Speculation: 2023-24 Roster Thread

[The Midnight Burrito]

Is Arvidsson good in the games where he doesn't play the ducks? He looks like shit every time I watch him.

 

[MMC]

 

[Arthuros]

Poor Vaaks, having to rotate out with Lagesson.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Is Arvidsson good in the games where he doesn't play the ducks? He looks like shit every time I watch him.

I mean hes a good gritty player.. Perfect third liner.. But that back surgery is a question mark.. How much more NHL hockey does he have left ?

Poor Vaaks, having to rotate out with Lagesson.

This pisses me off about Cronin.. Vaaks is a good player.. Lagesson is average.. Vaaks and Gudas were great together

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Poor Vaaks, having to rotate out with Lagesson.

I haven't minded Vaak at all this year but his usage is kind of suggesting that he may not be qualified

 

[Mr Rogers]

Some Kings fans are already foaming at the mouth at Zegras and Gauthier. Can't wait until we're back in the dance

 

[Dirk316]

I mean hes a good gritty player.. Perfect third liner.. But that back surgery is a question mark.. How much more NHL hockey does he have left ?


This pisses me off about Cronin.. Vaaks is a good player.. Lagesson is average.. Vaaks and Gudas were great together

Both are 7/8 caliber dmen

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Both are 7/8 caliber dmen

I gotta disagree.. I think Vaks has a good #4 5 potential with the right partner

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Poor Vaaks, having to rotate out with Lagesson.

I was kinda selfishly hoping that Zell would be sat to preserve his qualification for the Calder next season, tbh.

Throw Vaaks into the lineup since we know Zell will still be here next season. Also, we kinda have an inkling the top pair next year will be Fowler-Luneau.

Fowler-LaCombe
Vaak-Gudas
Lags-Lindstrom

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

I was kinda selfishly hoping that Zell would be sat to preserve his qualification for the Calder next season, tbh.

Throw Vaaks into the lineup since we know Zell will still be here next season. Also, we kinda have an inkling the top pair next year will be Fowler-Luneau.

Fowler-LaCombe
Vaak-Gudas
Lags-Lindstrom

Fowler should be nowhere near the top pair

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Fowler should be nowhere near the top pair

I'd say that of Luneau more than Fowler though

 

[Rasp]

Someone needs to be sacrificed on the first line and I would prefer that to be a vet to help the kids develop with easier minutes

 

[Leonardo87]

With Gauthier now on the team, and Leo and Z looking very good, really sad the season is ending tomorrow for them, and that is really saying something since it's been another awful season.

 

[duxfan1101]

 

[Kalv]

Zegras-McTavish-Carlsson-Gauthier, that right side of the PP has seen some talent during the past few years

 

[Hockey Duckie]

With Gauthier now on the team, and Leo and Z looking very good, really sad the season is ending tomorrow for them, and that is really saying something since it's been another awful season.

Nope. I'm glad the season is over with. Everyone gets a break. Everyone gets to reset. Leo gets to properly bulk up over the summer with proper rest time. Hopefully, we get new PP and PK coaches b/c I don't want to see them continue on like this.

I'm looking forward to seeing who's games improve during the summer. Look at Mac, he scored 21 pts in 20 games as well as lifted up Vatrano and Strome's offenses!

 

[Reveille1984]

Yeah, hopefully Mac can heal up whatever has been hindering him the second half of the season. He was basically a shell of himself after his slew of injuries.

Him having a breakout year next season would be really awesome for us.

 

[ScarTroy]

Has there been word if Leo will be at the WC’s?

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

We are not winning games without a proper Defensive system that actually defends.. Not the chicken scratch shit we saw this year. Cronins system got manhandled by big heave teams that cycled like crazy.. That needs to be addressed pronto.. If cronin cant get them winning within the first 20 games.. Than you make the change.. The assistants need to be let go.. PP and PK should be priority for verbeek this offseason

 

[Son of Gib]

With Gauthier now on the team, and Leo and Z looking very good, really sad the season is ending tomorrow for them, and that is really saying something since it's been another awful season.

I agree. It's like a new beginning, except... not.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

We are not winning games without a proper Defensive system that actually defends.. Not the chicken scratch shit we saw this year. Cronins system got manhandled by big heave teams that cycled like crazy.. That needs to be addressed pronto.. If cronin cant get them winning within the first 20 games.. Than you make the change.. The assistants need to be let go.. PP and PK should be priority for verbeek this offseason

I don't think you're looking at this properly. Let's use Natural Stat Trick's 5v5 productions.

2023-24​	5v5​
Rank​	Team​	GF​	GA​	Playoff team​
16​	NYR​	166​	165​	Yes​
17​	Colorado​	192​	167​	Yes​
18​	St.Louis​	151​	167​	-​
19​	Toronto​	200​	168​	Yes​
20​	Arizona​	171​	171​	-​
21​	Pittsburgh​	179​	172​	-​
22​	Anaheim​	125​	173​	-​
23​	Washington​	143​	175​	Yes​

Our 5v5 defense isn't that bad, considering we had three rookies throughout our season (Minty, LaCombe, Luneau at the start of the season/Zell at the end of the season), a rehab youth (Vaak), and a waiver wire pick up (Lindstrom). Next year, we're hoping all of our youths take the next step of improvement next season.

The huge issue occurs at ES (or 5v5) offense, the PP, and the PK. Look at that 5v5 table and see how little we scored. Of course, our PP and PK are abysmal.

We can replace our PP and PK coaches, but we can't replace our head coach who is charge of our ES offense. Instead, we're hoping more youths continue to improve as well as add more talent such as adding Cutter at a minimum, or add Colangelo too. If Cronin could be more flexible with his offense, then maybe we get old Z and Terry back.

 

[Son of Gib]

Maybe I'm alone here but I would love to see Zegras get more time at 2C. Like McT but I think Z is at his best at C and we already have Carlsson as our strong 2-way guy. Would at least like to see experimentation there next year rather than just handing it to Mac.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Maybe I'm alone here but I would love to see Zegras get more time at 2C. Like McT but I think Z is at his best at C and we already have Carlsson as our strong 2-way guy. Would at least like to see experimentation there next year rather than just handing it to Mac.

We have 5 players, Carlsson, Zegras, Mac, Gauthier and Lundestrom all competing for 3 top 9 center slots. Mac is the best face-off guy out of all of them but Z plays the best at center. More than one guy is going to end up in a suboptimal spot unless Cronin finds some magic chemistry (OR we have devastating injuries again OR more than one guy has a major down year).

 

[Rasp]

The top 6 pairs should be:
Gauthier Carlsson
McTavish Zegras

We can slot in the 3rd around them based on chemistry with those pairs. Who ever performs best as C should be the C but it is also interchangeable depending on injuries etc.

 

[JAHV]

I don't see it as a problem running three good ES lines. One of them is going to be getting a nice matchup.

Killorn - Carlsson - Terry: I know Terry has struggled on this line, but I like this line for its defensive effectiveness, and I think it can thrive.
Gauthier - Zegras - RW: If Gauthier has defensive/faceoff chops, this helps out Zegras, and hopefully Verbeek can find a complementary RW.
Vatrano - McTavish - Strome: We saw this line have success early in the season when they were getting favorable matchups.

Each of those three lines can play 14 minutes at ES, plus some of them will be getting decent PP minutes.