GDT: Game 1: Ducks @ Canucks GDT pt II: Electric Boogaloo

[Pepper]

The new compliance buyouts, each team gets 2 of and can be used during the summer. luckily for us we don't really have any contracts that are too bad. some would say Cogliano but he's moveable at his number

Each team can use a total of 2 cap-hit free buy-outs this coming summer and before the start of 2014-2015 season.

But since Ducks are not salary-cap team atleast in 2014-2015 season (I predict the cap will be back to levels higher than Ducks budget quite soon), I'm not sure if Ducks want to eat 2/3rds of Souray's actual salary by buying him out.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Well i guess well find out soon enough.

Out of curiosity what kind of numbers do you want rakell to put up on the 4th line? What would be a good use of his ELC being burnt?

 

[NEWFowler]

I think we're going to see Rakell scratched tonight to give Holland a look. Although I love Rakell's game, he's just the odd man out here. Hopefully BB gives Holland a couple shifts on the second line.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Each team can use a total of 2 cap-hit free buy-outs this coming summer and before the start of 2014-2015 season.

But since Ducks are not salary-cap team atleast in 2014-2015 season (I predict the cap will be back to levels higher than Ducks budget quite soon), I'm not sure if Ducks want to eat 2/3rds of Souray's actual salary by buying him out.

I was going to say this. Compliance buyouts are meaningless to a budget team like the Ducks. Their only advantage is not counting against the cap which never mattered to us. If we buyout anybody we then have to pay for a replacement, so we are paying two guys to do one job. Sounds like longshoremen work.

That Souray contract will likely will become an albatross at some point.

 

[Duck Off]

It's possible,
first you need to take into account that the 4th line got stuck out there against the Sedins a few times. The Sedins embarrass good checking lines.

Second, Rakell's improvement from the first period, to the third was noticeable, it's reasonable to think he can get better as he adjusts to NHL speed

True it was noticeable. However it was very noticeable that the third period is when they looked best and after watching the whole game last night, it was evident that their best shifts were when the Canucks were focussing clearly on offense.
And there's no question that IMO their ice time was increased due to the lead later in the game. They were simply bad in first IMO and subpar in second.

Now that said I would like to see Rakell get more games. However I don't see his play as of game 1 being anywhere close to being able to stay. I personally would like to see tonight's 4th line be Beleskey-Holland-Rakkel. See what that line could do.

I also think the decision on whether to keep Rakkel up should have nothing to do with outplaying other 4th liners. It simply be whether he's ready or not. I personally did not like the decision last year to keep DSP up because it seemed to me that it was made because he was best option at the time. If he's ready fine but if he's simply just outplaying DSP, then send Rakkel back to juniors and send DSP to AHL and either call up someone else or sign a 4th liner. I don't want Rakkel rushed because of lack of options.

 

[Duck Off]

I was going to say this. Compliance buyouts are meaningless to a budget team like the Ducks. Their only advantage is not counting against the cap which never mattered to us. If we buyout anybody we then have to pay for a replacement, so we are paying two guys to do one job. Sounds like longshoremen work.

That Souray contract will likely will become an albatross at some point.

Was getting ready to say same thing. I keep hearing people saying we can use a compliance buy out but that's completely useless to Anaheim. I didn't/ don't expect Murray to use one at all now. I thought there might be a chance he bought JD or Sexton out but since that didn't happen I don't expect it to happen now.

 

[Carelton CA]

True it was noticeable. However it was very noticeable that the third period is when they looked best and after watching the whole game last night, it was evident that their best shifts were when the Canucks were focussing clearly on offense.
And there's no question that IMO their ice time was increased due to the lead later in the game. They were simply bad in first IMO and subpar in second.

Now that said I would like to see Rakell get more games. However I don't see his play as of game 1 being anywhere close to being able to stay. I personally would like to see tonight's 4th line be Beleskey-Holland-Rakkel. See what that line could do.

I also think the decision on whether to keep Rakkel up should have nothing to do with outplaying other 4th liners. It simply be whether he's ready or not. I personally did not like the decision last year to keep DSP up because it seemed to me that it was made because he was best option at the time. If he's ready fine but if he's simply just outplaying DSP, then send Rakkel back to juniors and send DSP to AHL and either call up someone else or sign a 4th liner. I don't want Rakkel rushed because of lack of options.

If Rakell tops out this year as a 4th line center, he should not stay all year. He's a 1st round pick who I guess is a projected #2 or #3. Holland is less of a 4th line center than Rakell however. Peter is a top 2 guy with amazing touch and mits, as proven in Norfolk, he's not a guy that you trust as a checking center.

DSP I'm not getting at this point. He was pretty bad in Norfolk on the D end and was one of the PK guys but definitely not the primary guy. Lets try Rakell on the wing with Holland and Beleskey or DSP, Holland and Rakell before we decide to send him Rakell back. Remember there is far less flexibility with Rakell this year if he stays, just like DSP last year. If he stays, he's here all 48 and whether it's the right place for him or not. I personally think the hurt DSP last year and it's showing this year.

I would like to see Etem, Maroon and Wagner get some time in Anaheim this year in a role that they project to down the road. Etem as a 2nd or 3rd line wing, Maroon a 2nd or 3rd line wing and Wagner a 3rd or 4th line center.

 

[Sean Garrity]

If Rakell tops out this year as a 4th line center, he should not stay all year. He's a 1st round pick who I guess is a projected #2 or #3. Holland is less of a 4th line center than Rakell however. Peter is a top 2 guy with amazing touch and mits, as proven in Norfolk, he's not a guy that you trust as a checking center.

DSP I'm not getting at this point. He was pretty bad in Norfolk on the D end and was one of the PK guys but definitely not the primary guy. Lets try Rakell on the wing with Holland and Beleskey or DSP, Holland and Rakell before we decide to send him Rakell back. Remember there is far less flexibility with Rakell this year if he stays, just like DSP last year. If he stays, he's here all 48 and whether it's the right place for him or not. I personally think the hurt DSP last year and it's showing this year.

I would like to see Etem, Maroon and Wagner get some time in Anaheim this year in a role that they project to down the road. Etem as a 2nd or 3rd line wing, Maroon a 2nd or 3rd line wing and Wagner a 3rd or 4th line center.

Who do you want them to play over? Bobby Ryan or Palmieri? Barring injuries, horrid play by Palmieri or us being completely out of it, those 2 will not see top 6 roles.

 

[Kalv]

Watched the game finally. I thought we`d look better, actually, but it`s not like we looked bad either. I think the Nucks had the off-game. We still let in 3 goals, though.


Here are some thoughts of mine:
1st line - pretty ok i guess since Perry looked completely off, especially at the first half of the game. Getz looks more involved than he was last year and made some crazy passes. Palmieri looks like wants to stay
2nd line - they weren`t as bad as i thought. Ryan had a bad game, but Bonino looked ok, actually i think. He was good defensively. Nothng spectacular offensively, but no one expects it from him. Teemu was horrible But he better don`t take a penalty, since he took 2 and we let goals on both of those PK. Other than that - that youngster plays great
3d line - impressed. Koivu looks great, as well as Winnik. I liked Cogs also.
4th line - i liked whenever Beleskey was on the ice. Rakell was better than i thought, but i still want to take a look at Holland as a 4C first. He looked slower and smaller than i thought but he have good smarts and i love him in the faceoff circle. Devo missed at least 2 big hits by skating past the guy h wanted to hit Wasn`t noticable, would like to see better game from him. More active and physically stronger.

Defense:
It was ok i guess. Healthy Fowler will help though. Love what Souray and Allen brings - they were pushing the Canucks players from the front of the net, wasn`t letting to touch Hiller or any other player after the whistle.

Hiller - looked ok i think. We`ve seen him better than this but it`s only the first game.

 

[Paul4587]

The Ducks has had a bomb on the blueline since Pronger, and I'm not thinking of Beauch. Short memory?

I was thinking the same thing when I read those comments. It may not quite be as hard as Souray's but it's a lot more accurate.

 

[HanSolo]

Too bad Lubo never let those bombs go last year.

 

[Sojourn]

Last year just wasn't a good season for Lubo all-around. Without the offense, or Lydman covering for him defensively, he was an all-around underwhelming player.

 

[HanSolo]

I agree. It was a bummer. Especially when you'd see him thinking about loading up a bomb and then he'd feebly give up on the play.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Didn't Lubo have a bad shoulder last year? I remember Doug Murray injured him with a dirty hit late in the 10-11 season and he wasn't the same in the playoffs or last year.

 

[Sojourn]

Didn't Lubo have a bad shoulder last year? I remember Doug Murray injured him with a dirty hit late in the 10-11 season and he wasn't the same in the playoffs or last year.

I know he injured his shoulder late in the 10-11 season, and into the playoffs... which irked me a bit when he decided to go play in the World Championships.

 

[Paul4587]

Too bad Lubo never let those bombs go last year.

Two broken thumbs and possibly a still hurting shoulder probably had a lot to do with that. But yeah he shouldn't be excused for going to the WCs, that was not a decision that benefited Anaheim in anyway.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Stats has nothing to with it. My point is, if Rakell plays like your average 4th liner I don't see any reason to keep him up. In that case you might as well trade for Darroll Powe or any other random gritty 4th liner, and let Rakell play important minutes in juniors without his ELC kicking in. If however, Rakell plays well above the average 4th liner he can stay, imo.

I know your posts wasn't particulary in responses to mine, I'd just thought I'd clarify my thinking.

Why? jr's is a lower level of competition that he may have outgrown, why would that make him better, as opposed to playing against NHL'ers?

 

[snarktacular]

I agree that DSP has been less than impressive this year. And I'm not opposed to sending him down. But the kid is only 20, whatever we do let's not ruin him. Everybody here (including me) had some pretty high hopes for him last year. The coaches need to work with him and if he needs to go down they need to make sure he know what is expected of him and make sure he gets used in Norfolk in the way that will help him work on those things.

DSP is a prime example of why I don't like the idea of rushing these young guys. At that age, their confidence can be fragile. The last thing we need to do is set him (or any of these guys) back or destroy his confidence.

Taking this a step further, consider how DSP seemed to stagnate or even regress. While this certainty not uncommon and is not a sign that he will bust, it isn't a great thing. And you then might ask that if we had sent him down to juniors lady year, might he be better.

Then you should consider that if we decide to go with Rakell over DSP, what's to say that we won't end up seeing the same out of Rakell in a year?

The other side will probably say "well they would still have the sophomore slump, but just one year later." And you know what, that could be right. But the way I see it, there's the possibility of doing permanent damage one way vs just delaying development the other way. I would err on the side of caution.

 

[hockeydemon05]

Anyone have problems with DISH and Prime Ticket? I try to put the channel on and it shows a screen telling me the direction the satellite is pointed in...

 

[Exit Dose]

There has only been one game. Why would anyone have to argue that he's having a sophomore slump? We don't even know if Rakell is going to do well enough to even stick around, same for DSP.

 

[AngelDuck]

There has only been one game. Why would anyone have to argue that he's having a sophomore slump? We don't even know if Rakell is going to do well enough to even stick around, same for DSP.

It's not just one game though. He was really bad in the AHL.

 

[Unholy]

Alright next game about to start, this one is getting closed. I'll bump the old discussion thread.