GDT: Anaheim @ Arizona 6pm Pacific Time

[ADHB]

Has everyone just had selective amnesia about the first several weeks of the season? The Deslauriers Grant Rowney line was the shutdown line for other team’s top lines from pretty much day 1. It’s not some new thing that those guys are getting used defensively.

That would be because of Grant's ability to win faceoffs and also Rowney's defensive ability. There is nothing good about Deslauriers defensively.

And while the team might have tried to use them against other team's top lines, I'm sure you'll find it was a disaster as far as possession, scoring chances against, etc.

 

[Trojans86]

xGF% is exactly that. It takes into account shot quality for both teams when that player is on the ice. Zegras’ line was not very good last night (not Zegras’ fault at all). Jones-Getzlaf-Milano was easily our best line.

I'd be curious to rewatch it. I doubt their line was outclassed 3-1 in quality chances but would be curious. I remember a lot of perimeter shots when zegras was playing d.

 

[duxfan1101]

I'd be curious to rewatch it. I doubt their line was outclassed 3-1 in quality chances but would be curious. I remember a lot of perimeter shots when zegras was playing d.

Here is the NaturalStatTrick page for last night's game if you'd like to look it. According to the sheet, when Zegras was on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks had 0 High Danger Chances, and Arizona had 3. Regular scoring chances were 6-3 in favor of ARI when he was on the ice.
Anaheim Ducks @ Arizona Coyotes, 2021-02-24

One thing that xGF% wouldn't be able to capture is that 3 on 1 where Steel and Silf kind of screwed it up. They didn't get a quality chance out of that even though they should have.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Well Rowney is the best defensively of those 3 and he is out. Grant for Zegras, I don't like it, but I can understand it. Deslauriers is not, and has never, been known as a quality defensive player.

Come to think of it, I remember Milano making at least a couple of good defensive plays last night.

Agreed, but he wasn’t a complete disaster out there either. Milano has pretty much zero history as a defensively responsible forward himself, a few plays notwithstanding.

The point is, coaching has been using Deslauriers that way the entire year. It wasn’t some epiphany to do so last night.

 

[KyleJRM]

They need to get Zegras off that line, or atleast away from Silf. Besides Jacob's shot, that takes forever to release, he has the offensive awareness / puck skills of a below average 4th liner.

At this point you might as well load up the top lines with as much offensive players as possible and hope they find some chemistry.

Zegras - Getz - Rakell
Comtois - Henrique - Terry
Heinen - Steel - Silf
Des - Lundy - Jones

I wouldn't saddle the poor rookie with what's left of Getzlaf's shambling carcass (or, well, he's probably playing hurt, but same result for the moment).

 

[KickHisAssZegrass]

I wouldn't saddle the poor rookie with what's left of Getzlaf's shambling carcass (or, well, he's probably playing hurt, but same result for the moment).

Even at 160 Zegras could still be really effective in the NHL, but he needs to be with players that can atleast think the game at a high level offensively. Would be nice to have a center that has speed and IQ but that's not on the menu

 

[Lord Flashheart]

The Ducks teams he coached didn't have that bad of a roster and he is a horrible coach in game 7's not just with the Ducks once he was gone and we rehired RC we won a game 7. BB was good for coaching in regular season but in the playoffs not that good.

Eakins has overplayed Shattenkirk right from the start that alone is telling.

Needs to be pointed out that the game 7 win helmed by RC was against Oilers. It was the best game they played of that series, however I'm sure result would have been the same had there been 2013 Kings or 2014 Hawks on the other side.

 

[rlstine]

I think the last few games have shown just how valuable Lindholm really is. Our defense falls apart without him.

 

[mightyquack]

This team is hilariously pathetic. Playoffs

 

[Arthuros]

I think the last few games have shown just how valuable Lindholm really is. Our defense falls apart without him.

The ripple effect of him being injured has been crazy.

I think our D has been reliant on Fowler and Lindholm both being fully healthy because neither can carry our entire back end.

 

[Leonardo87]

This team is hilariously pathetic. Playoffs

After that big Vegas win I had some hope, not anymore after the last 5 games . Lost all against struggling or bottom team.

 

[McDonald19]

The Ducks are now 1 point above the league basement.

Detroit and Ottawa both won yesterday and have 15 points.

 

[Trojans86]

Here is the NaturalStatTrick page for last night's game if you'd like to look it. According to the sheet, when Zegras was on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks had 0 High Danger Chances, and Arizona had 3. Regular scoring chances were 6-3 in favor of ARI when he was on the ice.
Anaheim Ducks @ Arizona Coyotes, 2021-02-24

One thing that xGF% wouldn't be able to capture is that 3 on 1 where Steel and Silf kind of screwed it up. They didn't get a quality chance out of that even though they should have.

What about when they scored? Maybe that was on the pp. I could be thinking of a lot of chances they created on the power play.

I'd really like to watch a shift by shift analysis now. Next game I'm going to track high danger chances.

 

[duxfan1101]

What about when they scored? Maybe that was on the pp. I could be thinking of a lot of chances they created on the power play.

I'd really like to watch a shift by shift analysis now. Next game I'm going to track high danger chances.

Mahura's goal was at even strength, however it was a shot from quite a distance away, so it wouldn't register as a high danger chance.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Here is the NaturalStatTrick page for last night's game if you'd like to look it. According to the sheet, when Zegras was on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks had 0 High Danger Chances, and Arizona had 3. Regular scoring chances were 6-3 in favor of ARI when he was on the ice.
Anaheim Ducks @ Arizona Coyotes, 2021-02-24

One thing that xGF% wouldn't be able to capture is that 3 on 1 where Steel and Silf kind of screwed it up. They didn't get a quality chance out of that even though they should have.

Does anyone know what Silf was so upset about on that play? Slammed his stick on the ice after Steel muffed the play and yelled "COME ON!!! f***!!!!!!!!"

It looked like it was directed at Steel but it might've just been general annoyance at yet another missed opportunity. I just can't tell which one or if it was something else.

 

[bsu]

Does anyone know what Silf was so upset about on that play? Slammed his stick on the ice after Steel muffed the play and yelled "COME ON!!! f***!!!!!!!!"

It looked like it was directed at Steel but it might've just been general annoyance at yet another missed opportunity. I just can't tell which one or if it was something else.

He was yelling at the ref because Steel was hooked.

 

[Paul4587]

The ripple effect of him being injured has been crazy.

I think our D has been reliant on Fowler and Lindholm both being fully healthy because neither can carry our entire back end.

It is way too reliant on those two and every season they’re both good bets to get injured and miss time. Same story, different year. I miss when we had elite defensive depth.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

He was yelling at the ref because Steel was hooked.

Then I'm surprised he wasn't called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

[duckaroosky]

They're really going to have 2 embarrassing losses and just be like:

I would say unbelievable but this is just more of the same from this organization. I firmly believe if the ducks finish at the bottom of the league they'd fire the guy who sharpens the skates and then pat themselves on the back for making the necessary changes for a successful rebuild.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

They're really going to have 2 embarrassing losses and just be like:

I would say unbelievable but this is just more of the same from this organization. I firmly believe if the ducks finish at the bottom of the league they'd fire the guy who sharpens the skates and then pat themselves on the back for making the necessary changes for a successful rebuild.

You think they should be committing seppuku in the parking lot at Katella or something?

 

[SirQuacksALot]

You think they should be committing seppuku in the parking lot at Katella or something?

Much too messy. The locker room showers are easily hosed out.

 

[duckaroosky]

You think they should be committing seppuku in the parking lot at Katella or something?

That's quiet a big leap to go from wanting managerial accountability to suicide, even for you.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

That's quiet a big leap to go from wanting managerial accountability to suicide, even for you.

What does managerial accountability mean, and what does it look like?

 

[GreatBear]

What does managerial accountability mean, and what does it look like?

Hard to know. In the real world of business very very few managers accept any accountability for their wrong decisions, so why the managers with the Ducks should be any different is beyond me. In the end it is up to the owners or very senior management to force accountability, and given our owners this is unlikely.

 

[duckaroosky]

What does managerial accountability mean, and what does it look like?

Webster's dictionary defines:
- "managerial" as relating to management or managers, especially of a company or similar organization.
- "accountability" as the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility.

It probably looks like not keeping a guy around who spends the off-season signing an aging veteran and then acting like it was a job well done.

I don't pretend to know the inner workings of the organization and the limitations he has to work with but his continual half-measures have created a team that was seemingly always 1 piece away from the Stanley Cup, then a team with no identity unless you consider a poor man's version of whatever team won the cup the year before as an identity and now a "Southern California highway project" type rebuild/retool.