With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner we thought we’d do another roundtable and see how everyone was doing. However, in the spirit of the holiday I decided to make everyone bring their own question to the table, you know, like a potluck. Due to some classic holiday travel issues not everyone was able to participate (holidays, amirite?). We also have a guest question at the end from Steph Driver, one of the co-founders of FHF. Alright friends, let’s get to it.
George Fitzgerald: With Thanksgiving coming up, who are you most thankful for on the Ducks roster and why?
Josh: I am most thankful for Leo Carlsson. The numbers aren’t quite there yet but the talent is. He looks every bit the number 2 overall pick no one thought he would be minus a few outliers and the Ducks’ staff. He’s so fun to watch and I now have hope for the future of this organization for the next 10-20 years because of Leo and the rest of the youngsters within the club. Honorable mention: Mason McTavish – the dude is every bit the leader and player that moved him up the draft board to number 3 overall.
Chad: I would say I am most thankful for Leo Carlsson. I know it’ll be a popular answer amongst Ducks fans, but the kid alone has been worth the price of admission. I’ve been lucky enough with his load management schedule to see him for both his first game/goal and his first hat trick, so I feel like I’d have to say him just for my viewing pleasure alone.
Eddy: I have to go outside the players for this one and say I’m most thankful for Greg Cronin this season. With largely the same roster as last season he’s made this team a lot more exciting to watch and one that doesn’t quit. It’s been a breath of fresh air from the last few seasons.
Rusty: The answer is Radko Gudas. That man has been everything (33 PIM!) and more (3 goals!) that I could have possibly hoped for when he signed with the Ducks this summer. He’s a mean, mean man and he’s on our team. I used to pray for times like this.
Joshua: It’s early, but the start of this season has been a success up until this point and the team is clicking on all cylinders. Does this roster make it the entirety of the season or does it get shaken up? If it does get shaken up, who’s leaving and for what/who?
Josh: I think the Ducks make at least one move. I think Gibson gets moved at the deadline and they trade a prospect or two for a more established forward, though none come to mind at the moment.
Chad: I made the joke with some of my friends after the Pens game in Pittsburgh saying “F–k you and we will see you again when we trade you Henrique”. I feel like the main piece to move is going to be Henrique, and the rest of the roster isn’t going to be touched much. Fowler is going to stay on the team until he wants out, and I don’t see much trade interest in Silvy at his age and injury history. The wildcard may be either Bo or Jonesy, but I think the most likely piece is Rico. Where does he go to? Maybe back to the Devils if they need a late playoff push, or Rangers/Stars seem like he could fit. For his worth? With how he’s been so far, I can see maybe a 2nd for him, or a 3rd and a low level forward prospect (10-15th best kid in the team’s system).
Eddy: I imagine there’s some shakeups around the trade deadline. Henrique, Silverberg and Lybushkin are all pending UFAs and I got see atleast two of them making way. Beyond that if players like Laine or Nylander I could see the Ducks being players there and moving players we normally wouldn’t expect. That’s when we could see the likes of Gibson, Vatrano, Strome or even some of the kids moved out the door in a bigger trade.
Rusty: Not a chance. With rumors already out there that Verbeek is willing to take on contracts for picks and prospects, the writing is on the wall in that regard. I think it’s highly likely Carrick, Henrique, Silfverberg, and Jones all get moved before the deadline hits. The two big questions, in my opinion at least, are if he’s going to be looking for guys like Nesterenko who maybe have a chance to play sooner than later instead of mid-round picks, and what ends up happening with John Gibson.
Eddy: With the emergence of Pavel Mintyukov, the Ducks have three dynamic young offensive defensemen with Olen Zellweger and Jamie Drysdale. Can they all coexist in the same lineup or should the team explore moving one out for a dynamic young forward?
Josh: This is a tough one. The dream would be to have all 3 but the Ducks don’t seem to have their counterparts and would need to go find them. In theory, if they could find solid, “stay at home” defensemen while cycling some forwards back for those offensive minded d-men, then I think they can. But if not, I would consider moving Zellweger – his value is at its height right now while Drysdale’s is at its lowest. And who actually knows if Zellweger can hang in the NHL.
Chad: Extending this out a little, I don’t think it would be feasible for all of them to coexist, especially with how the Ducks are treating Luneau, and playing around with sending him back to Juniors. I honestly think if we can swing a true young winger, Olen may be gone. Personally, I want to see them all up and if any of them can play on their off-hands just to get the lineup to work. You never know who will hit (Luneau and Olen) so it could just be a gamble of how they’re developing. But the only trade piece you can give them up for is for a DeBrincat type player, whose youth matches our window.
Eddy: I definitely think they can all coexist in the same roster, however I think this is where you use your depth in one position to strengthen a weakness in another. I’d prefer looking at moving Tristan Luneau before those 3 but if you can net yourself a William Nylander or Patrik Laine then it’s certainly worth looking into.
Rusty: Those three specifically? Yes. Do I think that having LaCombe look so strong so quickly combined with Tristan Luneau , Noah Warren, and Tyson Hinds makes it less likely all three of those players stick around? Also yes.
Chad: As with any Thanksgiving meal, the credit belongs to the cook in the kitchen. With the surprising success the Ducks have had to start the year it stands to reason to ask a simple question: Who is truly responsible for this incredible meal? Two stand in the kitchen, new HC Greg Cronin, and every player on the Ducks roster younger than 21 (it’s a crowded kitchen). Who deserves more credit for this meal? As in, if the Greg Cronin led Ducks sans and player younger than 21 took on this exact team coached by Dallas Eakins, who wins in a 7 game series?
Josh: I believe Cronin deserves the credit. He’s the head chef of this operation and his leadership, personality, and system have proven a good fit with this young Ducks team.
Chad: Give me Cronin in 6. While it is undeniable that the young guns have boosted this team to no avail, the style of play with Cronin is so much more impressive and professional. As in, there is a style of play. Last year’s team was constantly peppered with shots and out muscled on the boards. I don’t see how that changes much with the additions of Leo, Pavel and Dosty. Also who’s to say Dallas doesn’t hurt their best play style with awful lines. While it would be hard to have confidence in this team without Mason, who has blossomed with Cronin, it would still be a mismatch. Vatrano, Terry, Zegras and Killorn would have nearly 20 combined shots against Eakins’ defensive “system”. For that, I’m taking the coach over the kids.
Eddy: Oh man, this one is tough. I think you have the evenly split the credit but I’d give the slight edge to Cronin by providing some stability and accountability to the dressing room that has clearly paid off. Imagine when Zegras gets going, the success should continue.
Rusty: I think it’s pretty easy to make the case for Cronin here given the resurgence we’ve seen from Ryan Strome, as well as the absurd early feedback from the Trevor Plays Defense Now experiment. That being said, I’m going to take the kids. I don’t think it can be overstated just how much more naturally talented this roster is than last year’s was. And while a fair bit of that is the result of bringing in Actual Defenders like Radko Gudas and Ilya Lyubushkin, at the end of the day I think it’s hard to separate just how good this team has looked at its best from how talented the young players are.
Rusty: Given what we’ve seen from this team so far, what does a successful rest of the season look like for the Ducks? Is there a point total? A win total? Or even just a “dont finish in the bottom five” mandate? And with whatever you think success should be defined, how likely is it the ducks reach that goal?
Josh: I think a successful season for me is being in the hunt for a playoff spot at the end of the year. They have a chance but if they don’t make it, but are close, then I would consider that a successful season.
Chad: I think success with this team would be in player development, and team success would be placing outside of the bottom 10. Middling would be a huge improvement over the past years in Anaheim, so seeing this team still be “in the hunt” for the playoffs in late February would be great. Outside of team results, I think having Pavel keep up this incredible pace, and seeing Leo get conditioned into the role of a first line center would be the things to look out for the most. Talent development needs to be paramount for the team, can’t just rely on kids selected in the late rounds from Denver panning out anymore. Get the top talent to become top NHL talent.
Eddy: A successful rest of the season for me is to just remain competitive in more games than not. The Ducks fell victims to being out of games by the end of the first period way too many times last season. That’s not the case this season and remaining consistent in that matter should definitely take them out of the bottom 5 and maybe even challenging for a wildcard slot for a while.
Rusty: I think if we reach a month or so out from the trade deadline and we get Serious People asking Serious Questions like “The Ducks are in reach of the wild card spot, should they add instead of sell?” then this season will be a success to me. Unless they add at the deadline instead of selling in which case I will be asking for Verbeek’s resignation.
Steph Driver: Do you hate East Coast game times as much as we hate West Coast game times?
Josh: I personally don’t mind either game time schedule.
Chad: Absolutely. Do you know how hard it is to run chemical reactions safely while trying to watch a hockey game? Keeping my laptop open on my bench is dangerous enough as is, but now doing it with a team that can put up a fight and win some games? Horrifying. Just start the games at 5:30 at the earliest, hockey is a California sport now after all.
Eddy: East Cost Ducks fans here so I can’t answer this. But yes I hate 10pm game starts and I vouch it’s much worse than a 4pm start for the West Coasters.
Rusty: Oh look, my own personal hobby horse. Yes. They suck. And while I sympathize with my east coast hockey fan friends, you just aren’t going to convince me it’s worse to have to stay up late to watch a game than to not have the option at all because the game started while you were at work.
Well that’ll do it from us folks! We hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving and the Ducks win on both sides of the holiday! As always, follow us on Twitter and BlueSky! Let us know what you think of this and anything else we say in the comments below and on social media!