Post-Game Talk: #11 ⋅ CHI @ ANA ⋅ 5:00 PM PST

[Hockey Duckie]

We took 39 shots.
We had 30 shots blocked.
We missed the net with shots 29 times.

Chicago - 29, 8, 10.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Something is needed to shake this team up. Someone needs to throw a water cooler. Someone needs to get traded. They were asleep in the second two periods and they are a f***ing rudderless ship. Like seriously. Shove the rebrand up your butt and put a competitive team on this ice.

This!!! This !!!

 

[duckaroosky]

This team is a heartbreaker

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Trading somebody will only ultimately prove it’s not the players, it’s the coach. None of these guys are as bad individually as they are collectively with our coaching staff. Verbeek needs to figure that out muy pronto.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Cronin had a meeting with the players yesterday? Lol dude is lost

 

[Hey234]

It's a tough game to watch. Ducks are a more talented team and it was evident on the ice. They should have had more goals than they scored. The team is clearly low on confidence.

I have been very hesitant in drawing conclusions yet about the coaching as it takes time. This is only game 11. That being said, the Ducks should be playing with more structure. My main issue with the previous coach was that you couldn't see a discernable structure. I am still struggling to see what he wants them to do and they seem confused.

 

[Kalv]

Not even 30 seconds in the post-gamer and "i wish i had an answer". He gives me 0% confidence

 

[McDonald19]

After seeing them lose in person, to a bad Chicago team, I am on board with terminating Cronin immediately.

 

[JAHV]

This is how Islanders fans felt when the Ducks beat them.

 

[Masch78]

should trade mctavish before teams realize he's another nick ritchie. cash in on the "potential"

Why? To complain why he broke out somewhere else?

 

[HanSolo]

View attachment 926100
Cronin had a meeting with the players yesterday? Lol dude is lost

Oh cool man. You had more offensive zone time against another rebuilder who was playing on the back end of back to backs. Way to go.

 

[HanSolo]

Lol just watched Cronin's interview in full. Cronin praised Johnston for being a guy that consistently communicates the coaches' message as to this team's identity and if he sees play that's not in line with that message "he'll let you know about it."

Like, first of all, whatever this message and identity is, it stinks, so I'm not really enthused about Johnston parroting marching orders. Second, like full marks to the guy for finally making a good hockey play for once and helping our offense, but in a bubble he's probably the least impactful player on the roster. I don't see how that necessarily helps the team buy in, maybe it doesn't hurt but hearing Cronin thinks might be better if we had 7 guys with Ross' leadership abilities...I mean again that's such a f***ing bizarre thing to be saying while trying to explain the team's struggles.

The whole press availability screams that this guy doesn't have a f***ing clue what he's doing. He reinforces it every time he opens his mouth and every time the team plays. I wouldn't let this idiot coach the Gulls.

 

[Dryish]

Fi-re Cro-nin! *clap clap clap-clap-clap*
Fi-re Cro-nin! *clap clap clap-clap-clap*

 

[Kalv]

Perhaps need to remind it, but the Hawks had a game that went to the OT the previous night. We had no excuses to lose this game.

And even if we distance ourselves from the result, I do not see the individual growth of our young core as well. Arguably even the opposite.

Our team identity is "easy to play against"

 

[Firequacker]

Lol just watched Cronin's interview in full. Cronin praised Johnston for being a guy that consistently communicates the coaches' message as to this team's identity and if he sees play that's not in line with that message "he'll let you know about it."

Like, first of all, whatever this message and identity is, it stinks, so I'm not really enthused about Johnston parroting marching orders. Second, like full marks to the guy for finally making a good hockey play for once and helping our offense, but in a bubble he's probably the least impactful player on the roster. I don't see how that necessarily helps the team buy in, maybe it doesn't hurt but hearing Cronin thinks might be better if we had 7 guys with Ross' leadership abilities...I mean again that's such a f***ing bizarre thing to be saying while trying to explain the team's struggles.

The whole press availability screams that this guy doesn't have a f***ing clue what he's doing. He reinforces it every time he opens his mouth and every time the team plays. I wouldn't let this idiot coach the Gulls.

Johnston who... *checks notes* played in the completely soulless Colorado and Los Angeles games? Who likewise was in for the New Jersey game and the only use of his fabled firing-up-the-team talents was a pointless scripted fight thirty seconds in? Someone correct me if I've repressed a memory, but I think he's been in for all of the most garbage games except Pittsburgh, no?
If he's the guy who's supposedly enforcing Cronin's message, then either it says even worse things about Cronin's message or the team isn't listening to him either.

Also, while I'm not gonna get too excited about him having a few good shifts against back-end-of-a-back-to-back Chicago, man, poor Ross. Does something legitimately cool and is rewarded with "the best thing about Ross is that he parrots the coaching". Ouch.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Kudos to Derek for actually getting his postgame pressers up.

If prioritizing getting shots has been an issue for 90-something(!?) games, isn’t that a YOU problem? Either the system is not working or these guys really aren’t the ‘shooting’ type.

Am I wrong for getting a sort of ‘arrogance’ from this guy? These no life or no reason for excitement. Lots of blame going around to forwards, defenseman, play transition, etc. but nothing on himself

 

[GermanRocket7]

I don't know if I can stomach 60+ more games under this incompetent coach. Cronin really needs to be axed ASAP, and there's absolutely no sugarcoating to PV's tremendous gaffe in even signing Cronin in the first place. While he may be a likeable person off the ice, Cronin sure as hell doesn't inspire young players to anything, does not get them to progress whatsoever, and generally has no f***ing clue how to take advantage of the make-up of our roster.

Just looking at the names we ice, you get the feeling we should be a team that finishes with roughly 70-80 points at the end of the season, but should definitely be scoring at a three-goals-per-game pace. If it weren't for Dostal's stellar play, this team would have a GAA of 5+ going alongside their horrible offensive output.

Stop getting out of the f***ing cycle play along the boards, floating the perimeter. Instill some healthy trust in our players' abilities and let them go to work in a strong side 1-2-1-1 pattern with one player (center) sitting at or below the goal line distributing the pucks and one forward on the weak side crashing the net while the other winger establishes puck possession on the strong side alongside the respective defenseman there. The weak side defender moves into the high slot and patrols the blueline horizontally without trying to pinch in order to also offer a further protection against breakouts.

We have more than enough players for that type of offensive-zone play, but it appears to me as though Cronin has absolutely no set pieces in place for anything in the O-zone whatsoever.

Imagine using the vision and creativity of Carlsson and Zegras to your advantage instead of forcing them to play safe. Imagine using the tenacity and puck hounding Vatrano and Strome can (!) bring to the table in order to force turnovers in the O-zone. Imagine using the skating abilities of Fowler, Mintyukov and Zellweger to support a strong-side set-up and allowing them to actually move vertically towards the goal instead of throwing an anchor at the blue line.

This team should not be anywhere as bad as it is.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Not even 30 seconds in the post-gamer and "i wish i had an answer". He gives me 0% confidence

Here were his comments summing up the road trip, BTW:
- - “I thought we played two really good periods with the Rangers,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “The second and third period, I think we outshot them 25 to 12 and then I thought the Jersey game was one of the worst games we played along with Colorado. We looked weak and slow. I don't know the answer to that.” - -

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/inside-the-ducks-up-and-down-road-trip

 

[dracom]

Here were his comments summing up the road trip, BTW:
- - “I thought we played two really good periods with the Rangers,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “The second and third period, I think we outshot them 25 to 12 and then I thought the Jersey game was one of the worst games we played along with Colorado. We looked weak and slow. I don't know the answer to that.” - -

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/inside-the-ducks-up-and-down-road-trip

If he doesn’t know the answer by now, then get the f*** out and get someone who does. Sick of this dude.

 

[Mr Rogers]

I always find it funny when coaches are effusive in their praise for guys like Johnston. Cronin is far from the only one. Some coaches didn’t have to the skill to play in the NHL so they almost like gravitate towards guys who can barely hack it themselves.

 

[JAHV]

I have to ask - how long does Killorn get? I'm not talking about how long the team gives him; he's got a four-year deal so he's going to get a LOT of rope. But how long before I get as hopeless about him as I am about Anthony Rendon (shout out to you abused Angels fans out there)?

He was terrible again last night. Pucks bouncing off his stick, not skating, making awful decisions. How long does he get before I have to write him off in my mind? If he looks like this at the end of November, is he cooked?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Cronin wants to play vertical and fast all the time. I see the problem why our d-men are put in bad situations when they recover pucks in the d-zone. It is because our forwards are too far ahead and covered by the opposing team, especially when F3 is going to the bench to change. That leaves us with a 4v5 situation. No forward is coming back to become an outlet for our d-men to pass the puck. That means there will either be an ill-advised pass or our d-men have to skate it out from a complete stop.

Also, the d-partner that doesn't have the puck is playing at the same level as d-man with the puck in the d-zone. This means if there are no forwards open ahead, then the opposing F1 can easily intercept the pass if the d-man puck carrier is reluctant to skate up the ice. The d-partner without the puck needs to stay behind the d-man puck carrier to give the puck carrier as more safer option and angle to pass it back directly or pass it back by rimming it behind the net.

The players are following Cronin's instructions to a "T" and that is where the problem lies. Everyone is following Cronin's instructions, but most are on a different page. Cronin is relying on individual effort trying to implement his scheme of "vertical and fast". Maybe Cronin should tell his troops to play vertical and fast "with cohesion"... or "with support". What's the point of going ludicrous speed when you've overshot your target by lightyears?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I have to ask - how long does Killorn get? I'm not talking about how long the team gives him; he's got a four-year deal so he's going to get a LOT of rope. But how long before I get as hopeless about him as I am about Anthony Rendon (shout out to you abused Angels fans out there)?

He was terrible again last night. Pucks bouncing off his stick, not skating, making awful decisions. How long does he get before I have to write him off in my mind? If he looks like this at the end of November, is he cooked?

Ha! Killorn is on the ice playing games. Rendon, otoh, isn't on the playing field b/c he's Ren-done. Overpaying for sluggers at the twilight of their primes is Owner Moreno's specialty such as Upton Jr, Hamilton, Pujols, and Wells, to name a few. Still miffed that Arte chose Hamilton and the loss of a first round pick over ace pitcher Greinke. The owner doesn't care about baseball operations and paying for pitchers.

I would put Killorn in the later-Silf category. Killorn has a CF% of 54.5%, but he has an OZstart rate of 53.8%. It's easier to tolerate when put into the later-Silf perspective.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

I have to ask - how long does Killorn get? I'm not talking about how long the team gives him; he's got a four-year deal so he's going to get a LOT of rope. But how long before I get as hopeless about him as I am about Anthony Rendon (shout out to you abused Angels fans out there)?

He was terrible again last night. Pucks bouncing off his stick, not skating, making awful decisions. How long does he get before I have to write him off in my mind? If he looks like this at the end of November, is he cooked?

Interesting question, because it basically took him until midseason to get going last year, but he looks even worse out of the gate this year and at least in 23-24, you could make the excuse that he had multiple injuries in training camp. I'll give him until Thanksgiving (maybe even Christmas) to make a determination, but I'm not optimistic.

The biggest problem with Killorn is that he can't skate, and they won't demote him to 4th line duty, so since he's the one basically flipping the puck in from center, he's forcing the guys who theoretically should be driving the offense (Carlsson, McTavish, Z) to go retrieve pucks below the goal line, which hinders any sort of transition game you could get out of this system whatsoever.

 

[ohcomeonref]

Interesting question, because it basically took him until midseason to get going last year, but he looks even worse out of the gate this year and at least in 23-24, you could make the excuse that he had multiple injuries in training camp. I'll give him until Thanksgiving (maybe even Christmas) to make a determination, but I'm not optimistic.

The biggest problem with Killorn is that he can't skate, and they won't demote him to 4th line duty, so since he's the one basically flipping the puck in from center, he's forcing the guys who theoretically should be driving the offense (Carlsson, McTavish, Z) to go retrieve pucks below the goal line, which hinders any sort of transition game you could get out of this system whatsoever.

I'd rather try McGinn or even Lundy in Killorns spot. Speed and tenacity, defensively responsible.