GDT: #30 ⋅ WPG @ ANA ⋅ 7:00 PM PST

[Ducks DVM]

We beat a backup goalie! If we can win friday( vs another backup goalie ) I may start to find some hope again!

This is the key. We played a guy with 13 career games and another guy who’s given up 3+ goals in all but one of the 8 games he’s played this season (the 2 goal game, ironically, was vs the other team we just beat) on a back to back road trip. Winnipeg is 8-9-1 since they decided to become Winnipeg again ~11/14, and has scored 50 goals and given up 53 in that span. They have 18 points in 18 games in that span. Anaheim has 16 in 15.

Wins are fun, and I will absolutely take them, but we still aren’t beating good teams.

 

[Hey234]

He hasn't shown much chemistry with any of our forwards. A priority should be finding ways/players to unlock his puck transportation skills.

This is such a big issue and I think the solution has to come from a trade. They are still struggling to figure out which players are going to be centers or wingers let alone chemistry. Gauthier, Vatrano, Terry, Killorn, Fabbri - none of them have really shown any chemistry with Carlsson. Gauthier is maybe the exception as he's young and figuring out his game. Oddly, Zegras showed the most chemistry with him IMO. But then that takes Zegras away from being a center which I believe he is. On the other hand, if they produce together, then how do you split that up.

Either way, the Ducks basically have to hope Gauthier and/or Zegras becomes those players on Carlsson's line, or they'll have to look elsewhere. Sennecke could be that player, but that's a lot of waiting, hope, and years of Carlsson without help. They need to trade for someone.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

This is the key. We played a guy with 13 career games and another guy who’s given up 3+ goals in all but one of the 8 games he’s played this season (the 2 goal game, ironically, was vs the other team we just beat) on a back to back road trip. Winnipeg is 8-9-1 since they decided to become Winnipeg again ~11/14, and has scored 50 goals and given up 53 in that span. They have 18 points in 19 games in that span. Anaheim has 16 in 15.

Wins are fun, and I will absolutely take them, but we still aren’t beating good teams.

 

[HanSolo]

Gotta take the good when we can. Very seldom teams play a perfect 3 periods. Especially a young rebuilding team against a top team in the league.

I guess the complete thought should have been I thought the Dallas win was better. Even if we were outshot.

Edit: Dallas wasn't on the back end of a B2B and the Ducks still gutsed it out against a strong team. You're right that no team puts up an honest 60 minutes of dominance or anything but the collapse in effort in the third against a team that played the night before is troubling. They played excellent in the first, strong in the second, and got more or less dominated in the third. I think that's still a problem regardless of whether the Jets are a top team or not. They were playing with an inherent handicap and we fizzled out faster. Like @Ducks DVM said, it's concerning to see from a team coached by a guy whose goal is to have this team be the best conditioned team in the league. We're not even kind of close.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Carlsson has become a non-factor, he barely touches the puck at this point.

McTavish is having trouble handling pucks all year, I’m not sure where that came from. He’s been more engaged lately though

Carlsson currently also has only 2 real moves - immediately pass it to someone (which works with Zegras/terry, but not with who he’s currently playing with, or try to skate through 3 players, which he isn’t big enough to get away with…yet. He needs better linemates.

I also really don’t think he’s healthy.

I also think he will be fine.

 

[HanSolo]

Carlsson currently also has only 2 real moves - immediately pass it to someone (which works with Zegras/terry, but not with who he’s currently playing with, or try to skate through 3 players, which he isn’t big enough to get away with…yet. He needs better linemates.

I also really don’t think he’s healthy.

I also think he will be fine.

It is frustrating that he's not really progressing right now. I'll give AD that. He started the year still having some of the same timing issues but he looked slightly stronger and improved his acceleration issues.

I get the sense, and this is pure speculation, that he's probably playing frustrated and is probably not locked in on what he needs to be doing to be more effective. As in playing with poise and utilizing the hockey IQ we all know he has. He shows it in flashes but a lot of the times it looks like he's trying to force plays. He's still a kid and going this long without points can easily be a point of frustration.

 

[HanSolo]

At least Leo is starting to have decent nights in the faceoff dot and might be improving there. Abysmal outings against CBJ and Toronto, but above 50% against Ottawa and Winnipeg

 

[robbieboy3686]

At least Leo is starting to have decent nights in the faceoff dot and might be improving there. Abysmal outings against CBJ and Toronto, but above 50% against Ottawa and Winnipeg

This definitely is the silver lining. Let’s hope this continues

 

[Firequacker]

At least Leo is starting to have decent nights in the faceoff dot and might be improving there. Abysmal outings against CBJ and Toronto, but above 50% against Ottawa and Winnipeg

There might also have been extenuating circumstances against Toronto and CBJ. They had Leason taking a lot of the faceoffs for that line. I can't imagine why you'd do that (Leason is actually even worse at them, not to mention "franchise 1C of the future" versus "dude they spent one training camp putting through a center experiment that seems to have been a waste of everyone's time") unless Leo was still a bit injured and it was getting to him. IIRC someone reported he also hurt his wrist and ribs when he hit the goalpost?

 

[Mr Rogers]

Leo clearly has high expectations for himself. In the long-run that’s a huge strength but it can lead to frustration in the short-run. I think that’s set in for him and it’s up to him and coaches to get out of it. I think that’s the biggest thing for him right now, I don’t think it’s linemates in large part. They need to analyse the decisions he’s been making.

 

[ZegrassyKnoll]

I still maintain that Leo is a fast player trying to adapt to a slow player in Killorn and a physical system from Cronin that will never allow him to truly succeed.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Carlsson currently also has only 2 real moves - immediately pass it to someone (which works with Zegras/terry, but not with who he’s currently playing with, or try to skate through 3 players, which he isn’t big enough to get away with…yet. He needs better linemates.

I also really don’t think he’s healthy.

I also think he will be fine.

It's odd how many guys who play for Cronin seem to look like aren't healthy. Or are we just afraid of the other option?

 

[Ducks DVM]

It's odd how many guys who play for Cronin seem to look like aren't healthy. Or are we just afraid of the other option?

Well, Verbeek did put out his messaging that the kids needed to learn how to play hurt, and Carlsson was definitely injured, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t come back before he was close to 100%.

He isn’t the player he was before the injury.

 

[Rybread86]

Its Leos semi-sophomore year. Hes going through growing pains like they all do. Willing to give him a good amount of slack.

 

[Daz28]

Thanks Cam. Too soon?