Not sure where to put it but I checked the team stats in the regular season from the start of February (~20 games for each team which is quarter of a season). The Ducks actually were #14 by points. It is not a full season sample size, but large enough one. I think we were trending in the right direction and we should expect an emergence from Comtois, Steel, Terry, and Jones that should help offset the decline of Getzy.
I think we were better than our draft pick suggests, Eakins should be getting a better feel for his team as well. I think we can realistically push for the playoffs next year unless some key trades or injuries ruin it. We will not surpass Vegas and most likely Edmonton. But Calgary and Vancouver will face some changes in the offseason and maybe we can surpass one of them. Won't be easy. But we are not the Red Wings bad either.
Have a great day!
Let's look at the splits! = )
| 2019-20 Anaheim | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Games | GF | GA | Diff | W | L | OTL | Pts | | PPG | PPO | SHG | PP Eff | | GF/g | GA/g | Diff |
| Season | 71 | 187 | 226 | -39 | 29 | 33 | 9 | 67 | | 27 | 184 | 10 | 14.7% | | 2.63 | 3.18 | -0.55 |
| End Season | 20 | 56 | 66 | -10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 22 | | 7 | 48 | 1 | 14.6% | | 2.80 | 3.30 | -0.50 |
| Season - End | 51 | 131 | 160 | -29 | 20 | 26 | 5 | 45 | | 20 | 136 | 9 | 14.7% | | 2.57 | 3.14 | -0.57 |
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We had a boost in scoring goals per game (0.23), but we also had a slight rise in goals against per game rate (0.16). That would be great if we had a positive differential. Yet, I went ahead and did another split between the last 20 games and the trade deadline (TDL) acquisition of 9 games.
| 2019-20 Anaheim | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Games | GF | GA | Diff | W | L | OTL | Pts | | PPG | PPO | SHG | PP Eff | | GF/g | GA/g | Diff |
| Season | 71 | 187 | 226 | -39 | 29 | 33 | 9 | 67 | | 27 | 184 | 10 | 14.7% | | 2.63 | 3.18 | -0.55 |
| End Season | 20 | 56 | 66 | -10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 22 | | 7 | 48 | 1 | 14.6% | | 2.80 | 3.30 | -0.50 |
| TDL | 9 | 26 | 29 | -3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 11 | | 4 | 25 | 0 | 16.0% | | 2.89 | 3.22 | -0.33 |
| End - TDL | 11 | 30 | 37 | -7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 | | 3 | 23 | 1 | 13.0% | | 2.73 | 3.36 | -0.64 |
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Interesting. We were scoring a bit more after the TDL and had reduced getting scored against. That combination is probably why had the same amount of points after the TDL in two fewer games than the previous 11 games.
| 2019-20 | | | | |
| Last 20 games | . | Total | 11 games | TDL |
| Pos | Player | Goals | | |
| C | Henrique | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| F | Silfverberg | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 4F | Deslauriers | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| F | Ritchie | 4 | 4 | Trade |
| 4C | Grant | 4 | 4 | Trade |
| F | Heinen | 3 | TDL | 3 |
| D | Guhle | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| F | Jones | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| F | Shore | 2 | 2 | Trade |
| F | Milano | 2 | TDL | 2 |
| 4F | Rowney | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| C | Getz | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| F | Rakell | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| C | Steel | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 4C | Agozzino | 1 | TDL | 1 |
| F | Kase | 1 | 1 | Trade |
| D | Hakanpaa | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| D | Larsson | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| D | Djoos | 1 | TDL | 1 |
| | Total | 55 | 29 | 26 |
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We did have one shootout win, which is why there's only 55 goals listed. Max Jones had a SHG in game 55 against the Leafs.
We lost 11 goals when we traded away Grant, Ritchie, Shore, and Kase. We gained 7 goals in Heinen, Milano, Agozzino, and Djoos. Although the goal differential between the player exchange favors those we traded, overall the team scored more and played slightly better defense after the TDL. Seeing Deslauriers as our leading goal scorer in the last 9 games of the season is a rare sight to see! Terry and Comtois weren't part of the TDL roster, iirc. The defense scored 2 goals in the before the TDL and 4 goals after the TDL.
With only spots available in the top-9 forward lines (because the fourth line is set), I think will be held in check.
Top-9 forward lines after TDL
Milano-Getz-Heinen
Rakell - Henrique - Silf
Jones - Steel - Sherwood
Sherwood isn't signed with the team yet. Milano and Heinen will be in the top-9. The only place for our youth is on the third line. It will be interesting who makes the NHL club between C Steel, C Zegras, LW Jones, LW Comtois, and RW Terry. Zegras may not make the NHL club as Steel will be entering his third year in the NHL. Steel will have the advantage in weight and experience, but I don't know about talent. The prudent move would be to start Zegras in the AHL as he continues his development physically and mentally playing against men at center.
Centers in the AHL
Zegras (New)
Lundestrom
Groulx (New)
Badini (New)
Comtois may also may not make it to the NHL club and could be paired with Zegras. That actually sounds appetizing.
Circling back to offensive production, I wouldn't mind keeping that offensive production, but with an improved defense. Seeing that we were a rag-tag at the end of the season due to injuries, here's how we started off the 2019-20 season. I tracked the first 22 games.
| Ducks Top Pairing Comparison | | | | | | | | |
| Subject | Games | GF | GA | Goal Diff | | GF/G | GA/G | Diff |
| Total | 22 | 59 | 64 | -5 | | 2.68 | 2.91 | -0.23 |
| With Lind, Manson | 11 | 25 | 24 | 1 | | 2.27 | 2.18 | 0.09 |
| W/o Lind, Manson | 11 | 34 | 40 | -6 | | 3.09 | 3.64 | -0.55 |
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This was when Manson was fully healthy and in NHL game shape. He got injured in that 11th game. I want that GA/game rate of 2.18 again. We have more arsenal this time on defense. We acquired D Gudbranson soon after Manson fell to injury and Gudz played in our 12th game. He paired with Lindholm on the top line.
| Subject | Games | GF | GA | Goal Diff | | GF/G | GA/G | Diff |
| Total | 22 | 59 | 64 | -5 | | 2.68 | 2.91 | -0.23 |
| With Lindholm | 15 | 36 | 34 | 2 | | 2.40 | 2.27 | 0.13 |
| W/o Lindholm | 7 | 23 | 30 | -7 | | 3.29 | 4.29 | -1.00 |
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Lindholm fell to injury in that 15th game of the season. Despite losing Manson in game 11, Gudbranson was a good complement to Lindholm on the top line. They held a very good GA/game rate of 2.27. Once Lindholm succumbed to injuries, then everything fell apart as Fowler proved he couldn't be a top-line pairing.
But I think Fowler can fit in better with Gudz as his blue-line mate and keeps Fowler as LHD. I think we kept pairing Guhle or MDZ with Fowler instead of Gudz at that time of the early season, while Fowler played RHD, iirc. Having Gudz and Djoos makes the defense much deeper and not force Guhle or Larsson immediately to the top pairing.
I'm still a firm believer that it'll be our defense that gets us back to the playoffs sooner than offense. We need to have a positive goal differential first or close to it to rack up points. The TDL record is proof of that, granted it's a small sample, but compared to the previous 11 games, it's a good enough example. I haven't even mentioned the acquisition of D Curran and how he may help out on the PP unit! If our defense becomes sound again, then we can properly let our offense be a bit more creative. Heck, our fourth line is the second most dangerous scoring line on our team at the moment, and their priority is playing shutdown defense first.
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