GDT: #12 ⋅ VAN @ ANA ⋅ 7:00 PM PST

Hey234

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May 7, 2010
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Other than new or improving young players, the Ducks essentially swapped Lyubshkin and Henrique for Dumoulin and Fabbri. While I like both players, it's essentially treading water. The team is essentially the same. PV did not obtain the players he identified as needs so the team has the same issues as last season. With basically the same coach, exception Clune, this team is the same and the expectations for results should be the same unless significant growth from multiple young players.

I feel like a broken record, but the Ducks need to aquire a high end scoring forward. At the same time, the team is just not playing good hockey. Teams with low skill can still play solid, structured hockey. The Ducks seem unable to do that and lack confidence as a result. Even if Cronin isn't the main issue, at some point, you have to start seeing results.
 
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caliamad

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I actually liked the beginning of the game. We executed well and put the pressure on them. We were outshooting them and out chancing them. They adjusted, drew a penalty, got 2 back to back goalsand we started to slowly drift away from an aggressive game to pumping pucks in the neutral zone again or with no pressure in offensive zone. Game over.

It was crystal clear. By the beginning of the 2nd they had their way with us and it led to the 3rd goal.

Killorn was the worst offender to me. He had the pick near our blue line and just floated a pick to center. He didn’t even look at making a pass. He had very little pressure, really pissed me off and I felt the game started to turn once they did that.

Their forecheck was effective after that and our wasn’t.

I didn’t even bother watching the 3rd. I had seen enough.
 

Smirnov2Chistov

Fire Greg Cronin!
Jan 21, 2011
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Other than new or improving young players, the Ducks essentially swapped Lyubshkin and Henrique for Dumoulin and Fabbri. While I like both players, it's essentially treading water. The team is essentially the same.

That's what I've been saying most of the offseason. You could go as far as saying Fabbri could be a downgrade with his injury struggles.

I've been pretty unimpressed by Zellweger, LaCombe and Luneau so far.

But all the 'propaganda' regarding LaCombe has been great so far! Cronin told me he was the 'most improved'! :help::blah::blah::blah:
 

Mr Rogers

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Jul 11, 2010
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the losses are coming now. They aren’t really playing any worse than in the first 10 or so but they got maybe a W or two and OTL points from Dostal as he stood on his head. Now that he’s looking a bit more human (still been fine) and they still can’t score, the Ls are piling up.

Just tough to see where the breakout is gonna come from looking at the forward group. The vets look done (outside Terry) and the young guys seem to have no confidence.
 
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duckaroosky

So sayeth Duckthulu
May 26, 2009
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This really is unwatchable hockey. I can handle boring hockey if the team is clearly competitive and executing on a viable plan. I can handle bad hockey if the team is playing in an exciting way that shows they have skill and potential but just aren't there yet.

But please don't give me both.
The other teams don't even look like they're trying. It's just like the most casual NHL game/scrimmage. Making their after game dinner plans as they stroll to a 5-1 win.
 
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Hey234

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It's too many support players. The Ducks have a lot of solid players who would be successful in other situations. The vets they have are not on-ice leaders but off-ice leaders. They need players who can pull them back in and settle games down. The Ducks don't have those players and PV tried/failed in obtaining them.

It's a failure of the GM to properly add to his team, failure of the coach to properly use the players he has been given, and failure of the players (especially the vets) for not showing a consistent effort every night. When a team is failing at all 3 levels, it's a recipe the creates the Anaheim Ducks.
 
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Aug 11, 2011
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The other teams don't even look like they're trying. It's just like the most casual NHL game/scrimmage. Making their after game dinner plans as they stroll to a 5-1 win.
It comes into sharper focus when you watch the games on the opponent’s broadcast. They’re just so excited to be firing on all cylinders, entering the zone at will, there’s a sense of inevitability that they’ll win.

For them, these games may as well be exhibition games. There’s NHL talent here but this isn’t an NHL team. They can’t even pass.
 

StreetHawk

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Sep 30, 2017
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It's too many support players. The Ducks have a lot of solid players who would be successful in other situations. The vets they have are not on-ice leaders but off-ice leaders. They need players who can pull them back in and settle games down. The Ducks don't have those players and PV tried/failed in obtaining them.

It's a failure of the GM to properly add to his team, failure of the coach to properly use the players he has been given, and failure of the players (especially the vets) for not showing a consistent effort every night. When a team is failing at all 3 levels, it's a recipe the creates the Anaheim Ducks.
Adding vets who would help turn the corner is going to have to be via trade. You could do what chi did and add the likes of Hall, TT, Bertuzzi, but they are at this point more secondary guys. Going to have to give to get.
 

Static

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The milk is spoiling. I do wonder if a roster shakeup is needed or if the coaching really is what is ruining us. It is never just one thing, but I don't know the best way forward.

Something needs to change, so maybe just start pulling levers? Not like things can be much worse.
 

TheGoodShepard1

Dongle Digits.
Nov 26, 2017
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It’s not just that the dump and chase is so boring and not suited for this team’s personnel at all. It’s also that 95% of the time, the dump-ins are absolutely purposeless, simple rim-around that are easy pickings for the goaltender and for 99.9% of that 95%, the goalie is able to easily outlet to a teammate and the opponent beats our forecheck out of the zone in 3-4 passes
 
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StreetHawk

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Sep 30, 2017
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The milk is spoiling. I do wonder if a roster shakeup is needed or if the coaching really is what is ruining us. It is never just one thing, but I don't know the best way forward.

Something needs to change, so maybe just start pulling levers? Not like things can be much worse.
In season shake up is going to be difficult to pull off. Again, that's a complete failure on PV to only have brought in Dum and Fabbri. Adding guys via free agency, probably a tough sell to players with options as the Ducks are still 2 seasons away from really getting to the PO while the kids improve.

Going to have to be a trade. Ducks since missing the PO have had 10 first round picks (3 are now gone from 2019 and 2020 drafts), and 9 second rounders. If they need to part with some of these assets or future assets, they probably need to do something significant in the off-season at least to jump start the team.
 
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robbieboy3686

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Jan 17, 2016
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The milk is spoiling. I do wonder if a roster shakeup is needed or if the coaching really is what is ruining us. It is never just one thing, but I don't know the best way forward.

Something needs to change, so maybe just start pulling levers? Not like things can be much worse.
Verbeek has been around the league long enough to know weather the coaching is competent or not. He’s in his 3rd season as Gm, he knows he’s mentioned back to back years “ we want to be competing for a playoff spot “ he knows how he’s looking. If it’s the coaching, he will make a move sooner than we think. If it’s player related, trades and core shake ups coming ( think drysdale ) but multiple moves
 

Static

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Not enough is talked about (some here have mentioned it) how much a franchise is really just a chemistry experiment. It is never as easy as [good player] + [smart coach] = success.

I have no doubt we employ talented players and that cronin knows hockey better than I will ever dream, but these ingredients don't work together. We can't keep testing it looking for different results, something has to be changed.

Verbeek has been around the league long enough to know weather the coaching is competent or not. He’s in his 3rd season as Gm, he knows he’s mentioned back to back years “ we want to be competing for a playoff spot “ he knows how he’s looking. If it’s the coaching, he will make a move sooner than we think. If it’s player related, trades and core shake ups coming ( think drysdale ) but multiple moves
Maybe, but everything falls on verbeek. If he is undoing something, he is undoing something he did, and with that comes implied admission of failure. Hockey GMs are notoriously conservative.

In season shake up is going to be difficult to pull off. Again, that's a complete failure on PV to only have brought in Dum and Fabbri. Adding guys via free agency, probably a tough sell to players with options as the Ducks are still 2 seasons away from really getting to the PO while the kids improve.

Going to have to be a trade. Ducks since missing the PO have had 10 first round picks (3 are now gone from 2019 and 2020 drafts), and 9 second rounders. If they need to part with some of these assets or future assets, they probably need to do something significant in the off-season at least to jump start the team.
One player isnt going to change anything. There is an infrastructural error somewhere in this franchise that must be rooted out.
 

robbieboy3686

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Jan 17, 2016
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Not enough is talked about (some here have mentioned it) how much a franchise is really just a chemistry experiment. It is never as easy as [good player] + [smart coach] = success.

I have no doubt we employ talented players and that cronin knows hockey better than I will ever dream, but these ingredients don't work together. We can't keep testing it looking for different results, something has to be changed.


Maybe, but everything falls on verbeek. If he is undoing something, he is undoing something he did, and with that comes implied admission of failure. Hockey GMs are notoriously conservative.


One player isnt going to change anything. There is an infrastructural error somewhere in this franchise that must be rooted out.
Verbeek has said before that he’s more patient than most. That’s why I’m pretty sure Cronin finishes The season out, but doesn’t return next season. Also, next season guys like gaucher, sennecke and possibly our Viking dman make the team. More and more the team is completely turned over into a verbeek team( by then no Fowler Gibson either) we have cap space and also in a better position to hire an actual veteran coach, given we’re much further along ( I’m praying Carolina gets bounced early and we can pick their head coach up )
 

Static

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Verbeek has said before that he’s more patient than most. That’s why I’m pretty sure Cronin finishes The season out, but doesn’t return next season. Also, next season guys like gaucher, sennecke and possibly our Viking dman make the team. More and more the team is completely turned over into a verbeek team( by then no Fowler Gibson either) we have cap space and also in a better position to hire an actual veteran coach, given we’re much further along ( I’m praying Carolina gets bounced early and we can pick their head coach up )
I understand patience, but these are also formative years for a lot of kids on this roster. What will happen to them toiling away in bad conditions of losing and personal failure? The culture being fostered is just as important to development as any physical skill.
 

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