Speculation: How will the Ducks do in 2019-2020 season?

[bsu]

How will the Ducks do in 2019-2020 season?

Vote and then discuss, our roster/coaching etc seems pretty set.

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[Static]

I don't think I'm comfortable saying until the off-season is truly over.

 

[bsu]

I think the Ducks will not do very well standing wise but be much more fun to watch than last year, I am perfectly okay with that. I think we will get a high pick and use it on a defensemen which will kick start the rebuild.

 

[jiggsawpuzzle35]

I made my yearly futures bet in Vegas. It's Stanley Cup or bust.

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Bubble

 

[DigiDuck]

Also feel like it's too early to cast a vote, but for purposes of discussion, they're a bubble team. At best I think 3rd seed in Pacific. As much as I'd like to see another Top 10 pick, I also think it would be great for the young guys coming off a nice run for the Gulls to get a taste of NHL playoffs. Plus, if Eakins employs a modern system where the forwards can actually score, and Gibby doesn't lose interest/isn't overworked, there's too much talent for the bottom to fall out.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I think a lot of players will have bounce back seasons... ill say 7-10 range.... hard to say what will happens if we make playoffs.... really depends on the draw

 

[IDuck]

i went barely miss....a lot players on this team are expected to have a "step up" season, which usually doesnt fair well in the long run, to many things have to go right for them to not only get into the PO's but win a single round.... However, I think the "team" itself with look better under eakins, I think rakell will have a bounce back year and I think our d as a whole will be better...I also think 1 of terry/steel will have a sophmore slump (my guess is steel) and atleast 1 of the young d will struggle...I HOPE for a big year from silf and henrique and really want to see spronge establish himself as a legit NHL'er..those are my expectations and hopes on the year.

 

[ShadowDuck]

I can’t find 8 Western teams worse than them

Also think too many people aren’t valuing Getzaf as a 1C still. He might not be elite anymore but he’s still a high end center.

 

[ohcomeonref]

Miss playoffs and get another decent pick, but actually play some entertaining hockey.

 

[Bergey37]

I cast a vote for winning the 1st round, because I believe we can. The Ducks have a lot of things going for them this season: a new coach, who likes a puck-movement game; a solid core of returning vets who are better than they showed last season, and want to demonstrate that; a healthy goaltender who doesn't have to be overworked, with a great backup; a crop of skilled kids who want to make their mark, and a LOT of enthusiasm and buy-in. That last part will make the biggest difference - 2 years ago Vegas showed us what buy-in can do for a team.

Of course we'll be more fun to watch - RC is gone. But we're going to win games. ALL the teams in the Pacific have issues, and I think the Ducks and the Coyotes are probably the most balanced teams in the division. No reason we can't finish in the top 3 of the division.

 

[eternalbedhead]

With our current roster? We're probably going to be out of the running. I believe Eakins was unfairly maligned for his coaching performance in Edmonton, but we're not a whole lot better as a team than what he coached in Edmonton. Getzlaf is dropping off, our roster next year projects to be very young and inexperienced, and our defensive depth totally sucks, to boot.

If we could add just one decent RHD? We could probably compete for a wild card, although there'd be a *lot* of teams in similar position so I'm not 100% certain we'd come out on top, by any means.

 

[pbgoalie]

I figure by December Gibby will have lost 20 pounds and be done for the season
Miller will fill in admirably until Ritchie pushes someon on top of him
We will be exciting but look like Benny Hill chasing girls video

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Eakins is known for his teams getting shelled defensively so I think they’ll be the biggest deterrent for our playoff hopes

 

[Frosted Tips]

I made my yearly futures bet in Vegas. It's Stanley Cup or bust.

I bet you got nice odds for that. I recently saw Vegas odds and the only team deemed less likely to win the Stanley Cup was the Kings.

 

[Paul4587]

First or second round loss. Coaching was be major issue last season. With a good coach we would have easily made the playoffs.

 

[quad65]

There is enough talent on the roaster and if the PK & PP take some steps forward vs last year we should make the PO. Once you are in everything is possible. Probably still need that 4th RHD but maybe Guhle or/and Larsson take the next steps. Coaching will be a massive upgrade not only the way the game is played but also how to get the best out of each player. As a bonus, the games should/will be more entertaining.

 

[JabbaJabba]

I voted for missing the playoffs and getting 6th-15th pick. The team is in transition but there are good veteran players and an incredible starter in the net. The defense looks like the worse part of the lineup and at the moment I don't think it's playoff worthy. There will be growing pains with possibly a bunch of prospects making their way to the roster, which is exciting at the same time, but it could also backfire. However, the coaching should be better regarding PP and PK, which always goes a long way in hockey. The Ducks will hover around the middle of the pack for most of the season.

 

[Terry Yake]

i think they'll barely miss the playoffs

 

[Goose of Reason]

Went with losing the first round. It's a better roster than Carlyle would have you believe it is but will still have a lot of young guys learning the ropes in the playoffs.

 

[AngelDuck]

Picking 15th literally means you “barely missed the playoffs”

There are 31 teams in the league and 16 make it

 

[mightyquack]

Miss playoffs and a top 10 pick. I have us 6th (maybe 5th if Arizona has a serious regression) best Pacific team right now. Just too many questions surrounding our team for me (young player development, coaching, lack of goals, 2nd pairing hole etc) to be able to say we're a playoff team, though I'd like to think we could make it if some things pan out well for us.

Going to be a development and growth year for us. If likes of Steel, Terry, Comtois etc can take big steps forward this season then I'll be very happy with the season no matter what position we end up in as that should set us up better for 2020+.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

There is alot of things that could happen that open up a spot in the playoffs as well as teams making the playoffs that missed it last year:
STL could have a big hangover season & miss the playoffs.

SJ could see some of its youngsters with small amount of regress after the breakout seasons they had along with losing production from Pavelski signing elsewhere and finish only 3rd in the division and several other aging Sharks players could show some decline such as Burns, Couture and Vlasic.
What if they become a trainwreck defensively & Jones has a really bad season they could be in trouble ? I could even see it happening where they miss the playoffs due to their defense being a blackhole in its own zone & Jones playing like a empty net and their dropoff on offense being unable to make up the difference.
Even with a few youngsters like Hertl/Meier they are still a very old team. They did lose Donskoi in addition to Pavelski. Its not like Karlsson getting any younger either, turns 30 next may.

Coyotes or Canucks could make the playoffs as a wildcard team.

Chicago could return to the playoffs as wildcard team with help from a calder season from Dach if he goes straight to the NHL as well as Lehner helping them lower their team GAA.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

First or second round loss. Coaching was be major issue last season. With a good coach we would have easily made the playoffs.

GM Bob was a first time coach who posted a 14-11-1 record (29 points) in 26 games. That extrapolates to 91.4 points for 82 games.

What's even better than that is after getting in his first 9 games, the Ducks finished the last 17 games was 11-5-1 , 23 points. That extrapolates to 110.9 points.

With an off-season for all the youth that had NHL time last year, things look very promising for Terry, Steel, and Jones. Hopefully, we get Kase for the whole season too! The addition of Grant at center gives the Ducks NHL depth in case Getz needs a management game or two, such as being a healthy scratch on back-to-back games, or not play on the PK.

The fact that Dallas knows most of the young forwards coming up to the NHL ice level, that makes it easier for him to know where to put them on the ice - hopefully.

 

[Deuce22]

Where we project the Ducks to finish largely depends on what we attribute last year's failure to. What percentage was a lack of NHL talent, and what percentage was poor coaching? Unless you feel losing Kesler and Perry will hurt, the talent this season is superior to last. The young forwards have another year of experience, and the D (if Hakanpaa and Guhle are decent at best) will be better. I believe a large part of last season was RC + the team not playing for him, so I voted make playoffs lose first round.