Former Ducks - (2023-24 Season Edition )

[Kalv]

There’s no role for him on this Ducks team. Fowler, Mintyukov, Vaakanainen, LaCombe, and Zellweger are all better players with no upside

Yes. But Benny is a role player. None of the players you mentioned are better at being physical and in-your-face than Benny. Arguably perhaps only Vaaks and Fowler can make a case at being better on the PK as well.

Either way, we seemed to switch Benny for Hagg, which was bad.

 

[MMC]

Yes. But Benny is a role player. None of the players you mentioned are better at being physical and in-your-face than Benny. Arguably perhaps only Vaaks and Fowler can make a case at being better on the PK as well.

Either way, we seemed to switch Benny for Hagg, which was bad.

None of the stuff you mentioned really matters when he’s still at best the 8th best defenseman on the roster. And if you’re going to make the Hagg comparison, the thing you need to take into account is that Hagg can actually play the role of the swingman considering he cleared waivers, something Benoit likely would not have done

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

There’s no role for him on this Ducks team. Fowler, Mintyukov, Vaakanainen, LaCombe, and Zellweger are all better players with no upside

Vaaks and LaCombe are decent NHLers but they don't bring what Benoit brings to a team. Not sure I'd say either are better at this point or will be at any point.

 

[Dirk316]

If your best argument for keeping him is that he’s a better player than a guy who played a whopping 5 games for the NHL team this season it should be easy to see why they didn’t prioritize it

He's better than all the garbage Verbeek signed for bottom pairing. I was pretty clear. He's actually better than Lacolme and Vaakanan as well

 

[JAHV]

Benoit is not better than any of the guys who are going to be fighting for a spot on the D corps next year. He was the worst defenseman in the league last season. He's in a much better environment now, but LaCombe and Vaakanainen would succeed in that environment as well.

 

[Kalv]

None of the stuff you mentioned really matters when he’s still at best the 8th best defenseman on the roster. And if you’re going to make the Hagg comparison, the thing you need to take into account is that Hagg can actually play the role of the swingman considering he cleared waivers, something Benoit likely would not have done

I disagree to the first part. You need balance on the roster, that's why Johnston is playing over some better players. Not really direct situations but still.

As for the second part, sure

 

[Hockey Duckie]

There’s no role for him on this Ducks team. Fowler, Mintyukov, Vaakanainen, LaCombe, and Zellweger are all better players with no upside

You're using 20/20 hindsight here. There could be an argument about keeping Benoit and playing him ahead of Vaak b/c Vaak was injury prone last year and didn't develop until this season. But Verbeek wanted to keep Vaak as the 7th D and gambled he would be healthy. The gamble paid off.
I think Benoit and Vaak are similarly tiered d-men, but play differently.

 

[DavidBL]

We didn't replace Benoit with Hagg, we replaced him with Lybushkin.

 

[Kalv]

We didn't replace Benoit with Hagg, we replaced him with Lybushkin.

In that sense it was an upgrade, yes. But I'd rather have saved a spot for Benny as well, I guess

 

[duckpuck]

I'd have kept him at least for the short run. But isn't the point that the ducks could presumably have signed him and then traded him for "something?" That being said, he's beena 6/7 for Toronto and the contract mostly reflects that.

 

[DavidBL]

In that sense it was an upgrade, yes. But I'd rather have saved a spot for Benny as well, I guess

I actually don't disagree. We have too many finesse D as it is. It's why I've wanted to add more guys like Gudas, it's why I was leary if letting Manson go which with his injuries there was definitely concern there. It's why I want Pesce or Roy and I tend to prefer Vaaks to Lacombe (more for defense than physicslity). Our forwards don't know how to defend and apparently neither do most of our D.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Lindholm's second goal of the year, first in 50 games. Last scored on November 14th.

 

[Mortal Wombat]

This is a few days old, but I didn't see it posted yet.

 

[Frosted Tips]

This is a few days old, but I didn't see it posted yet.

I honestly thought he already had the citizenship way, way back.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Congrats to them both. Sirpa is holding what looks like her naturalization certificate which shows her alien number, DOB, full name, and US citizenship certificate number. An insane PII disclosure on social media!

 

[Static]

 

[GermanRocket7]

I wish nothing but the best to Jamie. He was a great guy throughout his career and to see him go down time and again is really exhilarating. Makes me wonder if we rushed him into the NHL too early and too quickly.

 

[All Mighty]

Drysdale picked up an assist on the game tying goal late in the 3rd, but then he made a poor pass in OT that led to the game winning goal for NYI. He also made a questionable read on a goal against earlier in the game. Like usual, some flashes of offensive talent, but a lot to learn in his own zone.

 

[Terry Yake]

first goal since 2/2021 for chris wagner today

 

[Rybread86]

I wish nothing but the best to Jamie. He was a great guy throughout his career and to see him go down time and again is really exhilarating. Makes me wonder if we rushed him into the NHL too early and too quickly.

Correct me if I'm wrong but we didn't really rush him, covid and league rules/situations rushed him

 

[WhatTheDuck]

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Must have been a hell of a goal.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

 

[la patineuse]

Edit: wrong thread.

 

[Rybread86]

Really interested to see how Grtzlaf does with Team Canada and what he starts to fall into as a role. Ducks can NOT let him walk away from the org. Figure out what he wants to do, what he's good at and make him a forever Duck.