GDT: #46 ⋅ ANA @ FLA ⋅ 3:00 PM PST

[Hockey Duckie]

We haven't been shutout all season until this past road trip. We got shut out three times on this road trip. Just a terrible roadie as we went 1-4-1 with being shutout three times.

 

[hockey webcomics]

boring game
the empty netter attempt hitting the post was the reel highlight

 

[duckaroosky]

Good night everyone

As always, fire Cronin. In fact, warm up the plane and leave him at the airport

I hope Florida Man gets him no the way to the bus

 

[AngelDuck]

And Cronin will be here in October. Just painful

 

[robbieboy3686]

Gauthier has had a rough game.

He’s kind of a perimeter player like Leo. When they play big teams, they go invisible. Both need to add muscle and learn to get a little dirtier

 

[freikugel]

He's showing the players how good he's getting at his letters

Feel like he was showing Ross Johnston how to color in the lines(he probably failed that too)

 

[dracom]

i dont understand why none of carlsson, mctavish or cutter were out there on that 6 v 5.

 

[duckaroosky]

He's showing the players how good he's getting at his letters

Brought to you buy the letter L

 

[robbieboy3686]

And Cronin will be here in October. Just painful

Verbeek wants to play meaningful games in March. As long as that doesn’t happen. There is 0 chance Cronin is back. Again, verbeek is allowed to fire a coach after 2 seasons and blame the coach( rebuild coach who served his purpose )and essentially get a get out of jail free card. Cronin isn’t the guy you risk your career for when firing him is the obvious choice. All of a sudden, if he brings him back for a 3rd season and we suck next season. All of a sudden they both get fired. I don’t see how anyone can’t game thag logic. Yes, if somehow we’re 3-5 points out of a spot in March, and our team starts to score. You might then be right. I think a lot of you over estimate Zegras coming in and just magically fixing everything

 

[TheDarkWingThatDucks]

And Cronin will be here in October. Just painful

The good news is if we start slowly he’ll be fired, the other unlikely option, if we start hot and the underlining numbers look good, we are taking a step as a team. If we start and underlining numbers are awful again, he will most likely be fired once reality hits.

 

[robbieboy3686]

The good news is if we start slowly he’ll be fired, the other unlikely option, if we start hot and the underlining numbers look good, we are taking a step as a team. If we start and underlining numbers are awful again, he will most likely be fired once reality hits.

Last season he had injuries to his advantage as an excuse . This season, other than Zegras and a few random Leo games. We’ve been healthy. The entire staff will be fired at current pace. Verbeek also traded for Trouba as a “ ok I’m helping you guys because I want to see the team take a step” my guess is, like with eakins. Instead of playing meaningful games in March. We will actually announce that Cronin will not return next season as head coach along with the assistants( Thompson also was given a second chance this season he’s failed ) rich clune , when your pp is dead last and sucks you’re gone too. All the while in doing so, the Gm does his job but now is also on the hot seat if he hires another bust coach and doesn’t help improve the team

 

[ReptilianQuack]

Us, SJ and Chicago bottom 3 again.

 

[Terry Yake]

well i think we now know where this team stands

 

[MMC]

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Shutout 3 times in less than 2 weeks. Yikes yah something has to give

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

They played pretty well, relatively speaking. Just out-everythinged by a much better team.

 

[TheDarkWingThatDucks]

Verbeek wants to play meaningful games in March. As long as that doesn’t happen. There is 0 chance Cronin is back. Again, verbeek is allowed to fire a coach after 2 seasons and blame the coach( rebuild coach who served his purpose )and essentially get a get out of jail free card. Cronin isn’t the guy you risk your career for when firing him is the obvious choice. All of a sudden, if he brings him back for a 3rd season and we suck next season. All of a sudden they both get fired. I don’t see how anyone can’t game thag logic. Yes, if somehow we’re 3-5 points out of a spot in March, and our team starts to score. You might then be right. I think a lot of you over estimate Zegras coming in and just magically fixing everything

I think Zegras helps this team a lot, and has a history of multiple point games (maybe not with Cronin). But ideally you move Dumo, package that pick and more for a solid RW option. Even another middle six Strome type, or give Colangelo a legit top 9 tryout.

Vats - Strome - Terry
McT - Leo - Colangelo
Cutter - Z - Killorn
Fabbri - Harkins - Nesty (does gaucher get a look now with poor isac out long term most likely.)

that’s 3 solid lines, after a game or two for Z to get the rust off, I’d also hope (now this is assuming that mgmt understands our weaknesses offensively and /or are purposefully not letting the offense run schemes that get your 22 and younger top 5 picks…. Forwards driving play with the puck through those high danger areas, taking on the 6’5” legit #1 D-men.)

These line combinations have a play driver on each of the top 3. Someone who can take the puck in by themselves. Terry / McT and Leo / Cutter and Z. Having 3 lines that can do this and only 36 (probably 30-33 games for Z and the rust to come off) you basically used 65% of the season using the kid gloves, the vets aren’t stealing games at the moment, it’s kinda time to try and unleash some of the ducklings.

Now this all assumes we believe we have competent people at the top who have an actual plan on how to develop, and with the Leo plan, Verbeek may be sheltering the youth longer on purpose. We will never know what that development plan is, and what expectations are going on behind closed doors. Like Verbeek said he was targeting a top 4 RHD and a top 6 RHW, and he’s gotten one, I mean it was easy to see, but he at least also saw it and had a plan to help it. We offered more money and term but not an actual chance to win, so mid to late 30’s players chose to (try to) win for less.

When / if we fire Cronin most likely in the offseason, I’d have a lot more faith in Verbeek having a good plan if he came out and said something like….. We thank Cronin for his service to the team and community….. we hired him to instill a work ethic and teach our young talent how to be a professional hockey player in the greatest league on earth. We are at the stage where we feel most of our young core is physically mature enough to try and take the next step while we take the kid gloves off and are looking for a coach more suited to our long term plans and help us get there.

Which while frustrating for us the consumer, we aren’t doing everything in our power to win right now, Verbeek and co might be more interested in how we look 5 years from now. Doing that can lead to job loss, but I don’t think Verbeek is in much trouble if these conversations were had with ownership and some sort of plan was laid out for internal expectations.

I don’t know folks, but it’s been a long boring season but we’ve still got a very bright future.

 

[TheDarkWingThatDucks]

Last season he had injuries to his advantage as an excuse . This season, other than Zegras and a few random Leo games. We’ve been healthy. The entire staff will be fired at current pace. Verbeek also traded for Trouba as a “ ok I’m helping you guys because I want to see the team take a step” my guess is, like with eakins. Instead of playing meaningful games in March. We will actually announce that Cronin will not return next season as head coach along with the assistants( Thompson also was given a second chance this season he’s failed ) rich clune , when your pp is dead last and sucks you’re gone too. All the while in doing so, the Gm does his job but now is also on the hot seat if he hires another bust coach and doesn’t help improve the team

Having a GM on the hot seat is how rebuilds get blown up too soon. Because they are backed into a corner to improve the team sacrificing long term, big picture thinking values.
I’d say it’s fairly obvious we tanked for Bedard, and last year we’re decimated with injuries and started the opening day roster with the most rookies on one. This year, we’ve taken steps in winning games but underlining stats are dogshit. If your guy is available or if his plan is to bring up MM to the big club like Yzerman and Verbeek did with Cooper then yeah pull the trigger. Speaking of MM, isn’t even 40.


Edit : going down a McIlvane rabbit hole, and I like this guy hahaha.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

They played pretty well, relatively speaking. Just out-everythinged by a much better team.

If it weren't for two Gibby flubs, we could have at least earned a point without scoring a goal. Their goalie got more luck than Gibby.