GDT: #67 ⋅ ANA @ WPG ⋅ 5:00 PM PDT

[Ducks DVM]

That's fair. But I haven't really been arguing like it's some crowning achievement for this team. I see problems from the players and sure the injuries haven't helped but what's striking to me is in a development year, I don't see a whole lot of development.

Gotcha. I think the injuries exposed out lack of depth, but I also think there’s a glaring difference between team readiness last year vs this year. I’m also bemused at looking at these players playing man to man defense last year, then double down on that as your system. I think Cronin tries to make every player a peg that has to fit into his holes, and hasn’t shown the ability to adapt the system to the players he actually has.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I mean I'm critical of Cronin but even assuming that this really was the case and Eakins was intentionally sacrificing defense to the point that it was historically bad (for the entire league, not just the franchise) you still ended up with the team having the second least goals for while having the worst shots allowed stat in league history since the stat started being recorded.

I'm with you that outside our hot start we haven't seen much improvement from last year, but I don't know if I can agree that the dip in goal scoring relative to the improvement in shot suppression makes this team much worse than last year.

If we look back at Eakins' 2021-22 team, we were 3rd in the Pacific when Verbeek took over at all-star break. At the beginning of that season, we were involved in seven 1-goal games in the first nine games. In those 1-goal games, we went 1-3-3 (5 points). Then Eakins began shortening the bench at the end of games, sitting most of our youths in Z, Drysdale, Milano, and McTavish. That switch prompted the 8-game winning streak.

@Ducks DVM shared the context that people are omitting, it was a beyond a terrible defensive roster in 2022-23 season. Eakins was able to get more out of the team than this year's team. He found ways to earn points with far less talent.

• After 67 games
  • Record
    • Last year (Eakins): 22-35-10 (54 pts)
    • This year (Cronin): 23-41-3 (49 pts)
  • 1-goal games
    • Last year (Eakins): 27 games, 14-3-10 (38 pts)
    • This year (Cronin): 27 games, 13-11-3 (29 pts)
  • Goal Diff
    • Last year: 172 GF - 271 GA = - 99 GD
    • This year: 169 GF - 244 GA = -75 GD
  • PP
    • Last year: 31st (15.72%) ... for the season
      PP Goals: 36 pp goals
      .
    • This year: 24th (18.59%) ... for 67 games
      PP Goals: 37 pp goals
  • PK
    • Last year: 31st (72.14%) ... for the season
      PK Goals Against: 78 pk goals against
      .
    • This year: 31st (73.61%) ... for 67 games
      PK Goals Against: 71 pk goals against
  • Shoutout offensively
    • Last year: 5 times (in 82 games)
    • This year: 8 times (in 67 games)

We should have more points this year than last year with a vastly upgraded blueline as well as offensive talents in Carlsson and Killorn in tow for talent depth before the TDL. The fact we have fewer points than last year's team makes this year's team a worse product. And as @Ducks DVM shared, we were playing man defense under Eakins and, now, playing man defense under Cronin, but we're still not getting it.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Gotcha. I think the injuries exposed out lack of depth, but I also think there’s a glaring difference between team readiness last year vs this year. I’m also bemused at looking at these players playing man to man defense last year, then double down on that as your system. I think Cronin tries to make every player a peg that has to fit into his holes, and hasn’t shown the ability to adapt the system to the players he actually has.

The bolded is an example of why I really wonder to what degree Verbeek may be telling Cronin how he wants the team to play.

Cronin didn't come in here with any kind of NHL track record saying this is who I am and this is how I'll turn your team into a winner. He came here with a reputation of being good with young players and teaching them how to be responsible. He came here in the twilight of his career with his first ever chance to be a head coach in the NHL. He certainly wouldn't blow that by telling his GM he'd rather coach differently than what he may be told.

IMO, Verbeek seems like a guy who wants to be hands on with everything he is responsible for. He doesn't seem like a guy who can hire somebody and then just let them do their job. He certainly chose the assistant coaches. Who knows what other input he is giving to the coaches.

I'm not saying Cronin is the next Scotty Bowman only to be held back by his GM, but I just can't believe everything is all on him.