The Official 2023-2024 Anaheim Ducks Thread

[deepdrive]

28 minutes ago, gotbeer said:

I don't know.  Stonehands on the #1 PP and what, 3rd line.  Hagg lots of playing time.  More Strome.  Ugly might be an understatement.  Especially after guys like Rico, and Lyubushkin, and maybe even Vatrano get moved.

Let the good times roll.

[gotbeer]

4 minutes ago, deepdrive said:

Let the good times roll.

Oh, and to top it all off.  Every media outlet for every big team will be writing that they will take Z the injured guy off our hands for 2 Stromes. 

[gotbeer]

Still cryptic.  My conspiracy still lives though.

 

Gauthier gives detail on breakup with Flyers, says he has received death threats

Quote

"It wasn't one specific reason why I asked for a trade," Gauthier, via Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune, said in a Zoom interview with Ducks reporters. "It was multiple, re-occurring issues that I'd seen over the past year and a half, two years of being under the Flyers organization. It kind of hit me all at once, thinking 'I can't move forward with this' and 'I really need to step up for myself and see what's best for my future' and that's what I did."

 

[gotbeer]

Cutter Gauthier’s teammates and coaches speak out after death threats, criticism: ‘Just a humble kid’

I forgot that Nesterenko was also a kid that wouldn't sign with their team, I think it was Minnesota, and was traded to the Ducks. And that Nesterenko was Gauthiers linemate at BC.

[deepdrive]

The real problem is that the trade deadline is still too far away to nip this in the bud. If they had something else to write about, this would be old news by now. 

Hey like most Ducks fans, I'm glad we got him. I'll bet Cronin is too. Since in the after game interview from Thursday he threw his teams offense under the bus. I don't remember the exact words. But, it was something along the line of being offensively challenged.

[gotbeer]

Dostal needs to get every other game minimum. 

[gotbeer]

Man, we are getting owned on the PP.

[deepdrive]

Slept through most of that. Doesn't look like I missed much.

Can't win if you don't score and according to Cronin, we can't score.

Well ...   Vatrano can.

[gotbeer]

58 minutes ago, deepdrive said:

Slept through most of that. Doesn't look like I missed much.

Can't win if you don't score and according to Cronin, we can't score.

Well ...   Vatrano can.

It was bad.  Ended bad.  Just too much talent on the IR to overcome.  5 on 5 we weren't bad till the end.  Broken record, but too many penalties. 

[deepdrive]

2 hours ago, gotbeer said:

It was bad.  Ended bad.  Just too much talent on the IR to overcome.  5 on 5 we weren't bad till the end.  Broken record, but too many penalties. 

Makes you wonder how many years to get out of this rut. I thought previously that this would be a down year, followed by a nonplayoff finish next year where we finished in the 22-26 area, then a push for a playoff position in 25-26.

This year is going worse than expected by most. So, are we now a year later on the playoff push? Or, is this year just running on the low side of probability? 

Of course, a lot of future growth will depend on who we can pickup in Free Agency. We need at least 2-3 veterans (more if Henrique or Vatrano are moved) to move up in the standings next year. Have to do something about the prospect situation too. Can't keep running so many under 23 guys out there. Otherwise, this nonplayoff situation could extend to 4-5 more years. Verbeek really needs to start showing his trading skills more after this next draft.

I don't know. Probably shouldn't dwell on the situation when the team is in a down period.

Anyway, Arizona went from basically where we are now to competing for the playoffs in a couple years. Not too unrealistic that we couldn't do the same.

[gotbeer]

I think we are close.  I don't really know how much we need extra. 

Carlsson/Terry/Killorn

McTavish/Z/Gauthier

Lundestrom/Strome/Vatrano

Carrick/Jones/Leason

Defense

Fowler/Vakanainen  (I've always been high on him, even though his metrics aren't as good.  But he's really shown to be a shutdown for other teams best in the last number of games)

Mintyukov/Luneau?

Lacombe/Gudas

I can see them going for a high end Big Right D that plays a heavy defensive game though.

[gotbeer]

So let's put the following scenario in play.  Ducks trade Rico for a 2nd.  I think that's a reasonable return.  Ducks trade Lyubushkin for a 2nd.  Right shot defenseman who plays a heavy game.  Might be able to get a first.  Ducks trade Vatrano for a 1st and a prospect.  Vatrano is at an all time high, and is a scorer.  The -14 and 58 PM is what doesn't work for us.  Trade Silverberg for a case of beer.  We'll probably have to settle for lucky lager, if we are lucky.

So that leaves next year on O.

Carlsson/Terry/Killorn

McTavish/Z/Strome

Lundestrom/Gauthier/Nesterenko (Yes I put Nesterenko up here.  First, I liked his play last season, and still don't know why he wasn't up with us.  Second, Nesterenko/Gauthier was a pretty lethal combination at BC.  Third, it finally gives Lundestrom a good line to work with.  Fourth, it doesn't put as much pressure on Gauthier to perform out of the gate, same with Nesterenko)

Carrick/Jones/Leason

 

[deepdrive]

You covered a lot of area there. It will take me awhile to think through it and give a thoughtful reply.

Just a couple things for you to think about while I stew:

Zellweger - the prospect that has shown the fastest growth wherever he's been. I think, even though it wasn't said, he also factored into the Drysdale trade. At the rate he's improving, can the Ducks keep him down more than this season? And, with our 'offensively challenged' team can Verbeek risk trading him. I know Verbeek is 'big' focused, but as Vatrano has shown, there is room for one or two smaller guys who can drive offense.

Who are the upgrade priorities?

Strome has three years. But I don't see a problem moving him - even if we had to take something back. Playing with the right guys, he aides offense, but by no means drives it. I wouldn't hesitate to move him - either out or down the lineup.

Jones has very limited offensive abilities. Maybe you give him another year to not only see how much progress he makes, but to also see how much progress Goucher makes. If Goucher doesn't become the center the Ducks hoped for, does he replace Jones as a go to the net guy?

Leason, I'm still not sold on. I know he's made progress this year. But, what's his upside? I question if it's enough to be anymore than a fourth line guy.

Nesterenko is not producing at the AHL level. I know he's young, but can you have plans for him until he shows something?

More to come.

[gotbeer]

@deepdrive Regarding Zellweger.  I think they will develop him in the AHL one more year.  And by develop, I mean bulk up.  Gulls bio, he's 5'9", 175.  That is tiny for the NHL.  I'd be more comfortable with him up in the 200 range. 

[arch stanton]

4 hours ago, gotbeer said:

@deepdrive Regarding Zellweger.  I think they will develop him in the AHL one more year.  And by develop, I mean bulk up.  Gulls bio, he's 5'9", 175.  That is tiny for the NHL.  I'd be more comfortable with him up in the 200 range. 

This is basically Sam Girard size. Girard loses netfront battles but he's actually pretty good overall defensively because he's a great skater with a quick stick and he's also great at d-zone exits and o-zone entries. With the right partner that can be a strong middle pair guy

[gotbeer]

Leo is back.

[gotbeer]

Gibswim looks sharp so far.

[gotbeer]

Nice for the defenders Mctavish and Killorn to just coast and let the Florida player to get a wide open play.

[gotbeer]

Rico.  Keep upping that trade value.

[deepdrive]

Damn Stolarz. You let that go right under you.

Oh, that's right, you're not a Duck anymore. Nothing to see here. Move on.

[deepdrive]

14 hours ago, arch stanton said:

This is basically Sam Girard size. Girard loses netfront battles but he's actually pretty good overall defensively because he's a great skater with a quick stick and he's also great at d-zone exits and o-zone entries. With the right partner that can be a strong middle pair guy

I think Zellweger will be okay with the bigger guys around him. Just as Vatrano is.

Anyway, the Ducks can't afford to lose his offensive potential until they have someone to replace it with. Which at this point they don't.

[deepdrive]

Philosophical question:

If you take the five hole shot away from Silfverberg, does he have a shot?

[gotbeer]

43 minutes ago, deepdrive said:

Philosophical question:

If you take the five hole shot away from Silfverberg, does he have a shot?

Does a shank count?

[gotbeer]

well.  That was plucky by the Ducks through regulation. 

Umm.   Carlsson is the leader of this team.  Such a difference when he's in the game. 

[gotbeer]

KilltheDucks!!!!!!! in OT.