Speculation: 2024-25 Roster Thread

[dracom]

I do too. Don't like the fact that Cutter isn't on either unit though.

Seriously, why are we not putting our best young shooter on the pp? Not like he could make it worse. Having strome and killorn on one unit is absurd.

 

[The Duck Knight]

Got to have Strome on that unit so he can win his 44% of faceoffs.

 

[Machinehead]

Do you have any gems of knowledge about our young D?

I'll see if I find anything interesting but D take even longer to give you worthwhile data unless they're like, Makar, Hughes, Fox, etc.

 

[Machinehead]

Got to have Strome on that unit so he can win his 44% of faceoffs.

Oh man, been there.

 

[Leonardo87]

Oh man, been there.

I still get PTSD (Post Traumatic Strome disorder) from that ECF, anytime he misses an open net.

But he’s been pretty solid for the Ducks but I still feel him and Vatrano need to be dropped to a 3rd line with Killorn so the kids get more ice time.

Terry will also have more skill on his line that way.

 

[quackquackquack]

Not a roster question but help me out lol What game was it this season when the Ducks had a good goal called against them when an opposing player was standing in the crease behind Dostal/Gibson? I can't remember the game but it definitely happened

 

[Machinehead]

I found something interesting.

Don't know how you guys feel about this but this stands out.

 

[Leonardo87]

I found something interesting.

Don't know how you guys feel about this but this stands out.

View attachment 999775

Eye test confirms that. He has been the Ducks best D by a mile.

 

[Boo Boo]

Not a roster question but help me out lol What game was it this season when the Ducks had a good goal called against them when an opposing player was standing in the crease behind Dostal/Gibson? I can't remember the game but it definitely happened

Are you thinking of Vancouver where Sherwood was hanging off the crossbar behind Dostal after being pushed there by Mintyukov

 

[JAHV]

I found something interesting.

Don't know how you guys feel about this but this stands out.

View attachment 999775

Jackson LaCombe has looked like a true #1 guy since mid-November. His poise, his ability to break the puck out cleanly skating or passing, his ability to jump up in the play and execute, his defensive positioning - all great. He's definitely not at the top of the 1D list alongside guys like Makar or Hughes, but he's doing everything for this team, and he's doing it all very well.

 

[quackquackquack]

Are you thinking of Vancouver where Sherwood was hanging off the crossbar behind Dostal after being pushed there by Mintyukov

Right - where Minty shoved him in and Sherwood made no effort to leave the crease. Thanks!

 

[AngelDuck]

Some stat cards compliments of @Machinehead

View attachment 999417
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View attachment 999419
Machinehead can probably explain it better. But to summarize…

Mac has crazy offense potential, Very Solid numbers for Cutter and Leo, Z continues to struggle under Cronin’s system, and Troy Terry is really good at hockey and is being Held back on that line with Strome and Vatrano .

This isn’t a good look for Zegras and jives with the eye test to me. Yes, Cronin is an issue for him but he’s an issue for every young player on the team.

Zegras is underperforming his peers severely and has more experience than a lot of them

 

[Mr Rogers]

So after all of that Zegras is still awful defensively?

 

[JAHV]

So after all of that Zegras is still awful defensively?

Yes. I'm a bit surprised he shows up as THAT bad, but Zegras is just a bad defensive player. He won't ever be good, similar to how, no matter how much we want it, Isac Lundestrom won't be a good offensive player.

I think Zegras is trying hard, but his positioning and awareness is just awful. At best, he can surprise puck-carriers in the neutral zone or when he's backchecking a rush from the other team. But he's an offensive dynamo and a defensive liability. A good coach needs to realize that and set him up to succeed by surrounding him with positive defensive players and allow him to just be Zegras.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Yes. I'm a bit surprised he shows up as THAT bad, but Zegras is just a bad defensive player. He won't ever be good, similar to how, no matter how much we want it, Isac Lundestrom won't be a good offensive player.

I think Zegras is trying hard, but his positioning and awareness is just awful. At best, he can surprise puck-carriers in the neutral zone or when he's backchecking a rush from the other team. But he's an offensive dynamo and a defensive liability. A good coach needs to realize that and set him up to succeed by surrounding him with positive defensive players and allow him to just be Zegras.

Totally. how he's been handled is so frustrating/disappointing.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

Yes. I'm a bit surprised he shows up as THAT bad, but Zegras is just a bad defensive player. He won't ever be good, similar to how, no matter how much we want it, Isac Lundestrom won't be a good offensive player.

I think Zegras is trying hard, but his positioning and awareness is just awful. At best, he can surprise puck-carriers in the neutral zone or when he's backchecking a rush from the other team. But he's an offensive dynamo and a defensive liability. A good coach needs to realize that and set him up to succeed by surrounding him with positive defensive players and allow him to just be Zegras.

Yeah I'm okay with him not being some defensive stud. His biggest issue is to stop making stupid decisions in the defensive zone, which I guess he's improved on this year - but at what cost?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Some stat cards compliments of @Machinehead

View attachment 999417
View attachment 999418
View attachment 999420
View attachment 999422
View attachment 999419
Machinehead can probably explain it better. But to summarize…

Mac has crazy offense potential, Very Solid numbers for Cutter and Leo, Z continues to struggle under Cronin’s system, and Troy Terry is really good at hockey and is being Held back on that line with Strome and Vatrano .

@Machinehead Thanks so much for these forward breakdowns and LaCombe.

Of the five forwards shared, only Carlsson has positive EV defensive GAR, but none of the four are above 0 in EV defensive xGAR. Carlsson, Terry, and Mac are all on different lines with Cutter and Zegras swapping back and forth between Carlsson and Mac most of the season. Our EV defensive scheme is meh, especially when we're sacrificing offense for defense.

One way to help out the not so great EV defense for the forwards would be to improve the blueline defensive play. We're running four youth D and two 3rd pairing vets playing in the top-4 roles right now. Anaheim needs to improve the backend either by development or acquisition.

 

[Hey234]

Yes. I'm a bit surprised he shows up as THAT bad, but Zegras is just a bad defensive player. He won't ever be good, similar to how, no matter how much we want it, Isac Lundestrom won't be a good offensive player.

I think Zegras is trying hard, but his positioning and awareness is just awful. At best, he can surprise puck-carriers in the neutral zone or when he's backchecking a rush from the other team. But he's an offensive dynamo and a defensive liability. A good coach needs to realize that and set him up to succeed by surrounding him with positive defensive players and allow him to just be Zegras.

I agree. But I also think it's a lot to ask someone to play a position that is different than the one they've played for most of their career, and they have publicly commented that they are uncomfortable in this new position. Zegras has made comments where he says he sees the ice better from the center position, and he feels more into the game. IMO, he deserves a lot of leeway

 

[JAHV]

I agree. But I also think it's a lot to ask someone to play a position that is different than the one they've played for most of their career, and they have publicly commented that they are uncomfortable in this new position. Zegras has made comments where he says he sees the ice better from the center position, and he feels more into the game. IMO, he deserves a lot of leeway

The problem is that playing center at the NHL level requires a certain amount of defensive acumen. I don't think Zegras is ever going to get there. So you've got a guy who can't handle the defensive requirements of the position he wants to play, but also can't be the offensive player that he has the potential to be unless he's at that position.

I don't know what the answer is. On paper, the easiest solution seems to be to put Zegras back at center and then stick him with a couple of very good two-way wingers, but those don't grow on trees. I think Gauthier could work there on the left, but I think they need someone on his right who can carry the forechecking and defensive load. Is Colangelo that guy?

 

[Machinehead]

@Machinehead Thanks so much for these forward breakdowns and LaCombe.

Of the five forwards shared, only Carlsson has positive EV defensive GAR, but none of the four are above 0 in EV defensive xGAR. Carlsson, Terry, and Mac are all on different lines with Cutter and Zegras swapping back and forth between Carlsson and Mac most of the season. Our EV defensive scheme is meh, especially when we're sacrificing offense for defense.

One way to help out the not so great EV defense for the forwards would be to improve the blueline defensive play. We're running four youth D and two 3rd pairing vets playing in the top-4 roles right now. Anaheim needs to improve the backend either by development or acquisition.

Mintyukov came back pretty rough defensively when I ran the card but he drives the hell out of offense. And even LaCombe who is good defensively, is great at offense.

And like, if that's what it ends up being, that's still good. Players aren't perfect. You don't end up with Mario Lemieux most of the time. So it becomes about finding the right teammates and the right staff to support what you have.

I tell the Rangers board about this all the time with Fox. "I don't like this, I don't like that." The guy's human. He has flaws. He's still a Norris winner. You find a better way to support that instead of getting rid of the guy.

I see the Ducks as a candidate to add a prime defensive D via acquisition to help them get to the next level.

As a matter of fact, Fox would be an amazing fit so if the Rangers go off the deep end in the next couple of years, I'll manifest it.

 

[ohcomeonref]

Totally. how he's been handled is so frustrating/disappointing.

I used to come halfway up out of my seat everytime be had the puck, now I assume a turnover.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

The problem is that playing center at the NHL level requires a certain amount of defensive acumen. I don't think Zegras is ever going to get there. So you've got a guy who can't handle the defensive requirements of the position he wants to play, but also can't be the offensive player that he has the potential to be unless he's at that position.

I don't know what the answer is. On paper, the easiest solution seems to be to put Zegras back at center and then stick him with a couple of very good two-way wingers, but those don't grow on trees. I think Gauthier could work there on the left, but I think they need someone on his right who can carry the forechecking and defensive load. Is Colangelo that guy?

Seems to me the answer might be better coaching. Patrick Kane (Z's idol) created a lot of offense from the wing. Why can't Z be molded into something like that? Oh, I know why, because we don't have a coach who cares about anything but defense.

My frustration with what this team is doing to destroy what Z can be, grows daily.

 

[JAHV]

Seems to me the answer might be better coaching. Patrick Kane (Z's idol) created a lot of offense from the wing. Why can't Z be molded into something like that? Oh, I know why, because we don't have a coach who cares about anything but defense.

My frustration with what this team is doing to destroy what Z can be, grows daily.

I actually think this is the best solution - I was just responding to the poster who said Zegras feels most comfortable at center. I don't think there are many NHL coaches who will be ok with Zegras's [lack of] defense at center. He's going to be a winger. Just let him be the offense-only winger he was born to be and put two guys with him who can both make up for his lack of defense and finish his passes.

 

[ADHB]

The problem is that playing center at the NHL level requires a certain amount of defensive acumen. I don't think Zegras is ever going to get there. So you've got a guy who can't handle the defensive requirements of the position he wants to play, but also can't be the offensive player that he has the potential to be unless he's at that position.

I don't know what the answer is. On paper, the easiest solution seems to be to put Zegras back at center and then stick him with a couple of very good two-way wingers, but those don't grow on trees. I think Gauthier could work there on the left, but I think they need someone on his right who can carry the forechecking and defensive load. Is Colangelo that guy?

This may sound stupid, because I don't know the ins and outs of coaching or systems, but couldn't they just tell Zegras, hey when we have the puck, you're the C, but when the other team has the puck and is in our defensive zone, someone else is the C (or acts as one)?

 

[dracom]

The problem is that playing center at the NHL level requires a certain amount of defensive acumen. I don't think Zegras is ever going to get there. So you've got a guy who can't handle the defensive requirements of the position he wants to play, but also can't be the offensive player that he has the potential to be unless he's at that position.

I don't know what the answer is. On paper, the easiest solution seems to be to put Zegras back at center and then stick him with a couple of very good two-way wingers, but those don't grow on trees. I think Gauthier could work there on the left, but I think they need someone on his right who can carry the forechecking and defensive load. Is Colangelo that guy?

If only there was an upcoming UFA winger who is actually so good defensively, theyve been nominated for the selke and fits the age of the core.