Speculation: 2024-25 Roster thread

[Hockey Duckie]

Here are a couple of articles on the Ducks from the Athletic. One from Stephens about the depth chart and one from an offensive/defensive models rating by Dom. The latter article identifies what many on here have pointed out, like @Leonardo87 , that none of our youths have broken out. And because none of the youths (excluding Terry) haven't broken out yet, the rebuild is stagnant. It also doesn't help that the support group around the youth core isn't great. What I found interesting about the latter article was that despite our overall GA going down, it's the fact that when our top-6 scorers score they also give up the same or more goals against.

Note, it's a model and no model is perfect. I do like all the work and cross-referencing done in differentiating offensive and defensive ratings. The article is a great reading fodder until the regular season comes.

Stephens Article

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5804085/2024/09/30/anaheim-ducks-depth-chart-lines/

Dom Article

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5773452/2024/09/30/anaheim-ducks-2024-25-season-preview-playoff-chances-projected-points-roster-rankings/

 

[KelVarnsen]

Carpenter sent to the Gulls? I swear Etem said he was bing counted on by the Ducks this season. Total Shocker.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Carpenter sent to the Gulls? I swear Etem said he was bing counted on by the Ducks this season. Total Shocker.

That reminds me of Bill Walton commentating on Clippers basketball (and other teams) back in the day when he would say playfully, "Where would the Clippers be without (insert any non-star player)?" Of course, Walton meant it in part complement and in part jest. Clippers fans needed some levity in the dark years.

Problem with Etem is that he's overhyping everything to where you just want to mute the telecast. I tried watching one of his interviews of former Ducks and I don't think he's a great interviewer either.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I was hoping that Regenda would come into camp and show well enough to crack the roster. We could surely use another big body presence and capable PKer, but clearly he didn't make enough of a mark.

 

[JAHV]

I was hoping that Regenda would come into camp and show well enough to crack the roster. We could surely use another big body presence and capable PKer, but clearly he didn't make enough of a mark.

He seems like a prototypical AHL guy. He's got good instincts around the net and on the forecheck, but every other part of his game (skating, shot, defense, passing) is fringe NHL caliber. I think he's one of those guys that a loaded contender could stick on the 4th line with some speedy two-way types and they'd form a nice, pesky line. Unfortunately, the Ducks don't have the personnel to carry a guy like Regenda.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Hey ducks fans, how is Drew Helleson doing? Could he make the team or is he a trade candidate/reclamation?

 

[KelVarnsen]

IMO he is a vanilla dman who is probably an AHL level player. I wouldn't care one way or the other if he was traded.

Hey ducks fans, how is Drew Helleson doing? Could he make the team or is he a trade candidate/reclamation?

 

[ohcomeonref]

Hey ducks fans, how is Drew Helleson doing? Could he make the team or is he a trade candidate/reclamation?

Who?

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Hey ducks fans, how is Drew Helleson doing? Could he make the team or is he a trade candidate/reclamation?

He didn't get any NHL action last year after getting a three game cup of coffee the year prior (although did deal with multiple injuries). Definitely has been passed on the depth chart by several younger D and has countless more biting at his heels. Now in his D+6 year and from the pre season action I've seen, he just doesn't have any standout qualities to where I'd be comfortable projecting him as more than a depth guy. The right shot and size will get him further opportunity, and maybe he'll figure something out if moved to a new org with less young D depth to overcome - but he's undoubtedly plateaued as of now.

This is the last year of his ELC, if it was up to me I'd be looking to move him before the deadline to avoid a tough decision on whether to qualify or let him walk for a better opportunity.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

We aren't doing the Terry/Zegras thing again are we? They both can benefit from playing with bigger players. My fantasy idea is put Terry with Leo and Zegras with Gauthier and then figure out which veterans to stick on those lines. I just remember last year feeling like the lack of size on that line was a problem

 

[EXTRAS]

Is cutter a winger thru and thru or do you guys see him moving to center at some point?

 

[Rybread86]

Is cutter a winger thru and thru or do you guys see him moving to center at some point?

Ive had limited time seeing him, but at this level I'd say he's a career winger

 

[HanSolo]

Ive had limited time seeing him, but at this level I'd say he's a career winger

Yeah unless he makes big strides in his ability to drive play on his own, I wouldn't want to see him centering any of our lines. Better for him to build on the growing chemistry with Leo as he's a natural fit as the sniper to Leo's playmaking and they seem solid at finding each other in the offensive zone. I think Sennecke, to me, is the missing puzzle piece for that duo. Once he's ready he'll add to the puck possession needed for it to be a truly dangerous top line. Leo and Beckett run the o-zone structure and look to feed Cutter for snipes. That's the way I envision it anyway.

 

[MMC]

How many of Vatrano, Fabbri, and Dumoulin do you think will be extended? You have to wonder what PV will do with these guys if we’re in the mix but not solidly in a spot by the deadline next year. Don’t think any are guys you want to overpay so trading them is probably going to end up being the move if we’re out of a spot but it would suck to lose valuable vet depth like that when we’re trying to take the next step. Would have a lot of work to do the following offseason.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

How many of Vatrano, Fabbri, and Dumoulin do you think will be extended? You have to wonder what PV will do with these guys if we’re in the mix but not solidly in a spot by the deadline next year. Don’t think any are guys you want to overpay so trading them is probably going to end up being the move if we’re out of a spot but it would suck to lose valuable vet depth like that when we’re trying to take the next step. Would have a lot of work to do the following offseason.

With Dumo, I think it all depends on our defensive youth growth during the season. The more that take the next step, the more chances Dumo gets traded at the TDL to bring up a d-man to the NHL like Zell was last year.

I'd like to keep both Vatrano and Fabbri b/c we need veteran leadership around our youths. The term length of either one could make it moot to keep around.

 

[MMC]

I think we ultimately go 14F/7D. I think the default roster is the following:

Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Zegras-McTavish-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Fabbri
McGinn-Lundestrom-Leason
Johnston
Harkins

Fowler-Zellweger
Mintyukov-Gudas
Dumoulin-LaCombe
Vaakanainen

Dostal
Dansk

I’m pretty certain this is what we end up going with. The question is just if any of Sennecke, Gaucher, Colangelo, Nesterenko, Pysyk, Lindstrom, Luneau, or Clang can force someone out and I’m just not sure I’ve seen that so far. Maybe Pysyk or Lindstrom get a two way deal

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I really don't want to see Terry and Zegras together anymore. Not big enough and they aren't so fast that they can overcome that but it looks like I'm not going to get my wish with Gauthier and Zegras together.

 

[JAHV]

I think we ultimately go 14F/7D. I think the default roster is the following:

Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Zegras-McTavish-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Fabbri
McGinn-Lundestrom-Leason
Johnston
Harkins

Fowler-Zellweger
Mintyukov-Gudas
Dumoulin-LaCombe
Vaakanainen

Dostal
Dansk

I’m pretty certain this is what we end up going with. The question is just if any of Sennecke, Gaucher, Colangelo, Nesterenko, Pysyk, Lindstrom, Luneau, or Clang can force someone out and I’m just not sure I’ve seen that so far. Maybe Pysyk or Lindstrom get a two way deal

This seems right to me. I could see them moving Zegras down to center Fabbri and Strome with Vatrano moving up to McTavish's wing. And I might move some of the bottom 4 d-pairings around (I'd go LaCombe-Gudas and Mintyukov-Dumoulin), but that's a quibble.

Colangelo looks good and is probably the first winger brought up in case of injury or trade. Gaucher could also see some time if there's an injury to a center. I actually really look forward to the day when he takes over from Lundestrom.

 

[Oresy]

I think we ultimately go 14F/7D. I think the default roster is the following:

Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Zegras-McTavish-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Fabbri
McGinn-Lundestrom-Leason
Johnston
Harkins

Fowler-Zellweger
Mintyukov-Gudas
Dumoulin-LaCombe
Vaakanainen

Dostal
Dansk

I’m pretty certain this is what we end up going with. The question is just if any of Sennecke, Gaucher, Colangelo, Nesterenko, Pysyk, Lindstrom, Luneau, or Clang can force someone out and I’m just not sure I’ve seen that so far. Maybe Pysyk or Lindstrom get a two way deal

I’ll be shocked if Zellweger plays over Luneau. The organization loves Luneau and see him as a much more complete player.

 

[All Mighty]

I’ll be shocked if Zellweger plays over Luneau. The organization loves Luneau and see him as a much more complete player.

Long term, I agree with you. But in the immediate term, I think Luneau should be the one sent down, at least until there is an injury or a Fowler trade. Zellweger did his time in the AHL, he’s going to play in the NHL.

 

[lwvs84]

IF everyone keeps progressing like they are/should, Ducks could eventually run something like
Gauthier Carlsson
McTavish Terry
Zegras Sennecke
Gaucher Colangelo
as pairs of forwards and fill in with role players around them. If Verbeek can get Fabbri/Vatrano level guys to fill in, we won't even need to count on prospects (though a couple should hit). Then stack the lines at the end if needed.

Then in D, you can have something like
Mintyukov ???
Solberg Luneau
Zellweger Hinds/Warren
Or move Luneau up to first pair, Zellweger to second, and LaCombe on the third pair.

That's a lot of depth and guys that can play playoff style hockey on every line. They can spread the minutes out more during regular season and play the hot line more during playoffs. If any of those don't work, there's a lot of options to try out. This will be a fun team to watch (soon hopefully).

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Hey ducks fans, how is Drew Helleson doing? Could he make the team or is he a trade candidate/reclamation?

Pretty disappointing…. Looks like a #7 ceiling…. A team that needs depth on right side might take a chance on him.

Thought he might become a stop gap guy for us and hopefully up trade value a bit and move him later on…. But I doubt anyone would give up much for him

IF everyone keeps progressing like they are/should, Ducks could eventually run something like
Gauthier Carlsson
McTavish Terry
Zegras Sennecke
Gaucher Colangelo
as pairs of forwards and fill in with role players around them. If Verbeek can get Fabbri/Vatrano level guys to fill in, we won't even need to count on prospects (though a couple should hit). Then stack the lines at the end if needed.

Then in D, you can have something like
Mintyukov ???
Solberg Luneau
Zellweger Hinds/Warren
Or move Luneau up to first pair, Zellweger to second, and LaCombe on the third pair.

That's a lot of depth and guys that can play playoff style hockey on every line. They can spread the minutes out more during regular season and play the hot line more during playoffs. If any of those don't work, there's a lot of options to try out. This will be a fun team to watch (soon hopefully).

I think Mintyukov + luneau as eventual top pairing would be pretty good… both guys are pretty big, skate well…. Not afraid of physicality…. And I see them both as 2 way guys down the line.

I think we ultimately go 14F/7D. I think the default roster is the following:

Gauthier-Carlsson-Killorn
Zegras-McTavish-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Fabbri
McGinn-Lundestrom-Leason
Johnston
Harkins

Fowler-Zellweger
Mintyukov-Gudas
Dumoulin-LaCombe
Vaakanainen

Dostal
Dansk

I’m pretty certain this is what we end up going with. The question is just if any of Sennecke, Gaucher, Colangelo, Nesterenko, Pysyk, Lindstrom, Luneau, or Clang can force someone out and I’m just not sure I’ve seen that so far. Maybe Pysyk or Lindstrom get a two way deal

Swap Lundy with gaucher and I agree… tho I don’t think harkins should be there.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

This seems right to me. I could see them moving Zegras down to center Fabbri and Strome with Vatrano moving up to McTavish's wing. And I might move some of the bottom 4 d-pairings around (I'd go LaCombe-Gudas and Mintyukov-Dumoulin), but that's a quibble.

Colangelo looks good and is probably the first winger brought up in case of injury or trade. Gaucher could also see some time if there's an injury to a center. I actually really look forward to the day when he takes over from Lundestrom.

That is an enticing top-9

Cutter-Carlsson-Killorn
Vatrano-Mac-Terry
Fabbri-Z-Strome

I like Fabbri's two-way game and bite. That will lend itself well with Z-Strome. The only problem is I don't think the coaching staff will distribute minutes evenly with our top-9 b/c the top-line will get about 18+ TOI, the 2nd line will be 16+ TOI.

 

[HanSolo]

Pretty disappointing…. Looks like a #7 ceiling…. A team that needs depth on right side might take a chance on him.

Thought he might become a stop gap guy for us and hopefully up trade value a bit and move him later on…. But I doubt anyone would give up much for him




I think Mintyukov + luneau as eventual top pairing would be pretty good… both guys are pretty big, skate well…. Not afraid of physicality…. And I see them both as 2 way guys down the line.


Swap Lundy with gaucher and I agree… tho I don’t think harkins should be there.

I don't even think Helleson is close as a 7D to be honest. I know you said ceiling but he just doesn't have the IQ to be a two way or D specialist 7D. He looks utterly lost at this level and this level isn't even full NHL lineups.

That is an enticing top-9

Cutter-Carlsson-Killorn
Vatrano-Mac-Terry
Fabbri-Z-Strome

I like Fabbri's two-way game and bite. That will lend itself well with Z-Strome. The only problem is I don't think the coaching staff will distribute minutes evenly with our top-9 b/c the top-line will get about 18+ TOI, the 2nd line will be 16+ TOI.

I don't hate this. Just that Strome on any line kind of makes me cringe.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I don't even think Helleson is close as a 7D to be honest. I know you said ceiling but he just doesn't have the IQ to be a two way or D specialist 7D. He looks utterly lost at this level and this level isn't even full NHL lineups.


I don't hate this. Just that Strome on any line kind of makes me cringe.

Saving grace to me is that RHD is a tough position to fill