Speculation: 2024-25 Roster Thread

[Leonardo87]

16 stats: Blues’ turnaround, Lane Hutson’s stardom and Stars’ struggles

Plus, who would be the top candidates for an award for the league's best defensive defenseman this season?

www.nytimes.com

Quote:
5. Ducklings look ready to take off

Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Anaheim’s young forward core has played some of the best hockey of their young careers. Over those 23 games, Mason McTavish has been a point-per-game player, Leo Carlsson is close, Cutter Gauthier has 18 points and even Trevor Zegras has 15 points in 20 games. All four have also outscored opponents at five-on-five with decent xG numbers, too. McTavish has been especially impressive with a team-best 54 percent rate.

If this is a sign of things to come, the Ducks could be very interesting next season. They look like they’re next up as a rebuilding team ready to take a step.

Imagine if they had a PP coach who knew what they were doing? When they put Leo in front of the net I knew they were clueless.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

16 stats: Blues’ turnaround, Lane Hutson’s stardom and Stars’ struggles

Plus, who would be the top candidates for an award for the league's best defensive defenseman this season?

www.nytimes.com

Quote:
5. Ducklings look ready to take off

Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Anaheim’s young forward core has played some of the best hockey of their young careers. Over those 23 games, Mason McTavish has been a point-per-game player, Leo Carlsson is close, Cutter Gauthier has 18 points and even Trevor Zegras has 15 points in 20 games. All four have also outscored opponents at five-on-five with decent xG numbers, too. McTavish has been especially impressive with a team-best 54 percent rate.

If this is a sign of things to come, the Ducks could be very interesting next season. They look like they’re next up as a rebuilding team ready to take a step.

Stamkos probably regretting passing on the Ducks for the sinking predators.

 

[Hey234]

So what does the Top 9 look like next year? I think Terry needs to move onto the Leo or Mac line at RW. I'm still curious with Colangelo? Still need to add another Top 6 winger. Someone is going to have to move down to the 4th line to keep Sam in the Top 9. I also do not see that 4th line returning next year.

I've been banging this drum for awhile, but the Ducks either need to put Terry with Carlsson or McTavish, or they need a new center. They clearly want Zegras at wing, and the pairs are clearly Zegras-McTavish & Gauthier-Carlsson. There's only 4 options: move him up, new center, trade him, or leave it as is.

IMO leaving it as is would make no sense as it's not working, and trading him would be a mistake. So either he moves up or needs a new center. Terry does not have chemistry on either line, so finding a new center makes the most sense to me. Ideally someone who can win faceoffs and has some reasonable offensive ability as Terry does a lot on his own.

 

[Hey234]

They are. The entire 4th line and its rotating cast of characters needs to find work elsewhere. I didn't mind McGinn when he was healthy for those five minutes that one game. And Fabbri was a fun guy to root for (also when healthy) but ultimately is a more flawed version of Vatrano. The Ducks need guys who can consistently contribute, whether that's on offense or defense. McGinn, Fabbri, Leason, Harkins, Lundestrom, Johnston - so long and thanks for all the fish.

I agree that they all need to go. I think the solutions are already on the team though, and they just need to move from the top 6 down. Strome and Killorn on the 4th would really help.

Gauthier-Carlssson-xxx
Zegras-McTavish-Colangelo
Vatrano-xxx-Terry
Killorn-Strome-Nesterenko

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I'm curious if Strome at center is partially due to the fact he is right-handed?

I actually like Harkins as an energy guy/faceoff specialist but this team just can't afford to carry a complete offensive zero like that. If we were a good team, maybe.

I didn't think Harkins was signed to play at the NHL level, but for San Diego. Harkins still owns the best PPG for the Gulls with a 1.55 ppg, albeit an 11-game sample. He isn't used as a FO specialist. FO attempts: Harkins = 215 (in 59 games), Z = 184 (in 53 games).

 

[JAHV]

I agree that they all need to go. I think the solutions are already on the team though, and they just need to move from the top 6 down. Strome and Killorn on the 4th would really help.

Gauthier-Carlssson-xxx
Zegras-McTavish-Colangelo
Vatrano-xxx-Terry
Killorn-Strome-Nesterenko

I don't disagree with you on the merits of that lineup on paper (depending on who 'xxx' is on those lines), but it's going to be really tricky to pull off in reality.

1. Playing relatively highly paid, respected veterans on the 4th line is always sketchy. It takes the absolute right coach with the right messaging and the right deployment to get buy-in, whether or not that's where those players deserve to be. Us arm-chair hockey coaches can shake our fists at Strome and Killorn all we want, but those guys have some pride, and even if they meekly submit to their 4th line duties, it's ingrained in hockey culture that there's a stigma to being a 4th line guy. I don't think our current coach could pull this off. I don't think MOST coaches could pull this off. It would take an absolute homerun of a coaching hire.
2. The top line RW is tough since that spot will hopefully be occupied by Sennecke in the relatively near future. Maybe you move Terry up there for now and get a guy on a one or two-year deal for the third line, but I'm not sure that's ideal either. If you really want the team to make a run next year, you go for big game in that RW spot, knowing that it means you'll need to deal if/when Sennecke is ready.
3. The 3C is an obvious place to upgrade. A guy like Sam Bennett would be perfect here if he hits the market, but I have a feeling that's going to take a huge overpay in term and dollars. It would be nice to get a guy who can win a faceoff and actually shut down an opposing line.

 

[Deuce22]

The issue is that unless Verbeek hires a coach that doesn’t see Vatrano-Strome-Terry as his best line and Gudas as a top pairing D, none of these scenarios will happen. We currently have a coach whose personnel decisions are based on “trust” not on who gives us the best chance to win. The usage of the 4th line is ridiculous.

 

[DavidBL]

Imo, im still on the move Z back to center train. I dont know if I buy Strome is that much better defensively, its not like he wins a lot of faceoffs either. Weve seen some of this work in the past
Cutter-Leo-XX
Vatrano-McTavish-Terry/Strome
Killorn-Zegras-Terry/Strome
Nesterenko-XX-Colangelo
If they insist on Keeping Z on McTavishs wing then the new RW oushes Killorn down to Zs and McTavishes line. Doesnt really fix the defensive issues on Terrys line though.

 

[MMC]

I don't really get the take that this team is better off with Zegras as a 3C than a top 6 winger

 

[Leonardo87]

I don't really get the take that this team is better off with Zegras as a 3C than a top 6 winger

Z has been good on the wing. He is not good defensively and it’s the better spot for him. Producing like a Top 6 player since the 4 nations.

 

[All Mighty]

I think we should abandon the notion of having a “top 6” and a “bottom 6.” You should probably have a go-to line (1st line), but the “2nd line” and “3rd line” can play similar minutes. Maybe one line plays more if it’s doing better, but overall the discrepancy between them shouldn’t be large.

 

[DavidBL]

I don't really get the take that this team is better off with Zegras as a 3C than a top 6 winger

Z has been good on the wing. He is not good defensively and it’s the better spot for him. Producing like a Top 6 player since the 4 nations.

Is Strome really better defensively? I cant see us adding 2 top 9 players which means we either add a top 6 winger or a center. At the end of the day were running 3 "scoring lines" already as none of the top 3 lines are shutdown lines. If thats the case why not try and make them all effective? Imo I'm just not really a fan of the current Terry line. Terry has had chemistry with Zegras in the past and Killorn on that LW(his natural position) adds some defensive play while McTavish with Vatrano and Strome had a VERY solid start last year.

 

[The Duck Knight]

Imo, im still on the move Z back to center train. I dont know if I buy Strome is that much better defensively, its not like he wins a lot of faceoffs either. Weve seen some of this work in the past
Cutter-Leo-XX
Vatrano-McTavish-Terry/Strome
Killorn-Zegras-Terry/Strome
Nesterenko-XX-Colangelo
If they insist on Keeping Z on McTavishs wing then the new RW oushes Killorn down to Zs and McTavishes line. Doesnt really fix the defensive issues on Terrys line though.

If the plan is Z centering Killorn and Strome may as well just trade him. That line will be awful in all 3 zones. Getting Strome out for a 40 pt guy who can win faceoffs and hit an empty net once in a while would do wonders. Unless that happens may as well just stack the top 6 and let the 3rd line be the vets and suffer.

 

[DavidBL]

If the plan is Z centering Killorn and Strome may as well just trade him. That line will be awful in all 3 zones. Getting Strome out for a 40 pt guy who can win faceoffs and hit an empty net once in a while would do wonders. Unless that happens may as well just stack the top 6 and let the 3rd line be the vets and suffer.

That seems a a bit dramatic. Killorn is one of our better defensive forwards. Strome is a 40 pt player who can win occasional facoffs. I just dont see them trading him because of the leadership he brings and he absolutely wont be demoted to the 4th line. Id like to try and get more out of Terry. I prefer Terry with Z and Killorn and let Vats and Strome play with McTavish. All three of those guys were a PPG for 20 games or so last year which is what we're all excited about Z and McTavish doing right now ober a year later.

 

[Big Fat Rebound]

I don't really get the take that this team is better off with Zegras as a 3C than a top 6 winger

Matchups largely, although we’re still not deep enough to make it work. If Z regains full offensive confidence, Z/McT vs opposing third lines is food

 

[2faded]

Should Cutter be on the right of Leo? Both of the Leo to Cutter recent goals were with him on the right one timing it.

Edit: I'm wrong one he was on the left. I was thinking of two games ago, his first goal was left to right one timer.

 

[anezthes]

Points in each player's last 15 games:

Forwards

• Carlsson: 15
• McTavish: 13
• Cutter: 12
• Zegras: 12
• Colangelo: 9
• Killorn: 9
• Terry: 5
• Strome: 4
• Nesterenko: 3
• Vatrano: 3
• Leason: 2
• Lundeström: 1
• Harkins: 0

Defensemen

• LaCombe: 9
• Mintyukov: 6
• Zellweger: 6
• Gudas: 3
• Helleson: 3
• Trouba: 2

Misc

• Dostal: .887 SV%, 50 GA
• PP: 4 goals on 46 opportunities (8.7%)
• PK: 16 goals against on 59 kills (72.9%)

 

[Leonardo87]

Points in each player's last 15 games:

Forwards

• Carlsson: 15
• McTavish: 13
• Cutter: 12
• Zegras: 12
• Colangelo: 9
• Killorn: 9
• Terry: 5
• Strome: 4
• Nesterenko: 3
• Vatrano: 3
• Leason: 2
• Lundeström: 1
• Harkins: 0

Defensemen

• LaCombe: 9
• Mintyukov: 6
• Zellweger: 6
• Gudas: 3
• Helleson: 3
• Trouba: 2

Misc

• Dostal: .887 SV%, 50 GA
• PP: 4 goals on 46 opportunities (8.7%)
• PK: 16 goals against on 59 kills (72.9%)

Wow so Leo has more points than Terry, Vatrano and Strome combined in the last 15-20 games? I mean good for Leo, but that’s pretty bad from your top line.

 

[Emerald Duck]

Points in each player's last 15 games:

Forwards

• Carlsson: 15
• McTavish: 13
• Cutter: 12
• Zegras: 12
• Colangelo: 9
• Killorn: 9
• Terry: 5
• Strome: 4
• Nesterenko: 3
• Vatrano: 3
• Leason: 2
• Lundeström: 1
• Harkins: 0

Defensemen

• LaCombe: 9
• Mintyukov: 6
• Zellweger: 6
• Gudas: 3
• Helleson: 3
• Trouba: 2

Misc

• Dostal: .887 SV%, 50 GA
• PP: 4 goals on 46 opportunities (8.7%)
• PK: 16 goals against on 59 kills (72.9%)

It figures that our kids would start to pick up the offense just when Dostal begins to wear out and the vets start thinking about their golf game

 

[Arthuros]

Turns out, if everyone needs to be at 100% for us to win, there might be a chance that your team isn't good enough.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

I think we should abandon the notion of having a “top 6” and a “bottom 6.” You should probably have a go-to line (1st line), but the “2nd line” and “3rd line” can play similar minutes. Maybe one line plays more if it’s doing better, but overall the discrepancy between them shouldn’t be large.

I agree but its difficult to be confident in a team that has Killorn, Strome and maybe even Vatrano (based on this year) playing similar minutes to your top players.

 

[GermanRocket7]

Realistic expectations: who might be going to the World Championships?

Team USA: Zegras, Gauthier, LaCombe
Team Canada: McTavish, Zellweger
Team Sweden: Carlsson, Lundestrom
Team Czechia: Dostal

Any other ideas? I think Gudas is getting surgery, so he won't be attending.

 

[Kalv]

Realistic expectations: who might be going to the World Championships?

Team USA: Zegras, Gauthier, LaCombe
Team Canada: McTavish, Zellweger
Team Sweden: Carlsson, Lundestrom
Team Czechia: Dostal

Any other ideas? I think Gudas is getting surgery, so he won't be attending.

Solberg should be leading Norways blueline or at least being a big part of it

 

[All Mighty]

Realistic expectations: who might be going to the World Championships?

Team USA: Zegras, Gauthier, LaCombe
Team Canada: McTavish, Zellweger
Team Sweden: Carlsson, Lundestrom
Team Czechia: Dostal

Any other ideas? I think Gudas is getting surgery, so he won't be attending.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Had no idea Dionicio was Swiss haha