dtsdlaw

March 27

2 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

That appears to have been what's happened. Trying to be like Colorado might be a happy thought but that's Colorado.

I know it's not the same thing you're talking about here with the Avs, but this is a side topic that I have been wondering about recently and it seems like a good place to bring this up - does anyone else wonder if Cronin's system benefitted from playing in Colorado? I don't know a ton about high altitude training and the physiology around how exactly it helps the body, but I've seen enough interviews with pro athletes about the challenges of playing sports in Denver to believe that there's something significant there. And if you think about, his Eagles teams were basically doing high-altitude training all season long, so when they went to play games in lower altitude places they would almost certainly get a bump in their endurance, no? And when they played home games, they also would likely benefit from the opponent having trouble acclimating to the altitude, so it would seem likely that their style could be more effective at home too due to the opponent's fatigue. Perhaps now that he's playing the same frenetic style at sea level, the advantages are gone and the team is just less able to play that way against good teams? I dunno, just a thought I had....

March 27

19 minutes ago, Duwamish3 said:

While generally I would agree with you, when you have as many kids this young and not a whole lot of veterans to set the tone, coaches should have more influence on conditioning. Second, although Seattle is no Florida in talent/experience, the speed they play at is in large part coming from the direction of their coaches. If nothing else a coach "teaching" a ton of talented rookies should be able to inspire them to get in better shape.

I have a little bit different perspective on the conditioning issue. I think the problem is that Cronin is asking too much of the young players by trying to play a system that makes them constantly chase. They haven't been in the league long enough to play this way against the better, more experienced teams. Being 22-years-old isn't actually an advantage in terms of conditioning in the NHL. It takes time for a body to mature and develop their endurance and young players just have to work through it long enough to get to a place where they can push it at their max for longer periods of time. That's why there's a "rookie wall". That's why there's a "sophomore slump". That's why endurance athletes like Ironman triathletes hit their peak after 30 and pro cyclists peak after age 26. Just look at the ages of the Kraken players. Beniers is 21, Tolvanen is 24, and every other forward in their top-9 is over 27. And all six of their D-men are 27 or older. And they absolutely skated circles around us.

IMO, Cronin needs to switch to a less aggressive zone defense until these kids mature and develop their endurance more. All of this chasing in the man-on-man, coupled with the hyper aggressive forecheck, is just too much for our guys at their current levels of physical maturity.

March 27

13 hours ago, Fisix said:

We aren’t doing anything useful if we don’t figure out how to develop within. I don’t think this helps.

Terry (26), Zegras (23), LaCombe (23), Dostal (23), McTavish (21), Zellweger (20), Mintyukov (20), Gauthier (20), and Carlsson (19).

Outside of Gauthier and our top-5 pick this year, I personally don't care if we develop another NHL player from our current stock of prospects for the next 5 years. We need to surround THIS group of young players with quality NHL talent by using every asset and resource we have available.

And adding a 24-year-old 20-goal scoring winger who can win puck battles and play in all situations absolutely helps.

March 27

4 hours ago, perry_mvp said:

I don't want to give up Moore. Also I believe Zetterlund is over achieving this season and you probably don't see this again much like Isac Lindstrom's 2021-2022 season.

I'm not confident that Moore will be joining the Ducks organization. If he doesn't sign this summer and instead goes back for his senior year, I think there's a high likelihood he'll let Verbeek know he's not coming, just like his fellow Harvard alum Henry Thrun.

I admittedly don't know a ton about Zetterlund, but he's been pretty noticeable in the games we've played against San Jose. His goal in the Jan 20th game showed off a really nice wrister and his assist on Duclair's first goal in the February 29th game was really impressive. To me, he looks like a really solid late-blooming Swedish winger in the mold of Silfverberg. Silf didn't play in the NHL until he was 22 and didn't have his first 20-goal season until he was 25.

March 27

2 hours ago, perry_mvp said:

Too much to give up. I'm thinking more of Wahlstrom or Jack Quinn.

You’d prefer a guy with 2 goals over a guy with 20 goals? Ok.

March 26

So I have an idea for a top-6 right-shot forward - what about Fabian Zetterlund?

He's obviously not a true #1RW or anything close to it, but he's currently skating on the Sharks top line as a RW with Mikael Granlund and Klim Kostin, and he has 20G this season despite his low quality linemates/team. He's not as much of a high volume shooter as Vatrano, but his 166 shots so far this season would place him second on the Ducks in shots, so I'm sure Cronin would like him. He's also listed at 5'11", 220lbs, and is pretty strong and wins a lot of puck battles, so he fits the Verbeek profile. I know he's not a sexy name like Reinhart or Stamkos, but odds are extremely small those guys would consider coming here, and we could really use a strong, right-shot, high volume shooter who excels at winning puck battles for our top-9. I'm sure Carlsson wouldn't hate having a fellow countryman on his right wing doing all the hard work along the boards either.

He also doesn't really fit the Sharks rebuilding timeline. They're likely going to be in full-on suck-for-#1OA mode for the next 2+ seasons before they start building again, and he turns 25 in August. He seems like exactly the type of player that Grier would want to flip for futures to help with a proper scorched earth rebuild. Verbeek and Grier already made a futures trade last summer with Thrun, so they would seem to have a rapport there too, and the Ducks are so loaded with futures that we're in a perfect spot for that kind of a trade.

Anyone else interested? And if so, just for fun....

Zetterlund <---> 2nd (2024 - from Boston) + 3rd (2025 - from Toronto) + Ian Moore's signing rights

Who says no?

March 26

1 hour ago, tommer-1 said:

Leo/Terry

McT/Killorn

Zegras/Gauthier

come September? Strome, Vatrano, Leason, Lundestrom, an as of yet unsigned UFA all possible slot-ins?

If you want to play an up-tempo, fore-checking, possession game, you can't do it stacking 2 lines. Impossible. Need at least 3 strong lines.

I still think Strome's play on Zegras' line last season was pretty solid. He's most effective with a dynamic playmaker on his line, like he had with Panarin in New York. I know Verbeek says he thinks Zegras is a wing (and I think he'd be an awesome RW), but if Verbeek is really hunting for a top-6 RW, then maybe something like this would work:

Vatrano-McTavish-Terry

Killorn-Carlsson-[TBD right-shot winger]

Gauthier-Zegras-Strome

IMO McTavish and Terry have also played really well together during the brief times that they've been on the same line, and I just don't see the same good chemistry between Terry and Carlsson thus far.

March 26

March 21

11 hours ago, FlyingV43 said:

Wait, so you mean a team that didn’t make the playoffs for 9 consecutive years (2009- 2018) is now a top team in the league and has been for several years?!

It’s almost like some teams go through a process of being not great, then becoming good and then getting the right pieces in place to start to be elite. 🤔

Fancy that, eh?

They also went through multiple GM and coaching changes during that stretch and didn’t make the playoffs until their current GM (Waddell) and coach (Brind’Amour) were hired. So if Carolina is your example, what’s wrong with fans complaining that the GM and Coach should be replaced if things aren’t working? That’s exactly what Carolina did, no?

March 20

9 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

I don't think Carolina plays the same system. Based on the videos in this thread I think they are playing more of a zone defense. So Pesce would have to go through a learning process like everyone else. That said and to answer your question, no I'm not comfortable with who the Ducks have on the right side. Cronin's solution is to plug the hole with a rookie LD then complain about him when he makes a mistake. Verbeek's solution (as he said at the migration event) is Lagesson or even Luneau. Sorry but there isn't going to be an RD acquisition during the off-season. That's not on Verbeek's to-do list by the sound of it.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/bieksa-breaks-down-how-brindamour-drives-hurricanes-premier-play/

March 20

3 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

I'm really not convinced adding Pesce will change anything. It's a systemic problem.

It is a systemic problem. No argument there. But that aside, are you comfortable with what the Ducks currently have on the right side of their defense heading into next season? And wouldn't it also be reasonable to expect some improvement in the play of our defense by adding a player who already excels in the defensive system that the coach wants to play?

March 20

18 minutes ago, saskduckfan said:

My question is, when they fall into the same habits next season as they did last year and this year, then what? You can't trade an entire team. Cronin says that management needs to see who wants to be here and who doesnt. Well it is easier to change a teams culture through coaching then it is to trade 20 players and start all over again.

Cronin's #1 priority for next season has to be to get the penalties under control and to figure out a way to improve the PK and PP. There was discussion on the board recently about injuries being the primary reason we are where we are right now, but I think it's penalties and special teams. The Ducks have given up 75 goals on the penalty kill this season, which is 17 more than the next worst team (Minnesota). If they were even just a bottom-1/3 team, they'd be in a much better spot. For example, the Blue Jackets are 24th in the NHL in PP goals against, and they've given up 30 fewer goals than the Ducks. IMO, the penalties and inability to kill them has completely deflated this team, and if Cronin can't fix that for next season then he needs to be thrown out on his keister.

March 20

35 minutes ago, saskduckfan said:

You and I both agree on Carlsson and McTavish's projection. Zellweger I feel is going to be the next Theodore. Love how he can get that shot through 95% of the time. Mintyukov could easily become a #1 defenseman for the Ducks. Gauthier I'm optimistic too, but he has yet to prove himself, but we will soon see what he can do. Dostal I'm not sold on yet. He has looked great at times and awful at other times. But when I said play with the best players, I was referring to having a McDavid, Bedard, McKinnon, Crosby, Kucherov type of player that guys want to play with. The Ducks don't have that type of caliber player, they do have players that will be good players, but none that will be that caliber.

I'm not convinced you need that type of player to attract a UFA like Brett Pesce. Maybe you do for an Elias Lindholm or a Jake Guentzal, but not for Pesce.

March 20

3 hours ago, saskduckfan said:

While I would love to see a Pesce or Hannifin added, what do the Ducks have to offer them at the prime of their careers? Compete for the cup? Nope. Play with some of the best players in the world? Nope. Tax exemptions? Nope. Play for a well respected coach? Nope. Massively overpay? Maybe but need that money for McT, Zell, Minty soon. I dont see those players giving up a chance to win for fighting for last place.

I think the Ducks can offer Pesce the same thing Columbus offered Severson last summer - financial security (via an overpay in salary/term) and a guarantee of top-4 minutes. And while I share some of your bad feelings about Cronin, I think the Ducks roster is still a selling point for UFAs, especially to guys looking for longer term. Pesce would be likely looking for something in the 6-year range, and the Ducks have enough high-end young players that he could easily see the back half of his contract being the best years of it. But I'm guessing that I also think that the current group of young players is going to better than you think they will be. I think Carlsson is going to be an elite #1C by the time he's 22, and that McTavish could be one of the best #2Cs in the league. I also think Mintyukov and Zellweger are going to be dynamite top-4 LHDs for us, and I believe Dostal is the real deal. And I'm optimistic that Gauthier is going to be a really good top-6 power forward. I also think Terry can be a lock for scoring at a 60-70 points/season pace for the next 5 seasons too. So we have a lot of really good young pieces in place that will only get better over the next 4-6 years, which I think is a selling point for UFAs that want longer term.

March 19

1 hour ago, Fisix said:

Problem is how often the goalie is (and is supposed to be, to be good) outside of the crease.

they’ve clearly already weakened the rule, with how they’re called now on the ice and from TOR.

Meh, that's their own doing. Caveat portarius.

And how they're calling the rule is the primary reason I'd like to see the rule changed. If Hossa's goal from the 2015 WCFs wasn't a kicking motion that nullifies a goal, nothing should be. Just make it all count (outside the crease) so that the refs and Toronto don't get an opportunity to screw fans with their interpretation of the kicking motion.

March 19

25 minutes ago, Belarus said:

If you guys had the opportunity to change one NHL rule, make a new rule, or eliminate a rule, what would you do?

I'd like to change the rule that you can't kick a puck into the net. It seems dumb to me that you can kick a puck anywhere else on the ice (to a teammate, to clear your D-zone, to block a shot, etc.) but you can't kick it into the goal. I get that they don't want players swinging their skates around near the goalie (especially when he's trying to cover the puck with his hand/glove), but I think that could be solved just by saying you can't kick it or deflect it in with tour skate from inside the blue paint. So I guess that's two rules - can't kick or deflect a puck into the net while the skate is in the crease, but you can kick it in from outside the crease.

March 19

6 hours ago, Sexlaf15 said:

thought I’d share this, this is an example of how Cronin wants this team to play. Lot of moving parts.

All the more reason Brett Pesce should be Verbeek’s primary target in UFA this summer.

March 15

1 hour ago, perry_mvp said:

So what exactly did the LeoPlan do for Leo Carlsson? He's still missed 26 games on the season mostly due to injury which in part was what the LeoPlan was there to prevent. I hope there isn't a "CutterPlan" next season.

Yeah, sure, but Leo might have hit a rookie wall 50 games into the season, and then how in the world would the Ducks have remained in the playoff race?? :lol: :lol: :lol:

On a related note, Fisix mentioned in anther thread that Verbeek's answer to the question about his favorite movie was "Moneyball". Is anyone at all surprised by that? He seems to think he's the NHL's answer to Billy Bean, thinking outside the box and taking down the giants by doing things his way because he's just smarter than every GM who's ever come before him in the NHL.

Keeping Eakins for another season, going off the board to hire Cronin, McIlvane, the Leo Plan, the Zegras contract negotiations, Klingberg.... so far the only thing he's really done right is to listen to his amateur scouting team at the draft.

March 14

1 hour ago, g20topdogg said:

I mean I could counter your issue with skill being that a lot of our skill guys were out for big portions of the season. We miss Zegras, big time. Look at the last game, everyone says Michigan's as easy blah blah, blah... what? Our guys, doesn't matter who it is, don't even consider the move. It's always pass so it becomes easier for the opposing team to figure out what's going to happen next because it's looking for that slot pass 100/100 times. Zegras adds a way different element. With him there's no knowing what he's going to do so it freezes the other team for a second and at that point he's got options (Michigan, wrap around or pass). This team NEEDS Zegras. Trading him would be the dumbest thing to do. Terry doesn't have that "it" factor. McT also no. Leo? Possibly. We need those skill guys to give us that extra advantage. Arguably we have more points this year if our top guys were healthy for the whole season.

Did I say anything about our skill? I said we don’t skate as well as other teams. And even if you had zero man games lost from this team, that doesn’t change. Well, actually the loss of Drysdale hurt our team’s overall skating ability. That guy can skate. And I suppose McGinn is a better skater than the rest of our bottom line guys. But overall I don’t see a huge drop off in skating due to the injuries. We have a few really good skaters (Fowler, OZ), but top to bottom we’re just not a great skating team.

March 13

4 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

I think the counter to that would be the Ducks do not have big enough defenseman to impose a net front defense. The only real "physical" guy is Gudas Back in those Boston days, defensemen could cross-check the heck out of offensive players and it was fine. That doesn't mean a zone isn't good because it sounds like it would be better that the man to man in theory. I just don't know if the current group is good at either.

Our defense isn't that small. They just play small. But Fowler is 6'2" 215lbs. JLC is 6'2" 205lbs. Vaaks is 6'2" 200lbs. Minty is 6'1" 195lbs (and growing). Gudas is the smallest of the bunch and he plays like the biggest. I also don't think cross-checking is a primary feature of the zone defense. It's more just about coverage and the ability to read-and-react rather than chase and pressure. We're just not very good at the latter.

March 13

1 hour ago, PlzInsertLiquor said:

If you don’t mind me asking what specific details about Julien’s system do you like more than Cronin’s and why do you think it fits our team as currently constructed better ?

I didn't pay close attention to his teams in Montreal, but in Boston he implemented a zone defense that prioritized net-front defense. By all accounts, his defensive structure allowed his team to play less frenetically, which led to fewer high danger scoring chances against due to fewer blown man-to-man coverages in high danger areas, and fewer penalties because his players weren't always chasing their marks all over the D-zone.

IMO, Cronin's man-to-man is not the right defensive structure for this current group. They don't skate well enough to keep up with the quicker, more skilled teams, and I also think some of the young players like McTavish and JLC just don't have the experience and knowledge base to read and react to plays yet, so they get caught hooking and holding and tripping guys from behind too often because they just can't keep up with the man-to-man system.

I've also been pretty vocal about Cronin's seeming lack of interest in holding guys accountable with ice time. Julien didn't have a problem sending messages. And perhaps most importantly, Julien has the credibility to do it. "Back when I was coaching Chara and Bergeron in the Cup Finals..." just carries a lot more weight than "Back when I was coaching Kiefer Sherwood in the 2nd round of the Calder Cup playoffs..." dontcha think? :lol:

Edit: If you're an Athletic subscriber, here's a good article about why a lot of teams are moving to zone defense too: https://theathletic.com/4980491/2023/10/25/nhl-zone-defense-man-coverage/. I'd really like to see these Ducks do the same.

March 13

1 hour ago, tommer-1 said:

Yeah, I wasn't starting this thread to suggest anything other than, "Well, if he was being replaced, who would be the best fit?"

Yeah, I gotcha. I just felt the need to clarify that before the smartest fan on this board decided to scold us for suggesting that Cronin could be fired soon.

March 13

38 minutes ago, Jasoaks said:

Cronin needs to figure his Dehydrated Donkey Dung out. I know he’ll be back next season but for me, it’s a short leash next season. Very low patience starting next season.

but oh my god we.need.new.assistant.coaches !! Get them out of there! They better not be here start of next season.

Cronin's job is extremely safe. No short leash at all. Verbeek is not going to fire his first coaching hire one or even two seasons into the contract. Especially in Anaheim, where the owners want to save every penny they can. Verbeek will just keep shoveling the fans lines about how Cronin is changing the culture and teaching good habits regardless of the results on the ice. I can think of at least three coaches I would LOVE to see in Anaheim (including Julien), but its just not happening. This is just a thought exercise on a fan message board. Cronin is the coach for the foreseeable future.

March 13

1 hour ago, tommer-1 said:

Okay, here’s the exercise (and I’m not being facetious, I want to hear ideas):

Most fans seem to be on the “Cronin Airport Uber” Train. So, who is the new hire that makes you think, “Oh boy, GMPV nailed it getting this guy!”

I have no idea, really. No real names.

Anyone have good ideas?

McClellan, Berube, Gallant. None of those names are doing much for me. But maybe they should?

Claude Julien’s coaching style and resume makes the most sense to me right now for this current squad. Not a long term guy due to his age. But this train is off the rails at the moment and it needs someone with serious street cred to get it back on track. Julien has that in spades.

March 12

Feel good story of the day. Good for Cody Hodgson.

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