Hockey Duckie
Registered User
What I am hoping to find this season is an inkling of a top line and growth of potential top-pairing D's. It is clear that our prospects are the only ones who can help us out of the cellar.
For a top line, Anaheim has an extraordinary amount of talent to mix and match. The problem is most of that talent is still young and still trying to find their way. LW/C Cutter will be a rookie in the NHL this season, C/LW Carlsson is heading into his 2nd season as a 19-year old, C/LWMac is heading into his 3rd season, and LW/C Zegras into his 4th "full" season. Then we have the young vet in RW Terry. That is potentially 5 out 6 top-6 players there. Hopefully, we can see some combination that might work as a top line. We do have some vets that might cycle up, but I think Verbeek wants Cutter with Carlsson. Verbeek did gift Carlsson the 1C position last year.
Projected top line to start the season
Cutter-Carlsson-Terry
As for a potential top-pairing d-men, I don't know if we see a youth that could establish themselves as one this season. OFD's like Minty, Zell, and Luneau take years to develop their defense. I'll take Minty improving his defense this year b/c he struggled once put into top-4 minutes. I don't see Zellweger as a top pairing D at the NHL level. LaCombe is a 2-way D that is reluctant to play aggressive offensively and dissuades him as a top-pairing guy, but ahead defensively out of all of our youths. Luneau's potential is probably the next highest after Minty, but Luneau hasn't played a season in the NHL.
For a top line, Anaheim has an extraordinary amount of talent to mix and match. The problem is most of that talent is still young and still trying to find their way. LW/C Cutter will be a rookie in the NHL this season, C/LW Carlsson is heading into his 2nd season as a 19-year old, C/LWMac is heading into his 3rd season, and LW/C Zegras into his 4th "full" season. Then we have the young vet in RW Terry. That is potentially 5 out 6 top-6 players there. Hopefully, we can see some combination that might work as a top line. We do have some vets that might cycle up, but I think Verbeek wants Cutter with Carlsson. Verbeek did gift Carlsson the 1C position last year.
Projected top line to start the season
Cutter-Carlsson-Terry
As for a potential top-pairing d-men, I don't know if we see a youth that could establish themselves as one this season. OFD's like Minty, Zell, and Luneau take years to develop their defense. I'll take Minty improving his defense this year b/c he struggled once put into top-4 minutes. I don't see Zellweger as a top pairing D at the NHL level. LaCombe is a 2-way D that is reluctant to play aggressive offensively and dissuades him as a top-pairing guy, but ahead defensively out of all of our youths. Luneau's potential is probably the next highest after Minty, but Luneau hasn't played a season in the NHL.