Season Expectations

[MooseDuck]

What I expect is Anaheim Ducks to once again Try to MAKE THE Stanley Cup Playoffs...We know this season will be Trial by fire and It looks like it....Like the LIVES we live.....Perservance is something our Ducks especially the Young Guns Must do to overcome this Losing Skid.

DuckPride 4ever

MooseDuck

[Fisix]

3 hours ago, dtsdlaw said:

Milano clears waivers and will apparently be sent to the Caps' AHL affiliate in Hershey. Friedman also mentioned that Milano's agent reached out to the Caps first, after the Ducks claimed Leason off waivers, not the other way around. Turns out nobody really wanted the guy, even for a league minimum 1-year contract. No wonder the Ducks didn't want to give him his $1.8m qualifying offer.

It feels like Sonny either made some kind of social mistake or piddleed off the wrong people. Almost like a blackball. 

[tommer-1]

Here is where I would rate this team in these key areas, from 1-10, 1 being terrible, 10 being outstanding, 5 being mediocre.

 

5-on-5 Offense: 4.5

5-on-5 Defense: 2

Power Play: 6

PK: 0.5

Physicality: 0.5

Hard To Play Against/Compete/Puck Battles: 2

Skating: 3

Goaltending: 5

 

Teams have zero respect for this team.  Yeah, they are NHLers, yeah any team can win any given game.  But teams are not worried about getting in a track meet with them, teams are not worried about being outworked by them, teams are not worried about getting shut down by them, teams are not worried about the goalie stealing a game, teams are not worried about getting bodied all night, teams are not worried about keeping their heads up against them, teams are not worried about taking penalties against them.

It's full-on scrimmage time when the Ducks are in town/you visit Orange County.

 

Some teams are about on their level, or have off nights, but I would say at least 20 teams see this team on the schedule and know they just have to play to their capabilities and there will be two points after 60/65 minutes.

 

[Belarus]

1 - Captain Obvious here:  We've been outshot 72-129 in three games.  24-43 per game average.  Out of nine periods played the Ducks have had only one with double digit shots on goal (10).

2 - Outside of that, what I see during the game is a blur of bodies in our own end and all the sudden the puck's in the net.  Then I see a blur of bodies at the other end of the ice and the the puck doesn't go in.

3 - Is beer really $19.50?  Geeze.  Good thing I'm an Ovaltine kind of a guy...

[Gorbachav55]

4 hours ago, tommer-1 said:

Here is where I would rate this team in these key areas, from 1-10, 1 being terrible, 10 being outstanding, 5 being mediocre.

 

5-on-5 Offense: 4.5

5-on-5 Defense: 2

Power Play: 6

PK: 0.5

Physicality: 0.5

Hard To Play Against/Compete/Puck Battles: 2

Skating: 3

Goaltending: 5

 

Teams have zero respect for this team.  Yeah, they are NHLers, yeah any team can win any given game.  But teams are not worried about getting in a track meet with them, teams are not worried about being outworked by them, teams are not worried about getting shut down by them, teams are not worried about the goalie stealing a game, teams are not worried about getting bodied all night, teams are not worried about keeping their heads up against them, teams are not worried about taking penalties against them.

It's full-on scrimmage time when the Ducks are in town/you visit Orange County.

 

Some teams are about on their level, or have off nights, but I would say at least 20 teams see this team on the schedule and know they just have to play to their capabilities and there will be two points after 60/65 minutes.

 

That's what struck me as I was watching tonight's game - there really isn't anything this team does well (aside from a few individual skills for individual players).  

• They have a couple decent passers (notably Zegras and Strome), but they can't string together two passes through the neutral zone, and they're absolutely atrocious at handling any pass that isn't right on the tape in front of them.
• They don't have much size and physicality.
• Given that they don't have much size and physicality, you'd expect them to have either a lot of speed or skill.  They have neither.  I think they might be the slowest team in the league.
• They don't defend well
• They don't forecheck well.
• They're not good on the rush.
• With Terry and the addition of Vatrano, perhaps this can be a sniping team that takes advantage of an abnormal amount of scoring chances.  That's the closest I can come.

I think that Verbeek is going to build an identity for this team, but it clearly isn't going to come to fruition this season.  Go hard for Bedard!

[perry_mvp]

7 hours ago, Gorbachav55 said:

That's what struck me as I was watching tonight's game - there really isn't anything this team does well (aside from a few individual skills for individual players).  

• They have a couple decent passers (notably Zegras and Strome), but they can't string together two passes through the neutral zone, and they're absolutely atrocious at handling any pass that isn't right on the tape in front of them.
• They don't have much size and physicality.
• Given that they don't have much size and physicality, you'd expect them to have either a lot of speed or skill.  They have neither.  I think they might be the slowest team in the league.
• They don't defend well
• They don't forecheck well.
• They're not good on the rush.
• With Terry and the addition of Vatrano, perhaps this can be a sniping team that takes advantage of an abnormal amount of scoring chances.  That's the closest I can come.

I think that Verbeek is going to build an identity for this team, but it clearly isn't going to come to fruition this season.  Go hard for Bedard!

In the game vs the Rangers I did see some "positive" adjustments. Fowler/Drysdale, Klingberg/Kulikov but Shatt is saddled with a bottom of the barrel partner. White, Beaulieu and Benoit have been bad. So bad that I'm hoping Juolevi gets called up. I would also say Leason was a major improvement over Silfverberg.

Other than that, you're on point with everything except go hard for Bedard. I think if there was an actual NHL coaching staff behind the bench, this team would be doing much better and not be looking for the #1 overall pick.

[Gorbachav55]

42 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

In the game vs the Rangers I did see some "positive" adjustments. Fowler/Drysdale, Klingberg/Kulikov but Shatt is saddled with a bottom of the barrel partner. White, Beaulieu and Benoit have been bad. So bad that I'm hoping Juolevi gets called up. I would also say Leason was a major improvement over Silfverberg.

Other than that, you're on point with everything except go hard for Bedard. I think if there was an actual NHL coaching staff behind the bench, this team would be doing much better and not be looking for the #1 overall pick.

I completely agree, but it seems that's the choice Verbeek went with when he retained Eakins.

I think I'm the only one who felt White actually played ok, but I could be wrong there.  Leason was an improvement on Silf, that's for sure.

[DuxFan73]

Retaining Eakins was a mistake as this coaching staff appears to be asking this team to do things they just can't execute on. They cannot breakout or win puck battles. There is no physicality in front of either net, they look completely confused and physically weak. Not sure what the answer is other than be patient and possibly they will find some chemistry. 

[dtsdlaw]

10 hours ago, Gorbachav55 said:

That's what struck me as I was watching tonight's game - there really isn't anything this team does well (aside from a few individual skills for individual players).  

• They have a couple decent passers (notably Zegras and Strome), but they can't string together two passes through the neutral zone, and they're absolutely atrocious at handling any pass that isn't right on the tape in front of them.
• They don't have much size and physicality.
• Given that they don't have much size and physicality, you'd expect them to have either a lot of speed or skill.  They have neither.  I think they might be the slowest team in the league.
• They don't defend well
• They don't forecheck well.
• They're not good on the rush.
• With Terry and the addition of Vatrano, perhaps this can be a sniping team that takes advantage of an abnormal amount of scoring chances.  That's the closest I can come.

I think that Verbeek is going to build an identity for this team, but it clearly isn't going to come to fruition this season.  Go hard for Bedard!

Something I've been wondering about (and also something that has bothered me for a few years now), do you think the bolded has anything to do with how the Ducks run their training camp? Specifically, the first week of camp. I look around the league on the opening day of each team's training camps and I see coaches starting right away with lines/pairings that make sense, presumably because teams want to get their players on the same page as quickly as possible to start the season. Rantanen-MacKinnon start together on day 1 of training camp every season. Huberdeau-Lindholm were together on Day 1 in Calgary. Gaudreau and Laine were together on Day 1 in Columbus. And on and on. It's all around the league - top players playing with top players from the first moment they step on the ice. That goes for forwards AND defensemen.

Except in Anaheim. I can't really remember how RC or Boudreau did it, but it's been really noticeable to me ever since Eakins took over. From Day 1, the lines and pairs at Ducks camp are completely jumbled, with no one who is expected to play together actually playing together to build chemistry.  HCDE appears to treat the first few days of training camp like its a corporate retreat, not an NHL training camp. After seeing this for the past several seasons, I honestly wonder how much the coaching staff really considers building chemistry as a priority to start the season. Seriously, these were the lines/pairings to open camp this season (bolded players are on the 23-man roster).

McTavish - Zegras - Silfverberg

Regenda - Ben King - Terry

Tschigerl - Strome - Gaucher

Rico - Lopina - De Leo

McLaughlin - Groulx - Vatrano

Tracey - Gaudin - Comtois

Kirkland - Grant - Perreault

Pastujov - Lundestrom - Kindopp

Golod - O'Regan - Jones

Fowler - Warren

Zellweger - Klingberg

Kulikov - Drysdale

Mintyukov - Shattenkirk

Beaulieu - Helleson

Benoit - Mahura

Heading into training camp, there were 3, maybe 4 spots on the opening night roster that were truly an open competition. Regenda and Leason got the 12th and 13th forward spots. Benoit and Beaulieu got the 6th and 7th D-man spots. Everyone else who made the opening night roster was pretty much a lock to make the team, even before training camp opened. So WTH is the coaching staff doing not putting guys together from Day 1 to start building chemistry?? I can't help but feel like it puts the Ducks a week behind in their process, and leads to a lot of really disjointed play right out of the gate. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by dtsdlaw

[Jasoaks]

6 minutes ago, dtsdlaw said:

Something I've been wondering about (and also something that has bothered me for a few years now), do you think the bolded has anything to do with how the Ducks run their training camp? Specifically, the first week of camp. I look around the league on the opening day of each team's training camps and I see coaches starting right away with lines/pairings that make sense, presumably because teams want to get their players on the same page as quickly as possible to start the season. Rantanen-MacKinnon start together on day 1 of training camp every season. Huberdeau-Lindholm were together on Day 1 in Calgary. Gaudreau and Laine were together on Day 1 in Columbus. And on and on. It's all around the league - top players playing with top players from the first moment they step on the ice. That goes for forwards AND defensemen.

Except in Anaheim. I can't really remember how RC or Boudreau did it, but it's been really noticeable to me ever since Eakins took over. From Day 1, the lines and pairs at Ducks camp are completely jumbled, with no one who is expected to play together actually playing together to build chemistry.  HCDE appears to treat the first few days of training camp like its a corporate retreat, not an NHL training camp. After seeing this for the past several seasons, I honestly wonder how much the coaching staff really considers building chemistry as a priority to start the season. Seriously, these were the lines/pairings to open camp this season (bolded players are on the 23-man roster).

McTavish - Zegras - Silfverberg

Regenda - Ben King - Terry

Tschigerl - Strome - Gaucher

Rico - Lopina - De Leo

McLaughlin - Groulx - Vatrano

Tracey - Gaudin - Comtois

Kirkland - Grant - Perreault

Pastujov - Lundestrom - Kindopp

Golod - O'Regan - Jones

Fowler - Warren

Zellweger - Klingberg

Kulikov - Drysdale

Mintyukov - Shattenkirk

Beaulieu - Helleson

Benoit - Mahura

Heading into training camp, there were 3, maybe 4 spots on the opening night roster that were truly an open competition. Regenda and Leason got the 12th and 13th forward spots. Benoit and Beaulieu got the 6th and 7th D-man spots. Everyone else who made the opening night roster was pretty much a lock to make the team, even before training camp opened. So WTH is the coaching staff doing not putting guys together from Day 1 to start building chemistry?? I can't help but feel like it puts the Ducks a week behind in their process, and leads to a lot of really disjointed play right out of the gate. 

interesting observation!

My belief with Eakins has always been every game is about a learning experience and trying something new and giving players lessons etc...but not really about winning. It's a very AHL mindset imo...he's not interested in doing what will win the game or win the season. But what will be the right lesson. I dunno if i'm explaining this right, but I think you might get what i'm saying.

It's like he's always trying to figure out chemistry or always trying to get a sense of the team/players. See what works and what doesn't work. but like....ALWAYS doing that.

It's why I think he doesn't adapt well during games. It's like he keeps trying to re-learn the same lessons over and over again.

[Gorbachav55]

49 minutes ago, dtsdlaw said:

Something I've been wondering about (and also something that has bothered me for a few years now), do you think the bolded has anything to do with how the Ducks run their training camp? Specifically, the first week of camp. I look around the league on the opening day of each team's training camps and I see coaches starting right away with lines/pairings that make sense, presumably because teams want to get their players on the same page as quickly as possible to start the season. Rantanen-MacKinnon start together on day 1 of training camp every season. Huberdeau-Lindholm were together on Day 1 in Calgary. Gaudreau and Laine were together on Day 1 in Columbus. And on and on. It's all around the league - top players playing with top players from the first moment they step on the ice. That goes for forwards AND defensemen.

Except in Anaheim. I can't really remember how RC or Boudreau did it, but it's been really noticeable to me ever since Eakins took over. From Day 1, the lines and pairs at Ducks camp are completely jumbled, with no one who is expected to play together actually playing together to build chemistry.  HCDE appears to treat the first few days of training camp like its a corporate retreat, not an NHL training camp. After seeing this for the past several seasons, I honestly wonder how much the coaching staff really considers building chemistry as a priority to start the season. Seriously, these were the lines/pairings to open camp this season (bolded players are on the 23-man roster).

McTavish - Zegras - Silfverberg

Regenda - Ben King - Terry

Tschigerl - Strome - Gaucher

Rico - Lopina - De Leo

McLaughlin - Groulx - Vatrano

Tracey - Gaudin - Comtois

Kirkland - Grant - Perreault

Pastujov - Lundestrom - Kindopp

Golod - O'Regan - Jones

Fowler - Warren

Zellweger - Klingberg

Kulikov - Drysdale

Mintyukov - Shattenkirk

Beaulieu - Helleson

Benoit - Mahura

Heading into training camp, there were 3, maybe 4 spots on the opening night roster that were truly an open competition. Regenda and Leason got the 12th and 13th forward spots. Benoit and Beaulieu got the 6th and 7th D-man spots. Everyone else who made the opening night roster was pretty much a lock to make the team, even before training camp opened. So WTH is the coaching staff doing not putting guys together from Day 1 to start building chemistry?? I can't help but feel like it puts the Ducks a week behind in their process, and leads to a lot of really disjointed play right out of the gate. 

I honestly don't know.  You might be onto something.

The other theory I've heard from a random internet person, and I have no idea if it's true or not, is that Eakins spends very little time doing skill-related drills.  If true, that would seem to be at least partially responsible.  As I was watching last night, it was noticeable how good the Rangers were at breaking up passes and at corralling aerial passes or passes that weren't right on the tape while skating.  And it wasn't just guys like Panarin, whom you expect that from.  It was Chytil and Goodrow and others.  Is this because Eakins doesn't coach this stuff up?  Or is it just because we have players who are bad at it?  Or some combination thereof?  

I'm a huge fan of the passing skill, even when it's just simple plays to connect guys through the neutral zone.  The Ducks are so bad at it and I'd like to know why - chemistry?  Skill? Coaching?

Edited October 18, 2022 by Gorbachav55

[dtsdlaw]

42 minutes ago, Jasoaks said:

interesting observation!

My belief with Eakins has always been every game is about a learning experience and trying something new and giving players lessons etc...but not really about winning. It's a very AHL mindset imo...he's not interested in doing what will win the game or win the season. But what will be the right lesson. I dunno if i'm explaining this right, but I think you might get what i'm saying.

It's like he's always trying to figure out chemistry or always trying to get a sense of the team/players. See what works and what doesn't work. but like....ALWAYS doing that.

It's why I think he doesn't adapt well during games. It's like he keeps trying to re-learn the same lessons over and over again.

Yup. Like in last season's second game against Minnesota, with the game tied and under a minute left to play, he puts out McTavish-Groulx-Grant against the Wild's 2nd line and top D-pair, only to have Foligno score to make it 2-1 with 8 seconds left in the game. At times it looks like he's 10-year-old girls in rec league softball. As long as the parents cheer and the kids get snacks after the game, everybody goes home happy, right?

[g20topdogg]

I'm beginning to think the team is tuning the coaching staff out. I can't say for sure but it just seems kind of strange that we play so apathetic. I wouldn't blame Gibson if he asked for a trade request already. Two games and he's pulled without finishing. I can't see anyone being happy right now and the season has only just started. 

[Pazonator]

1 minute ago, g20topdogg said:

I'm beginning to think the team is tuning the coaching staff out. I can't say for sure but it just seems kind of strange that we play so apathetic. I wouldn't blame Gibson if he asked for a trade request already. Two games and he's pulled without finishing. I can't see anyone being happy right now and the season has only just started. 

You start feeling bad for the goalie.  Taking so much punishment every game. Taking tons of slap shots to the face every night. The first ten minutes of our games is like two periods for any other goalie. This has to be brutal for Gibby.  I seriously don’t know how he is still here with this team.  I don’t think I can blame any goal on him so far it’s all been how we are playing in front of him

[bufbarnaby]

What genius signed Klink-dud  He should fire himself.

[Jasoaks]

4 hours ago, dtsdlaw said:

Yup. Like in last season's second game against Minnesota, with the game tied and under a minute left to play, he puts out McTavish-Groulx-Grant against the Wild's 2nd line and top D-pair, only to have Foligno score to make it 2-1 with 8 seconds left in the game. At times it looks like he's 10-year-old girls in rec league softball. As long as the parents cheer and the kids get snacks after the game, everybody goes home happy, right?

ohh i remember that. So many questionable moves every single game it seems... your analogy is apt!

[Fisix]

5 hours ago, dtsdlaw said:

Something I've been wondering about (and also something that has bothered me for a few years now), do you think the bolded has anything to do with how the Ducks run their training camp? Specifically, the first week of camp. I look around the league on the opening day of each team's training camps and I see coaches starting right away with lines/pairings that make sense, presumably because teams want to get their players on the same page as quickly as possible to start the season. Rantanen-MacKinnon start together on day 1 of training camp every season. Huberdeau-Lindholm were together on Day 1 in Calgary. Gaudreau and Laine were together on Day 1 in Columbus. And on and on. It's all around the league - top players playing with top players from the first moment they step on the ice. That goes for forwards AND defensemen.

Except in Anaheim. I can't really remember how RC or Boudreau did it, but it's been really noticeable to me ever since Eakins took over. From Day 1, the lines and pairs at Ducks camp are completely jumbled, with no one who is expected to play together actually playing together to build chemistry.  HCDE appears to treat the first few days of training camp like its a corporate retreat, not an NHL training camp. After seeing this for the past several seasons, I honestly wonder how much the coaching staff really considers building chemistry as a priority to start the season. Seriously, these were the lines/pairings to open camp this season (bolded players are on the 23-man roster).

McTavish - Zegras - Silfverberg

Regenda - Ben King - Terry

Tschigerl - Strome - Gaucher

Rico - Lopina - De Leo

McLaughlin - Groulx - Vatrano

Tracey - Gaudin - Comtois

Kirkland - Grant - Perreault

Pastujov - Lundestrom - Kindopp

Golod - O'Regan - Jones

Fowler - Warren

Zellweger - Klingberg

Kulikov - Drysdale

Mintyukov - Shattenkirk

Beaulieu - Helleson

Benoit - Mahura

Heading into training camp, there were 3, maybe 4 spots on the opening night roster that were truly an open competition. Regenda and Leason got the 12th and 13th forward spots. Benoit and Beaulieu got the 6th and 7th D-man spots. Everyone else who made the opening night roster was pretty much a lock to make the team, even before training camp opened. So WTH is the coaching staff doing not putting guys together from Day 1 to start building chemistry?? I can't help but feel like it puts the Ducks a week behind in their process, and leads to a lot of really disjointed play right out of the gate. 

yeah, it's a good point.  at times in the past, we've done a better job at generating chemistry in camp and during the regular season... but we're talking back when we had unequivocal NHL players up and down the roster, but for a few (like 2-3) youngsters plugged in here and there for short periods of time.

i would say McT is also new to the team this year.  last year really doesn't count.  so, i think that's 8+ new players on the ice each night, plus even older players getting moved around a lot because they're on the downslope, BUT, we have such a low performing team, our bottom 6 sometime have to play in our top 6 just so we can field a line that can stay out for more than 12 seconds at a time.

all that aside, there's no reason why camp couldn't have sorted out some stuff more completely than where we see things now.

BB loved to move players around, pretty much all the time, and especially if a line was sucking that night.  i was complaining about LINE chemistry back then, because i saw some d pairings and forward lines on other teams that'd been together for YEARS who could pass around us like we were Mites and they were... what they were - NHL players.  RC2 tried to go back to the old ways of "these are your linemates for life," but we got hit with so many injuries it was an impossible endeavor.  he ended up coaching more like BB, but without anything near BB's charisma (isn't that a funny thing to say?  but it's true).  HCBM was all about mixing things up all the time, and the team was in emotional disarray anyway.

Eakins came into this knowing what he'd get... which has been a team with too many injuries, poor development (at least at the NHL level), and constantly shifting lines.  did he have a choice in how often he shifted players' lines in the past?  doubtful, and i think decisions like Hank getting sent down were all BM.  The Beek made some personnel decisions last year, but otherwise he left things to proceed as they had before, so even the end of last season was still BM-esque.

THIS year was a year where some things could have changed, and probably have, but how much was reasonable to expect?  we had a competitive summer and preseason camp where players were vying for NHL spots up to mere hours before the first regular season game.  we have talent, but untested and/or unknown talent, pretty much everywhere.  it would have been nice to work out lines before the regular season, but i think realistically, that's an unreasonable ask for this team under these circumstances, for the beginning of this season.  i certainly wouldn't compare us to anything the Avalanche are doing.

my feelings: i think the Ducks have had a Dehydrated Donkey Dungty preseason camp ethic/tradition for almost a decade.  they need to fix it, but this year might not have been the best year to make that drastic of a change - it might have even been impossible.  i don't know what's allowed under the player's contracts, but i think Ducks preseason camp should start 2 weeks earlier than it did, and i think the skating coach we had for the rookies in the summer camp should be working with the NHL team daily over those two weeks.  something has to change in the prep for the season that, in turn, changes the work ethic for the players, but more importantly the work ethic AND performance of the admin and the coaching staff.  we shouldn't be fielding a team that looks like we're behind in everything when we take the ice the first game of the season.

even in light of all the above... you'd be asking a lot for us to have locked in lines this early in the season, this season.  we just aren't ready to be that ready.

oh, and i have to mention the defensemen core.  Klingberg so far feels like a showy signing to get the season ticket holders to quiet down a bit (while they still were making decisions about getting tickets this year), and that's pretty much it.  that's what a 1 year $7M contract gets you.  he looks like a skinnier Shatt so far to me, with all the negative connotations that go with that statement.  and the Shatt has been living up to his name/jersey number.  i don't know what it is those veterans were supposed to be teaching the younger dmen, but at this point i wonder if we even WANT them teaching what they know to anyone.  someone in this thread blames Shatt's linemates... i don't know, what i've seen of Shatt's crap play doesn't seem transferrable to others on the team.  i am extremely disappointed in our d-core.

[MooseDuck]

Much as it Stings for us seeing the Ducks Another game WHICH I HATE....Ducks have been Slow-Starters in the past...."Sky is Falling" Menality needs to stop. New Era has us with alot of young Guys facing Adversity....I stand by what I said....I want our Ducks to TRY to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DuckPride 4ever

MooseDuck

[tommer-1]

15 minutes ago, MooseDuck said:

Much as it Stings for us seeing the Ducks Another game WHICH I HATE....Ducks have been Slow-Starters in the past...."Sky is Falling" Menality needs to stop. New Era has us with alot of young Guys facing Adversity....I stand by what I said....I want our Ducks to TRY to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DuckPride 4ever

MooseDuck

Moose, they can't build a culture of losing.  A culture of being okay with losing.

They have to be trying to get better, and they are not.

[MooseDuck]

3 minutes ago, tommer-1 said:

Moose, they can't build a culture of losing.  A culture of being okay with losing.

They have to be trying to get better, and they are not.

Of Course I know that I am open changing Head Coaches But I also against this Foolish Idea of Tanking a Season.....It has no benefits what soever.

DuckPride 4ever

MooseDuck

[tommer-1]

8 hours ago, dtsdlaw said:

Something I've been wondering about (and also something that has bothered me for a few years now), do you think the bolded has anything to do with how the Ducks run their training camp? Specifically, the first week of camp. I look around the league on the opening day of each team's training camps and I see coaches starting right away with lines/pairings that make sense, presumably because teams want to get their players on the same page as quickly as possible to start the season. Rantanen-MacKinnon start together on day 1 of training camp every season. Huberdeau-Lindholm were together on Day 1 in Calgary. Gaudreau and Laine were together on Day 1 in Columbus. And on and on. It's all around the league - top players playing with top players from the first moment they step on the ice. That goes for forwards AND defensemen.

Except in Anaheim. I can't really remember how RC or Boudreau did it, but it's been really noticeable to me ever since Eakins took over. From Day 1, the lines and pairs at Ducks camp are completely jumbled, with no one who is expected to play together actually playing together to build chemistry.  HCDE appears to treat the first few days of training camp like its a corporate retreat, not an NHL training camp. After seeing this for the past several seasons, I honestly wonder how much the coaching staff really considers building chemistry as a priority to start the season. Seriously, these were the lines/pairings to open camp this season (bolded players are on the 23-man roster).

McTavish - Zegras - Silfverberg

Regenda - Ben King - Terry

Tschigerl - Strome - Gaucher

Rico - Lopina - De Leo

McLaughlin - Groulx - Vatrano

Tracey - Gaudin - Comtois

Kirkland - Grant - Perreault

Pastujov - Lundestrom - Kindopp

Golod - O'Regan - Jones

Fowler - Warren

Zellweger - Klingberg

Kulikov - Drysdale

Mintyukov - Shattenkirk

Beaulieu - Helleson

Benoit - Mahura

Heading into training camp, there were 3, maybe 4 spots on the opening night roster that were truly an open competition. Regenda and Leason got the 12th and 13th forward spots. Benoit and Beaulieu got the 6th and 7th D-man spots. Everyone else who made the opening night roster was pretty much a lock to make the team, even before training camp opened. So WTH is the coaching staff doing not putting guys together from Day 1 to start building chemistry?? I can't help but feel like it puts the Ducks a week behind in their process, and leads to a lot of really disjointed play right out of the gate. 

Big AHL vibes

[tommer-1]

10 minutes ago, MooseDuck said:

Of Course I know that I am open changing Head Coaches But I also against this Foolish Idea of Tanking a Season.....It has no benefits what soever.

DuckPride 4ever

MooseDuck

1000%

[BombaysTripleDeke]

I didn’t have high expectations for the season but did not see them playing this badly to start. The theory I ascribe to is Verbeek keeping Eakins so that he doesn’t bring his own guy into bad situation and until he can shape the roster more to the team that he wants. The only tank move was bringing him back and we are currently playing like a team that deserves Bedard 

[tommer-1]

Just now, BombaysTripleDeke said:

I didn’t have high expectations for the season but did not see them playing this badly to start. The theory I ascribe to is Verbeek keeping Eakins so that he doesn’t bring his own guy into bad situation and until he can shape the roster more to the team that he wants. The only tank move was bringing him back and we are currently playing like a team that deserves Bedard 

1. The odds are VERY long

2. Sucking out loud for a fifth straight season seems like a 10-year plan. Like maybe they will be relevant in 2030. As a comparison, the Oilers drafted Taylor Hall 1st overall in 2010 (after having missed the playoffs in 6 OF THE LAST 8 SEASONS), missed the playoffs the next 6 seasons, made it in 2017, missed it the next two seasons, made it the last three.  After drafting - after Hall - 1st overall, 1st OA, 7th OA, 3rd OA, 1st OA, 4th OA.

 

I hope that's not the plan.

[tommer-1]

5 minutes ago, tommer-1 said:

1. The odds are VERY long

2. Sucking out loud for a fifth straight season seems like a 10-year plan. Like maybe they will be relevant in 2030. As a comparison, the Oilers drafted Taylor Hall 1st overall in 2010 (after having missed the playoffs in 6 OF THE LAST 8 SEASONS), missed the playoffs the next 6 seasons, made it in 2017, missed it the next two seasons, made it the last three.  After drafting - after Hall - 1st overall, 1st OA, 7th OA, 3rd OA, 1st OA, 4th OA.

 

I hope that's not the plan.

Oh, and the last three postseasons, they lost in the first round twice and then went to the WCF last season.

[BombaysTripleDeke]

12 minutes ago, tommer-1 said:

1. The odds are VERY long

2. Sucking out loud for a fifth straight season seems like a 10-year plan. Like maybe they will be relevant in 2030. As a comparison, the Oilers drafted Taylor Hall 1st overall in 2010 (after having missed the playoffs in 6 OF THE LAST 8 SEASONS), missed the playoffs the next 6 seasons, made it in 2017, missed it the next two seasons, made it the last three.  After drafting - after Hall - 1st overall, 1st OA, 7th OA, 3rd OA, 1st OA, 4th OA.

 

I hope that's not the plan.

It’ll be the first full season under Verbeek who has undo what Murray built and reconstruct the roster, culture and player development. That’s why I’m not expecting much from this team while we also see who hopefully balls out and will make up the next core. 
 

If the Ducks got Michov or Fantilli then either would also be a massive addition to this team’s future.

The Oilers have also been grossly mismanaged given the moves they’ve made and talent they’ve had. The Ducks are going down that path unless we’ve whiffed so badly in the draft the past four years. Right now, I don’t have any panic because so much is still going change just going into next year alone. 
 

[perry_mvp]

45 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

I didn’t have high expectations for the season but did not see them playing this badly to start. The theory I ascribe to is Verbeek keeping Eakins so that he doesn’t bring his own guy into bad situation and until he can shape the roster more to the team that he wants. The only tank move was bringing him back and we are currently playing like a team that deserves Bedard 

I really don't buy that because he came in, in February. He got a sample size of this team under Eakins before the season ended. 

If Verbeek is just going to let this roll on because "he has a guy" then he's just setting his own guy up to be in a bad situation. Maybe even worse because he's just prolonging a losing culture. Verbeek had this off season to make moves. Moves that could have put the team in a much better situation if in fact he was going to fire Eakins at the end of the season and bring his own guy in. He really didn't though and that concerns me. Makes me wonder what Kariya and Niedermeyer saw in him.

[BombaysTripleDeke]

11 minutes ago, perry_mvp said:

I really don't buy that because he came in, in February. He got a sample size of this team under Eakins before the season ended. 

If Verbeek is just going to let this roll on because "he has a guy" then he's just setting his own guy up to be in a bad situation. Maybe even worse because he's just prolonging a losing culture. Verbeek had this off season to make moves. Moves that could have put the team in a much better situation if in fact he was going to fire Eakins at the end of the season and bring his own guy in. He really didn't though and that concerns me. Makes me wonder what Kariya and Niedermeyer saw in him.

I’m not concerned at all. He could have put a much more capable coach behind the bench and didn’t. My guess is because he doesn’t think this group will be competitive regardless of the coach is. So, if it’s another loss season then I can understand not committing to a new coach yet and have his clock start under those conditions.

I imagine he sold ownership and Ducks legends on a long term plan of building a contender, not just a playoff team, knowing that the short term is going to be rough. One off-season isn’t nearly enough time to overhaul an organization that was run with an iron fist by one guy for 13 years prior.

[Fisix]

9 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

I’m not concerned at all. He could have put a much more capable coach behind the bench and didn’t. My guess is because he doesn’t think this group will be competitive regardless of the coach is. So, if it’s another loss season then I can understand not committing to a new coach yet and have his clock start under those conditions.

I imagine he sold ownership and Ducks legends on a long term plan of building a contender, not just a playoff team, knowing that the short term is going to be rough. One off-season isn’t nearly enough time to overhaul an organization that was run with an iron fist by one guy for 13 years prior.

Maurice?  Torts?  who was available?

[Gorbachav55]

54 minutes ago, BombaysTripleDeke said:

I’m not concerned at all. He could have put a much more capable coach behind the bench and didn’t. My guess is because he doesn’t think this group will be competitive regardless of the coach is. So, if it’s another loss season then I can understand not committing to a new coach yet and have his clock start under those conditions.

I imagine he sold ownership and Ducks legends on a long term plan of building a contender, not just a playoff team, knowing that the short term is going to be rough. One off-season isn’t nearly enough time to overhaul an organization that was run with an iron fist by one guy for 13 years prior.

I agree with this completely. The Ducks were bad last year, but they weren't awful. And Verbeek did bring in some talent to replace what he traded away. I think he knew there was no way to get them to serious playoff contention, but there was a decent chance they'd at least hang around the conversation. He was giving Eakins a chance to improve the team's play, but he didn't want to saddle a new coach with a losing roster. 

But I can't imagine this is what he imagined coming out of camp. Getting dominated by three non-playoff teams is pathetic. I don't think Eakins is in jeopardy yet, but I'm starting to think he won't last until New Year's as I predicted.