saskduckfan

He also didn't sign more 1 year $6mil plus players as if you sign those players they are usually the better players. You sign enough of them, then you risk running into contending for the playoffs and you can no longer trade them away for any assett. Sign one, and it doesn't look quite as obvious what you are doing. But that NTC certainly gives it away. Kulikov was a trade and Strome and Vatrano have not been good signings at all. Rumors have Vatrano being shopped and Strome for 5 years was just an awful signing.

You can say that tanking was never in the cards, but the whole Klingberg signing and contract spells a team needing to reach the cap floor and planning to sell off during the season. Which means they had no plans on competing for the playoffs if you sign a guy to a 1 year contract, with a no trade only until Jan 1, then the sole purpose was to trade him, retain 50% of his value, and get another 1st round pick. Those playoff teams that couldn't afford 7 mil because of the cap definitely can afford 3.5 mil at deadline time. That smells to me like a move you would make where you have no intentions of getting to the playoffs. And to say you expected better out of this roster, this roster is awful. Ducks can get a better coach but most of the players are still terrible. We have multiple players playing out of position but that's because we have nobody to fill the correct spots. Example, Vatrano is no better then a 3rd line winger, but we have too many 3rd ling wingers. Jones 4th, but too many of them too. Kulikov, Shattenkirk, Benoit no better then 5/6 defenseman, but playing as high as a #2. Coaching can't solve that problem. This team was built to lose, plain and simple, and the results show. I expected nothing more when this roster was built.

I guess my question is, is it truly baffling? The Ducks weren't contending for a playoff spot this year, not without significant upgrades to the roster which they didn't do. If you finish last, get the best percentage at winning the lottery, and win, the prize is Bedard, who is the type of player to turn a franchise around. To me it was clear and obvious from the end of last season when Eakins didn't go that the Ducks had no plan to compete this year. And Eakins was their best chance to finish last. Give him a terrible defense to work with and everything would fall into place. As bad as it is to watch this team and their poor efforts every night, this is what Verbeek wants out of this year. Eakins will last the season, but will not get a new contract for next year. Look at the Ducks first shootout of the season against the Islanders and it shows you how much the wanted to win that game. Zegras just tried a weak five hole wrist shot in it, no deeking, nothing special from him. The free agent signing of John Klingberg to a one year contract was done with the only thought of trading him this season, retaining 50% of his salary, and hoping for a 1st in return, with that 50% coming off the books in the summer. Same with acquiring Kulikov. The Ducks defense went from Lindholm, Manson, Fowler, Shattenkirk, Drysdale, and either Benoit/Mahura to Fowler, Shattenkirk, Benoit, Drysdale, Kulikov, Klingberg. Only two of those are not offensive defensemen and look at how well Mahura has played this year, better then Benoit or White or Strand. This team is built to lose and finish last this year and that is exactly what they are going to accomplish. Goal complete for Verbeek. And that defense will likely take a big hit come the deadline with Klingberg, Shattenkirk, Beaulieu, and Kulikov all on 1 year deals.

I don't agree. Laine would cost too much to acquire as he is a RFA. Can you imagine what it would cost to bring him to the Ducks. Next year's 1st is a starting point. The Ducks will not be competing for anything next year, especially if Gibson is on his way out. I'd rather keep that first and hope it turns into Bedard. The only UFA worth going after is Johnny Gaudreau. He can play wing with Zegras, is 28 years old, and costs the Ducks no assets to try to bring in. Calgary will not be able to afford him and Tkachuk. That said, isn't it already a pretty good guess that the Ducks free agent signings will be Josh Manson and Rickard Rakell. Neither player will likely be back with their current teams.

I found it hilarious last night at the start of the game listening to John and Hazy talk about how Eakins was saying that the Ducks are not going to score their way out of their errors as they no longer have the fire power they had earlier since the trade deadline. Yeah, because Deslariers, Rakell, Lindholm, and Manson provided so much offense. Rakell is the only one argument. The rest of the "fire power" is still there.

I think one of the biggest things people forget with this season is all the covid cancelled games early on. As of Dec 20, the Ducks sat 2nd in the division and tied with Vegas in points for 1st, based on points, but so many teams had games in hand on them and based on win percentage at that point the Ducks were nothing more then a bubble team. If the league changed the standings to be based on win percentage, the Ducks would have only been in the second wild card spot as of Dec 20, not tied for 1st in the division. Big difference. And the win percentage gives a more accurate picture of where this team really was playing at. As of Dec 20, the Ducks had more points then the Avalanche. Now look at the difference. Here were the standings as of Dec 20: 1) Vegas 40 pts, 2) Ducks 40 pts 3) Calgary 36 points WC1) Colorado 36 points WC2) Edmonton 36 points. Based on win% 1) Vegas .645 2) Edmonton .621 3) Calgary .536 WC1) St Louis .548 WC2) Anaheim .531 - Dallas .517, SJ .500, Winnipeg .467, LA .467 So in reality the Ducks were just a bubble team when they were 2nd in the Pacific

I like the fix the holes on the roster with UFA. How about we just let our young guys play and develop. The Ducks won't make the playoffs next year anyways. If the finish near the bottom and get Bedard we will all be thrilled. The only top UFA that I wouldn't mind PV going after is Gaudreau, but I doubt he comes to Anaheim. Maybe Klingberg on D but he is 29. All of the other top UFA's are over 34 years old, so don't fit the mold of this team and that is going through the top 30. Others that are 29 or 28, don't really swing the needle to make this team any better. Nichushkin, Riley Smith, Kessel. No thanks.

The NHL should just nix the trade. Send Dadonov back to Vegas and screw their cap, but either let the Ducks retain the 2nd round pick or upgrade to a 1st for Vegas' own stupidity. I dont want a player that doesnt want to be on the team here anyways.

If they are going to spend in free agency they may get Rakell and Manson back as well as Malkin.

Sounds like Dadonov trade is official. Ducks get Dadonov and 2nd or for John Moore and Ryan Kesler.

No longer rumor. Confirmed by both Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun. Mods can remove the rumor part of the title.

According to Kevin Weekes on Twitter, Josh Manson is being traded to Colorado for a draft pick and prospect Drew Helleson.

They way Vegas treats and trades their players there is a good possibility of Karlsson or Theodore being traded. Vegas seems to have no loyalty to any of their players, and with the cap crunch they are going to face, there will be some movement of key players leaving that franchise for picks or prospects, and with the situation they have put themselves in, they won't be good picks or prospects. That or they can play every game with 12 or 13 players. At the ED, Fleury was supposed to be the face of this franchise and they had no problem dumping him as fast as they could to go with Lehner, who in my opinion is not as good as Fleury. With everyone fearing Vegas now, I stand by the opinion there is nothing to fear. This team will not be that good. The Ducks are already better then Vegas in the standings, Eichel won't be playing until March, and they way it's going Vegas will be done by then. Next year they will have to dump a few key players so they can fill out a roster, so it will be another step backwards for Vegas. And they traded their top prospect from a prospect pool that isn't very good. In fact, they seem to always trade their top prospects (Suzuki).

Eichel saga is all said and done and at the end of the day, the trade might favor the Ducks after all. Vegas now has a cap hit next year of $78.74 mil with just 11 players signed. They have 3 key players as UFA next year and 7 roster players as RFA. Vegas better hope they win this year (which they wont't), because a roster tear down is coming. Too many high paid players, too much money spent on too few guys and that wins you nothing (look at the Leafs). Vegas will have major holes on their roster and no money to spend to fill them. They will not be a good team much longer. Throw in a roster tear down and the Eichel locker room distraction and Vegas will be a mess before long. Glad he isn't on the Ducks. PS - The Vegas 1st round pick is top 10 protected

The NHL needs to come down harder on the Blackhawks. $2M fine only. That's peanuts considering the money some of these players make. Arizona was fined and lost 1st round picks. Chicago should have their next 5 first round picks forfeited. Punish them. Let them know sweeping this under the rug is totally unacceptable.

Games will be on Bally Spirts So Cal, Bally Sports West, ESPN, and TNT. NBCSN no longer has hockey.

Bob Murray's idea of building a successful team is to out hit everyone and have the most penalty minutes of any team. I think secretly he has been told to run the team into the ground. Maybe the Samueli's want to sell. I thought they said when they bought the team they wanted a winner. Obviously they don't care anymore or Murray would be gone. Even Buffalo had more goals then the Ducks and I only see it getting worse this year. MacTavish may turn into something, but there were better offensive talents available. I didnt like the comparisons to Max Jones. Guess we'll hope for the Wright and Bedard sweeps. Though if Murray had number 1 those years he would probably draft a 4th line checker.

Guenther is my pick. Ducks need potential top 6 forwards bad. I'd hate to see them go with another D is this draft. Guenther this year and win the lottery the next two years and get Wright and Bedard.

Seattle does not get pick 3. They get the third best odds to win the lottery. Standings and odds wise it would be Buffalo, Anaheim, Seattle. If any team below them wins the lottery Seattle falls back. Vegas had this happen and picked 6th, the worse they could do. For Seattle, 5th is the worst for them, 4th for the Ducks. Anaheim will not pick any lower then 4th as Vancouver would be ahead of them now. Also for the higher teams in the lottery, if they win they can only move up a max of 10 spots. So if the team in 13 wins they can only go up to 3.

I'm not sure what the issue is there. The Ducks go 7F, 3D. Manson, Fowler, Lindholm on D and out of the F listed, Rakell, Terry, Comtois, Steel, Lundestrom. That's only 5. Heinen was almost traded this year, so there really are no plans for him going forward. Henrique on waivers, no plan either. Silfverberg is getting older and shouldn't be part of the team when the Ducks make the playoffs next (not happening anytime soon), Milano never gets played, not sure why he was resigned but looks like no plans either. Comtois is ED exempt, so he shouldn't be on your list which only leaves 8F. If the Ducks lose one of Henrique, Shattenkirk, Larson in the ED, then that's great for them. Henrique and Shattenkirk are on terrible contracts. If they can lose one, bonus.

Ducks acquire Hayden Fleury from Hurricanes, return not yet known. Should be an improvement over Hutton. Hakkanpa and draft pick going back to Canes

So the Sabres have fired their coach during a 10 game losing streak and a stretch of two wins in their last 15 games. What do the Ducks do or more so Murray, lose 9 straight and win two "coach is doing a great job". Ducks only have 2 wins in their last 15 games too. Just giving more reason why Murray needs to go. He thinks losing is doing a great job. Rember RC. Two losing streaks over 10 games and he still didnt want to fire him.

Guys don't really do bridge deals anymore. I'm thinking 2 years 1.5 for Lundestrom, 4-5 years at 3 for Steel and same length at 4 for Comtois.

There's all this talk about all this cap space that the Ducks will have next season. It stands at just over $22M. However, Steel, Lundestrom, and Comtois are all RFA after this year and will probably take at least $8M of that (1.5 - 2 for Lundestrom, 3 for Steel, 4 for Comtois). Then there is 5-6 for Getz if he comes back, so really only about 7M for anyone else. Best case scenario, Henrique gets picked up in the expansion draft and frees another 5M. On the topic, if the right trade offer came around, I wouldn't hesitate to move Gibson. His value is still quite high. But it has to be the right offer, basically someone sending the Ducks an offer they can't refuse.

The Ducks have scored an abysmal 5 goals in their last 4 games and their season high is 3 goals. Not going to win many that way. GMBM wants the team to be faster, yet he hays a guy with speed and offensive talent that he resigned to two years at 3.4 mil sitting in the pressbox every game named Sonny Milano, yet Carter Rowney who does nothing for this team is playing every game. The two games Milano played he brought speed and energy. At this point who cares if he isnt fully liable in the defensive end. Nobody seems to be. At least he is someone that may score. Or he'll also drink the magic potion in the water bottles that makes nobody score on this team. It truly is a joke how bad they are. GMBM biggest problem is he never sees the decline in his players and never knows when to get best value for them. I was calling for Perry to be dealt after the WCF loss to Nashville. Still a productive regular season but nothing in the playoffs. Ducks bring him back and he does nothing for a few seasons and gets bought out. I'm seeing the same with Rakell these days. Once 30 goal scorer never reaching those levels again. Still has some value on a great contract but GMBM is reluctant to make a move. Will get nothing in the end. At least at this rate when that contract ends he would have done nothing to deserve a raise and should get a pay decrease, though Bob will give him 7mil a tear and a full no movement clause.