Speculation: 2023-24 Roster Thread

[slippingsloth]

If we are still this bad with Z and McT back for a few games then we know it is real. The first dozen games were so different than the last dozen, I want to chalk it up to injuries. Maybe that is optimism, but the nihilist in me is dreading the next several months in tank mode if we are 2-8 in the first 10 those two are back.

 

[Rybread86]

Hard to change the lines when you barely have enough talent and bodies to fill an active roster. Trying to keep some guys together that have shown some chemistry as to not nuke the entire thing. Rock, meet hardplace.

We're getting guys back, that should give Crones a bit more to play with.

On a sidenote, good to hear not supplemental discipline for Strome. I watched and rewatched that hit and he kept his leg planted, he wasnt targeting the knee. In my eyes, they got this one right.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Groulx has had a few moments that have actually wow'd me - a couple of really smart/creative plays navigating through traffic etc. But otherwise doesn't really do anything.

McGinn is like Groulx minus the wow-ing.

He did score the goal between his legs with his back to the goal. That was super wow.

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Btw I apologize for locking the GDT up early. I want to forget that game even happened same as the Blackhawks game.

Ducks continue to find ways to lose, it’s gotten that bad yet again. But hey, special teams have actually been solid this season. Who would have thought. lol

So yeah let’s discuss the roster here today and tomorrow before Wednesday’s game. They will most likely have a practice tomorrow and can see how close Z, Drysdale and even Mac are from returning if they are fully practicing.

Abuse of power WE THE PEOPLE did not vote for this authoritarianism!!!!!!!!

 

[DuckDuckGetz]

He did score the goal between his legs with his back to the goal. That was super wow.

That's true. Hmmm what's the value ratio of super wows to regular wows?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

He did score the goal between his legs with his back to the goal. That was super wow.

McGinn had a between the legs pass too to help exit the puck out of the Dzone too!

 

[AngelDuck]

Carrick is our best bottom 6 player

No knock on him, but that just can’t be the case next season. Verbeek has to improve that

 

[Hockey Duckie]

My only questioning with Cronin, he needs to change the top line, possibly the entire Top 6 combos. Maybe throw Vatrano up there to get them more speed. It’s not working now. In his defense though, things went to crap rather quickly last game, do didn’t expect him to make changes then. But Wednesday’s game need to start finding some lines that work. They have one ES goal 5on5 in the last 3 games, not good enough. Hopefully Zegras might be back Wednesday would be a huge lift to the Top 6.

Last year, we had defensemen all playing way above their talent level. Didn't matter who was paired with who b/c it was always a defensive disaster.

Similarly, we currently have two top-6 forward in our top-6 in Carlsson and Terry, but Terry is struggling and Carlsson is an 18-year old rookie. Without Mac, Vatrano and Strome are 3rd liners. Leason is a bottom-6 RW. We put Rico (a top-6 talent) at 3C to try to give us some offense across three lines.

Any shuffling of the current forward roster is like moving tables around the Titanic while it's sinking. Can't really blame Cronin for that. Last game, we played well in the first two periods, for a change, and then fell apart. We should have had extra chances, but the refs swallowed their whistles. Before Vatrano got tripped by the goalie, it was 2-2. All we needed was just one goal to turn our fortunes around. We weren't that fortuitous and the Jets were.

Against the Jets, we were punching up against a more talented team. Our margin of error is minuscule if we're to pull out a win.

 

[Ducks DVM]

That's true. Hmmm what's the value ratio of super wows to regular wows?

It’s like the value ratio of a trunk monkey to a bazooka monkey.

wow



super wow

 

[JAHV]

I haven’t really seen that. Johnston doesn’t turn over the puck, and actually makes decent plays. He also doesn’t take dumb penalties. Is he scoring? No, but neither are McGinn and Groulx.

He doesn't turn over the puck because he never has it. He can't receive a pass to save his life.

Groulx isn't very good either, but he and McGinn can both penalty kill. Johnston is too slow for PK duty. Unless Groulx takes a big step forward, I don't think any of the three are on the next good Ducks team.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

He doesn't turn over the puck because he never has it. He can't receive a pass to save his life.

Groulx isn't very good either, but he and McGinn can both penalty kill. Johnston is too slow for PK duty. Unless Groulx takes a big step forward, I don't think any of the three are on the next good Ducks team.

Ducks already have Silf who is pretty much the PK duty guy who isn’t going to fight or score. Anaheim doesn’t need multiple spots dedicated to penalty killers who don’t fight or score. Johnston brings something the others don’t. Anaheim clearly plays a tougher game when Johnston is in the lineup and is take that over second unit penalty killing forwards

 

[All Mighty]

Anaheim clearly plays a tougher game when Johnston is in the lineup

There is no evidence to support that argument. If we want to judge by hits, Johnston himself has been credited with 1 hit in the past 2 games. And in the last game Johnston didn’t play (Colorado), the Ducks as a team were credited with more hits than in the 2 subsequent games where Johnston did play.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Groulx back to San Diego, one would assume

He'd have to be placed on waivers first, IIRC.

 

[McDonald19]

He doesn't turn over the puck because he never has it. He can't receive a pass to save his life.

Groulx isn't very good either, but he and McGinn can both penalty kill. Johnston is too slow for PK duty. Unless Groulx takes a big step forward, I don't think any of the three are on the next good Ducks team.

I think we have enough penalty killers. We don’t need guys like Groulx and McGinn on the 4th line just to kill penalties. Maybe we should try taking less penalties though?
If McGinn continues to bodycheck and bring energy to the team he can stay in the lineup. The Ducks claimed Johnston knowing he is on contract for 24-25 and 25-26. He will likely be on the roster as a part-time enforcer for the next 2 1/2 years.

He'd have to be placed on waivers first, IIRC.

Yup, and with 1 point in 18 games he would likely clear waivers.

 

[McDonald19]

There is no evidence to support that argument. If we want to judge by hits, Johnston himself has been credited with 1 hit in the past 2 games. And in the last game Johnston didn’t play (Colorado), the Ducks as a team were credited with more hits than in the 2 subsequent games where Johnston did play.

Hit stats don’t equal toughness.

 

[JAHV]

Hit stats don’t equal toughness.

They don't, but neither does skating around slowly for 8 minutes and being big. Hits are at least a decent proxy.

 

[ohcomeonref]

They don't, but neither does skating around slowly for 8 minutes and being big. Hits are at least a decent proxy.

You see when there's a scrum around the net and Johnston sticks his chin out, and the other team immediately turns around and goes back to their bench? Which stat covers that?

 

[All Mighty]

You see when there's a scrum around the net and Johnston sticks his chin out, and the other team immediately turns around and goes back to their bench? Which stat covers that?

That hasn’t happened in weeks.

Hit stats don’t equal toughness.

Sure, but like I said, there’s no evidence that he’s actually making the team tougher when he plays. An increase in hitting could theoretically be evidence that the team plays bigger when he’s playing, but it isn’t currently in his favor. And if there is any legitimate evidence, I’d be happy to say I’m wrong.

 

[Mr Rogers]

 

[Ducks DVM]

There is no evidence to support that argument. If we want to judge by hits, Johnston himself has been credited with 1 hit in the past 2 games. And in the last game Johnston didn’t play (Colorado), the Ducks as a team were credited with more hits than in the 2 subsequent games where Johnston did play.

Those two Colorado games were recent outliers as far as how the team has been playing, if we are being honest about it. The entire team had gotten away from the aggressive game (pretty much since the win streak), did it again and looked better for a couple games, then went back to not doing it again.

That needs to be a staple part of their game regardless of who’s in, and it hasn’t been.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Red is non-contact, is it not?

 

[All Mighty]

Those two Colorado games were recent outliers as far as how the team has been playing, if we are being honest about it. The entire team had gotten away from the aggressive game (pretty much since the win streak), did it again and looked better for a couple games, then went back to not doing it again.

That needs to be a staple part of their game regardless of who’s in, and it hasn’t been.

100%. But it demonstrates that we don’t necessarily need Johnston to play for that kind of effort (and I am also not saying it’s his fault or anything). Team effort/toughness needs to come from everyone, and it is rarely brought on by a single person.

And l’ll reiterate that I am in favor of Johnston being in the lineup against certain teams, or if he is actually making a positive impact in some way. He just hasn’t been doing it lately.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

If jd is back I hope we look at

Fowler Gudas
Mintyukov drysdale
Lacombe lybushkin
Vaaks

Or swap lacombe and Mintyukov, I do think pv has some sort of min program on Mintyukov

 

[DuckDuckGetz]

Red is non-contact, is it not?

If they are, it's interesting that Jamie is ready for contact earlier than Z considering the reports that Z has been at least working out with the team for a bit.

 

[JAHV]

You see when there's a scrum around the net and Johnston sticks his chin out, and the other team immediately turns around and goes back to their bench? Which stat covers that?

What evidence is there that happens on a regular basis? And whom is Johnston protecting there? Sam Carrick? McGinn?