dtsdlaw

April 10

20 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

Maybe this draft is different but usually there is a pretty big gap in those draft slots otherwise we’d see more teams trading back for the reason that you stated. It costs alot to move up into the top-5 and rightfully so. You need to overpay to do it imo.

The cost to move up into the top-5 last year and take will smith would have been massive. Like, an additional first round pick and a top-end prospect on top of Leonard. Smith is a franchise level center, and definitely showed why this year by leading the country in scoring as a freshmen. I doubt there was any offer that the sharks would have taken

Probably true, but last year's draft was kind of unusual, no? It seemed like the top-tier talent went much deeper, so nobody was trading their chance to draft a genuine stud. So yeah, obviously my analogy to Smith/Leonard is very imperfect.

That said, I'm not anywhere close to being as knowledgeable about the prospects as you and a lot of other posters like perry_mvp, Sexlaf, and Spencer are, but from what I hear from you guys and what I see online in the mock drafts, it seems like the picks from #2 on are all pretty much all over the map. So this seems like the most likely year for a team to move up or down if they have certain guys prioritized.

April 10

54 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

A trade like this only works if verbeek can still get the top guy on his board at #4 at the #7 pick. If he can, then the value of the trade isn’t bad imo. I’d like an additional asset because but it wouldn’t be egregious.

I think that depends on the gap that Verbeek and Madden see between the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th highest rated prospects on their board. If it's not a huge gap, I think you do that deal to add another highly valued asset even if you can't get the highest rated guy on your board at #7. We're not talking about passing on Leo Carlsson to take David Reinbacher here. In 2023 terms, it's more like passing on Will Smith to take Ryan Leonard and get the asset.

April 10

7 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

aside that mailloux did a very dirt bag thing, Montreal isn’t moving up into the top-4 by adding mailloux imo. I think they need the add a little bit more. This is draft where a trade like this would be more feasible yet I don’t see verbeek passing up the highest available guy on his draft board by moving back and expecting him to still be there.

6'3" 220lb RHD who is currently 3rd in the AHL among defensemen in scoring at just 20-years old. He aso plays a pretty physical game. Yeah, that would be enough for me to move down 3 spots to #7.

April 10

9 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

Ducks can't drop to 7th.

About the Edmonton pick, I really hope its used in a trade to get Necas.

Maybe they're suggesting that Verbeek will trade down? Not going to happen, but it's theoretically possible. And I wouldn't hate that either. 7th overall is probably going to be either Montreal or Ottawa, and both have assets that I could see the Ducks being interested in.

Ducks 1st <---> Montreal's 1st + Logan Mailloux

Who says no?

April 5

30 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

not a comforting quote from Cronin. Just apply the same standard to the vets *cought Vatrano* rather than making an example of Zegras. Good way to really p*** off a player who is more vital to the future of the franchise than you are.

Geez, Cronin might have well have just said "I am trying to fail at my job."

What a terrible freaking idea to intentionally create different standards of conduct for different players based on their sociability.

This guy's contract can't expire quickly enough (.....because ya'all know Verbeek won't be firing him, right?).

April 3

1 hour ago, Fisix said:

i know probably a few of you have seen the below already. i think we're in the frustrated coach time of the season now... or at least the time of the season when coaches can be a little more vocal about it (if they're so inclined).

Cronin has already given his form of this speech, so it's not just a Torts thing.

I feel like this 90 second clip doesn't do justice at all for Tort's full message about the state of his team and the task ahead of him. Here is a better, more complete video of his commentary:

April 3

28 minutes ago, tommer-1 said:

Interesting insight

Earned culture essential to success, push to make playoffs | NHL.com

This is basically what I was complaining about with the Leo plan at the beginning of the season. Don't get me wrong, I heart Leo. But having him slide in and out of the lineup (and the #1C spot) as a 19-year-old rookie for extra rest and strength training is not fostering an "earned culture". Seems to me that Cronin got off on the wrong foot with the earned culture thing and just never recovered, since he's let pretty much everything go in terms of penalties and poor play from nearly everyone but Zegras, McTavish, and Leason.

btw, just for fun I went back and read the first few pages of this thread from June 2023. It's gold. Pure gold. The internet is forever. :lol:

April 2

1 hour ago, PlzInsertLiquor said:

Why I think we need a RH shot is …… who plays Ovechkin’s spot on the power play, Terry gets it on one of the power plays, but who else…. Strome ? nah, need someone who can score from that spot on the power play and that should help us score more goals, which in theory will help us win more games.

Zetterlund has a pretty good slapper.

April 2

6 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

Because a) that's a huge if for a guy who typically scores around 20-goals and is going to crush his season shot totals this year; b) even if he replicates this season next year, he'll be 31 when he needs a new contract, which will be that much more expensive to keep in Anaheim. This also assumes that the Ducks are even in the playoff race, he could score 40 and still get traded if the Ducks are out of the race by the TDL. Also, don't forget that Verbeek tried to trade Vatrano at the deadline to the Rangers which indicates that he's willing move off of him and might try again in the summer.

Don't think they'll buyout McGinn, because they may have a more considerable buyout of Fowler in the works if they can't trade him. Waive McGinn and put him in the minors also. Trading Strome isn't happening and at worst he can be on the third line.

McGinn just had disc surgery on his back and the expected recovery time is 4 months. Can’t buy out an injured player.

April 1

Jakob Silfverberg - 7 goals in 74 games

Max Jones - 5 goals in 52 games

Isac Lundestrom - 5 goals in 39 games

Ross Johnston - 1 goal in 61 games

Bo Groulx - 0 goals in 43 games

That's 5 "regulars" who have combined for just 18 goals.

April 1

1 hour ago, tommer-1 said:

You guys are talking about all this and not addressing a HUGE problem:

they can't score

They need guys who can score. They need Zegras and Terry to return to 25-35 goal per season guys. They need Carlsson and McTavish to take another step. They need Gauthier to prove he can do it on the big stage.

Where is this Ducks team in scoring this season if Zegras and Terry were both still 60-65 point guys, Killorn didn't miss 20 games, and Carlsson had played 65-70 games instead of just 48 games? I think you're talking about more than 40 goals missing just from those four guys this season due to injuries and other unusual factors.

1 hour ago, Jasoaks said:

yeah, I mean, I guess I've been looking at this as a the cup-window ducks team needs a top-line RW. Maybe it is Z. Maybe he can be the next PKane. Just saw a video of an analyst saying Z has the ability to be the next Datsyuk as he matures. That's also a pretty amazing ceiling.

I just want to make sure our best player -- Leo -- has the actual good players to play with on his line. I'm not sure if him and Z really mesh well, I feel like Leo will mesh better with people who have yet to play on the team. I dunno. I don't know anything!! I just want to feel like this pain can end sooooooon........ 😭

I think it's Kucherov. He's listed at 5'11", 182lbs and is really feisty just like Zegras. The hands, the vision, the creativity.... it's all there between the two of them.

April 1

6 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

They definitely do imo. Vatrano is going to be gone soon enough and relying on 35 year old Killorn to play in the top-6 is not a risk I'd want to take. The bottom-6 needs to be nuked. I hope that colangelo can eventually be like a Laferriere on the Kings or a poor man's Alex Tuch. I'm guessing that Meyer is a part of the plan since Verbeek actually traded for him. Give Nesterenko a good look If they can bring in a cheap 3C then I'm good with that. No way Rico is coming back here. He just got paroled and isn't coming back to hockey jail here in Anaheim. Stephenson is going to command way too much money. I like Domi and would kick the tires on a guy like him. His style is much needed.

Do they need it for next season though? Long term, yes of course they need another scoring forward for when their Cup window opens (if it ever does at this rate). But I just don't see it as an urgent need for next season such that we want to be handing out big $$ and term to an aging player like Stamkos or Marchessault. I think the Ducks can and should address other needs first before looking for that top-6 scoring winger to take over for Vatrano. It's perfectly fine with me if they wait until summer 2025 to do it. Let's also see who our top-5 pick is and how they develop.

April 1

3 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

I guess there wouldn't be any need to trade Vatrano at the next TDL if you believe he's turned a corner and will be a consistent 30 goal scorer. Why would you want to trade him?

Killorn and Vatrano play in all situations when neither are sitting in the penalty box, I can see why they would lead the forwards in TOI.

It would seem strange to me for Verbeek to start Gauthier on the third line after touting his abilities. I could actually see both Carlsson and Gauthier down the middle.

So:

Killorn-Carlsson-Terry

McTavish-Gauthier-Vatrano

Bottom 6

Trade Zegras for an RD.

If the Ducks are not in a playoff position (which is likely) and Vatrano wants an extension for more money or term than makes sense for this team, then Verbeek has to trade him. Seems pretty straight forward.

We'll also probably have some young players coming by the summer of 2025 too. If we draft a forward with the top-5 pick this summer, then that player could be ready to make the jump for 2025-26. I'm also very curious where Sidorov will be by then as a 21-year-old. Gaucher too.

April 1

3 minutes ago, Sexlaf15 said:

Frankly the time to maximize Vatrano’s value is gone. If he plays this way next season he’s a bottom six player, I’m not sacrificing Gauthier to try and get more value at the TDL

He'll be on a 25-goal pace next season at the TDL playing next to McTavish and he'll be available for $1.825M after Verbeek retains half. Still plenty of value there.

And I think you're expecting too much of Gauthier in his rookie season. He's more likely to match Kyle Connor's rookie season in the NHL than Jack Eichel's. Show some patience with him.

April 1

6 minutes ago, Fisix said:

it's normal for his Ducks career, unfortunately.

if it doesn't come down next season, dramatically down, that's going to be a problem for the team AND the TDL. teams will want his offense, but they'll shun the downside in the playoffs (where penalties, and in particular the kinds of penalties he commits - that can't go uncalled, make and break individual series games).

He has more than double the number of minor penalties this season (37) than he had last season (18) for the Ducks. How is this season normal for his Ducks career?

And his 18 minors last season is perfectly in line with his career average in minors/82 games. So I think the more important question is "why has he taken so many more minors this season than he ever has previously in his career?"

[Looking at you, Cronin.]

April 1

2 minutes ago, Fisix said:

gonna be a bit rough next season since we have to pimp him for the TDL while shouldering his penalties/game average.

I don't see why this would be hard to do. His 37 minors this season are an aberration, not the norm for his career.

Here's a few stats to ponder:

2018-19: 24G in 81 games. Missed 1 game. 19 minor penalties

2019-20: 16G in 69 games (19G/82g pace). Missed 0 games. 15 minor penalties.

2020-21: 18G in 56 games (26G/82g pace). Missed 0 games. 13 minor penalties.

2021-22: 18G in 71 games (21G/82g pace). Missed 11 games. 11 minor penalties.

2022-23: 22G in 81 games. Missed 1 game. 18 minor penalties.

2023-24: 30G in 75 games. Missed 0 games. 37 minor penalties.

So you basically have a very consistent goal scorer who rarely ever misses games and doesn't have a history of penalty issues prior to this season.

April 1

28 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

So, this is who we have signed for next season:

Zegras, Carlsson, Terry, McTavish, Killorn, Strome, Vatrano, Johnston, McGinn (9 forwards) + anticipating Gauthier (10 forwards)

Zegras-Carlsson-Terry-McTavish-Gauthier (top 6) (5 players)

Killorn-Strome-Vatrano-Johnston-McGinn (bottom 6) (5 players)

RFA-UFA: Leason-Jones-Lundestrom-Groulx-Meyers (I'm assuming Silfverberg retires or goes elsewhere in the NHL)

Who plays well with Carlsson? Killorn possibly but he's just getting older and I think he's better suited to add some scoring to the bottom six. So yes, there is a need for a legit top six winger. Problem is--- who? The old "let's slot one of the vets in the top 6" hasn't faired very well this season.

Vatrano is going to finish this season leading the team in goals, points, PP goals, GWG goals, OT goals, and SOG. He's also 2nd in TOI/game among forwards and 1st among forwards in hits. And he'll be trade bait at the next TDL, so the Ducks will need to maximize his value to get a good return for him. So with all of that in mind, what is your rationale for him starting next season in the bottom-6?

Killorn is also leading the team's forwards in TOI/game this season, and is scoring at a 22G/82g pace despite his injuries. And he's making $6.25M/season. What is your rationale for him starting next season on the 3rd line?

I just don't see it. Not for next season. Vatrano will eventually be gone and Killorn will eventually be old, so the lines will change log term. But they both seem like locks to me for the top-6 at the start of next season... unless perhaps if Verbeek decides to go Carlsson-McTavish-Zegras all as centers and then spread out the scoring among lines 1-3. But if he doesn't, I think Gauthier most likely starts his rookie season where McTavish and Zegras started their rookie seasons - 3rd line LW.

April 1

1 hour ago, ike8228 said:

Part of our problem this year is the same as your line up. I want to believe it too. On paper, barring injuries, doesn’t look terrible. But can that group compete better than it has if they can stay healthy. Are you willing to wager another losing season in that notion.

I’m willing to wager that Zegras will return to being a 60+ point player rather than the 4G/4A player he has been this season. I’m also willing to wager that Carlsson will double his points next season, and that McTavish will also take another big step as a 22-year-old.

I also don’t believe adding Celebrini or a top-6 winger changes the compete-level of our current group. Only the guys currently in the room can change that. Bringing in more bodies from the outside doesn’t fix it.

April 1

59 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

It’s definitely a need and more on the radar because Verbeek specifically mentioned it at the migration event along with improving the bottom-6. We need offense and just a legit top-6 forward in general. Vatrano isn’t going to be a here by next trade deadline so they need to fill that forward spot for the future. I’d like for them to target Alex Holtz

i agree with d-law that they absolutely need a RHD also. They can’t go into next season with what they have right now having only Gudas as a solid NHLer (he’ll be gone in two years also. Verbeek has a f-ton of work to do. Everyone does.

I don't really see it as an urgent need either, unless we get decimated by injuries again. By the next TDL, I think Gauthier slides into Vatrano's spot as a full-time top-6 winger to go with Zegras, McTavish, Carlsson, Terry, and Killorn. (Yes, Killorn, who is scoring at a 22G/82game pace this season despite his bad-luck injuries and the constantly shifting line mates, also due to injuries.)

I think there's a much bigger need at 3C than top-6 winger. We need a 3C who can put up 30-40+ points (Lundy just ain't it), and a I see a bunch of those guys available in UFA this summer. Wennberg, Roslovic, Monahan, Stephenson, Domi, Heck, I'd even bring back Rico and drop him in as a pivot between Gauthier and Strome to start the season.

April 1

1 hour ago, Duckboy93 said:

I think everyone is in agreement that we need to find a legitimate top 6 RW to fit in, but with the state this franchise is in are we going to find one in FA who wants to come here without us having to throw a huge chunk of cap space at for a period of time or find a trade partner without us having to empty our prospect pool for?

as of right now we are going to be slotting Vatrano in that empty winger slot unless we can win the draft lottery

I am not in agreement. I think our top-6 RWs for the foreseeable future are already on the team - Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.

Zegras is a left-shot, but so what? So are Patrick Kane. Vlad Tarasenko, Mikko Rantanen, Nikita Kucherov, and Matthew Tkachuk. And so was Jaromir Jagr. They all are/were ridiculously good RWs. I think Zegras can be too. And he played there today against Vancouver and was very dangerous IMO (and they also had right-shot Strome opposite him on McTavish's LW and he looked pretty decent over there).

I also don't think you need the right-shot / left-shot variation on the forward lines as much as you do on the D-pairs. One of the most dominant forward lines the Ducks ever had was Bobby Ryan - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry, all of whom were right-shots. So even though Verbeek said he'll be looking for one, I just don't really see a need for a right-shot top-6 forward this summer. I'd rather see Verbeek bring in a right-shot 3rd line center who is good at face-offs (or just bring back Carrick for the 4th line), but other than that I don't think a top-6 right-shot forward should be treated as a "need" this summer.

Vatrano - McTavish - Terry

Gauthier/Killorn - Carlsson - Zegras

Killorn/Gauthier - TBD - Strome

McGinn - TBD - Leason

I'm good with a forward lineup like that headed into next season. The big need for a right-shot is on defense.

April 1

6 hours ago, Jasoaks said:

Curious if you have soured on Dineen? Or is he not available?? I guess if he’s coaching the AHL we can’t just poach him? Lol

I'm still high on Dineen. If he was interested I'd love to see him take Newell's Brown's job next season. Doubt he is though. But in fantasy land, my #1 choice is a former Cup winner who has the system and reputation to get this ~~SabresWest~~ Ducks team headed in the right direction.

March 29

2 hours ago, Duwamish3 said:

I thought I'd start by ruling out the older guys that may have been successful at one time but don't effectively relate to the younger players for more than a couple of months. Craig Berube, Bruce Boudreau, Lindy Ruff, Claude Julien, Gerard Gallant, Dean Evason, Todd McClellan, Dave Tippett, and Mike Babcock (thought I'd throw that last one in there for a few laughs).

I disagree with this premise. There's been way too much made of older coaches not being able to relate to younger players. I'd give anything for a Peter Laviolette or Pete DeBoer or Paul Maurice to "not effectively relate" to our young players right about now.

Claude Julien is also still my top choice among guys currently available.

March 29

22 hours ago, duck123 said:

Can y'all believe it? I started this thread a little over 10 years ago, and Ovechkin's now less than 50 goals away from breaking Gretzky's record! Might have seemed a little unbelievable to some 10 years ago but looking forward to history being made. Only 47 goals away! Let's just hope goal 47 isn't an empty netter. Lol. Hopefully he'll break the record next year. We shall see...

Nostraduck123. Well done.

March 27

3 minutes ago, Duwamish3 said:

Maybe. On the other hand are any one one of the following players better this year than last year: Troy Terry, Mason McTavish Cam Fowler, Max Jones, Isac Lundestrom, or Ryan Strome? Maybe Varano, Leason, and Silfverberg are marginally better but I'd argue that the first group actually look worse than last year, so........do we want the current coaching group teaching Carlsson, Mintykov, LaCombe, Zelleweger, Luneau and Gauthier? I realize we're probably stuck with Cronin for at least another couple of years, and I do hope for all of our sakes that he turns out to be a great coach, but we do have some really good undeveloped talent that could easily get wasted.

So even though I hope I'm wrong, I'm definitely off the Cronin bandwagon.

I think McTavish has taken another step forward this season offensively, but he's been lost at times in the D-zone and his penalties have been a real problem. I think he's been nursing a bad back since at least December though, and that's been the main source of his defensive woes. I'm anxious for him to get some offseason treatment on it so he can come back healthy next season.

I think Jones has also been better this season, but the injuries are still a major problem with him and it's likely going to result in him not getting a qualifying offer this summer. Too bad, because when he's healthy he's overall pretty effective. He's just never healthy for long stretches. He does seem to fit the system IMO though.

The rest, yeah they've been significantly worse for most of the season. Strome looks like a square peg in a round hole in Cronin's system. If this is how Verbeek wants the team to play, I'm understanding that UFA signing less and less as time goes on. If he doesn't look significantly better by the first few weeks of next season, I'm going to start banging the drum for a Strome trade. Even if we have to spend an asset to get rid of his contract. He's been so, so disappointing this season.

March 27

5 hours ago, perry_mvp said:

Or you could Carlsson, McT and Z all down the middle.

I think they should try Zegras between Vatrano and Strome. Vatrano and Zegras have that New York / Boston thing in common, while Strome has shown chemistry in the past with Zegras and Strome and Vatrano are also besties.

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