GDT: #10 ⋅ ANA @ PIT ⋅ 4:00 PM PDT

[Hey234]

Would be a lot worse if Dostal wasn't currently the best goalie in the NHL.

Not denying that but that's like saying Edmonton wouldn't be as good without McDavid. Of course the Ducks would be worse but every teams has players who are stars that carry the play. In goal is where it's working for the Ducks at the moment.

The issue I see is that teams are figuring out very quickly how to work around the Ducks. Most of it involves applying pressure and the players just don't seem confident to make the plays.

IMO, the Ducks need to trade for a true, top line, scoring winger but not a prospect. They need someone who can confidently make plays and lead on the ice as a forward.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

What worries me is this exactly what they did to Gibson before he gave up.. It's wasn't fair to Gibson and it's not fair to dostal. PV needs to fix this shit asap or gtfo

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Lackluster play but 4-4-2 is not bad. Some positives:

- Minty and Dumoulin are a strong pair
- Zegras needs to be a center. Gauthier-Zegras-Killorn seems like an actual line with chemistry
- Dostal is outstanding
- Terry and Fabbri continue to play well
- Special teams are improving

McTavish and Vatrano really need to get going. If the Ducks win against Chicago, they are at least in a reasonable spot 11 games in.

“Lackluster."

 

[HanSolo]

Not denying that but that's like saying Edmonton wouldn't be as good without McDavid. Of course the Ducks would be worse but every teams has players who are stars that carry the play. In goal is where it's working for the Ducks at the moment.

The issue I see is that teams are figuring out very quickly how to work around the Ducks. Most of it involves applying pressure and the players just don't seem confident to make the plays.

IMO, the Ducks need to trade for a true, top line, scoring winger but not a prospect. They need someone who can confidently make plays and lead on the ice as a forward.

Not exactly. If McDavid has an off night, the Oilers can still win if Draisaitl and the rest score enough. Case in point, McDavid didn't play tonight and the Oilers beat the Preds 5-1.

If Dostal has an off night with the team playing like this, we lose. Without question. If Dostal gets injured for any significant period of time, we are absolutely f***ed. So, no. Being 0.500 isn't "not bad"

This team has been bad. Dostal's play is just polishing the turd.

 

[Kalv]

Look at the record of the team. Regardless of how you feel about the overall performance, is that seriously something you think gets a second year coach of a rebuilding team fired less than a month into the season?

Right now no, but when Dostal falls back on earth, what kind of a record will we have then? Dostal as good as he has been, will NOT have the best season ever by a goalie, his pace is not sustainable.

 

[Trojans86]

Their record is because of one player, the one guy cronin has nothing to do with.


They get stuck in the zone because their defensive system is predicated on the other team giving up possession of the puck on their own.

They collapse so deep that any puck along the boards is basically unattainable, and once a player does get possession of the puck there is nobody to pass to because they are all within 10 feet of each other and the net.

The whole system is about mitigating worst case scenarios. It's like if a hockey system was one big PTSD defense mechanism.

Exactly

 

[AngelDuck]

The 4-4-1 record is a total mirage. We could very easily be 2-6-1 which is essentially what we were last year record wise.

We’re really bad. A top 3 pick again would not be surprising in the slightest.

The team looks awful without major injuries, wait til someone inevitably gets hurt

I’ve seen enough of Cronin. I’m not sure how you justify bringing him back next season at this point

 

[ohcomeonref]

Watched the 1st period and then we headed over to our daughter’s house. I manned the fork while everyone went out trick-or-treating.

The Victory+ stream through Hulu was unwatchable. A few seconds of broadcast, pause, a few seconds, pause, etc. Clock jumps by 15-20 seconds after the pause.

John

I'm having the same problem with the apps. If I open the steam in a web browser it works great though.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

The 4-4-1 record is a total mirage. We could very easily be 2-6-1 which is essentially what we were last year record wise.

We’re really bad. A top 3 pick again would not be surprising in the slightest.

The team looks awful without major injuries, wait til someone inevitably gets hurt

I’ve seen enough of Cronin. I’m not sure how you justify bringing him back next season at this point

I’d be shocked if he makes it past Christmas.

I just don’t know what type of coaches are available, or who would be the right decision.

 

[goonsaredumb]

I’d be shocked if he makes it past Christmas.

I just don’t know what type of coaches are available, or who would be the right decision.

I think McLellan is the right choice personally, he's got a reputation for being good at coaching dumpster teams into contenders (not going much further than that but that's all we need right now) and he has that Red Wing connection with Verbeek so there's a good chance he's high on the list.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I think McLellan is the right choice personally, he's got a reputation for being good at coaching dumpster teams into contenders (not going much further than that but that's all we need right now) and he has that Red Wing connection with Verbeek so there's a good chance he's high on the list.

He's good as long as he doesn't face a Carlyle or Sutter coached team in the playoffs lol.
I also just learned Sutter is only 66 making him younger than Boudreau, I thought he was like 80+ by now.

 

[Ducks]

Cronin's not going anywhere folks. Verbeek went through a long hiring search before choosing Cronin. We're going to have him for the whole contract.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I think McLellan is the right choice personally, he's got a reputation for being good at coaching dumpster teams into contenders (not going much further than that but that's all we need right now) and he has that Red Wing connection with Verbeek so there's a good chance he's high on the list.

I’m fine with that, curious who else is out there tho

 

[lwvs84]

Ducks really need 3 lines going to generate offense. The two (in the last couple games, 3) guys generating that is Carlsson, Terry, and Z when he plays C. Keep pairs together... Carlsson and Fabbri, Strome and Terry, Zegras and Killorn (goal aside, last night was probably the least bad Killorn has been). Fill in the other wing. Cutter (got his chances on the Z line, so maybe with him), McTavish, and Vatrano on the wing, maybe that gets Mac going. It gives 3 lines a guy that's driving it. Maybe swap Cutter and Colangelo for a bit until Gauthier gets going and gets some confidence.

We aren't getting last year's McTavish or Vatrano, so that line isn't going to work right now. Terry and Carlsson could work, but both are better as the guy on a line with our current team comp.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Ducks really need 3 lines going to generate offense. The two (in the last couple games, 3) guys generating that is Carlsson, Terry, and Z when he plays C. Keep pairs together... Carlsson and Fabbri, Strome and Terry, Zegras and Killorn (goal aside, last night was probably the least bad Killorn has been). Fill in the other wing. Cutter (got his chances on the Z line, so maybe with him), McTavish, and Vatrano on the wing, maybe that gets Mac going. It gives 3 lines a guy that's driving it. Maybe swap Cutter and Colangelo for a bit until Gauthier gets going and gets some confidence.

We aren't getting last year's McTavish or Vatrano, so that line isn't going to work right now. Terry and Carlsson could work, but both are better as the guy on a line with our current team comp.

Mctavish looked so good at times last year, this year he looks the opposite.


Vatrano was always going to regress, but I don’t think anyone thought he’d regress this bad

 

[lwvs84]

Mctavish looked so good at times last year, this year he looks the opposite.


Vatrano was always going to regress, but I don’t think anyone thought he’d regress this bad

It should course correct a bit, I don't think Vatrano will be as good as last year either but he should be a 50ish point guy. Make Mac and Vatrano shooters on their lines and maybe they get going (though, Vatrano has already been that).

 

[GermanRocket7]

I’m fine with that, curious who else is out there tho

From a simple skills-based perspective, coach Q would also be a good solution. However, I do not want anything to do with him after the shit show that is Chicago, and absolutely hope PV thinks alike.

I'd be more than fine with McLellan, though.

 

[Bender66]

Watched the 1st period and then we headed over to our daughter’s house. I manned the fork while everyone went out trick-or-treating.

The Victory+ stream through Hulu was unwatchable. A few seconds of broadcast, pause, a few seconds, pause, etc. Clock jumps by 15-20 seconds after the pause.

John

I think victory+ servers are still working out kinks of load management.
Channel 13 (which basically just uses the victory+ stream, even has the victory+ title card before it goes to tv commercials) was same in 3rd period. it was pausing and stuttering very badly to point i stopped watching

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Cronin's not going anywhere folks. Verbeek went through a long hiring search before choosing Cronin. We're going to have him for the whole contract.

For this reason and more, he’s not going anywhere. I’m all for healthy coping with yet another awful season, including by fantasizing about better coaching. But I think the reality is that there’s no new coach anywhere on the horizon, no matter what happens, and certainly not for a team beating low expectations by posting a .500 record.