GDT: #65 ⋅ ANA @ CHI ⋅ 5:30 PM PDT

[Masch78]

What firing Verbeek could do is potentially have a new GM do better at pro scouting to surround the kids with better veterans and maybe hire a coach that's better at the pro level of teaching kids. The likeliness of firing Verbeek is very slim b/c the Samueli's know it's a reset rebuild.

For doing better at pro scouting? Shouldn't we have a pro scouting department for that? GMs are not the experts on all fields.

 

[gilfaizon]

Love to see Minty take care of himself in that scrum. Absolutely love Gudas, gotta get Verbeek to really add some talent around these guys in the offseason.

 

[anezthes]

Leason belongs in the NHL. Well, at least on the Ducks he does. We do not have 12 forwards better than him.

Goal #1 (PP):
- Killorn penalty, Silfverberg can't clear, GM and coach Accountability to the rescue!

Goal #2
- Fowler pinches, no one (Strome, Terry) covers him.

Goal #3 (PP)
- Vatrano, McTavish penalties.

Goal #4
- Fowler can't clear the puck, Strome can't clear the puck, Strome is dumb, Bob's your uncle.

Goal #5
- Lagesson, who doesn't belong in the NHL and can't skate and can't handle the puck, tries to skate and handle the puck in the NHL, now John's your uncle as well.

Goal #6 (PP)
- Groulx penalty, Vatrano doesn't cover the cross-seam pass, and now Mary's your auntie.

Goal #7 (PP)
- Somehow Chicago's on the PP for the 6th time. Leason can't clear, Fowler's out of position, and now Pat's your dad.

 

[LuGBuG]

Fire Verbeek you guys crack me up. 0 chance they even consider firing him. Next year will be a big year for him though. Another bottom 3 finish could put the heat on. I’ll give him one more season before I truly judge his plans.

 

[Goose of Reason]

I watched the first and went to sleep, a 7-2 loss to Chicago is f***ing pathetic but holy hell do i love Minty even more than i thought i could

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I watched the first and went to sleep, a 7-2 loss to Chicago is f***ing pathetic but holy hell do i love Minty even more than i thought i could

I been on the minty bus predraft, he’s gunna be great… if we can put an actual nhl team around him

 

[Leonardo87]

Fire Verbeek you guys crack me up. 0 chance they even consider firing him. Next year will be a big year for him though. Another bottom 3 finish could put the heat on. I’ll give him one more season before I truly judge his plans.

I’m giving him two more years. If he wants playoffs next year, serious changes need to be made and it probably starts with gutting the entire bottom 6. Maybe keep Leason who I think earned a stay.

Needs to add the legit Top 6 RW like he said, not a Killorn or another Stroke, someone younger and better.

Also need new assistants for Cronin, and need to add a Top 4 D , to take mins away from Fowler who is being overkilled with responsibilities and mins.

 

[dracom]

went to bed after the 5th goal. Glad i did. Can’t stand Chicago, even worse seeing Bedard who should have been ours put up 5 points against us.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

For doing better at pro scouting? Shouldn't we have a pro scouting department for that? GMs are not the experts on all fields.

Ducks pro scouting has been pretty bad for a while.

Remember when the defending champions replaced Andy McDonald with the corpse of Doug Weight? Good times.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Ducks pro scouting has been pretty bad for a while.

Remember when the defending champions replaced Andy McDonald with the corpse of Doug Weight? Good times.

Just letting you know I reported this post, how dare you bring that trade up, I’m still not recovered

 

[JAHV]

Chris Kunitz for Ryan Whitney was another winner.

Andrew Cogliano for Devin $*&#ing Shore.

Sorry, I blacked out with rage for a minute on that one.

 

[HanSolo]

Fire Verbeek you guys crack me up. 0 chance they even consider firing him. Next year will be a big year for him though. Another bottom 3 finish could put the heat on. I’ll give him one more season before I truly judge his plans.

Yeah I'm not seeing a big reason to fire Verbeek just yet. With the roster in a clear state of rebuild, it's not like it's a simple thing to just build out a competing roster in one fell swoop. Especially with the long running challenge of attracting top UFAs to Anaheim. I always figured guys like Vatrano, Strome, Gudas were signed as stopgaps to add veteran presence while Verbeek works on building out a homegrown youth core.

If there's one thing I'd unquestionably fault Verbeek for, it's not trading Gibson when it was still possible. Gibby is clearly beyond giving a f*** and just shows up to collect his paycheck. It shows in his body language and facial expressions and as a veteran the whole team counts on, I think he's setting an awful tone and example for the young players. I don't blame him for being fed up but I'm fed up with his declining professionalism.

But I think the bigger issue is Cronin and his assistants. People are saying we can't really judge him because of all the injuries and needing more time to transition his team to the systems, but I don't buy that. With or without the injuries, the team is and has been gradually getting worse. The expectation for Cronin this year shouldn't have been a return to the playoffs but at least that he'd coach in some improvements. The only long standing improvement is that the team doesn't bleed 40-50 sog every night like the previous season. The team had a good promising start that indicated that Cronin and his team could start developing proper hockey in today's NHL but that's been gradually declining to the point where we're at currently, second to last month of the season and the team looks like absolutely lost and unmotivated. At least at the start of the year you could say the team may not be built like a contender but at least they knew how to hang in with and challenge tough contenders.

Last night they played the last place team in the league with a team of minor leaguers and the Ducks struggled to win battles all over the ice. Does it suck to be missing Leo, Zegras, and Rico? Sure. But I don't think that's enough to account for the guys who are healthy losing so many battles so consistently. I'm always finding myself wondering what in the hell Cronin and his team are having the guys do in practice. Because it's one thing to lose consistently after good games. It's another to be so badly outclassed by team after team, including last night by a team that is structurally built to lose as many games as possible.

I'm not crazy about dumping coaches after one season, especially during a rebuild, but I don't feel like Cronin and his staff are developing good habits and tendencies with this team and its youth core. I think they took a shot on a fresh voice and they were wrong. I'd be okay with a full replacement of the coaching staff at this point.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Yeah I'm not seeing a big reason to fire Verbeek just yet. With the roster in a clear state of rebuild, it's not like it's a simple thing to just build out a competing roster in one fell swoop. Especially with the long running challenge of attracting top UFAs to Anaheim. I always figured guys like Vatrano, Strome, Gudas were signed as stopgaps to add veteran presence while Verbeek works on building out a homegrown youth core.

If there's one thing I'd unquestionably fault Verbeek for, it's not trading Gibson when it was still possible. Gibby is clearly beyond giving a f*** and just shows up to collect his paycheck. It shows in his body language and facial expressions and as a veteran the whole team counts on, I think he's setting an awful tone and example for the young players. I don't blame him for being fed up but I'm fed up with his declining professionalism.

But I think the bigger issue is Cronin and his assistants. People are saying we can't really judge him because of all the injuries and needing more time to transition his team to the systems, but I don't buy that. With or without the injuries, the team is and has been gradually getting worse. The expectation for Cronin this year shouldn't have been a return to the playoffs but at least that he'd coach in some improvements. The only long standing improvement is that the team doesn't bleed 40-50 sog every night like the previous season. The team had a good promising start that indicated that Cronin and his team could start developing proper hockey in today's NHL but that's been gradually declining to the point where we're at currently, second to last month of the season and the team looks like absolutely lost and unmotivated. At least at the start of the year you could say the team may not be built like a contender but at least they knew how to hang in with and challenge tough contenders.

Last night they played the last place team in the league with a team of minor leaguers and the Ducks struggled to win battles all over the ice. Does it suck to be missing Leo, Zegras, and Rico? Sure. But I don't think that's enough to account for the guys who are healthy losing so many battles so consistently. I'm always finding myself wondering what in the hell Cronin and his team are having the guys do in practice. Because it's one thing to lose consistently after good games. It's another to be so badly outclassed by team after team, including last night by a team that is structurally built to lose as many games as possible.

I'm not crazy about dumping coaches after one season, especially during a rebuild, but I don't feel like Cronin and his staff are developing good habits and tendencies with this team and its youth core. I think they took a shot on a fresh voice and they were wrong. I'd be okay with a full replacement of the coaching staff at this point.

That’s kinda where my heads at, maybe you give Cronin some diff assistant coaches and a full camp + no hold outs by your supposed to be star players….. and see how he does first half of the season.

I think next year we’ll be competitive most nights, but still not playoff race…. I think we’ll draft 10-15, the year after I expect us to be pushing hard for playoffs tho

 

[Deuce22]

Yeah I'm not seeing a big reason to fire Verbeek just yet. With the roster in a clear state of rebuild, it's not like it's a simple thing to just build out a competing roster in one fell swoop. Especially with the long running challenge of attracting top UFAs to Anaheim. I always figured guys like Vatrano, Strome, Gudas were signed as stopgaps to add veteran presence while Verbeek works on building out a homegrown youth core.

If there's one thing I'd unquestionably fault Verbeek for, it's not trading Gibson when it was still possible. Gibby is clearly beyond giving a f*** and just shows up to collect his paycheck. It shows in his body language and facial expressions and as a veteran the whole team counts on, I think he's setting an awful tone and example for the young players. I don't blame him for being fed up but I'm fed up with his declining professionalism.

But I think the bigger issue is Cronin and his assistants. People are saying we can't really judge him because of all the injuries and needing more time to transition his team to the systems, but I don't buy that. With or without the injuries, the team is and has been gradually getting worse. The expectation for Cronin this year shouldn't have been a return to the playoffs but at least that he'd coach in some improvements. The only long standing improvement is that the team doesn't bleed 40-50 sog every night like the previous season. The team had a good promising start that indicated that Cronin and his team could start developing proper hockey in today's NHL but that's been gradually declining to the point where we're at currently, second to last month of the season and the team looks like absolutely lost and unmotivated. At least at the start of the year you could say the team may not be built like a contender but at least they knew how to hang in with and challenge tough contenders.

Last night they played the last place team in the league with a team of minor leaguers and the Ducks struggled to win battles all over the ice. Does it suck to be missing Leo, Zegras, and Rico? Sure. But I don't think that's enough to account for the guys who are healthy losing so many battles so consistently. I'm always finding myself wondering what in the hell Cronin and his team are having the guys do in practice. Because it's one thing to lose consistently after good games. It's another to be so badly outclassed by team after team, including last night by a team that is structurally built to lose as many games as possible.

I'm not crazy about dumping coaches after one season, especially during a rebuild, but I don't feel like Cronin and his staff are developing good habits and tendencies with this team and its youth core. I think they took a shot on a fresh voice and they were wrong. I'd be okay with a full replacement of the coaching staff at this point.

Agree with most of this. I would replace the assistants and give Cronin another year. I am trying to remain patient realizing that Ducks won’t be good until our young core are the leaders.

 

[Leonardo87]

Agree with most of this. I would replace the assistants and give Cronin another year. I am trying to remain patient realizing that Ducks won’t be good until our young core are the leaders.

That's how I feel also. Give Cronin one more year with new assistants. If there is not a vast improvement , he needs to go. Don't expect playoffs but not this crap again, not even close to it.

 

[HanSolo]

Agree with most of this. I would replace the assistants and give Cronin another year. I am trying to remain patient realizing that Ducks won’t be good until our young core are the leaders.

I could live with giving Cronin another year and another chance but I'm dissatisfied with his performance to date. I feel like plenty of this is on the mentality of the players, but he hasn't done enough to get this team through adversity and develop a winning brand of hockey in a development year. Like when I say winning brand, I don't mean that I expect him to turn a weak roster into a contender but at least get the guys to play the kind of hockey that could be the foundation for success as the kids get better and the roster is supplemented with more talent. I see the team moving in the opposite direction.

 

[GreatBear]

There is no excuse for a professional hockey team to be playing as poorly as the Ducks. While the team overall lacks enough good players to be real competitive in the league, there is no reason for the players to shoe the current lack of motivation. That has to be blamed on the coaching staff.

I learned a long time ago, if you hired someone who is not doing the job well, the sooner you get rid of them, the better. Keeping them and hoping that their performance will improve is pure, absolute foolishness. If Verbeek doesn't understand this, he does not belong in the GM position. I hate to say it, since I was no fan, but I am not sure if I would rather have Eakins as a coach than Cronin. Of course, that is like choosing which form of execution you would like, but it does speak of my lack of regard for Cronin's abilities.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

There is no excuse for a professional hockey team to be playing as poorly as the Ducks. While the team overall lacks enough good players to be real competitive in the league, there is no reason for the players to shoe the current lack of motivation. That has to be blamed on the coaching staff.

I learned a long time ago, if you hired someone who is not doing the job well, the sooner you get rid of them, the better. Keeping them and hoping that their performance will improve is pure, absolute foolishness. If Verbeek doesn't understand this, he does not belong in the GM position. I hate to say it, since I was no fan, but I am not sure if I would rather have Eakins as a coach than Cronin. Of course, that is like choosing which form of execution you would like, but it does speak of my lack of regard for Cronin's abilities.

The problem is, it could very well just be the roster…. Not so much Cronin

 

[Mr Rogers]

I feel like we've mixed and matched assistants a lot over the past 5 years or so and i think the impact of shuffling guys in and out is a bit overrated. Cronin should be the guy to start next season but we gotta be tracking to be at minimum a low 70s point team next year for him to stick around beyond next year.

 

[Ducks DVM]

All the non-rookies other than Terry are playing 1-2 slots higher on the roster than they should be, Fowler is injured, McTavish isn’t healthy, Gudas IMO isn’t healthy, the rookie guys have played a ton of games and are getting scrambled with different partners, and there new players who were waiver fodder for a reason. We have an enforcer who just prevents brawls (which o do think he does) but doesn’t finish hits or actually fight, and nobody else who should be fighting routinely right now. Plus two popular players and team leaders were just jettisoned.

Remember how well we played after the trade deadlines the lat two years? This sucks, but this is an unhealthy AHL roster right now.

 

[lwvs84]

That's how I feel also. Give Cronin one more year with new assistants. If there is not a vast improvement , he needs to go. Don't expect playoffs but not this crap again, not even close to it.

I'm not saying it was a good idea, but I could understand keeping the assistant coaches for a year with new coach Cronin. It gives the team a little stability for a year with familiar faces (given the previous results, that seemed like a bad idea, though). It's also Cronin's first season as a head coach, so maybe they wanted him to focus on things aside from picking assistant coaches. Hopefully they'll give him the summer to pick his own coaching staff and everyone will be ready and healthy for training camp this year.

Priority 1 should be a good coaching staff. I think priority 2 should be a defensive RHD (push/keep Gudas and Luneau as 2nd/3rd pairing), then priority 3 should be a RH shot top 6 RW. The team will have 2 guys that have said they can play either wing (Gauthier and Vatrano). I'm hoping they try Lundestrom with Mac and Terry for a few games this year to see if he can continue to support higher skilled players (he worked with Comtois/Rakell and Mac/Silf for a short stretch). If he can, that takes a little pressure off short term to get another top 6 wing or if Gauthier isn't ready for the top 6 yet. It feels like Lundestrom has started to use his speed a bit more recently in the offensive zone, if he's a late bloomer offensively I'd hate to give up on him early.

 

[HanSolo]

The problem is, it could very well just be the roster…. Not so much Cronin

I don't think this flies when we've seen most of the roster play better hockey. No question the roster isn't strong enough to pull enough wins for a playoff spot, but they should at least be playing to be more competitive than they are.

I don't know if it's a bad stength/conditioning regimen, poor game prep at practice, or Cronin being ineffective at getting more from his players or some combo of all of those three, but there's no excuse for this team being this inept at winning puck/space battles and being so incapable of holding position. And that's before you get into the sheer ineptitude of the special teams units.

Yeah this isn't the best collection of players ever assembled, and Verbeek has a lot more work to do, but the team isn't making meaningful progress towards playing more competitive hockey. They just keep moving further and further away from it.

 

[duckaroosky]

All the non-rookies other than Terry are playing 1-2 slots higher on the roster than they should be, Fowler is injured, McTavish isn’t healthy, Gudas IMO isn’t healthy, the rookie guys have played a ton of games and are getting scrambled with different partners, and there new players who were waiver fodder for a reason. We have an enforcer who just prevents brawls (which o do think he does) but doesn’t finish hits or actually fight, and nobody else who should be fighting routinely right now. Plus two popular players and team leaders were just jettisoned.

Remember how well we played after the trade deadlines the lat two years? This sucks, but this is an unhealthy AHL roster right now.

I agree there are probably a lot of guys playing injured like Gudas and McTavish. There's a lot of juggling and not all of it is Cronin's fault. But I'm still carrying a tiny pitchfork for Cronin. He just hasn't done anything where I'm really impressed. The team as a whole looks confused, lazy and uninspired.

Verbeek is more on my shit list than Cronin though.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I agree there are probably a lot of guys playing injured like Gudas and McTavish. There's a lot of juggling and not all of it is Cronin's fault. But I'm still carrying a tiny pitchfork for Cronin. He just hasn't done anything where I'm really impressed. The team as a whole looks confused, lazy and uninspired.

Verbeek is more on my shit list than Cronin though.

Like I said elsewhere, I won't lay the losses at Cronin's feet with this roster, it was true for Eakins and it's true now. This roster would lose a lot with Scotty Bowman back there.

But how they play--the mechanics of the system, and how they look when they play--their effort, confidence, and execution, are Cronin's responsibility. And I don't like either of those things with this team. Nor do I like the intangible things, like his expressions of helplessness to the media (after being Mr. Accountability!), or the seeming disconnect between the ice time lever and the level of play of a bunch of guys.

I like the things he says when he talks mechanics. I think I agree with his take on hockey generally. I like what he's done with Leason and Minty. But he's not have a good year.

 

[ScarTroy]

I’ve gone lukewarm on Cronin, not quite cold yet. I think he deserves a chance with a consistent lineup, and without injuries to our top guys. However, if this injury trend continues under him it’s possible him and this system aren’t the guy for the job. He might find out the hard way you can’t just skate these guys until the wheels fall off.