Speculation: 2024-25 Coaching/Management/Ownership

[Rybread86]

I mean, as fans we also kind of have to hope that Cronin and the coaching staff are the biggest problem.

The alternative is a stalled rebuild where the players just aren't good enough to take the next step.

There is also the possibility, the young guys just havent quite figured it out yet, or are starting to figure it out and we just need a bit more patience. Look at Lacombe. Many thought he was a guy we could dump to start the season and now hes one of our best Dmen. McTavish is starting to figure it out and just had a really really good stretch of games before the break.

Our biggest problem could be that we, as fans, arent patient enough.

Im not trying to defend Cronin completely here, because I think there are much better coaches we could go after, but a lot of the issues we had heard about were from his past. Look at the quote he put out about Z. No criticism of him, just praise. The team *seems* to battling under him right now. In spite of, because of or regardless of Cronin, they arent quitting.

 

[robbieboy3686]

I mean, as fans we also kind of have to hope that Cronin and the coaching staff are the biggest problem.

The alternative is a stalled rebuild where the players just aren't good enough to take the next step.

At very least. We have the worst pp coach in the league some bum who shouldn’t be here. Thompson our pk coach, hasnt improved us at all. Cronin has no children, ie he lives and breathes hockey. If I had to guess, other than his hard A attitude. He’s probably smarter than most give him credit for .

 

[Hockey Duckie]

At very least. We have the worst pp coach in the league some bum who shouldn’t be here. Thompson our pk coach, hasnt improved us at all. Cronin has no children, ie he lives and breathes hockey. If I had to guess, other than his hard A attitude. He’s probably smarter than most give him credit for .

But not smart enough to relieve some defense for offense, which he has admitted. Oh, and the many post-game interviews where Cronin says, "I don't know," is problematic. Cronin lacks creativity and is dependent on a certain structure.

 

[KelVarnsen]

At very least. We have the worst pp coach in the league some bum who shouldn’t be here. Thompson our pk coach, hasnt improved us at all. Cronin has no children, ie he lives and breathes hockey. If I had to guess, other than his hard A attitude. He’s probably smarter than most give him credit for .

I think he probably knows a ton about hockey. I don’t think he’s a good teacher or communicator and therefore this knowledge he probably does have is unable to be imparted on players. I also think he is way too stubborn in his style and game plan to make any adjustments either in games or between games. His auto default is “play harder” instead of changing his tactics to help his team be more successful during games.

And his insistence on playing the 4th line so much, even when down in a game, after every tv timeout even though it’s obvious to everyone they bring nothing shows me his inability to adapt.

 

[robbieboy3686]

I think he probably knows a ton about hockey. I don’t think he’s a good teacher or communicator and therefore this knowledge he probably does have is unable to be imparted on players. I also think he is way too stubborn in his style and game plan to make any adjustments either in games or between games. His auto default is “play harder” instead of changing his tactics to help his team be more successful during games.

And his insistence on playing the 4th line so much, even when down in a game, after every tv timeout even though it’s obvious to everyone they bring nothing shows me his inability to adapt.

Nobody was bringing anything tonight which is pathetic. I agree he and verrbeek both seem super stubborn

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I think he probably knows a ton about hockey. I don’t think he’s a good teacher or communicator and therefore this knowledge he probably does have is unable to be imparted on players. I also think he is way too stubborn in his style and game plan to make any adjustments either in games or between games. His auto default is “play harder” instead of changing his tactics to help his team be more successful during games.

And his insistence on playing the 4th line so much, even when down in a game, after every tv timeout even though it’s obvious to everyone they bring nothing shows me his inability to adapt.

I wonder if bringing a guy like Woodcroft would help. Hell, bringing in anyone else would help..

 

[Static]

NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs

Who is the toughest team to deal with? Should the NHL have a play-in round? We polled 19 agents, who represent hundreds of players.

www.nytimes.com

Anaheim ranked as the worst front office to deal with. Samueli ranked as one of the worst owners due to lack of involvement. Cool!

 

[dracom]

NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs

Who is the toughest team to deal with? Should the NHL have a play-in round? We polled 19 agents, who represent hundreds of players.

www.nytimes.com

Anaheim ranked as the worst front office to deal with. Samueli ranked as one of the worst owners due to lack of involvement. Cool!

Multiple agents brought up Anaheim: "The Ducks are not run well enough and are so difficult to deal with." Lol

Apparently the assistant gm Solomon is one of the bigger issues.

But this all coming from agents who i don’t really care all that much about their opinions.

 

[KelVarnsen]

NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs

Who is the toughest team to deal with? Should the NHL have a play-in round? We polled 19 agents, who represent hundreds of players.

www.nytimes.com

Anaheim ranked as the worst front office to deal with. Samueli ranked as one of the worst owners due to lack of involvement. Cool!

So, we have the reputation of having the worst front office, a terribly run organization, and IMO a buffoon of a coach. And several agents say we are terrible to deal with. Combine that with being horrible in the standings for many years not and it's no wonder FA's don't want to sign here and players put us on their no trade list.

The Samueli's are a little too hands off for my liking. I'm not asking for George Steinbrenner or Arte Moreno level meddling but maybe be a little more visible and vocal.

 

[JAHV]

NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs

Who is the toughest team to deal with? Should the NHL have a play-in round? We polled 19 agents, who represent hundreds of players.

www.nytimes.com

Anaheim ranked as the worst front office to deal with. Samueli ranked as one of the worst owners due to lack of involvement. Cool!

Maybe I should just stop being a sports fan. That might be better for my mental health. Between the Ducks and the Angels, I have a couple of real winners on my ticket.

 

[anezthes]

NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs

Who is the toughest team to deal with? Should the NHL have a play-in round? We polled 19 agents, who represent hundreds of players.

www.nytimes.com

Anaheim ranked as the worst front office to deal with. Samueli ranked as one of the worst owners due to lack of involvement. Cool!

2b. What is the best front office to deal with?
ANA received 1 vote, tying for #10 with 15 (!) other teams.

Interestingly, the Ducks and Islanders — Nos. 1 and 2 in this poll’s “most difficult to deal with” category, respectively — each drew a mention here.

Another agent felt similarly about the regime in Anaheim: “I like the old-school, straight-shooting guys.”

3. Which is the most unstable or poorly run franchise?
ANA received 5 votes (#2), while CHI received 6 votes (#1).

Multiple agents brought up Anaheim: "The Ducks are not run well enough and are so difficult to deal with."

One agent described the Ducks front office as something of a throwback.

“When I started, everybody was angry and telling you to go f--- yourself,” one agent said. “So I kinda miss that. Anaheim, personality-wise, they’re tough. (GM Pat Verbeek) is cranky and runs the show himself and (assistant GM Jeff Solomon) is a grinder. I like those two guys, but tough. I appreciate when they’re a--holes.”

“Verbeek is ridiculous. He draws lines in the sand and sticks by it irrationally,” one said.

“The guy that makes Anaheim tough is Jeff Solomon," another added. "He does all their contracts. Something as simple as doing entry-level deals … there’s always something they nickel you.”

5. Who is the worst owner in the league?
ANA received 2 votes, tying for #3.

One agent said a lack of involvement was reason for the Ducks' Henry Samueli to earn votes, too. "Ownership that isn't involved when they should be frustrates me. Like, get involved."

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Samuelis have always been a hands-off group, feel like the winds of change of public opinion on them will come around if the team starts winning again.

The complaint I’ve had about the Ducks being too small and insular (ironically, the same thing I constantly bitch about with Arte) is definitely there though. It’s telling that the franchise is essentially run by Verbeek, Solomon and Madden at this point with one of the smallest pool of support staff (pro and amateur scouts, analytics staff, what have you) in the league

 

[Static]

Multiple agents brought up Anaheim: "The Ducks are not run well enough and are so difficult to deal with." Lol

Apparently the assistant gm Solomon is one of the bigger issues.

But this all coming from agents who i don’t really care all that much about their opinions.

It matters if we want better players. We cannot keep stacking obstacles in front of players from wanting to come here.

 

[ff8]

Cool so just confirmed everything I already thought about Verbeek

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

God this is so embarrassing..

 

[MMC]

Agents are probably the last people I care to hear that from. People can’t complain about us overpaying for certain free agents and then complain that the front office has a reputation among agents of being stubborn negotiators

 

[MMC]

God this is so embarrassing..

I’d find it more embarrassing if agents ranked us as the easiest team to deal with

 

[Mr Rogers]

Agents are probably the last people I care to hear that from. People can’t complain about us overpaying for certain free agents and then complain that the front office has a reputation among agents of being stubborn negotiators

Wasn't there a similar poll done by the Athletic a few months ago that had the Ducks very low amongst players as well? So it's really not just agents, it's just another group that isn't crazy about how the Ducks do things.

 

[JAHV]

I think being known as nickel-and-dime cheapskates is a bad thing. When combined with being prickly and tough negotiators, that's not a great environment to sell to players.

 

[Gliff]

You guys need to chill. These are AGENTS. Its like asking defense attorneys which judge/DA is best/worst. Of course they are going to say the ones that make their life harder are the worst.

The comments about ownership getting involved is all you need to know. They want ownership involved because owners are generally the idiots that can be sold by agents to overpay to get their cup. Ownership being involved is almost NEVER a good thing in any sport.

The best thing owners can do is hire the right people, and then be a checkbook.

 

[ohcomeonref]

You guys need to chill. These are AGENTS. Its like asking defense attorneys which judge/DA is best/worst. Of course they are going to say the ones that make their life harder are the worst.

The comments about ownership getting involved is all you need to know. They want ownership involved because owners are generally the idiots that can be sold by agents to overpay to get their cup. Ownership being involved is almost NEVER a good thing in any sport.

The best thing owners can do is hire the right people, and then be a checkbook.

Na, people are getting fed up with the team being f***ing terrible and reports like this just go to show the team is rotten to the core. It doesn't really matter WHY the agents don't like dealing with our management, it's a problem.

 

[MMC]

Na, people are getting fed up with the team being f***ing terrible and reports like this just go to show the team is rotten to the core. It doesn't really matter WHY the agents don't like dealing with our management, it's a problem.

The team is in the playoff race for the first time in years and people are upset over an agent poll. Seems like some just enjoy being miserable

 

[Rybread86]

Maybe I should just stop being a sports fan. That might be better for my mental health. Between the Ducks and the Angels, I have a couple of real winners on my ticket.

I have the honor of adding the Cowboys to that list

 

[JAHV]

The team is in the playoff race for the first time in years and people are upset over an agent poll. Seems like some just enjoy being miserable

I don't think the team is legitimately in the playoff race. Sure, these are "meaningful" games for the first time in years, but 7 points out in March isn't really in the race.

As for dismissing this just because it's agents, I get that there is a conflict of interest. But the highly respected teams in that poll are good teams. It's possible to be good and be open, honest, pleasant.

I'll be fine with Verbeek being a jerk when the team is good. Until it is, it seems like an impediment. And I'd much rather he not be; it's more fun to root for a team that employs good people.

I have the honor of adding the Cowboys to that list

Chargers for me, so, yeah.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

I think being known as nickel-and-dime cheapskates is a bad thing. When combined with being prickly and tough negotiators, that's not a great environment to sell to players.

I get it in regards to UFA and even RFA status, but the ELC thing (assuming it's true and not embellished for reaction) is kind of a sticking point considering the salary structure is flat and the bonus money is pretty standardized. Feels like a weird hill for the franchise to die on.