Confirmed with Link: Ducks acquire Dmitry Kulikov from the Wild for future considerations

[Static]

I can only speak for myself, but I have no interest in having to watch a handful of non-nhl players play extended minutes because we have zero depth again. The last 20 games of the season last year were pretty awful.

 

[DavidBL]

I mean it's fine to have faith, but even the most devotedly faithful ought to have backup plans, right? Because let's say that's the lineup--as soon as one of those guys falters, do you really want Eakins to have no options? Faith isn't a good shield against injuries or the very natural ups and downs of a young, shallow lineup.

What I really wanted was to add top 6 players so we weren't depending on bottom 6 players earning the top 6 roles leaving bottom 6 players playing bottom 6 roles. Options are great but is Rod really much of a better option if any of those other guys falter? Don't really disagree in principle. Just feels like adding a player because he's perceived better than guys we already have. :/

 

[Static]

What I really wanted was to add top 6 players so we weren't depending on bottom 6 players earning the top 6 roles leaving bottom 6 players playing bottom 6 roles. Options are great but is Rod really much of a better option if any of those other guys falter? Don't really disagree in principle. Just feels like adding a player because he's perceived better than guys we already have. :/

I think Rodriguez is better than most if not all of our bottom six players. He would be a nice add and as well as trade chip at the deadline.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Yes I'd agree but I also think there are 2 potential top 6 in MC and McTavish. Which would give us 6. I agree chemistry will end up playing a major role. I guess I just don't see a real NEED outside of extra depth. If Rod is cool with potential 4th line minutes then sure. I guess I just prefer the guys we have in the top 9. Admittedly I'm still a believer in MC and it seems a lot around here aren't.

I don't understand where this narrative that we don't want Comtois back (you and Duece22) ? We want 2020-21 Comtois back, but not 2021-22 Comtois. Many were happy to see Comtois perform better at Worlds, which is a sign in the positive direction.

The team can want more NHL talent and want Comtois to succeed. What if Comtois doesn't succeed, then the team will be with less NHL talent again. Based upon players no longer here and replaced, we're still down two NHL forwards.

Competition is good. Comtois worked his way to improve his stock as the season went. Thank goodness he wasn't gifted the whole season in a top-6 role when he didn't deserve it. He's got a lot to prove after what we all witness to start the season last year.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

What I really wanted was to add top 6 players so we weren't depending on bottom 6 players earning the top 6 roles leaving bottom 6 players playing bottom 6 roles. Options are great but is Rod really much of a better option if any of those other guys falter? Don't really disagree in principle. Just feels like adding a player because he's perceived better than guys we already have. :/

This seems totally counter to your disappointment in "giving up" on Max.

 

[DavidBL]

I think Rodriguez is better than most if not all of our bottom six players. He would be a nice add and as well as trade chip at the deadline.

Is he? He had a great start and meh finish to the season. If Silf is healthy, and by all accou ts he is, I'm much more comfortable with him. Lundy is a center and much younger and didn't play with Crosby for the majority of their minutes. Vatrano is easily taken over ER. MC is a question mark. So I'd say he's easily better then anyone on our 4th line.

I don't understand where this narrative that we don't want Comtois back (you and Duece22) ? We want 2020-21 Comtois back, but not 2021-22 Comtois. Many were happy to see Comtois perform better at Worlds, which is a sign in the positive direction.

The team can want more NHL talent and want Comtois to succeed. What if Comtois doesn't succeed, then the team will be with less NHL talent again. Based upon players no longer here and replaced, we're still down two NHL forwards.

Competition is good. Comtois worked his way to improve his stock as the season went. Thank goodness he wasn't gifted the whole season in a top-6 role when he didn't deserve it. He's got a lot to prove after what we all witness to start the season last year.

There have been posters who were unhappy with MC all year. Doesn't seem like much of a stretch to say there are fans here who aren't fans of MC.

This seems totally counter to your disappointment in "giving up" on Max.

I honestly didn't want a center. Strome makes some sense but I would have just preferred a higher end winger to play with z and let Rico "shelter" McTavish either one playing center depending on the situation. I still think that may happen and Strome may move to Zs wing. Vatrano is a middle 6 player at best. If we had added a real top 6 forward are we really worried about MC meeting his potential? He could figure it out on the 3rd line with less offensive pressure. Now granted, as you expressed, you think my view of the roster is too rigid. I admittedly have a my idea of what I think the roster should look like. If we add rod I'd only really want him for the 4th line. :/

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Murray would have never dealt Manson, Rakell, AND Lindholm. That is a fact, and that alone should be proof enough that Verbeek's approach is much different. Murray was too attached to the players he saw develop.

Murray woulda gave beaulieu 4 years 16 mil contract so we could all hate him for 3/4 year s

 

[Hockey Duckie]

There have been posters who were unhappy with MC all year. Doesn't seem like much of a stretch to say there are fans here who aren't fans of MC.

We have two contrasting seasons from Comtois, one where he lead the Ducks in scoring (0.60 ppg rate) with a +3 rating and one where he fell off the face of the planet (0.30 ppg rate) and a -17 rating. With MC's performance last year, all of us should be unhappy. I could not trust anyone's opinions who believe they were happy with MC's performance last year.

You can't blame fans for feeling jaded about Comtois' future, especially if they had good Comtois last year that we would have been a better team that could have possibly changed the history of the Ducks today. We could have secured more wins with his scoring!

If Comtois returns to form, then a lot of people are back on his bandwagon. I'll be cheering for Comtois, but I need more than one season's worth of solid production from him to establish consistency. This year is a contract year for Comtois and I'm leery about giving him a long extension, tbh.

People don't trust Comtois b/c Comtois made us not trust him. It's Comtois' job to make us trust him again.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

First of all, I was responding to your statement that "Verbeek is just continuing what Murray was doing." A ridiculous statement which you debunked in a later post in which you said that Murray would have kept the vet core and pulled off what the Kings did. Verbeek trading the vets and Murray keeping them and doing a Kings are completely opposite paths. Secondly, it's not all about you. It's about your anger and defensiveness when challenged. Third, goal post moving means when caught in the wrong, trying to pivot and act like you never held that position. Which you do often. When I disagree with someone on here, I try to be respectful. Maybe you could try that.

To start the season + TDL.

2018-19: Murray​

Still gunning for the playoffs.​

@TDL, Murray decided to rebuild. Traded Monty for a 1st rd pick. Perry bought out. That's two core players gone.​

​

2019-20: Murray​

Traded for F Des (protection). Eakins is named head coach. Let youth develop.​

@TDL, Traded away Kase for a 1st rd pick, but had to take on cap dump F Backes. Traded away Ritchie. That's four core players gone in two seasons.​

​

2020-21: Murray​

RD Shatty signed. Let youth develop.​

​

2021-22: Murray/Verbeek​

Did not add to the roster. Let youth develop. ​

@TDL, Verbeek traded away UFA's and received a 2022 1st rd pick, 2022 2nd rd pick, two 2023 2nd rd picks, 2023 3rd rd pick, and 2024 2nd rd pick.​

​

2022-23: Verbeek​

Replaced talent lost on the roster. Let youth develop. ​

At the TDL, I said Verbeek reset the org and set it backwards. We're continuing the rebuild as opposed to taking the next jump like the Kings did this past off-season, which you are quoted in agreement in the rebuild. I predicted we're at year 2-3 of the rebuild after the reset b/c of the fixtures lost on defense.

Verbeek is continuing what Murray was doing. How more obvious is that? Is that the same pattern as Murray? Sure is! I think your logic is quite misplaced as you do your usual mental gymnastics.

Verbeek traded 3 core vets at the deadline and began an actual rebuild. Are you saying Murray would have done the same? If he was going to trade Manson, Rakell, and Lindholm for young assets, shouldn't he have done it earlier when they carried more value? You have posted countless graphs, charts and paragraphs "proving" that the season went in the crapper when Verbeek traded those guys. Now he is just continuing what Murray was doing? Goalposts moved by goalpost moving accuser.

Is Verbeek doing something massively different than what Murray did in 2018-19 TDL to 2019-20 TDL? No. You yourself is quoted as "Verbeek traded 3 core vets at the deadline and began an actual rebuild." Murray got rid of 4 core vets between two TDL period. It's essentially a repeat of what Murray did. See, this is where having actual research helps than pushing NARRATIVES.

The moving goal posts NARRATIVE is all in your mind b/c you adamantly hate on Murray so damn much that you have HD-DS. Unlike you, I can give plenty of credit for a different GM. Verbeek isn't impatient to trade off the future and isn't in a hurry to jump back into the playoff race. That's exactly what Murray has been doing during his rebuild. The macro template is the same between Murray and Verbeek, but they're on different time lines.

It's amazing how you can't see the forest from the trees b/c narratives.

 

[Deuce22]

To start the season + TDL.

2018-19: Murray​

Still gunning for the playoffs.​

@TDL, Murray decided to rebuild. Traded Monty for a 1st rd pick. Perry bought out. That's two core players gone.​

​

2019-20: Murray​

Traded for F Des (protection). Eakins is named head coach. Let youth develop.​

@TDL, Traded away Kase for a 1st rd pick, but had to take on cap dump F Backes. Traded away Ritchie. That's four core players gone in two seasons.​

​

2020-21: Murray​

RD Shatty signed. Let youth develop.​

​

2021-22: Murray/Verbeek​

Did not add to the roster. Let youth develop. ​

@TDL, Verbeek traded away UFA's and received a 2022 1st rd pick, 2022 2nd rd pick, two 2023 2nd rd picks, 2023 3rd rd pick, and 2024 2nd rd pick.​

​

2022-23: Verbeek​

Replaced talent lost on the roster. Let youth develop. ​

At the TDL, I said Verbeek reset the org and set it backwards. We're continuing the rebuild as opposed to taking the next jump like the Kings did this past off-season, which you are quoted in agreement in the rebuild. I predicted we're at year 2-3 of the rebuild after the reset b/c of the fixtures lost on defense.

Verbeek is continuing what Murray was doing. How more obvious is that? Is that the same pattern as Murray? Sure is! I think your logic is quite misplaced as you do your usual mental gymnastics.


Is Verbeek doing something massively different than what Murray did in 2018-19 TDL to 2019-20 TDL? No. You yourself is quoted as "Verbeek traded 3 core vets at the deadline and began an actual rebuild." Murray got rid of 4 core vets between two TDL period. It's essentially a repeat of what Murray did. See, this is where having actual research helps than pushing NARRATIVES.

The moving goal posts NARRATIVE is all in your mind b/c you adamantly hate on Murray so damn much that you have HD-DS. Unlike you, I can give plenty of credit for a different GM. Verbeek isn't impatient to trade off the future and isn't in a hurry to jump back into the playoff race. That's exactly what Murray has been doing during his rebuild. The macro template is the same between Murray and Verbeek, but they're on different time lines.

It's amazing how you can't see the forest from the trees b/c narratives.

Don’t hate Murray, just don’t agree that he was serious about rebuilding. Also think that the org needed a refresh. It had become a stale, old boys club.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Is he? He had a great start and meh finish to the season. If Silf is healthy, and by all accou ts he is, I'm much more comfortable with him. Lundy is a center and much younger and didn't play with Crosby for the majority of their minutes. Vatrano is easily taken over ER. MC is a question mark. So I'd say he's easily better then anyone on our 4th line.

There have been posters who were unhappy with MC all year. Doesn't seem like much of a stretch to say there are fans here who aren't fans of MC.

I honestly didn't want a center. Strome makes some sense but I would have just preferred a higher end winger to play with z and let Rico "shelter" McTavish either one playing center depending on the situation. I still think that may happen and Strome may move to Zs wing. Vatrano is a middle 6 player at best. If we had added a real top 6 forward are we really worried about MC meeting his potential? He could figure it out on the 3rd line with less offensive pressure. Now granted, as you expressed, you think my view of the roster is too rigid. I admittedly have a my idea of what I think the roster should look like. If we add rod I'd only really want him for the 4th line. :/

I admit I don't really understand what you're arguing anymore. You don't want to take any chances away from Max but you do want to add top-down depth, and you don't want to add Rodrigues who you think is a third line guy. I guess I can synthesize this as you think he deserves a guaranteed spot on the 3rd line and nowhere else. But somehow that makes you less pessimistic about him than others here? I don't get it.

 

[DavidBL]

I admit I don't really understand what you're arguing anymore. You don't want to take any chances away from Max but you do want to add top-down depth, and you don't want to add Rodrigues who you think is a third line guy. I guess I can synthesize this as you think he deserves a guaranteed spot on the 3rd line and nowhere else. But somehow that makes you less pessimistic about him than others here? I don't get it.

I guess I see it as he would be expecting a top 9 role if he agreed to sign with us so yes i think your interpretation is accurate there. Again, this is driven largely by how I see the roster built and their expected roles and position. I said I wanted a real top 6 player(s). If we had that than yes I am okay MC as a 3rd liner. Since we don't have that and aren't talking about adding one then I'd prefer MC get the opportunity to get that role next to Zegras. As I see the roster he's only really competing with Vatrano right now while added ERod puts another potential obstacle in his way. Maybe he needs one. I prefer not but I seem to be the minority there. I'm a little confused about the pessimism comment. Is that toward MC or ERod? Would I be okay if Erod played 4th line with Jones and either Grant or Carrick? Yeah. As a depth add I can see the logic and admit it makes sense.

All in all, I think my aversion to adding him is solely that I don't want us to be in a position MC is being healthy scratched as I tend to think guys need to play in order to take roles from Vets. Maybe Erod starts off better than MC so he is deservedly scratched, makes it that much harder to get back in the lineup. Of Vatrano, ERod and MC i believe MC has the best chance to be a top 6 player as hes the least developed. I kind of see it similarly to how BM bought out Perry to make sure Terry had a roster spot on the NHL team.

 

[MMC]

To start the season + TDL.

2018-19: Murray​

Still gunning for the playoffs.​

@TDL, Murray decided to rebuild. Traded Monty for a 1st rd pick. Perry bought out. That's two core players gone.​

​

2019-20: Murray​

Traded for F Des (protection). Eakins is named head coach. Let youth develop.​

@TDL, Traded away Kase for a 1st rd pick, but had to take on cap dump F Backes. Traded away Ritchie. That's four core players gone in two seasons.​

​

2020-21: Murray​

RD Shatty signed. Let youth develop.​

​

2021-22: Murray/Verbeek​

Did not add to the roster. Let youth develop. ​

@TDL, Verbeek traded away UFA's and received a 2022 1st rd pick, 2022 2nd rd pick, two 2023 2nd rd picks, 2023 3rd rd pick, and 2024 2nd rd pick.​

​

2022-23: Verbeek​

Replaced talent lost on the roster. Let youth develop. ​

At the TDL, I said Verbeek reset the org and set it backwards. We're continuing the rebuild as opposed to taking the next jump like the Kings did this past off-season, which you are quoted in agreement in the rebuild. I predicted we're at year 2-3 of the rebuild after the reset b/c of the fixtures lost on defense.

Verbeek is continuing what Murray was doing. How more obvious is that? Is that the same pattern as Murray? Sure is! I think your logic is quite misplaced as you do your usual mental gymnastics.


Is Verbeek doing something massively different than what Murray did in 2018-19 TDL to 2019-20 TDL? No. You yourself is quoted as "Verbeek traded 3 core vets at the deadline and began an actual rebuild." Murray got rid of 4 core vets between two TDL period. It's essentially a repeat of what Murray did. See, this is where having actual research helps than pushing NARRATIVES.

The moving goal posts NARRATIVE is all in your mind b/c you adamantly hate on Murray so damn much that you have HD-DS. Unlike you, I can give plenty of credit for a different GM. Verbeek isn't impatient to trade off the future and isn't in a hurry to jump back into the playoff race. That's exactly what Murray has been doing during his rebuild. The macro template is the same between Murray and Verbeek, but they're on different time lines.

It's amazing how you can't see the forest from the trees b/c narratives.

You have a very loose definition of "core player"

 

[lwvs84]

If they don't have a backup plan, I hope it's because the staff has kept tabs on Comtois and he's coming back in shape. Still would be better if they could have a backup option on a 1 year deal in case Comtois is out of shape, McTavish isn't ready, or there's an early season injury.

 

[GiveYouABagOfPucks]

With him and Milano both gone, it’s going to improve things in our own end. D has been an issue, but it’s also been on the forwards and not just the defense with the breakdowns. Strome or Vatrano are no Selke candidates, far from it, but they are more responsible than Rakell and Milano.

I’m kinda hoping Verbeek has another Top 9 addition up his sleeves, who is a very good defensive-minded forward and can pot some goals when needed.

A rejuvenated Silf if he bounces back would check this box. Just hope him and Jones have healthy bounce back seasons.

 

[AngelDuck]

I’ve given up on Silfverberg bouncing back. He’s Kesler 2.0 with not quite as big of a contract and a bit younger. Would be nice if I was wrong but seriously doubt it

I’m optimistic about Jones

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

I’ve given up on Silfverberg bouncing back. He’s Kesler 2.0 with not quite as big of a contract and a bit younger. Would be nice if I was wrong but seriously doubt it

I’m optimistic about Jones

I'm not quite yet ready to give up on Silfverberg. I think if he can stay healthy up to the all-star break, that should be enough for us to see if he's cooked.

The stars are sort of aligning for Jones to have a breakout year. I'm not expecting 20 goals and 40 points or anything, but his fitness level should be off the charts and that should bring some good energy to the team.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

It's not just Silf coming back from injuries it's also the he's now older and his shot doesn't seem as accurate as before.

 

[Elvs]

Hip surgeries can be detrimental (Kesler) but it doesn't always have to be the case. Paul Kariya came out flying after hip surgery in 2008, until Patrick ****ing Kaleta decided to finish his season with a cheap headshot.

Hopefully Silf can come back strong. I don't expect much offense, but if his legs are working he should be a useful defensive winger still.