I don't disagree that 5v5 GF is a big issue, but every team's GF is slightly inflated from EN goals, and it should even out overall. I'm not really sure we should be concerned about the power play masking anything. I would love to solve the issue of too many goals on the power play. The 5v5 offense is something that I would hope improves with a new system/coach, additional top 6 forward, and more development from the young guys.
But the power play is seriously awful. I'm not suggesting the Ducks rely on their power play. At the same time, it should be a thing that helps. Right now, it does not. I'm just not sure I see the argument that they need to focus more 5v5 offense than the power play right now. Their record after 3 goals is crazy. That extra power play goal would help reach that number more.
The problem with 5v5 play and Verbeek is I don't think Verbeek wants an offensive-minded coach. That's what we had in Eakins. Eakins' last year and Cronin's first year both had bottom league PP and PK units. Despite Cronin gaining a vastly talented roster in his first year (
C Carlsson, F Killorn, RD Gudas, RD Lyubushkin, LD LaCombe, LD MInty, RD Luneau (to start the season), LD Zell (to end the season), RD Lindstrom, and a healthy LD Vaak), Cronin's offense fell short of production and only earned one more point than Eakins' group. At ES, Eakins GF/gp rate was 2.06 while Cronin's was 1.83. What boosted Cronin's overall GF was his PK unit scoring 12 shorties! Cronin's team would have been even worse if it were not for the 12 shorties, which ranked 2nd best in the league!
Verbeek didn't give Eakins a second thought once the season was over with, but praised Cronin for his season. Cronin improved the Goal Differential (GD), but didn't know how to generate more points out of it. It didn't make any sense to me that Cronin was praised, tbh.
Year 2 of Cronin is essentially running it back. Great goaltending is masking our deficient offense and porous defense. Some posters are already thinking if we only had a PP, then we'd be in the playoff hunt. Yet, all the metrics are screaming we're a lucky bunch with great netminding! Look at our "Shots For" metric as proof we're lucky to be scoring goals. We are currently last in the league in total GF's. Then our "Shots Against" metric as proof we're nothing without our great goalies.
Shots For at 5v5 (
Money Puck)
High Danger Shots For = 102 (21st highest)
Medium Danger Shots For = 275 (31st highest)
Low Danger Shots For = 1366 (20th highest)
Shots Against at 5v5 (
Money Puck)
High Danger Shots Against = 135 (3rd highest)
Medium Danger Shots Against = 385 (Highest)
Low Danger Shots Against = 1507 (4th highest)
If Verbeek was happy last year with Cronin, then he'll be ecstatic this year because look at the record. That record improved because of "culture" and "connectivity". And if only we had a PP unit that worked, then we're definitely on the correct path to the playoffs. This is what I truly fear... that Cronin will be praised once again and kept around for a third season.
