the Ducks. And we have a far smaller fan base than the Angels. People are getting fed up. Not because we're in the middle of a rebuild, not because we're playing mediocre hockey, but because the last few seasons, and this one especially, have made it downright embarrassing to follow and stick up for this club. The Ducks haven't always been good, but they've usually at least been respectable. And it seemed like they were always in the hunt for a playoff spot up to a few weeks or days before the season's end. That's no longer the case, and it seems so far away, that it's sad and depressing, and makes me angry, so I get that out by posting bitterness right here.

I'd probably put Bryzgalov, Andersen and possibly Shtalenkov ahead of Gibson.

Yeah, well this season is starting out even worse than the last.

I really don't want them to fire Eakins at this point. They knew how awful he was when they picked up his option for this season. I say, give him the Roy treatment. Leave him in for 9 goals. It's not like Eakins is going to demand a trade. Who is going to hire him after the disastrous records with 2 clubs? His NHL career is done come April. Stay the course. Bank those Regulation Losses, and minimize the OT Losses. And as much as possible, avoid Wins that gain you 2 standings points. Dig that big hole before the All Star Break, to give yourself a shot at the worst record in the league, to maximize chances of landing the #1 pick. Honestly, between now and the start of next season, the team needs to be stripped down to a pair of socks. There are maybe 5 players worth holding onto. Trade Gibson, so you don't lose him for nothing. He's the only tradable player that is expendable. I'd also say to use some of that cap space to sign a UFA that people have heard of, but it looks like the next batch of UFA's is nothing worth getting excited over. Perhaps we'll be able to afford one for a change.

Every off-season I say that we need to pick up a quality UFA, and then get attacked on these boards, by people saying that there's no need to spend money chasing the top tier Free Agents. The Ducks have almost never gone after the elite Free Agents, usually ending up with mediocre (or worse) ones like Shat, after other teams have already passed on them. Two off seasons ago, our big FA signing was none other than Ryan Getzlaf. And I have no idea who the supposed UFA signing was this past off season. Even our Trade Deadline signings leave a lot to be desired. The last one being Eaves, who then proceeded to play a couple of games with us, get injured, sign a 3 year deal for $9 Million, and play a handful of games before going MIA the remainder of his contract.

Our .344 is the lowest points percentage in the league.

The good news is he'll be back in time for the Playoffs.

Gibson is only as good as the players in front of him. You couldn't put Patrick Roy on this team, and expect him to win the Vezina. Terry & McTavish are talented, but they're young. McTavish is still a teenager. He can't be a leader right now, any more than Zegras can. And while Edmonton has floundered in the playoffs the last 3 seasons, at least they've made the dance. And they're probably putting too many of their eggs in one basket as well. And you're really going to bring up Ovechkin as an example? The Capitals have made the Playoffs 14 of the last 15 seasons, and won the Cup one of them. They've underachieved massively in the Playoffs, but the Ducks had that same issue during the mid 2010's. But at least they were there, while the Ducks have been making vacation plans by the All Star Break. So yeah, I'd say someone like McDavid or Ovechkin would be a significant upgrade to this roster. I don't see marquee coaches or top tier FA's knocking down our door to play in Anaheim. I don't blame the new GM, his hands were tied by BM, who should have been let go 2-3 seasons ago. At least he got us Zegras & Terry. I'm sure ownership is letting ticket sales drive the amount they're willing to spend on the roster and coach. But until they pull out their wallets, it's going to be difficult to get people to spend money in these inflationary times, on very steep ticket prices and Honda Center concessions. This isn't Montreal or Toronto, and in So Cal, hockey is not life. At best, it's the 4th most followed sport, and some would say it's even behind Soccer it terms of those who follow it closely. Even come playoff time. Anyways, my theories may make no sense, but obviously the methods currently being used by management & ownership don't either, otherwise we wouldn't be on the verge of floundering, less than 1 week into the season.