GDT: #79 ⋅ LAK @ ANA ⋅ 7:00 PM PDT

[robbieboy3686]

Love Silf’s reaction to having a day off.

Gibson looked miserable when the camera showed all the guys lined up to congratulate dostal… I think it’s very possible he and ver eek have an understanding that he may indeed be on his way out this summer one way or another

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Killorn has his moments. Fowler too. I think the former is a little more adaptable as this team works on modern systems. Cam does seem stuck in his ways though and ideally Mintyukov and Zellweger will move him off the powerplay permanently.

Killorn is fine, I don’t even mind strome that much(just prefer him in like a bottom 6 role).


Fowler just doesn’t really fit for much longer…. Zellweger/lacombe/Vaaks/ Mintyukov/lindstrom and luneau have all shown they are nhl dmen…. Idk anything that Fowler is the best at on the team anymore…. It is tough to move him due to contract, but not impossible.

I’d rather fill his spot with a guy that is good at killing penalties, and someone that is a bit better fit to our young guys.


If the goal is to build a winning team I think that is a position you can improve upon. Very few people saw the young guys being in the nhl this year and making enough of an impact to stay up

Gibson looked miserable when the camera showed all the guys lined up to congratulate dostal… I think it’s very possible he and ver eek have an understanding that he may indeed be on his way out this summer one way or another

Gibson doesn’t strike me as a guy that wants to play back up to a young guy…

But this is dostals team now

 

[Deuce22]

Sure - and I'd like to see much better defensive awareness out of Vatrano, too. But they are what they are, these guys are complementary pieces with nothing to complement. That'll change as the kids get better--that's the "upgrade." Maybe by then his contract will be up anyway.

We did get a glimpse of what that could look like early on this season with Frank and Strome playing with a healthy Mac.

So much this. Ducks aren’t going to contend by overpaying for FA. They will contend when/if the young talent become stars. A patient rebuild counts on the maturation of elite young talent.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

So much this. Ducks aren’t going to contend by overpaying for FA. They will contend when/if the young talent become stars. A patient rebuild counts on the maturation of elite young talent.

I do hope PV is aggressive in the trade market during off season.

Potentially moving guys like fowler/gibson and other pieces/prospects that don’t fit the identity we’re going for.

But also looking for the bjorkstrand, toews, buchnevic type moves or being aggressive on draft day via picks go after players we want on draft day.

Trade up from our 2nd, or the oilers 1st…. Just get the guys we want

 

[Deuce22]

I do hope PV is aggressive in the trade market during off season.

Potentially moving guys like fowler/gibson and other pieces/prospects that don’t fit the identity we’re going for.

But also looking for the bjorkstrand, toews, buchnevic type moves or being aggressive on draft day via picks go after players we want on draft day.

Trade up from our 2nd, or the oilers 1st…. Just get the guys we want

Excess D prospects could also bring back value. I’d target a forward and a RH D that are strong penalty killers. Fowler and Gibson are addition by subtraction IMO.

 

[Leonardo87]

I do hope PV is aggressive in the trade market during off season.

Potentially moving guys like fowler/gibson and other pieces/prospects that don’t fit the identity we’re going for.

But also looking for the bjorkstrand, toews, buchnevic type moves or being aggressive on draft day via picks go after players we want on draft day.

Trade up from our 2nd, or the oilers 1st…. Just get the guys we want

I think our D is set for now, and Verbeek will only look to improve from within the system and maybe who we draft in the Top 5. Will have to rely on the kids like Minty, Zell, and etc to develop and improve. Not sure what will happen with LaCombe or Vaak.

Verbeek is going to add a Top 6 RW according to him, and we will also have Gauthier coming as soon as April 18th in the finale, and hopefully Colangelo next season as well.

This will push some of those vets to the bottom 6, and if we have injuries (Which I fully expect) we will be able to withstand some here and there with a deeper forward group.

We are going to likely move on from Jones, Myers, Groulx, and Silf who will be retiring or playing in Sweden. Curious if we keep Lundy and Leason.

I think this off-season will be very exciting for Anaheim, because Verbeek wants them to try and push for playoffs next season? Well a lot of changes need to be made.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Yeah I was a bit annoyed at the start of the year when I didn’t get a spot but several people that started after me did but I figured I would just try again next year. But then after they moved puck drop patio to the SW parking lot they asked if I wanted to be put there and I told them I didn’t but they’ve been putting me there constantly lately, so it feels like they’ve just kinda decided to put me wherever no one else wants to go. This season is almost over so whatever but I don’t want to do another season of this.

Though they did the same thing to @FiveHoleTickler so maybe they just don’t like HF posters

They sure did. I'm still not sure if they did it because of the false perception that I wasn't working because they knew I'm a fan of the team or if it was somehow personal in some way.

I think I've mentioned it before, but multiple season seat holders put in requests on my behalf for me to work their section because they enjoyed conversing with me about the team. I guess the supervisors couldn't care less about the fan experience.

But yeah, literally everything that happened to you also happened to me. After the 3rd year of getting f***ed over and all the new people getting the good spots I bounced.

Surprised you've lasted as long as you have.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Excess D prospects could also bring back value. I’d target a forward and a RH D that are strong penalty killers. Fowler and Gibson are addition by subtraction IMO.

Yea I think if you move fowler you do have to bring in a dmen(I’m on the Roy wagon for that)

And if you move gibson, I think you have to find a decent 1b vet goalie…. We can literally find that as a cap dump at the draft(or get 1 in return for gibson)

Adding another forward allows us to run 3 potential scoring lines if we choose to, which I think is ideal with the young guys we have. I just don’t know what forwards are available that make sense . Necas in theory is best fit imo…. But idk how to get that trade done realistically

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Only watched the recaps, as per usual, but I can tell Zegs is already having an impact on the lineup. We're really so much better with him back on ice that it's laughable.

As long as we don't stifle his offense like we did to start the season, Z does wonders.

 

[Ducksforcup]

Easily was Zegras's best game of the season.

The impact he has had on the offense has been very noticeable since he came back.

 

[JAHV]

Gibson looked miserable when the camera showed all the guys lined up to congratulate dostal… I think it’s very possible he and ver eek have an understanding that he may indeed be on his way out this summer one way or another

I noticed that as well. It's always a fool's errand to try to extrapolate any kind of meaning from the look on a guy's face for a split second as the camera pans by. I mean, maybe he was having some digestive issues at the time, I don't know. But it's hard to avoid.

I've been an advocate for Gibson these last few years, but I'm ready to throw in the towel on his Anaheim career. Set him loose.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

My expectations of Strome and Vatrano when signed were much higher than what we've seen the past two seasons. I didn't think both would be disastrously terrible on defense nor did I think Strome would be disposed at center in year 1.

• Last year, 2022-23
  • Strome
    • GP = 82
    • Pts = 41
    • +/- = -30 (highest on team)
  • Vatrano
    • GP = 81
    • Pts = 41
    • +/- = -29 (2nd highest on team)
  • Rico
    • GP = 62
    • Pts = 38
    • +/- = -8 (2nd highest on team)

I didn't realize how defensively mid they were when we acquired both. Definitely not what I was expecting with their previous body of work.

Last year's performance did reset my expectations. Strome is not a center, he's a playmaking winger. Both aren't great defensively in year 2, but our blueline is much better now to cover up their mistakes.

Even though Strome and Vatrano were highly productive with Mac to start the season, without Mac they're pretty much inconsequential.

Yet, both Strome and Vatrano are good leaders on and off the ice. Since we can't change anything, I accept who they are with the Ducks and we need to hide them or hope Mac is healthy. Kudos to Mac in giving us a glimpse that he can raise the level of players' game, provided he's healthy. Mac had 21 points in his first 20 games this season.

 

[Ducks DVM]

As long as we don't stifle his offense like we did to start the season, Z does wonders.

I don’t think we did stifle his offense to start the season. I think his rust stifled it. 1 goal on 30 shots the first 12 games, with a decent number of uncounted shot attempts that missed corners

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Pretty hilarious. The Kings board is mocking the Beat LA chant saying we are acting like we won the cup.

They have absolutely nothing for the future. Another early exit and a mid 1st round pick coming for them this year.

John

The guy who wondered why we were chanting it due to conflicting place of residence was great. Bro, there are infinitely more Kings fans who live down here in Orange County than the other way around

 

[70sSanO]

seems to me no one sees gibson's poor attitude and lack of effort. This guy needs to play for a contender, not on a rebuilding team.

90% of the people on here won't agree with trading him.

He is untradeable.

In 2015 Gibson got hurt before the payoffs. At the time it just seemed unfortunate. But we probably win a cup if he’s healthy.

In 2017 he goes down against Nashville. I’ve always thought we overperformed that year. But who knows what happens if he stays healthy. He gets extended in 2018.

Looking back the team was stupid to extend a goalie that fell off after January and had a history of injuries especially when it counts.

He was never really a Vezina goalie. The history of the NHL is littered with coulda-shoulda types.

John

 

[ScarTroy]

The guy who wondered why we were chanting it due to conflicting place of residence was great. Bro, there are infinitely more Kings fans who live down here in Orange County than the other way around

For real, and them calling it our Stanley cup, like guys, other than losing in the first round your teams next major milestone is Turcotte reaching f***ing 5 career points.

 

[bracer028]

The guy who wondered why we were chanting it due to conflicting place of residence was great. Bro, there are infinitely more Kings fans who live down here in Orange County than the other way around

Kings fans are ALL over the place.

 

[la patineuse]

Love Silf’s reaction to having a day off.

It's pretty cool that Gudas gave his real stick to one of the fans (not the souvenir sticks the three stars of the game giveaway). He's done that more than once.

Also, that jacket must smell awful.

 

[JAHV]

Also, that jacket must smell awful.

I think that same thought every time I see one of these videos. You couldn't pay me enough money to put that thing on.

 

[duckaroosky]

Kings fans are ALL over the place.

That's why there is always glitter all over the place

 

[robbieboy3686]

He is untradeable.

In 2015 Gibson got hurt before the payoffs. At the time it just seemed unfortunate. But we probably win a cup if he’s healthy.

In 2017 he goes down against Nashville. I’ve always thought we overperformed that year. But who knows what happens if he stays healthy. He gets extended in 2018.

Looking back the team was stupid to extend a goalie that fell off after January and had a history of injuries especially when it counts.

He was never really a Vezina goalie. The history of the NHL is littered with coulda-shoulda types.

John

The 2017 v Nashville was the most tilting thing ever. Game 6 in Nashville we had given up 6 total shots through 2 periods and 3/4 of them were goals let in by bernier. After the game, bieksa said “ we have guys who need to play through pain a little for the good of the team”
He was beyond raged, you could tell, I Always knew he was directly calling gibby out there

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

There’s a Colangelo jersey in the personalization section of the team store with #66.

Hmm…

View attachment 849218

Obviously when Verbeek denied him the ELC, he absolutely demanded a free jersey anyway and PV gave in!