Speculation: 2024-25 Roster Thread

[Ducks DVM]

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.

We don’t have “best players”. We have a bunch of young, streaky players, who are currently playing better than the old, streaky players that they essentially have the same production as.

McTavish was great to start last season, then…not so much until 6 weeks ago.

The kids need to produce over a long period of time before we get too giddy. That said, Terry needs better linemates. Strome is 100% fine as the 3rd line 40 point guy he was brought in to be, but that’s not what he’s being expected to be.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

We don’t have “best players”. We have a bunch of young, streaky players, who are currently playing better than the old, streaky players that they essentially have the same production as.

McTavish was great to start last season, then…not so much until 6 weeks ago.

The kids need to produce over a long period of time before we get too giddy. That said, Terry needs better linemates. Strome is 100% fine as the 3rd line 40 point guy he was brought in to be, but that’s not what he’s being expected to be.

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It is possible that this year Cronin is trying to shelter the youths by having a Vatrano-Strome-Terry set as a first line. Last year, we were gifting Carlsson 1C minutes. I would have rather seen a youth center corps of Carlsson, Z, and Mac since it's a development season (Year 3).

If that was the premise of sheltering the youths, then I don't understand why they went all out last year in gifting prime roles and minutes to the youths? Look at what happened to our youth blueliners to where they were gifted minutes and roles last year to trying to fight to be on the ice before Fowler, Vaak, and Dumo were traded.

 

[Leonardo87]

I think the PP is the number one reason there is so much inconsistency with offense and lack of it. The kids have had to do it mostly at ES.

You put up an average PP, based on the opportunities they got. Would have potted at least another 15 goals. That’s 45 potential points spread among the forwards and D who are on the PP.

Again, that is average like 18-20% conversion rate. Middle of the league in rank.

 

[MMC]

 

[anezthes]

Poor Z.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Poor Z.

I like the idea of changing things up, but I’d rather they load up the Mctavish line with Terry and Z. Also not sure how I like Terry on the left side.

 

[anezthes]

I like the idea of changing things up, but I’d rather they load up the Mctavish line with Terry and Z. Also not sure how I like Terry on the left side.

Agreed. Cavanagh probably didn’t bother putting the wingers in their correct positions, as Lee did in MMC’s post above.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I think the PP is the number one reason there is so much inconsistency with offense and lack of it. The kids have had to do it mostly at ES.

You put up an average PP, based on the opportunities they got. Would have potted at least another 15 goals. That’s 45 potential points spread among the forwards and D who are on the PP.

Again, that is average like 18-20% conversion rate. Middle of the league in rank.

You don't need an average PP to pot another 15 goals, or 10 goals. This year we rank last in PP efficiency at 11.98%, with a league average of 21.58%. We have scored 26 PP goals this season. We have five 20-goal scorers on the team with three games left to add a sixth if Killorn can net two more goals. Although we have lots of 20-goal scorers, we do not have anyone close to reaching 60 points.

Two seasons ago, 2022-23, we ranked next to last at 15.72% PP efficiency, with the league average at 21.31%. The Ducks scored 36 PP goals two seasons ago. Back then, we had two 60+ point scorers in Terry and Zegras as well as four 20-goal scorers (Terry, Z, Vatrano, and Rico).

It's crazy to know that we have more offensive talent on the roster this year than over two seasons ago, but are still offensively inept.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Agreed. Cavanagh probably didn’t bother putting the wingers in their correct positions, as Lee did in MMC’s post above.

Yeah that’s a lil sloppy haha.

I’m not sure how Vatrano will look on the right side, but whatever I’m kinda over those two.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Why not just swap Terry for Colangelo? Colangelo is not long for the 4th line role like Nesterenko. Nestrenko's play does deserve praise, but what exactly are we doing here?! A Z-Strome-Vatrano line is like Vegas billboard sign broadcasting, "No defense here. Jackpots abound. Oprah says, 'You get a goal. And you get a goal. And you get two goals!' " Also, why are we playing Trouba at LD instead of letting him rest his injured body for the rest of the season so that we don't sit one of youths?!

Cutter-Carlsson-Killorn
Z-Mac-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Colangelo
Nestrenko-Lundy-Harkins

LaCombe - Helleson
Minty - Gudas
Zell - Moore

 

[zegrassyknoll]

I can't take this man anymore.

For f***'s sake dude, just put Terry with Leo/Cutter and keep Z/McT together. Killorn is contributing nothing offensively on that line and Leo/Cutter killing PKs have proven that they are fine to play defense without a "cerebral vet."

Put Vatrano/Strome/Killorn on a line together and threaten to buy out the least productive of the three of them. Maybe they'll do something interesting aside from taking a dumbass penalty.

 

[Mr Rogers]

I can't take this man anymore.

For f***'s sake dude, just put Terry with Leo/Cutter and keep Z/McT together. Killorn is contributing nothing offensively on that line and Leo/Cutter killing PKs have proven that they are fine to play defense without a "cerebral vet."

Put Vatrano/Strome/Killorn on a line together and threaten to buy out the least productive of the three of them. Maybe they'll do something interesting aside from taking a dumbass penalty.

Leo and Cutter have looked amazing of late just how that line is. I wouldn’t touch it.

Terry wants/needs to have the puck a lot, I’m not a fan of Terry/Z on the same line with Leo. I think there’s a reason why we seldom see those players with Leo.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

Leo and Cutter have looked amazing of late just how that line is. I wouldn’t touch it.

Terry wants/needs to have the puck a lot, I’m not a fan of Terry/Z on the same line with Leo.

This only seems to be the case when Vatrano/Strome go MIA for 10 games.

That said I would be fine putting Terry with Z/McT and putting Colangelo on the top line as a net-front guy.

But breaking up Z/McT (who have also been very good as of late) is asinine.

 

[Mr Rogers]

This only seems to be the case when Vatrano/Strome go MIA for 10 games.

That said I would be fine putting Terry with Z/McT and putting Colangelo on the top line as a net-front guy.

But breaking up Z/McT (who have also been very good as of late) is asinine.

They had to break up the Terry line, but I would’ve kept Z where he was. I like Terry with Mctavish a lot.

Leo needs to play with guys who play with less complexity than he does. Terry and/or Z with him doesn’t work because theyll try to pass the puck into the net and will play out on the perimeter (and they won’t win any battles).

 

[MMC]

Why not just swap Terry for Colangelo? Colangelo is not long for the 4th line role like Nesterenko. Nestrenko's play does deserve praise, but what exactly are we doing here?! A Z-Strome-Vatrano line is like Vegas billboard sign broadcasting, "No defense here. Jackpots abound. Oprah says, 'You get a goal. And you get a goal. And you get two goals!' " Also, why are we playing Trouba at LD instead of letting him rest his injured body for the rest of the season so that we don't sit one of youths?!

Cutter-Carlsson-Killorn
Z-Mac-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Colangelo
Nestrenko-Lundy-Harkins

LaCombe - Helleson
Minty - Gudas
Zell - Moore

They want Moore with a vet

 

[Leonardo87]

They had to break up the Terry line, but I would’ve kept Z where he was. I like Terry with Mctavish a lot.

Leo needs to play with guys who play with less complexity than he does. Terry and/or Z with him doesn’t work because theyll try to pass the puck into the net and will play out on the perimeter (and they won’t win any battles).

Putting Terry on Leo’s line will actually hurt him. Good point. Cutter and Leo need a younger version of Killorn who can keep up with their speed.

I notice once thing about Leo. He is not playing as much hero puck. He’s carrying it and getting it to a line-mate quickly and then is attacking the net. Terry is still doing that hero puck .

I’d actually put Terry with Mac, his current line mates are really hurting his production.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Poor Z.

If those already are what they’re going with: good luck Ian. You’re gonna need it

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Yeah that’s a lil sloppy haha.

I’m not sure how Vatrano will look on the right side, but whatever I’m kinda over those two.

Kane shoots left but plays right wing, so maybe they are letting him be more like his idol Patrick Kane.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Poor Z.

True but I do see why they did it to see if they can spread out the offense, Its pretty even I think: Z gets 2 guys who have 40 points each, Terry and Mac have to carry a guy who belongs in the AHL in Nester. I don't see Nester being a permanent NHLer, he just seems like an AHL guy who can help SD win.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Putting Terry on Leo’s line will actually hurt him. Good point. Cutter and Leo need a younger version of Killorn who can keep up with their speed.

I notice once thing about Leo. He is not playing as much hero puck. He’s carrying it and getting it to a line-mate quickly and then is attacking the net. Terry is still doing that hero puck .

I’d actually put Terry with Mac, his current line mates are really hurting his production.

Yeah stylistically Killorn is perfect for them. Some form of Leo with Terry and/or Z has not worked on a few occasions when it’s been tried. I’m not sure why people want to see that.

A lot of great lines over the years have had a presence like Killorn on it.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

They had to break up the Terry line, but I would’ve kept Z where he was. I like Terry with Mctavish a lot.

Leo needs to play with guys who play with less complexity than he does. Terry and/or Z with him doesn’t work because theyll try to pass the puck into the net and will play out on the perimeter (and they won’t win any battles).

That's fine. I would still take:

Cutter-Leo-Colangelo
Z-McT-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Killorn

over what we have been using for the best dozen or so games and definitely over what those practice lines are today.

 

[Leonardo87]

Yeah stylistically Killorn is perfect for them. Some form of Leo with Terry and/or Z has not worked on a few occasions when it’s been tried. I’m not sure why people want to see that.

A lot of great lines over the years have had a presence like Killorn on it.

I was harsh earlier on Killorn but I think the key was getting Leo the right LW’er. Mac was good with Leo but he needed to be on his own line, and Z was just meh with him.

Killorn has helped turn Leo into one of the Ducks best defensive forwards. Although I like to erase that LA game , lol.

If they didn’t have such a poorly coached PP, they’d be over 50 points right now. Leo has only 7 PPP’s and Cutter only has 6. They are both way too skilled not to have more.

 

[Leonardo87]

Poor Z.

It only took 80 games for Terry to get away from those 2. Awesome. lol

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

We don’t have “best players”. We have a bunch of young, streaky players, who are currently playing better than the old, streaky players that they essentially have the same production as.

McTavish was great to start last season, then…not so much until 6 weeks ago.

The kids need to produce over a long period of time before we get too giddy. That said, Terry needs better linemates. Strome is 100% fine as the 3rd line 40 point guy he was brought in to be, but that’s not what he’s being expected to be.

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I feel like if our team is going to be good our best players have to be the youth.

We don’t have “best players”. We have a bunch of young, streaky players, who are currently playing better than the old, streaky players that they essentially have the same production as.

McTavish was great to start last season, then…not so much until 6 weeks ago.

The kids need to produce over a long period of time before we get too giddy. That said, Terry needs better linemates. Strome is 100% fine as the 3rd line 40 point guy he was brought in to be, but that’s not what he’s being expected to be.

View attachment 1012181

I feel like IF the team is going to be good, they gotta do it through the youth. Strome as a third liner is fine but I'd like to see McTavish, Zegras, Leo and Cutter all play a decent bit more than the Strome, Vatrano and Killorns of the team. I think its time to put more pressure on the youth to carry the team and not view everyone as equal because it truly is their team.

 

[Ducks DVM]