5 Takeaways: Anything But Wild
1. What are goals?
There were three total goals scored for the Ducks in this series. Three. But then again, who expected much more offense from a team that ranks 29th in goals for per 60 minutes.
Even with the shiny new prospects, as good as they have often looked, have not been the magic ingredient to get the Ducks to actually, you know, do the thing that wins hockey games.
This series was just the beginning in a long stretch of playoff contender matchups. Given the way this team is playing, it’s very possible that we could see another month pass by before the Ducks win again.
2. The poor player deployment is back
There was a brief stretch where it felt like Dallas Eakins and the coaching staff had figured out the best way to maximize the roster. Troy Terry has been on a roll. Adam Henrique and Danton Heinen are impacting the scoresheet. So have Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.
But this series, especially the second game, through that logic out the window. Especially when Eakins decided to run an 11 forward, seven defenseman lineup. To be fair, the Ducks lost some players due to COVID protocols for the first time this season. Ben Hutton, Jacob Larsson, Danton Heinen, and Anthony Stolarz were all ruled unavailable for the game.
However, it feels like a galaxy-brain decision to go with the non-traditional lineup instead of just utilizing the taxi squad to relatively whole.
3. Miller might be done
Ryan Miller has arguably been the best backup goaltender in Ducks franchise history. Even though there hasn’t been much success, he has proven to be a fantastic, reliable veteran to spell John Gibson.
However, at age 40, it looks like Miller might be on his way out. An .880 save percentage and a -7.8 GAR, good for fourth from the bottom in the league are not the kind of numbers that make you stick in the NHL.
At this point, the Ducks should probably see what they have in Anthony Stolarz until John Gibson comes back from IR. And until Stolarz comes back from COVID protocols, maybe Lukas Dostal gets his NHL debut?
4. Still no plan
Bob Murray broke his media silence recently in an interview with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. The problem was that there wasn’t much we didn’t already know revealed by the Ducks General Manager.
“It can’t just be all for draft picks, I’ve got to start getting some younger prospects,’’ Murray told LeBrun.
And it’s not that he’s exactly wrong. Outside of the top five picks or so, this draft year is considered to be relatively weak. And while dealing veterans to playoff contenders for later first rounders should absolutely be part of any talks, getting guys who have more proven success as prospects could help this organization’s rebuild move along quicker.
The problem is that there is a massive difference between a 21-22 year old prospect who is about ready to make the full time NHL jump, and a 24 year old who needs a change of scenery. Murray has a history of acquiring the latter, not the former.
And while Rickard Rakell’s name continues to swirl in trade talks, there has also been indications that Murray may have set the price so high for him that he won’t deal him, which would be a massive mistake. It’s hanging on to veterans and refusing to get decent value when possible in the persist of the “perfect deal” that has put this team where it is today: a rudderless ship floating in a rough, general direction.
5. Don’t you dare send the kids back
It’s clear Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale belong in the NHL. Neither have been perfect, as one would expect from a 20 year old and 18 year old, respectively. But they have shown skill that is NHL-ready and have clearly outplayed several other veterans on the roster.
Given their current level of play as two of the better players on this roster, sending them back to the AHL (or the OHL, in Drysdale’s case) probably would not do much other than kick them back to the top rung of the skill ladder of those leagues where they have no further climbing left.
If nothing else, keep them up to give Ducks fans something to be entertained and hopeful about. Fans haven’t had much of that at all this season.