GDT: Game # 26: Anaheim Ducks @ Chicago Blackhawks , 5:30 PT, BSSC

[Terry Yake]

And this is the problem. This organization blew up a lot of the veterans we had to bring up this core. The problem is, they haven't traded or signed veterans that could boost this core.

This team is really feeling like the damn Athletics in baseball, where we build up talent to be fleeced.

This team feels like a combination of the Angel's and the A's.

no

not even close

 

[Henrique Iglesias]

I watched the last 25 minutes or so.

Same story. Seems like the effort is there. We just don’t have enough creators and finishers.

Need to get healthy.

 

[Daz28]

Just put a useful body next to Killorn-Carl, Killorn has been really smart recently in looking to and playing off Carlsson. Killer understands you get the puck to the best player on your line and then help make him even better by creating space, taking space, whatever that may be. I'd take Leason, Carrick, Mcginn, or even Wild wing over Terry on that line at this point. Terry can go kill the 3rd line with Rico because the 3rd line can't produce anyhow.

I was thinking Max Jones. Kinda his last chance to see if he can unlock anything before injured players return. If he fit, that would be a big bonus, because it could help replace some of the mostly cooked/UFA guys if we were lucky enough to be able to dump them at the deadline.

 

[Steppin Razor]

Villain arc has started. Losers of 10 of 11, shut out by Petr f***ing Mrazek and suddenly San Jose is 2 back and Chicago is 3 back in the standings.

The money-making vets up front (sans Vatrano) either need to look themselves in the mirror and figure it out or they need to create revolutionary medical treatment to get the high-end young guys back in the lineup, because I am not tolerating this bullshit again after dealing with it last year, stick the moral victories and your xG% at 5v5 up your ass and start winning goddamn hockey games

Couldn't agree more. Rico's long stretch of uninspired play is like when he moped around a lot and got waived. The others lack any perceptible fire or drive.

 

[Mr Rogers]

They really do feel like the best bad team every. They are in most games, including those against good teams. They just aren't quite there yet as a team and the injuries are also killing them. Tonight was a disappointing L though.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Couldn't agree more. Rico's long stretch of uninspired play is like when he moped around a lot and got waived. The others lack any perceptible fire or drive.

Haven't been this annoyed after a loss in a minute. I'll probably get over it by tomorrow, and I guess it's encouraging that I see continued growth out of the already talented young players who will inevitably get better with more reps, but it is maddening that the guys who were brought in to be culture changers and elevate the group have simply failed to do so in big moments game after game. They just seem to lose in the same ways

 

[Hockey Duckie]

And this is the problem. This organization blew up a lot of the veterans we had to bring up this core. The problem is, they haven't traded or signed veterans that could boost this core.

This team is really feeling like the damn Athletics in baseball, where we build up talent to be fleeced.

This team feels like a combination of the Angel's and the A's.

Anaheim lost only three vets at the 2021-22 TDL reset rebuild in #1D Lindholm, top-4D Manson, and a wine aficionado pugilist in LW Deslauriers.

Vets brought in since:

LW Vatrano​

C/RW Strome​

F McGinn​

LW Killorn​

RD Gudas​

RD Lyubushkin​

Vatrano and Strome have shown up this season, but only when Mac is centering them. Right now, Mac is injured. Defensemen Gudas and Lyubush have been very good in improving our defense and PK. Gudas leads our defensemen in goals with 4 goals. Killorn and McGinn have returned from injury and both are looking better recently.

Who else is injured besides C Mac? C/LW Z, RD Drysdale, LW Jones, and C Lundy. All five youths are first round selections. The player distribution would vastly be different if all five are healthy.

The team's most prominent problem is scoring, specifically scoring at ES. Missing Mac, Jones, and Z hurt. The two former because they crash the net. Stealing a Rascal Flatts line, "What hurts the most..." with our lack of ES scoring is Terry not producing. Terry is struggling in a mighty fine way.

There could be another reason, which is our offensive scheme isn't all that. Our PP, PK, and GA have improved by a huge margin. Our ES scoring is the same as last year's team. Terry was scoring far more last year despite playing hero puck. Z was scoring last year too. Maybe it's not completely our players and it's partly the offensive scheme not putting our team in a position to succeed.

Am I worried? No. This year was always going to be another development season. We have six rookies cutting their teeth with the NHL club: Minty, LaCombe, Luneau, Carlsson, Groulx, and Dostal. All six played in this game. McTavish took a huge step forward in his second season in the NHL.

When we start getting back our talents, then our result will hopefully improve. If not, then maybe our rookie head coach is struggling.

 

[JAHV]

Haven't been this annoyed after a loss in a minute. I'll probably get over it by tomorrow, and I guess it's encouraging that I see continued growth out of the already talented young players who will inevitably get better with more reps, but it is maddening that the guys who were brought in to be culture changers and elevate the group have simply failed to do so in big moments game after game. They just seem to lose in the same ways

I feel similarly. I've actually been encouraged the last few games, even when they lost, because they were playing better. But this one was annoying. A lot of veteran guys just not making plays - Fowler, Strome, Vatrano, Terry. I yelled out each of their names at some point.

I think Zegras would have made a huge difference in this game.

 

[Sniperberg]

"Cant win if you cant score goals" still applies.

 

[Steppin Razor]

Haven't been this annoyed after a loss in a minute. I'll probably get over it by tomorrow, and I guess it's encouraging that I see continued growth out of the already talented young players who will inevitably get better with more reps, but it is maddening that the guys who were brought in to be culture changers and elevate the group have simply failed to do so in big moments game after game. They just seem to lose in the same ways

The young talent this team has is incredible. But the vets are just a drag. Gudas is a culture changer, and the jury's still out on Killorn, but the others seem largely content to float along and cash checks.

 

[pbgoalie]

Why is it always Fowler that takes the shot?

Defenders just laughing. Leave Fowler open so he shoots it!

 

[forever1922]

The Ducks need to maximize their scoring lines way better. The Ducks 1st line usually chase the puck for their whole shift just because the 4th line had full possession and decides to chip it away. These lines need the puck. Have the 4th line recover it, and then prioritize line change with possession.

The top 2 lines with an additional 5 possessions each per game would result in so many more goals for this team. I don't know why this is not adressed by Cronin.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I watched the last 25 minutes or so.

Same story. Seems like the effort is there. We just don’t have enough creators and finishers.

Need to get healthy.

Yep, without mctavish zegras drysdale and Lundy our offense is very vanilla.

Killorn and terry are struggling hard

Vatrano/strome/Jones are more compliment players that needs those play makers in the line up.

Silf Henrique and groulx just arnt very good.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I do think the team is a lot better than we’ve shown this last stretch…. Just a matter of being healthy + chemistry.

 

[dracom]

Feels like no reason to watch games until the team is healthy. Terry is a shell of a player. Second line is gonna dry up without mctavish. Rest of the lines can’t score, defense can’t really put up points and are average defensively. rookies are good but being dragged down by the vets.

 

[Dryish]

Some of you will hate me for this, but I'm honestly satisfied with the fall from grace that we've taken.

We showed early on that with a healthy lineup, we can tango with the best of them. Without some of our best players, something Zegras definitely was night in night out, this is an expected outcome. Time to get healthy, finish the season among the bottom 10 in the league, get lotteried wherever, and then draft a skilled scoring winger to solidify our rebuild.

I was afraid we'd get out of the basement too fast and suffer the fate Minnesota has. This course of events essentially prevents that as long as we don't strike out with our pick come spring.

 

[caliamad]

We were good in the beginning, just ran into some good/lucky goaltending. They got a pp goal on 2nd half of a double minor, otherwise, I thought we outplayed them.

With the amount of injuries we have, it's not surprising.

Could the vets play a little more inspired, sure, but we can't expect them to play with reckless abandon at this point in the season with so many injuries already.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Frustrating loss.

 

[12ozPapa]

I always wondered about Terry being able to be a consistent performer

 

[Rybread86]

I see the error of my ways. Fine I’ll eat your socks.

I see it as a win-win for me. Either I’m right, or I’m wrong and they start winning all for the price of an ex-lap at worst

I have some extra socks you can eat, I accept

I do think the team is a lot better than we’ve shown this last stretch…. Just a matter of being healthy + chemistry.

Also shows we still have a lack of depth. Im not mad at it. We've certainly grown a lot but still a lot of work to be done on and off ice.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

I watched the last 25 minutes or so.

Same story. Seems like the effort is there. We just don’t have enough creators and finishers.

Need to get healthy.

Thats the problem.. They dont have enough talent.. But they refuse to simplify their game.. Thats why they are not scoring.. Terry has become a puck hog.. The pp never has a net front presence.. Players are out of sync.. This team become a complete mess.. This season is another tank season..

 

[pbgoalie]

Terry needs to use his teammates and look around better.

If that means sitting to rethink do it. I know he is better than anything that would replace him, but he has to get better and stop trying to do it all himself.

Getz seemed a good mentor, is he around still or tennessee

 

[HanSolo]

Was at a work function for the entire game so couldn't watch. Was bummed to see it end 1-0 (watched literally the last two minutes on my phone hoping for a late GTG)

Sounds like the boys had the right effort but not enough finish again. I'm a little concerned about that tbh. Like yeah, missing Z, Drysdale, and Mac hurts and Carlsson is still developing but if we don't have enough offensive bite/finish with guys like Terry, Killorn, Vatrano and Strome, I think that's a problem. Like guys like Carrick and Leason have been real solid energy guys for the bottom 6 so I don't know necessarily that they should be replaced. But if vets like the ones I listed can't carry the mail with injuries against a bad team like Chicago, that's concerning. Makes me feel like the forward core is going to need a significant revamp to build around Leo, Z, Mac and Terry. And with Terry you gotta hope he gets his game together.

Or maybe Cronin needs to start trying new things in practice. And wouldn't hurt if Verbeek found a new PP coach.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

 

[duckaroosky]

I watched the last 25 minutes or so.

Same story. Seems like the effort is there. We just don’t have enough creators and finishers.

Need to get healthy.

It's like this but instead "I just need to get through this week" it's "we just need to get healthy"