State of the Ducks

[kroypuck]

Wingers too deep and too wide on breakouts. Hard rim to stagnant weak side winger on his wall, pointless chip to no one in the neutral zone because we are always 5 below the puck. Or double bump to partner to stagnant weak side winger on his wall, when we want some variety. Very few reverses, center reverses, stretch plays, middle bumps, or quick ups to strong side winger step off and back to weak side D.... just keep pounding those pucks around the wall and chipping it to center for no one so we can go right back to forechecking.

You can't play so deep and predictably and expect teams not to sit on top of you all game. Randy started to make the adjustment in the pre season, our wingers were playing higher, our weak side D was jumping up and getting involved - and the game was visibly faster and more exciting. But now it's right back to the shell.

Agree to disagree. I don't think D to D passing or chipping the puck off the glass is systems play. I totally get what you're saying, but I don't think the coaches are to blame as much as you might think.

Back to my original post, I still think our defense is overrated. On paper we have a great modern style defense, but they're not playing to their potential. Manson looks like he's lost out there at times, Montour always gets caught up on the play or is out of position, Fowler's only strength is passing, Pettersson albeit is inexperienced but still making costly mistakes, and Schenn obviously is a brick. Lindholm has been the best imo but even he is making questionable decisions with the puck at times. I get that the narrative on here is to blame Randy or Bob or whoever, but the players can be at fault too. I hope we can look back at this later in the season and say that it was just early season jitters, but I am starting to doubt that.

 

[Ducks DVM]

DUCKS PREDICTION CHALLENGE: How many shots will the Ducks have on goal in the 3rd period? One correct answer wins an autographed item!

I said 12. I will be THE only winner if correct

 

[Spazkat]

31 Thoughts: Goalies at odds with NHL, each other over new equipment - Sportsnet.ca


How good is John Gibson? He’s played eight of Anaheim’s 10 games. The Ducks are last in shots for, with an average of 23.9. They are also last in shots allowed (37.9). Perusing NHL.com, only one team in history has a worse differential: the expansion 1974–75 Washington Capitals. (That team holds the NHL record for fewest shots per game in one season, with 23.1; they finished 8-67-5 as opponents averaged 38.3.) Despite that, the Ducks are a point out of first in the Pacific Division. There is no one carrying his team more than Gibson, who might just be the Vezina winner if he keeps this up.

Proof that this is true

 

[Ducks DVM]

Agree to disagree. I don't think D to D passing or chipping the puck off the glass is systems play. I totally get what you're saying, but I don't think the coaches are to blame as much as you might think.

Back to my original post, I still think our defense is overrated. On paper we have a great modern style defense, but they're not playing to their potential. Manson looks like he's lost out there at times, Montour always gets caught up on the play or is out of position, Fowler's only strength is passing, Pettersson albeit is inexperienced but still making costly mistakes, and Schenn obviously is a brick. Lindholm has been the best imo but even he is making questionable decisions with the puck at times. I get that the narrative on here is to blame Randy or Bob or whoever, but the players can be at fault too. I hope we can look back at this later in the season and say that it was just early season jitters, but I am starting to doubt that.

You’re correct in saying that if A player isn’t playing well, it’s not necessarily the coach that’s the issue. When 90% of your players aren’t playing well, the coach IS the issue. Either he can’t coach them, or they’re tuning him out.

 

[goosemooseduck]

I get that the narrative on here is to blame Randy or Bob or whoever, but the players can be at fault too. I hope we can look back at this later in the season and say that it was just early season jitters, but I am starting to doubt that.

You can't just look at D in a vacuum. Forwards have a lot to do with how D performs (and vice versa).
As it is, whole team is in disarray, which can mean several things, but none is due to individual performance.

Basically it means that RC is way over his head in current state of affairs.
The sooner he gets fired, the better.

 

[KyleJRM]

I blame the forwards/system for being unable to maintain possession way more than I blame the D

 

[kroypuck]

You’re correct in saying that if A player isn’t playing well, it’s not necessarily the coach that’s the issue. When 90% of your players aren’t playing well, the coach IS the issue. Either he can’t coach them, or they’re tuning him out.

Never said that the coaching is not a part of the issue. I don't like Randy as much as the rest of this poster does, I just don't think it is completely to blame. I would put injury issues over coaching issues any day. Bottom line none of us know what's going on in that locker room, it's all speculation at this point.

 

[kroypuck]

You can't just look at D in a vacuum. Forwards have a lot to do with how D performs (and vice versa).
As it is, whole team is in disarray, which can mean several things, but none is due to individual performance.

Basically it means that RC is way over his head in current state of affairs.
The sooner he gets fired, the better.

Yeah I somewhat agree with that. I just can't wrap my head around people putting the majority of the blame on our system/forwards for our poor defensive play more than the people that are supposed to make the biggest impact defensively...the defenseman. Their effort has been poor regardless of the system and it shows.

I don't disagree that Randy might be in over his head trying to adjust to the new age of the NHL..I want him gone as much as anyone else. I just think blaming the coaching is easier than blaming individual performances which is what we're seeing here. The complete denial of player performances being any bit of an issue is crazy talk to me.

 

[branmuffin17]

So, just another example...it was blatantly obvious to me as I was watching the game last night. Think it was in the 3rd, and it was Montour, but I could be mistaken.

In any case, D came from behind the net, skated just past the goal line (slowly), and passed the puck up the middle (i.e. not up the boards).

As the camera scrolled with the puck, all 3 forwards were either crossing the red line, or past it and nearing the offensive blue line.

That gap is just unacceptable. Again, in some situations, it may be called for...but I'm seeing this way too often.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

So, just another example...it was blatantly obvious to me as I was watching the game last night. Think it was in the 3rd, and it was Montour, but I could be mistaken.

In any case, D came from behind the net, skated just past the goal line (slowly), and passed the puck up the middle (i.e. not up the boards).

As the camera scrolled with the puck, all 3 forwards were either crossing the red line, or past it and nearing the offensive blue line.

That gap is just unacceptable. Again, in some situations, it may be called for...but I'm seeing this way too often.

Lol I call that "playing backcheck chicken" when all two or three forwards stare at each other waiting for the other to hustle back as F1. It's a good way to earn the whole line a shift off.

 

[70sSanO]

The problem with putting blame on individual poor play is the sheer quantity of individuals that would be at fault. It would be easier to count those Ducks playing well.

I think the better question is why does nearly the entire team play poorly? Late season acquisitions notwithstanding, how did the 2012 Kings change from nightly overall poor play?

John

 

[SirQuacksALot]

The Ducks are usually in California.

 

[AngelDuck]

The problem with putting blame on individual poor play is the sheer quantity of individuals that would be at fault. It would be easier to count those Ducks playing well.

I think the better question is why does nearly the entire team play poorly? Late season acquisitions notwithstanding, how did the 2012 Kings change from nightly overall poor play?

John

The Kings in 2012 were a great puck possession team and played a strong structured defensive style. We do nothing close to that. Instead we get badly outshot and outplayed every night

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

I think a lot of people have overstated the impact of a coach and misdiagnosed a few things. For instance, something like dumping and chasing, I think that's just who most of these players are, you saw it plenty under Boudreau and it was always going to continue. It isnt too much of a surprise that no matter the changes they wanted to make, there was always a chance they'd just revert to "normal", especially when things weren't going well.

Having said that, I'm not expecting anything for a bit but it's time to make the change. It's always tough to truly tell when players have tuned out a coach but from what we can tell I think that's the most likely answer. If you have a lame duck coach, that on it's own is rarely going to work out well, let alone one who has a pretty short leash. It seems likely it would only be worse when theres an obvious succession plan already in place. The Caps last year are the notable exception, I guess, but yeah, it cant be healthy to have your head coach have a very cloudy future and his successor already in the organization. If you're going to do that, you might as well just get ahead of it and make the switch preemptively, which we obviously didn't, but now still wouldn't be too late. I dont see any reason to wait longer, just put Eakins in on an interim basis and go from there.

 

[Trojans86]

I've heard the players dont have any respect for the coaching in the locker room. Specifically RC. Not good.

 

[Static]

I've heard the players dont have any respect for the coaching in the locker room. Specifically RC. Not good.

They should start worrying about respecting their own game. That's embarrassing.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

49 shots allowed. This whole situation is a joke. Firing the coach sounds good in theory until you think about it, knowing it should've been done in April and you wasted a training camp.

We have a decent sample the ducks are a horrible defensive team and they aren't going to win often playing this way

 

[KaseMeOutside]

They should start worrying about respecting their own game. That's embarrassing.

They're playing the system in place, you can't trade 20 players

 

[Static]

They're playing the system in place, you can't trade 20 players

Please. Is the system dictating to miss simple defensive reads? To not clear the crease? To not cover the trailing forward coming into the zone?

There may be issues with the new system but the players need to all look within before pointing fingers. Only Gibson is allowed to do that right now.

 

[AngelDuck]

I am still baffled that BM/ownership kept RC around after what we saw in that series against SJ. He should have been immediately fired after game 4 of that series. Not because he's an awful coach, but because the team got overwhelmed by a team that they should have been competitive with.

 

[AngelDuck]

Please. Is the system dictating to miss simple defensive reads? To not clear the crease? To not cover the trailing forward coming into the zone?

There may be issues with the new system but the players need to all look within before pointing fingers. Only Gibson is allowed to do that right now.

Yes, it is to a degree. Unless you think our proven veteran players have all forgotten how to play over the offseason. Guys aren't playing with any cohesion and to a degree that is on the coaching staff. Why have coaches if they have no impact on what we're seeing on the ice?

No one is suggesting their aren't guys making a lot of money that need to play better.

 

[70sSanO]

The Kings in 2012 were a great puck possession team and played a strong structured defensive style. We do nothing close to that. Instead we get badly outshot and outplayed every night

Not a Kings fan, but as I recall, the pre-Sutter 2012 Kings had zero structure and were an embarassment... not unlike the pre-"Carlyle Replacement" Ducks of 2018.... which was my point.

John

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

I am still baffled that BM/ownership kept RC around after what we saw in that series against SJ. He should have been immediately fired after game 4 of that series. Not because he's an awful coach, but because the team got overwhelmed by a team that they should have been competitive with.

Not overreacting to a playoff series, or in this case mostly one playoff game, is always a good thing IMO. I'm afraid now that BM might give RC a bit too much of a leash given our record and injuries and stuff but I'd rather that then getting overly emotional. The thing I dislike about BM the most is how he already lets playoff results dictate his thinking too much, something like this would be a step in the wrong direction.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Not a Kings fan, but as I recall, the pre-Sutter 2012 Kings had zero structure and were an embarassment... not unlike the pre-"Carlyle Replacement" Ducks of 2018.... which was my point.

John

That would not be an accurate recollection, like at all.

 

[Static]

Yes, it is to a degree. Unless you think our proven veteran players have all forgotten how to play over the offseason. Guys aren't playing with any cohesion and to a degree that is on the coaching staff. Why have coaches if they have no impact on what we're seeing on the ice?

No one is suggesting their aren't guys making a lot of money that need to play better.

Our veteran players have consistently shown an inability to fully commit to any system.

Funny how the same issues keep cropping up for five years. What's the common denominator?