GDT: Ducks visit Nashville 8PM ET

[Dirk316]

A strong second half last season is no guarantee this season. That isn't how it works.

Do you think this team looks bad this season?

 

[PCDiesel]

Have you seen the D in front of him?

Sorry this is late but did you watch the D in front of Gibby for the first 2?

 

[bumperkisser]

once again bernier so far proves to be the better choice so far... i'd really like to see a couple starts in a row by bernier

 

[Ducks DVM]

Basically the same exact core, 2 holdouts, some key injuries, plus a long road trip to start the year.
This team looks good yes one more top forward needs to be added but certainly not the doom and gloom you are making it out to be

The core was crap last year. They weren't a top team until Perron and McGinn were added, and when we got a couple of injuries went back to being mediocre at best. There was no way they were going anywhere in the playoffs with the roster the way it was - which is essentially this roster. Except there's no cap space to add forwards this year.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Call someone with a little bit of skill up Kossila, kase, anyone

 

[Ducks DVM]

Just for giggles - both have played 13 games

Andersen 433 shots against, 0.901 SV%, 3.42 GAA
Gibson 327 shots against, 0.902 SV%, 2.68 GAA

 

[kducks]

Getz was figure skating?

 

[Paul4587]

That was such a ******** game. We dominated until the Preds scored their second goal then it was all Nashville. Just embarrassing. Fowler, Manson and Lindholm were all garbage, Lindholm's effort on the SHG was awful.

Getting shut out by Rinne is not ideal either.

 

[Emerald Duck]

Dr Jekyl made his scheduled appearance and now it's time for Mr. Hyde to return for the next game.

Edmonton should be very afraid on Tuesday night

 

[xxreact9]

The core was crap last year. They weren't a top team until Perron and McGinn were added, and when we got a couple of injuries went back to being mediocre at best. There was no way they were going anywhere in the playoffs with the roster the way it was - which is essentially this roster. Except there's no cap space to add forwards this year.

They weren't a top team until they were able to overcome a 1-7-2 start to the year. Guys like Perron and McGinn are available at the deadline every year for a 3rd rounder. They really aren't nearly as impactful as you're suggesting, holy moly.

 

[Pennaduck]

We're so mediocre, we can beat the "bad teams", but we get destroyed by the "good" teams all the time.

To your point:

At this moment our record is 7-6-3

We've played 8 games against teams that over .500 as of 11/13, and we are 1-5-2, with the one win coming against Nashville, a team that just beat us last night. Against teams that are at .500 or below as of 11/13, we are 6-1-1. To put this in another way, of the 7 wins we have, the highest ranking team in overall standings as of today is the 17th ranked Flyers. The other six wins have come against Van (28th), Nsh (19th), LA (23rd), Ari (30th), Cgy (29th), Car (27th).

We have also only played 4 games against teams that are currently ranked in the top ten overall (2 against Pitt, 1 against NJD, 1 against SJ) and we lost them all (SJ was OT loss) so 1 point in four games against the top competition we have faced. Four points in 8 games against teams that are over .500.

Ten of our 16 games have come against teams that are currently on pace for an 82 point season or lower, and 2 of our 16 are against NSH who are on pace for about 87 or so points. Meaning 12 of our 16 games have been against teams that are not on pace to make the playoffs at their current level of play, and we are barely .500 with that schedule. Eleven of our points have come against teams that are currently 23rd or lower in the overall standings, and we are on pace with NSH for 87 points.

I know the mantra is that you have to win the games you should win, and we seem to be doing that by cleaning up against the leagues lesser teams. I am also well aware that standings will change quite a bit, and that with the parity in this league there is not much difference between a team a couple games over .500 and a team a couple games under .500 at this point in the season. However, it is hard to look at our record and get excited about our chances knowing that our wins have all come against non-playoff teams, and we still look to have a lot of games left against possible playoff teams. If this doesn't get corrected soon, and we can't start beating the teams around us and above us in the standings, the playoffs are not going to be a reality.

I get that there are a lot of reasons for our slow start: new coach, missing players early on, tough travel schedule early on, etc etc, but it's pretty clear that the Ducks are struggling to beat the better teams, and our record is kind of artificially inflated thanks to playing an inordinate amount of games so far against the leagues worst teams. At some point the wins need to start accumulating in bunches and we arent seeing that. What we are seeing is a pattern of winning against lesser teams, and losing against equal or better teams.

 

[dracom]

They weren't a top team until they were able to overcome a 1-7-2 start to the year. Guys like Perron and McGinn are available at the deadline every year for a 3rd rounder. They really aren't nearly as impactful as you're suggesting, holy moly.

Well that's just factually wrong. No team is getting a Perron type player for a 3rd.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

the ducks are pretty much a middle of the pack team, when you get blown out on a regular basis you are not a contender either.

 

[Exit Dose]

the ducks are pretty much a middle of the pack team, when you get blown out on a regular basis you are not a contender either.

Teams change throughout the season. Also, Carlyle just took over the team.

 

[Ducks DVM]

They weren't a top team until they were able to overcome a 1-7-2 start to the year. Guys like Perron and McGinn are available at the deadline every year for a 3rd rounder. They really aren't nearly as impactful as you're suggesting, holy moly.

They didn't overcome that start until the Perron trade. The winning steak was followed by more losing in November and December, and they were a very rare team in that they made the playoffs after being comfortably out of a playoff position at the start of December. They started playing a lockdown trap at that point (which was unsustainable), and didn't turn into a dominant defensive AND offensive team until after McGinn came on board. By contender I mean Cup contender, and they weren't until that point IMO.

So, unless we hit the lottery twice and trade a struggling player for a struggling player who then goes on to be a top line talent, and then add a 20 goal scorer with our nonexistent cap space at the deadline, last year has zero relevance to this year.

 

[Sojourn]

Do you think this team looks bad this season?

At times, yes.

 

[pbgoalie]

Well that's just factually wrong. No team is getting a Perron type player for a 3rd.

Hags was quite an overpayment I guess