GDT: Season opener: Ducks vs Coyotes - Thu 7 PM PT

[All Mighty]

Winnik hasn't signed with anyone and is coming off a pretty solid season so you have to question what he is asking for. Do you really want to pay him $2M just because we have some injuries early in the season? If his asking price is a million or less, I agree with you. I just have a hard time believing he wouldn't have been signed already if that were the case

He literally just signed with Minnesota for 660K

 

[AngelDuck]

He literally just signed with Minnesota for 660K

Missed that...Yeah Murray kind of looks dumb then

 

[Nithoniniel]

Missed that...Yeah Murray kind of looks dumb then

You're not the only ones. Plenty of teams with questionable depth and playoff aspirations that could have and should have reached out to Winnik. He's nothing special, but he's a solid depth guy at even strength and one of the better PK forwards in the league. It shouldn't be so hard for him to get a contract.

 

[bsu]

Ducks forward lines look like this at practice today per Mike Coppinger.
Ritchie-Getzlaf-Perry
Cogliano-Rakell-Silfverberg
Boll-Vermette-Kase
Shaw-Rasmussen-Wagner

 

[All Mighty]

How in the world does Boll get that spot

EDIT: I guess RC wanted to keep that 4th line together, but why not Grant

 

[91Fedorov]

You're not the only ones. Plenty of teams with questionable depth and playoff aspirations that could have and should have reached out to Winnik. He's nothing special, but he's a solid depth guy at even strength and one of the better PK forwards in the league. It shouldn't be so hard for him to get a contract.

I've always wondered about this. Winnik has only signed with a team he has already played for once. Every other time the team decided to move on from him. It makes me wonder if he has some baggage that is not public knowledge. I've always wondered if him being as involved as he is with the player association is part of it. I wonder if it's like constantly being watched and scrutinized by a labor lawyer. It could possibly be a thorn in a GM's side.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Boll the 3rd liner. Yeah, f*** you too, Randy.

Also lol at Stephens being unable to keep his contempt for Ducks fans out of his news stories and his twitter feed.

 

[Ducks in a row]

From The Hockey News:
At 5-18-0, the Ducks have the worst all-time record in NHL season openers – and it's not even close. (Carolina, at 8-20-9, is second-worst.) Anaheim lost seven straight from 1993 to 1999, which is tied for the league's longest all-time losing streak in season openers, and they've dropped four in a row since 2013, which is tied for for the league's longest active losing streak in season openers.

This makes me so sad. Now lets take a look at things closer.

1993-94 lost at home 7-2 against Detroit
1994-95 lost 2-1 in Edmonton
1995-96 lost 4-3 in Winnipeg
1996-97 lost 4-1 in Toronto
1997-98 lost 3-2 against Canucks in Tokyo
1998-99 lost 1-0 in Washington
1999-00 lost 2-0 in Dallas
2000-01 won at home 3-1 against Minnesota
2001-02 lost 4-2 in Boston
2002-03 won 4-3 in St. Louis
2003-04 lost 4-1 in Dallas
2005-06 won 5-3 in Chicago
2006-07 won 4-3 at home against Los Angeles
2007-08 lost 4-1 against Los Angeles in London
2008-09 lost 4-1 in San Jose
2009-10 lost 4-1 at home against San Jose
2010-11 lost 4-0 in Detroit
2011-12 lost 4-1 against Buffalo in Helsinki
2012-13 won 7-3 in Vancouver
2013-14 lost 6-1 in Colorado
2014-15 lost 6-4 in Pittsburgh
2015-16 lost 2-0 in San Jose
2016-17 lost 4-2 in Dallas

Home record 2-2-0
Record outside Anaheim 3-16-0

I can't believe we had played so few season openers at home in Anaheim.

 

[Duck Off]

Winnik hasn't signed with anyone and is coming off a pretty solid season so you have to question what he is asking for. Do you really want to pay him $2M just because we have some injuries early in the season? If his asking price is a million or less, I agree with you. I just have a hard time believing he wouldn't have been signed already if that were the case

He signed today for 660k. The other day I saw an article where he was quoted as being stunned about the lack of phone calls and interest in him. Clearly our GM (and the others) weren't interested in him. I don't think he's some amazing player, but I fail to see the downside of giving this guy a deal when we look at the opening lineup. I know that when we get healthy it becomes quite a log jam, but Winnik is definitely better than Boll, Shaw, and Grant. I'd say he's better than Wagner too.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I've always wondered about this. Winnik has only signed with a team he has already played for once. Every other time the team decided to move on from him. It makes me wonder if he has some baggage that is not public knowledge. I've always wondered if him being as involved as he is with the player association is part of it. I wonder if it's like constantly being watched and scrutinized by a labor lawyer. It could possibly be a thorn in a GM's side.

That's an interesting take. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Ducks forward lines look like this at practice today per Mike Coppinger.
Ritchie-Getzlaf-Perry
Cogliano-Rakell-Silfverberg
Boll-Vermette-Kase
Shaw-Rasmussen-Wagner

Makes sense that a player that can't even play on the 4th line regularly, plays on the 3rd line.

 

[Paul4587]

I've always wondered about this. Winnik has only signed with a team he has already played for once. Every other time the team decided to move on from him. It makes me wonder if he has some baggage that is not public knowledge. I've always wondered if him being as involved as he is with the player association is part of it. I wonder if it's like constantly being watched and scrutinized by a labor lawyer. It could possibly be a thorn in a GM's side.

I think the PA thing does play into it. I remember back when Ron Hainsey was actually good he really struggled to get a contract after the 2012 lockout and he was one of the most outspoken guys in the PA during the lockout. Media were saying at the time that owners were saying he wouldn't get another contract in the NHL.

 

[91Fedorov]

Makes sense that a player that can't even play on the 4th line regularly, plays on the 3rd line.

When I saw it, I wondered if Vermette was considered our 4th line center now. His play seems to dictate it. Maybe he was outplayed by Rasmussen? But Kase being on that line is confusing then.

 

[mightyquack]

RC's fascination with Shaw and Boll is ridiculous. It's kind of sad even with our injuries 5 of our 6 bottom 6 forwards are 4th liners/AHL'ers, especially when we have options that would improve that bottom 6 right now.

 

[Elvs]

Wow, that's one slow top line ... And one bad third line ...

I'd rather have Ritchie with Vermette and Kase. Those three played some good games together last season.

Rasmussen - Getzlaf - Perry
Cogliano - Rakell - Silfverberg
Ritchie - Vermette - Kase
Shaw - Grant - Wagner

 

[Sojourn]

So, are we not planning to have a shutdown line? All due respect to Rakell, but that's not really a strength of his.

 

[mightyquack]

So, are we not planning to have a shutdown line? All due respect to Rakell, but that's not really a strength of his.

Looks like our 3rd and 4th line are going to be great shutdown lines, just not in the way you want.

 

[Opak]

So, are we not planning to have a shutdown line? All due respect to Rakell, but that's not really a strength of his.

I posted this Friedman interview (points 24 & 25) into another thread, but RC is apparently planning to place Rakell into Kesler's role.

 

[gilfaizon]

IF Boll is on the Vermette-Kase pairing come tomorrow at puck drop i'll be sick to my stomach. Thats embarrassingly bad.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I posted this Friedman interview (points 24 & 25) into another thread, but RC is apparently planning to place Rakell into Kesler's role.

Didn't say Kesler's role for Rakell, just Kesler's spot. If Rakell develops into as good a center as he is a winger, he could be an elite player. I get why they're pushing it, especially if they see that in him. But man our winger depth sucks, especially if Perry is still a pool float out there.

 

[darkwingduck]

Did Fiore ever play on a line with Kase? Feel like that'd be an interesting pair, but would require a better defensive skilled center than Vermette.

 

[bsu]

It's funny because Rakell was actually a defensive style center in junior and excelled in that area, now I want to see him no where but at the wing haha, development is crazy.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Read a couple previews now where the switch from Bernier to Miller is cited like it's some huge upgrade. It's not. Bernier was good in the regular season, Miller at best will match that. Bernier-to-Miller really only matters if Gibson is hurt yet again during the playoffs.

 

[Sojourn]

I posted this Friedman interview (points 24 & 25) into another thread, but RC is apparently planning to place Rakell into Kesler's role.

Ugh. That seems like a terrible idea.

 

[AngelDuck]

Ugh. That seems like a terrible idea.

They don't have any other options. Rasmussen can't play those minutes, neither can Vermette at his age.