The Official 2023-2024 Anaheim Ducks Thread

[gotbeer]

Season is over.  Finished last, so that we will pick 3rd.  

Very hopefull about this season.

[gotbeer]

Things to look forward to.  The youngsters looked good.  Really, next season could look like this.

McTavish/Rico/Terry

Z/Strome/Bedard or Fantilli 

Lundestrom/Vatrano/Nesterenko

Grant/Carrick/Jones

Drysdale/LaCombe

Fowler/Benoit

Helleson/??

[gotbeer]

Which would mean that Comtois, Silfverberg, McGinn, Leason, Megna, Shattenkirk, Beaulieu, White and Harrington could be looking elsewhere.  

[deepdrive]

12 minutes ago, gotbeer said:

Which would mean that Comtois, Silfverberg, McGinn, Leason, Megna, Shattenkirk, Beaulieu, White and Harrington could be looking elsewhere.  

Silvferburg, McGinn, probably White, maybe Shattenkirk will be back.

I don't know about Harrington. He looked pretty decent defensibly. 

Next year's team, the same as this year's team. Built to compete, not win. Should do better than this year's team, though.

[deepdrive]

I would bet Nesterenko is in the AHL next year.

LaCombe too.

[deepdrive]

Zellweger might be up. Or, at least get some games.

[arch stanton]

If they don't get Bedard I'd take Michkov. He'll leave the KHL in 2 years and go straight to the NHL ready to score 30 goals

[gotbeer]

6 hours ago, arch stanton said:

If they don't get Bedard I'd take Michkov. He'll leave the KHL in 2 years and go straight to the NHL ready to score 30 goals

Tough call if you select #2.  I think Fantilli fits more of a Beeker mold.  6'2", 187 vs 5'10", 148.  Of course then you have the second coming of McJesus, in Bedard at 5'10", 185.  

Also, I think the Ducks should be ready to compete next season with the top selection, so waiting 2 years might also be an issue.  

This is where Maddon will be a big influence if we don't get #1.  

[eaterfan]

27 minutes ago, gotbeer said:

Tough call if you select #2.  I think Fantilli fits more of a Beeker mold.  6'2", 187 vs 5'10", 148.  Of course then you have the second coming of McJesus, in Bedard at 5'10", 185.  

Also, I think the Ducks should be ready to compete next season with the top selection, so waiting 2 years might also be an issue.  

This is where Maddon will be a big influence if we don't get #1.  

Anything is possible, but this team finished with the worst goal differential in the last 20 years. I think this team will be pretty bad next year, too. Maybe they finish 10th from the bottom, but I can't see them making the playoffs.

 

I might go with Fantilli over Michkov, but I won't be upset either way. 

[gotbeer]

35 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

Anything is possible, but this team finished with the worst goal differential in the last 20 years. I think this team will be pretty bad next year, too. Maybe they finish 10th from the bottom, but I can't see them making the playoffs.

 

I might go with Fantilli over Michkov, but I won't be upset either way. 

I'll go optimist and say that when you have two defenders that were released from other teams in Shattenkirk and Beaulieu eating up defensive time.  Not to mention Klingberg who does not play very good D.  That's a lot of the defensive problems.  Just their elimination with younger more skilled players will go a long way.  Just looking at how LaCombe was able to move the puck, and make effective passes, along with playing good D will make a difference.  Also having Drysdale a full season will help.  

One stat that I really liked about LaCombe.  2 GP, 9 blocked shots.  x25 games (50 total in a 82 game season), that's 225 blocked shots.  That would double any defenseman's total from last season on the squad.  Overall not sustainable probably.  But what that does tell me is that he is in the right position on defense to be able to block those shots.  Something our other Dmen lacked considerably.  

[eaterfan]

21 minutes ago, gotbeer said:

I'll go optimist and say that when you have two defenders that were released from other teams in Shattenkirk and Beaulieu eating up defensive time.  Not to mention Klingberg who does not play very good D.  That's a lot of the defensive problems.  Just their elimination with younger more skilled players will go a long way.  Just looking at how LaCombe was able to move the puck, and make effective passes, along with playing good D will make a difference.  Also having Drysdale a full season will help.  

One stat that I really liked about LaCombe.  2 GP, 9 blocked shots.  x25 games (50 total in a 82 game season), that's 225 blocked shots.  That would double any defenseman's total from last season on the squad.  Overall not sustainable probably.  But what that does tell me is that he is in the right position on defense to be able to block those shots.  Something our other Dmen lacked considerably.  

Don't get me wrong, it's not impossible for this team to make a playoff run next year. I just don't think it's likely. This team was dead last with Drysdale in the lineup, if I remember correctly. Bedard would go a long way towards competing, but in the scenario where we are debating Fantilli, Michkov, and Carlson, Bedard is already off the board. 

I just haven't seen enough from Zegras, McTavish, and Drysdale to think they will be able to carry this team to the playoffs next year. I mean, look at the talent on Detroit. I think we may be a year behind them and I think they are more talented. They didn't make the playoffs this year. Seider, Larkin, Bertuzzi, Hronek, were all guys who are better or comparable to the young guys on our roster. 

Maybe a coaching change will help, but I think we have another year or two at the bottom of the standings before this team is a real playoff contender. Even adding a Fantilli or Carlson. That's why waiting on a guy like Michkov isn't the worst thing. I'm not a scout, but if the Ducks are really high on Michkov and think he's on a tier above Fantilli, I don't know the timeline for him is too long to wait. Unless they think he may never come over.

[eaterfan]

Eakins officially out per Eric Stephens. He had an expiring contract that won't be renewed.

[gotbeer]

56 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

Eakins officially out per Eric Stephens. He had an expiring contract that won't be renewed.

I'm hoping for Gronborg.  Then again, looks like he got fired from his ZSC team.  And might have signed with someone else.  But that's who I'd like instead of a reclaim project.

[deepdrive]

2 hours ago, eaterfan said:

Eakins officially out per Eric Stephens. He had an expiring contract that won't be renewed.

Just waiting for Bob to tweet," I know just who this team needs at this stage..."

 

[gotbeer]

Hahahahahahaha.

 

[eaterfan]

I'm not a draft expert, so I may be missing something, but if Colorado and Boston meet in the Cup finals, IMO the 2nd most likely matchup, then the Ducks would have three picks in a row at the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd, right? Stanley Cup runner up, Stanley Cup champ, then the Ducks?

I know even the most likely scenario is still very unlikely, but that would be a funny worst case scenario for the Ducks trades from last year.

[deepdrive]

54 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

I'm not a draft expert, so I may be missing something, but if Colorado and Boston meet in the Cup finals, IMO the 2nd most likely matchup, then the Ducks would have three picks in a row at the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd, right? Stanley Cup runner up, Stanley Cup champ, then the Ducks?

I know even the most likely scenario is still very unlikely, but that would be a funny worst case scenario for the Ducks trades from last year.

I think you're correct.

Though, taking two lousy picks to be amused might not be the best scenario. I mean Boston and Colorado getting knocked out in the first round would be funny as hell, too.

 

[gotbeer]

2 hours ago, deepdrive said:

I think you're correct.

Though, taking two lousy picks to be amused might not be the best scenario. I mean Boston and Colorado getting knocked out in the first round would be funny as hell, too.

 

Curse of the Presidents Cup!

There are always upsets in the first round.  This year will be a pick em of hilarity when it happens.

[gotbeer]

Interesting scenario in there for the Ducks.  I think this might pertain to any team 12-16 picking.

4 Strange Facts About the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery

Quote

This all centers around the Senators again in 12th place. If they happen to win the first lottery draw, they can jump up as high as 2nd overall since they can’t go more than 10 spots.

With that outcome under lottery rules, the team in last (the Anaheim Ducks) are awarded the first pick in that scenario. That’s why their odds jump from 18.5% to 25.5% before the draw. It accounts for teams outside the bottom-10.

Now you have the Ducks in first and the Senators in second. They’re both locked into those spots. There is still a second lottery drawing. But the prize now becomes for the third overall pick.

Enter the teams ranked 4th-12th. Should any of them win the second draw, they get slotted into third. Crazy, right?

 

[gotbeer]

Ben Shelly's take on the Ducks.  Pretty reasonable outlook.

What to expect from the Ducks after dead last finish, Dallas Eakins firing

The two people he mentioned. 

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/mayfisc01.html

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/s/severda01.html

 

Mayfield has the size.  6'4", 220.  What I don't like is his CF% and FF% is consistently in the low 40%'s.  Severson is 6'2", 205.  So big.  He's around a 50% on CF and FF.  

Salary wise, 28 YO Severson made $4.16 million last season.  Chances are, he'd probably want too long of a contract at too high an amount for the Ducks taste. Mayfield is 30, and made $1.45 million last season.  But that CF and FF on a team that didn't play good D last season seems like he wouldn't help much.

[deepdrive]

I'm still wondering if he's going to keep both Drysdale and Zellweger. They both project to be top 4 guys. But I don't see Verbeek having two smaller guys on his top two lines.

One would make great trade bait for a forward prospect or draft pick.

[deepdrive]

So, I see the Ducks have a countdown clock to the lottery on their website.

That may be a little much.

[gotbeer]

18 hours ago, deepdrive said:

So, I see the Ducks have a countdown clock to the lottery on their website.

That may be a little much.

There really wasn't much else to get excited over this season.  lol.  But yeah, I hate the loser mentality.

[deepdrive]

1 hour ago, gotbeer said:

There really wasn't much else to get excited over this season.  lol.  But yeah, I hate the loser mentality.

It's so nice to be in the playoffs and  root for teams to win.

Well, some I'd prefer to lose. But I can mask it by rooting for the opponent.

[gotbeer]

This is about right for the D look back.

Ducks 2022-23 Superlatives: Defense Edition