Yeah if we were playing Kings-style hockey that was effective defensively but boring offensively it would be one thing.
But the only thing similar to the Kings this team has is that I hate watching it with a passion.
Speculation: 2025 Trade/Free Agency Thread
- Thread starter Leonardo87
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But the only thing similar to the Kings this team has is that I hate watching it with a passion.
I would just caution everyone that a lot (maybe most) of the D prospects are not going to pan out as currently advertised. And I don't think they are worth what you think they are worth to other teams. There may not be a trade market for many of them unless they are add-ons in a bigger deal.
I'm trying to lay a groundwork for me not being INSANELY disappointed when Cronin is retained here!
Okay, in that case maybe he's actually building a very important foundation for the next guy simply by the laws of physics. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so every year of Cronin promises a year of future Ducks excellence.
Verbeek already laid out the groundwork. If we only had better PP and PK units, then we would be more competitive and closer to the playoff chase. Then Verbeek can point to LaCombe blossoming under Cronin (although, don't remember that Verbeek said LaCombe now looks like how he played in his senior year in college) and Dostal becoming a star-studded #1 goalie.
I agree with this 100%. People are constantly talking about only giving up some young guy(s) for an upgrade. Well, ask yourself, why would a team trade a mid 20s fully developed proven scorer for a less than proven D (or a ruined Z)? Pat wasn't a genius for getting Gauthier. He was just in the right place at the right time when manna from heaven fell into his lap.
There's nothing wrong with hoping for lightning to strike twice in Anaheim, but don't count on it.
I dunno how Murray did it, but he traded D Vatanen and a 2018 3rd round pick for Rico, Blandisi, and a 2019 conditional 3rd round pick (if signed before 2019 draft, 2020 3rd rd pick if signed after 2019 draft, and no loss of pick if Rico doesn't sign an extension). (Source) Rico was 27 years old at the time of the trade.
Of course, VAtanen was 26 and a 5-year vet at the time of that trade.
Depending on how bad his injury is and how far they want to tear the team down, I wonder if we could pry McAvoy from the Bruins. He is exactly what this team needs IMO, even more than a top 6 winger.
It would be a hefty price, though. Have to imagine Mintyukov+
It would be a hefty price, though. Have to imagine Mintyukov+
Boston hasn't done a rebuild since...Bobby Orr. They retool. McAvoy is going nowhere. Sorry.
This is a very important point. Right now We don't have enough young top 4 D to fill out our own top 4. We have one, Lacombe. Trading any of these young guys now I think is a mistake. The smarter move would be to wait until our top 4 is filled out with young talent before we think about trading any one of them.
Remember last season how the majority wanted LaCombe traded because they all thought he was just LD fodder for Minty and Zell? Maybe we should continue to wait and develop our youth and depth first. The better the depth, then the better the trade capital in the future. We are only in year 3 of the Verbeek reset rebuild.
Agreed, with the exception of trading a young D as part of a package for a proven NHL D.
BM, (the gift that keeps on giving) was also the guy who drafted Drysdale, then was a scout in Philly when we made the Gauthier trade. Word was that BM gave Jamie a glowing scouting report to help seal the deal.
What we really need to do is see where BM is working now and figure out how to do deal with somebody he drafted for us.
