Speculation: 2025-26 Ducks Defense (Overview)

[Deuce22]

You seem to contradict yourself in the same paragraph. You say quit pointing out the youth D are weak (3rd pairing), but then cite they're still young and will be great once they mature as well as grow into roles they can handle. Yet, you left out another youth that took his game to another level last year in the same "crap man-to-man chase system" as a part of the Ducks top pairing set. LaCombe set a standard and you're offended that we appropriated identify the rest of our youths are 3rd pairing guys right now?

What's even more egregious with your cringy white knighting is that if we're to be a playoff team next year and no additional changes occur on the blue line, then the determinant will be Zell and Minty. If they don't improve their status from 3rd pairing players, then we might be stuck in neutral. We want them to improve, but neither one showed great improvement to end the season. Last season, I was able to identify that LaCombe did improve his play to where he was our best two-way player. LaCombe breaking out this season didn't happen out of nowhere.

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Although, I am hoping Zell or Minty can break through out of nowhere for this coming season... just not too confident in it occurring this coming season. If Samueli didn't put the ultimatum that we'd be a playoff team next year, then I wouldn't focus much on Zell and Minty continuing to develop their skill this season. I think next season is where they start putting things together like LaCombe's rookie season and 2026-27 is when they both can take a huge leap in development. In my eyes, we're still in year 4 of the reset rebuild and it's another development season. That ultimatum says we're done developing even though we're still in a premature stage with most of our youths.

If you can’t tell the difference between a guy that had 4 years of college hockey and is 24, and guys that were in the NHL at 20 and are learning at the highest level, I don’t know how to respond.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I'm telling you what I'm hearing inside the hockey community. If he can play at the NHL level, and he has no problems there based on how he outperforms many NHL players already, he's basically NHL ready.

You're talking about jumping guys, that's a GM decision. If he wants more physicality, the players you mentioned don't play Solberg hockey. Trades can be made to create room.

Most experts, including NHL media, agree...if he doesn't make Ducks roster out of camp, calling him up at some point next season is very realistic.

Anaheim has three RD's that play the physical style in Gudas, Trouba, and Helleson. All of which are defensive d-men, which Solberg is as well. The left side are all of the Ducks' OFD's (offensive d-men) in LaCombe, Zell, and MIntyukov. It's a common OFD-DFD pairing, but oddly all on the same sides.

There isn't a dire need for Solberg's physicality at the NHL level to start the season. Solberg didn't dominate in the SHL. At the AHL level, he is behind youth RD Ian Moore. Yet, he might be the first LD call-up if the Ducks don't acquire a vet LD as a 7th D-man. If anything, I would hope the club makes Solberg-Luneau as a steady pair in the AHL next season. Luneau maybe our highest offensive potential on the right side and Solberg would be the perfect complement. Getting that pairing started off at the AHL level and potentially for the future at the NHL level would be a great boon for the Ducks.

I love the potential that Solberg could be a top-4, 2-way D. I don't understand the impatience with Solberg's development.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

If you can’t tell the difference between a guy that had 4 years of college hockey and is 24, and guys that were in the NHL at 20 and are learning at the highest level, I don’t know how to respond.

You're proving my point and highlighting your own hypocrisy. That's why Minty and Zell are third pairing talents right now.

Also, you're purposely being ignorant that I said this coming season is where they should be taking a step like LaCombe's rookie season and the following season is where they should take a bigger step in their game.

Of course you don't know how to respond when someone calls you out on your hypocrisy and being purposely ignorant of information.

 

[Deuce22]

You're proving my point and highlighting your own hypocrisy. That's why Minty and Zell are third pairing talents right now.

Also, you're purposely being ignorant that I said this coming season is where they should be taking a step like LaCombe's rookie season and the following season is where they should take a bigger step in their game.

Of course you don't know how to respond when someone calls you out on your hypocrisy and being purposely ignorant of information.

Zellweger and Mintyukov aren’t “third pairing talents.” One was a top ten draft pick and both have been dominant at lower levels. They are learning at the NHL level at the age that LaCombe was a junior at Minnesota.

 

[DuckTech]

I would love the idea of Solberg winning a spot out of camp. The key there is WINNING a spot. I do believe that he could use a little time in the AHL to work his timing out for things like when to hit and when to keep his D assignment. Also help with him getting his offensive timing better (not saying it's bad just give him more time to work on it.) IMO, he has maybe part of this season before he fully forces the subject even harder! Love what I see in him!

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Zellweger and Mintyukov aren’t “third pairing talents.” One was a top ten draft pick and both have been dominant at lower levels. They are learning at the NHL level at the age that LaCombe was a junior at Minnesota.

So what you're saying is Zell and Minty are actually AHL talents since their tutelage is unfortunately being done at the NHL level than NCAA or AHL levels and they not 3rd pairing NHL d-men today or last year. I guess that makes sense since both were in constant box seat rotations this past season.

Seriously, are you like a helicopter parent that's afraid to identify the appropriately talent tier level our prospects? Deion Sanders, is that you? (2025 NFL draft reference about his QB son's talent, in case you don't know.) We're both admitting they need time to develop, but you're white knighting over our prospects doesn't make any sense. As I have stated constantly, if we don't add any more talent to the blueline this summer, then our determinant for improvement lies with Zell and Minty improving b/c they are our weakest d-men.

Bringing up that one of our prospects was a top-10 pick emphasizes your helicopter parenting psyche. Although, I do find your stance hilariously hypocritical considering how often you shit on LaCombe all last year.

Anyhow, give me your assessment on Zell and Minty for this past season as well as compare them for the past two seasons. Enough of this helicopter parent feelings sharing, give us everyone here their performance ratings b/c you inadvertently described both as AHL defenders than NHL 3rd pairing d-men.

 

[Deuce22]

So what you're saying is Zell and Minty are actually AHL talents since their tutelage is unfortunately being done at the NHL level than NCAA or AHL levels and they not 3rd pairing NHL d-men today or last year. I guess that makes sense since both were in constant box seat rotations this past season.

Seriously, are you like a helicopter parent that's afraid to identify the appropriately talent tier level our prospects? Deion Sanders, is that you? (2025 NFL draft reference about his QB son's talent, in case you don't know.) We're both admitting they need time to develop, but you're white knighting over our prospects doesn't make any sense. As I have stated constantly, if we don't add any more talent to the blueline this summer, then our determinant for improvement lies with Zell and Minty improving b/c they are our weakest d-men.

Bringing up that one of our prospects was a top-10 pick emphasizes your helicopter parenting psyche. Although, I do find your stance hilariously hypocritical considering how often you shit on LaCombe all last year.

Anyhow, give me your assessment on Zell and Minty for this past season as well as compare them for the past two seasons. Enough of this helicopter parent feelings sharing, give us everyone here their performance ratings b/c you inadvertently described both as AHL defenders than NHL 3rd pairing d-men.

I’m saying the Ducks are rebuilding. Verbeek chose to give Mintyukov no AHL time and just a bit to Zellweger. IMO, that was partly because they were better than the other roster options and partly because Verbeek(despite what he said) prefers to get his elite talents to the NHL ASAP. They have been competitive and showed flashes at a very young age. If you want to win a cup next season, trade them both for more established NHL D. If you want to be good long term, be patient. LaCombe broke out at 24, this will be their age 22 season. I never shit on LaCombe’s talent offensively. The year he played with Fowler they were horrible.