The Official 2022-2023 Anaheim Ducks Thread

[gotbeer]

Stolarz looks like crap. Good shots. But dang it's like we are facing Boston

[gotbeer]

At this rate, the only valuable trade chip we might have that isn't a youngster might be Rico.  

[gotbeer]

A tale of two periods.  

Blue Jackets dominant in the first.

Ducks back in it in the second.

[gotbeer]

And going back to a young defenseman learning.  If Benoit can keep learning how to put that booming line shot on net.  That's going to be big in the future.  He seems to have a hard shot.  I don't think Fowler or Drysdale can match it.

[gotbeer]

Coming back and taking the lead after 3 down.  

[gotbeer]

5 unanswered goals scored?  Who are these people?

[deepdrive]

Since  I never played it, I don't get why teams up 3-0 in the first period tend to lose so often. Weird game and once again Terry doesn't get a goal.

Good to see Lundestrom come back and have a good game. Comtois has been looking better lately, too.

Those two teams with the talent they have shouldn't be fighting it out for the bottom - just crazy.

[gotbeer]

11 hours ago, deepdrive said:

Since  I never played it, I don't get why teams up 3-0 in the first period tend to lose so often. Weird game and once again Terry doesn't get a goal.

Good to see Lundestrom come back and have a good game. Comtois has been looking better lately, too.

Those two teams with the talent they have shouldn't be fighting it out for the bottom - just crazy.

 

So last nights game got me thinking regarding Lundestrom.  He's been struggling this season pre injury.  But he was pretty much regulated to the third line, with guys like Silfverberg, and Jones, and Mahura, etc as his wings.  Was his struggles not due to his struggling, but with linemates that can't score?  It's only one game, but it's interesting when you elevate him to the first line with Rico and Terry, that he comes out of the game with 1/3 as many points as he had all season prior.  24 games and 6 points vs 1 game and 2 points.  

Again, it's only one game.  But he was like Benoit last season, where he took giant leaps in his game.  And unlike Mahura who has been given a bunch of chances and proved that his breakout season is looking more like a fluke.  Maybe this is where Issac belongs, with skilled guys around him?

The possibilities if he can continue really open the team up.  1A.  Lundestrom/Terry/Rico.  1B.  McTavish/Z/Strome.  And this is where it gets tricky.  IMO, McTavish has proven that he can handle an NHL center position.  He wins faceoffs, he's a big body that doesn't get pushed around, he plays both sides of the ice.   Really a good complement to Z, who just needs to score.  Kind of like Terry.  So if Lundestrom isn't a mirage, that could set up our top 2 lines for quite a long time.  

[deepdrive]

5 hours ago, gotbeer said:

 

So last nights game got me thinking regarding Lundestrom.  He's been struggling this season pre injury.  But he was pretty much regulated to the third line, with guys like Silfverberg, and Jones, and Mahura, etc as his wings.  Was his struggles not due to his struggling, but with linemates that can't score?  It's only one game, but it's interesting when you elevate him to the first line with Rico and Terry, that he comes out of the game with 1/3 as many points as he had all season prior.  24 games and 6 points vs 1 game and 2 points.  

Again, it's only one game.  But he was like Benoit last season, where he took giant leaps in his game.  And unlike Mahura who has been given a bunch of chances and proved that his breakout season is looking more like a fluke.  Maybe this is where Issac belongs, with skilled guys around him?

The possibilities if he can continue really open the team up.  1A.  Lundestrom/Terry/Rico.  1B.  McTavish/Z/Strome.  And this is where it gets tricky.  IMO, McTavish has proven that he can handle an NHL center position.  He wins faceoffs, he's a big body that doesn't get pushed around, he plays both sides of the ice.   Really a good complement to Z, who just needs to score.  Kind of like Terry.  So if Lundestrom isn't a mirage, that could set up our top 2 lines for quite a long time.  

That's what I was saying earlier. His biggest problem is who he's been playing with. Don't think the Ducks don't know it either. This season is all about getting the younger player's acclimated to the NHL They want that high draft pick. Putting players in their optimal position for where they are now makes no sense for them. It's all about moving them forward.

I don't see both Z and McTavish as future centers. I see them more like Henrique (or at least Z). Centers who mostly play the wing. I mean, a lot can happen going forward. But I think Lundestrom and Goucher (3rd line unless scoring improves) are centers. Strome, Z, McTavish take the other center position unless we get our new center in the draft.

[gotbeer]

What's with a 9:30 am start?  I mean Z doesn't seem to mind with 2 so far.

[gotbeer]

Benoit.  2 game goal scoring streak.  

[gotbeer]

Man, heavy dose of Z to try and get him the hatty.  

[gotbeer]

Well, Sabres dominate the third and put 6 up for the game.  At least the Z show was fun to watch.

[deepdrive]

Yeah, there was a lot of good things to see in the game. Z looked good again. He's back to looking confident. The Ducks need to find the right linemates for him and then leave them together. Benoit is really starting to come into his own. I just think this guy is going to keep improving. Now we just need Terry to get going again. 

I look forward to the next game. The only downside to all this is Arizona and San Jose will full on tank the rest of the season. It would be a bummer if we finished 5th, didn't get a lottery pick, and missed out on the top 4. Add on at least one more year to the rebuild if that happens.

[gotbeer]

34 minutes ago, deepdrive said:

Yeah, there was a lot of good things to see in the game. Z looked good again. He's back to looking confident. The Ducks need to find the right linemates for him and then leave them together. Benoit is really starting to come into his own. I just think this guy is going to keep improving. Now we just need Terry to get going again. 

I look forward to the next game. The only downside to all this is Arizona and San Jose will full on tank the rest of the season. It would be a bummer if we finished 5th, didn't get a lottery pick, and missed out on the top 4. Add on at least one more year to the rebuild if that happens.

 

Is it just me, or does Benoit seem more confident to shoot from the point?  And not just shoot, but move and shoot.  

I think the teams that make the most trades will be on full on tank mode.  And the Ducks are more primed than San Jose and Arizona to do that.  Half of our defensive core and a few forwards should be moved.  I think we'll get legit looks at a lot of our AHL prospects after the trades happen.  Guys like Helleson, Anderssen, Tracey, Perreault, and why Regenda was even sent down in the first place, not to mention Dostal, although he might stay at the Gulls to get consistent starts.  It's not like the Gulls are playing for anything, so there is not playoff experience.  

[deepdrive]

I think Benoit has become more confident in most aspects of his game. The Ducks need to keep him and go with him to see how far he can progress. We know at this point he is at least a high quality 3rd pairing defender and looks like he'll progress to at least a good 2nd pairing defender. He should get even more opportunity once the deadline trades are made.

He reminds me a bit of Pettersson, who we gave to Pittsburg for Sprong. Another Bob reclamation move that went bust.

[gotbeer]

Another race for Bedard game that we should win.  But we'll see.

[gotbeer]

Vatrano.  Increase that trade value.  

 

[gotbeer]

Who is this team?  Scoring by pulling the goalie with a pending penalty on the Yotes.  Then scoring on a 5 minute major?  

[gotbeer]

Good bounce back game for Stolarz.  Increase that trade value.

Really a good complete game by the team.  Then again, it was against the Coyotes.  

[deepdrive]

Yeah, it was against the Coyotes. If there’s.one thing you can bet on going forward, Phoenix, San Jose and Chicago will take the rest of the season off. Three quieter organizations. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up with the 5th pick.

[gotbeer]

Interesting.  After the trade.  Doesn't mean much, but I thought it was interesting.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=220134

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=249248

Olen Zellweger 5 gp, 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points, +6

Pavel Mintyukov 6 gp, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points, -2

[gotbeer]

Lol at Gibswim not even knowing where the puck is and leaving the net wide open for a few minutes.

[gotbeer]

Vatrano, keep increasing that trade value.  

[gotbeer]

Dang.  Terry.  Pull that off to the super hot Rico.