What's wrong with this team?

[skolgoar]

The belief that adding old Vancouver Canucks players could help a team trying to improve in the playoffs.

 

[Paul4587]

We don't have any forwards with both above average skating and puck skills. Our fast guys have no vision or creativity and our skilled players are all slow and often lethargic. We aren't dynamic in transition, we aren't dangerous at all off the rush under any back pressure and overall we really only have Vatanen as a high pace player who you have to worry about beating you in a variety of ways. The game continues to get faster each year and our organization has only embraced this with the way they draft defensemen.

I voted for GM, coaching and forwards.

I would say Rakell has both those qualities. But then he has below average shooting skills. The lack of skill up front is definitely our biggest weakness. Getting rid of Palmieri and MP22 were both terrible decisions in that respect.

 

[Arthuros]

The belief that adding old Vancouver Canucks players could help a team trying to improve in the playoffs.

Kesler's fine, it's Bieksa that's the nightmare.

 

[70sSanO]

Kesler's fine, it's Bieksa that's the nightmare.

Last year I was really disappointed with Kesler until the playoffs. I though he had a so-so regular season.

This year he seems to have lost a little and is still saving it for the playoffs, which probably won't happen.

John

 

[Mofletz]

I honestly wonder what NHL pro scouts are doing? the average HF poster could tell that Bieksa was done.

It was the same thing when Sbisa got traded to the Canucks, everybody knew he was a cap dump.

 

[Mortal Wombat]

The biggest problem is the GM not learning from his mistakes. Letting Beauchemin go. Again. Trying to fill important positions by dumpster diving. Again. Messing with the team trying to emulate last year's winner. Again.

All this has led to a group of forwards that is league worst in scoring. By a country mile. Not much BB can do. However, PP coaching has been abysmal for a number of years.

I honestly wonder what NHL pro scouts are doing? the average HF poster could tell that Bieksa was done.

It was the same thing when Sbisa got traded to the Canucks, everybody knew he was a cap dump.

HF rarely agrees on anything. But when that happens, GMs go against that opinion at their own peril.

 

[Goose of Reason]

I honestly wonder what NHL pro scouts are doing? the average HF poster could tell that Bieksa was done.

It was the same thing when Sbisa got traded to the Canucks, everybody knew he was a cap dump.

When I think of our pro scouts, I think of that scene in moneyball where the old guys are judging players based on how attractive their girlfriends are. Anybody know if Bieksa has a good looking wife?

 

[Paul4587]

Our pro scouts were good for a while. Lovejoy, MP22 among others were solid pickups. They've been really bad the past year or so though and were terrible pre BB when we were signing the likes of Eminger, Sutton and Boynton to fill top 4 roles.

 

[Opak]

Our pro scouts were good for a while. Lovejoy, MP22 among others were solid pickups. They've been really bad the past year or so though and were terrible pre BB when we were signing the likes of Eminger, Sutton and Boynton to fill top 4 roles.

Even blind squirrels find nuts every once in a while. The pro scouting department is a disgrace and could use some housecleaning.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Lovejoy was good, but I think Perreault came from BB as he had just coached him in Washington. Not that I have evidence to back that up.

 

[Elvs]

I wonder how much the contracts impacts the players drive and effort.

A lot of players with multiple years left...

Kesler 7
Getzlaf 6
Perry 6
Hagelin 4
Silfverberg 4
Cogliano 3
Maroon 3
Bieksa 3
Fowler 3
Stoner 3

 

[Ducks DVM]

Lovejoy was good, but I think Perreault came from BB as he had just coached him in Washington. Not that I have evidence to back that up.

He did.

 

[la patineuse]

BM ruined this team, so for me he gets most of the blame. Then, the forwards, then BB.

 

[GermanRocket7]

While our inability to score has been unnerving and highly frustrating, I am of the opinion that the GM is the one to blame first and foremost.

Murray has had a team that virtually fell short one game of the SCF (and, possibly, winning it all) due to injuries and a general tendency of lacking that killer instinct. We had the most skilled team in last year's playoffs. Yes, even better than Chicago.

So what did Murray do? He changed the team's identity for the third time in as many years and traded some of our solid depth players, who were able to score and grind, for depth players who are mostly known for their two-way play. On a team coached by one of the most renowned offensive-style coaches in the past decade. Two-way players.

In other words: he gutted the team's biggest strengths (depth scoring, physical play), let one of the best defensemen in franchise history walk for free FOR A SECOND TIME and wasted a second round pick for a washed-up hasbeen, who already was labelled as such around the league. And then he extends this guy's contract for as many years as the aforementioned excellent defenseman wanted.

There you go, that's our main problem right now. The fish stinks from the head, or so they say. I wish for us to tank badly this season, pick up one of the elite offensive players in the draft, then fire the GM and go into retool. Sell Bieksa and the likes for future considerations just to get rid of their contracts, bring in our prospects, and sign one real offensive weapon in next year's off season.

This team could not do a lot better, but I am convinced we only need 3-4 tweaks to the roster to get it going again.

 

[George Binks]

I wonder how much the contracts impacts the players drive and effort.

A lot of players with multiple years left...

Kesler 7
Getzlaf 6
Perry 6
Hagelin 4
Silfverberg 4
Cogliano 3
Maroon 3
Bieksa 3
Fowler 3
Stoner 3

 

[evomacky]

chemistry i think is the big thing, plus the "me too" mentality bargain bob has been doing to this team.

the Ducks by far had their best, most solid identity last year. arguably, a player or two away from the Cup finals and he tears the team apart this season.

he should have gone for broke and kept the team from last year and blow the $ to get another solid D or two. but no, he thinks he can just hit the reset button like NHL16 and think he can repeat the feat.

 

[Paul4587]

I keep forgetting Kesler has 6 years left on top of this year. That's going to sting if we can't get back to contention status fast.

 

[c4rcy]

There are a few glaring holes in this team that I can observe right now:

1) Scoring forwards / Strong net play - We lack scoring forwards aside from Perry. Beleskey and Palmieri were two scoring forwards that we had that contributed both shots, and scoring chances. They may not have scored like top 6 wingers, but they took the puck to the net hard, and paid the price for those dirty goals. As far as pure shooters go for this team, I can really only think of Kesler and Perry as the two that often defer to shoot instead of make a pass. We also lack drive to the net and prefer to set up shots around the perimeter. Few are willing to go in and take a cross check to the back to sacrifice themselves for a goal.

2) Defensive contribution (offensively and defensively) - Bieksa is one of the most obvious culprits here doing neither well. Hampus has had a pretty terrible start for his own standards as well. Considering that he was praised to be our next Ryan Suter / Pietrangelo type, it's a bit concerning when you see him fall and turn over pucks on a regular basis. Fowler has been the glue to holding this blue line together defensively and Vatanen has been doing the same on the offensive front. They have no real backbone on D right now and we genuinely only have two top 4 defensemen in our lineup.

3) Leadership - We have none. The letters on their jerseys might as well be meaningless. No accountability from the veterans and leaders on this team. It's just a bottomless void of team leadership at this point. Through their own actions and the words in the media, I'm convinced that the only player I trust with the C at this point is Cam. He has been our all-around most consistent player this year.

4) No chemistry - Blame Bob for this. You get a bunch of guys trying to ressurect their careers and those that have earned contracts on one or two previously "good" years. Players that I believe fall into this category: Silferberg, Hagelin, Stewart, Bieksa, Horcoff, Santorelli. A few of these guys might not see NHL time in a year or two.

Either way, this team needs to tank as hard as they can for Matthews or they better find a way to dig for a playoff spot fast. The window is closing faster than people think.

 

[nbducksfan19]

I don't really understand the chemistry argument, our best players, who you count on to contribute (and have obviously not) have all played together, so that should not be an issue. The most glaring issue I see is this team has no identity, are we a big heavy team that is hard to play against, are we a speed and skill team that can light you up? The only identity I can see is that we are a team filled with guys who have speed and no skill and skill and no speed.

 

[Nordic*]

Lets just embrace the tank and rebuild.

That way we might be a playoff team again around 2023....

 

[snarktacular]

I don't really understand the chemistry argument, our best players, who you count on to contribute (and have obviously not) have all played together, so that should not be an issue. The most glaring issue I see is this team has no identity, are we a big heavy team that is hard to play against, are we a speed and skill team that can light you up? The only identity I can see is that we are a team filled with guys who have speed and no skill and skill and no speed.

Murray's idea of a team identity:

 

[ktulu98]

We are missing identity...last few years if things were not going our way, what we did? We fought hard, we sparked things here and there, guys were hitting like mad and time to time fighting..

this year? none of above...we are missing role guys with hearth and passion which would fight for team they are playing for.
If star player know he is outplayed by 3rd,4th line guy he would at least try a lot more than what we see now from our top guys...
There is no team team spirit and motivation.

Maybe we need to send message to our team and trade Getzlaf but that would probably not help overall.

What we really need is to trade Hagelin, Stewart, Horcoff, Bieksa, Stoner for hard hitting guys with speed (and passion) + one of them to be willing to drop the gloves whenever team is down.

 

[Markus078]

I don't know how BM changed that much of the identity of the team. He switched 3 players - Beauch, Beleskey and Palmeri. Who would have thought that those 3 are the impact players for this team? Be honest to yourself, in the offeseason, have you really thought those three would have been that important? Overall, BM took a shot and he lost. You can blame him for that. If he would have stay put and resigned those 3, would that have been the answer? I guess not.

For me this is a players problem and it starts with Getzlaf. He is a monster when he wants to be. But does he really care? A lot of players regressed and I don't know why. Only in Silfv's case there is an answer due to his concussion.

When you look at the other teams in the league, they have all in common that their go-to-guys are producing. Ours are not. It is a shame but I really see Getzlaf as a main problem, mentally he seems to be a wrong captain. We lost leadership in Beauch, that's for sure.

What we really need is to trade Hagelin, Stewart, Horcoff, Bieksa, Stoner for hard hitting guys with speed (and passion) + one of them to be willing to drop the gloves whenever team is down.

That would mean we need to be sellers, at least at the deadline. I'm also not sure what way this team is heading. Sould we sell, should we work on next season? I would at least support our young players. This season is more ore less gone.

 

[Goose of Reason]

I don't know how BM changed that much of the identity of the team. He switched 3 players - Beauch, Beleskey and Palmeri. Who would have thought that those 3 are the impact players for this team? Be honest to yourself, in the offeseason, have you really thought those three would have been that important? Overall, BM took a shot and he lost. You can blame him for that. If he would have stay put and resigned those 3, would that have been the answer? I would guess not.

Well, Beauch and Beleskey had fairly significant roles on the team and were pretty big losses, but the biggest issue was replacing them (and Palmieri who was one of our best offensive producers in limited ice time) with plugs and thinking that the team would function the same. Replacing 2 goal scorers with Hagelin and Stewart and our top shutdown defenseman with Bieksa is pretty brutal. The biggest issue, of course is Getzlaf playing like a combination of every censored word on this site but that might be manageable if the depth scoring wasn't gone and we had another top pairing defenseman.

 

[Fighter]

Voted both forwards and coaching. Geez, Getzlaf with ONE goal he's supposed to be our leader?!?