Some times a post deserves its own thread. Here’s one:
Blake Miller (@come_on_night) says:
Jeff Shibley @SlashSkater getzlaf can’t be traded, we have no depth at center. I doubt bobby will be traded, but that’s more likely than getzlaf.
BTW, checkout Jeff at Rant Sports.
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Shibber makes a great point. Trade Getz and we have a huge or maybe not so huge hole at center. If we’re talking about the Getzlaf who shows up every January and has a great half season, no doubt trading that guy would create a huge hole at center. If we’re talking about the October through December Getzloaf, that guy won’t be missed at all.
The thing about trading either Getzlaf or Ryan is to solve a problem we created ourselves. Essentially under Bob Murray and in part with a big assist from Henry Samueli, we got away from Brian Burke’s template of building the team from the blue line out. Go look at the rosters of all the Stanley Cup champions. There you will find that a significant number SC Champs, I’d guess-timate about 80% or better, are teams built from the back line. In recent history the Pittsburgh Penguins and Caroline Hurricanes are the exceptions that prove the rule. The Bruins, Red Wings, Ducks and Blackhawks are all Cup winning teams powered from the blue line.
I’m not smart enough to know why this is but I don’t argue with facts either.
You don’t trade talent like Getzlaf or Ryan for the sake of shaking up a team as was the notion promoted last November. You make that trade to right a floundering ship. One way to approach such a trade is to rate the available #1 D-man out there. I break them into two two groups, Tier l and Tier ll. In a straight up trade Getzlaf would land us a Tier l and Ryan a Tier ll. Also I’m only considering players under 28 years of age. No question that Nik Lidstrom and Zdeno Chara are still legit #1 D-men but their remaining careers are short.
Tier l: Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Alexander Edler, John Carlson, Keith Yandle.
Tier ll: Dustin Byfuglein, Brent Burns, P.K. Subban, Dion Phaneuf, Tyler Myers.
Any one of those 10 D-men would solidify our blue line and take it to another level. While Getzlaf or Ryan is a lot to give up, any of those suggested trades would set our Ducks on a more solid organizational structure going forward.
Even I would not trade Getzlaf. I would just pay according to his for performance (just joking). Which Ryan should go? I say none. For basically the same amount of money we get 9 goals, 44 assists, 53 point and -9 from Getzy, and 27 goals, 23 assists, 50 points and -1 from BR. Almost even in terms of points, but it’s misleading. Getzlaf gets almost twice as much PP TOI, benefiting from playing with good PP scorers (Teemu 11 PP goals, Perry 13 PP goals).
You be the judge…
I just hope that working with Gabby, both of them will be very valuable players. Both of them need a lot of coaching. Both of them are very talented. I just hope that they will be willing to listen to Bruce Boudreau. Something about these two brings me back to 2003 playoffs, when the Ducks showed passion, and determination, when they were willing to sacrifice their bodies to take hits, to block shots, to give something extra every shift. The Devils were loaded with talent, they had size and skills, and the Ducks took them to 7 games, after beating Detroit 4-0, Dallas 4-2, and Minnesota 4-0.
Good and valid points cz, but If you don’t move either Ryan, how do you improve the D?
I know Brad, that’s a big question. But what if – 1. healthy Lydman and Visnovsky come back with their full potential (Toni was one of the league best last season, and this year he was not 100% after the injury and surgery, the same applies to Lubo). 2. Sbisa and Fowler and Guenin continue improving, and Beauch could have another good season. Brookbank is not bad, Too many ifs. We would still need a big mean body there.
And some numbers pertaining to our defense: goals against a game average (GAG) per game in October and November (under Carlyle: 3.48). December – the first month under BB – 3.62 (terrible). But January was excellent (1.75 GAG), February and March were decent 2.33 and 2.64 GAG. I do not want to blame everything on Carlyle, but for the Ducks, December was a difficult unlearning RC’s system. We can see that BB improved the strategy (we do not have both Ds behind our goal, forwards try to cover the slot), we protect the net-front much better and backchecking is more effective now. Of course, there were some other factors – extremely hard work in January, which we could not sustain. Hiller also improved a lot in January, Sbisa and Lydman elevated their game, etc.
When I play with the numbers and omit December, BB’s GAG stats for January through March are 2.24 (which would be 4th best in the NHL).
Practically and realistically I can buy into most of that cz. Beauchemin really came into his own this season. We don’t need him to play better so long as he maintains his groove.
Many say Fowler suffered through the sophomore jinx. Maybe, maybe not. It was definitely a learning and transition year for him as focused on not being noticed. Yeah, as you said he’ll probably get better next season.
Same with Luca Sbisa who established himself as a legitimate top four NHL D-man. I don’t think we’ve seen the best form Luca Sbisa yet.
Sheldon Brookbank has improved each year but I sense that he is plateauing. Nate Guenin has been a nice surprise.
The key is our two Ducks who got their wings clipped still coming off shoulder surgery. Eric Stephens caught up with Toni Lydman who seemed to be indicating that his career is winding down. I asked Ice if he sensed that Toni is talking or thinking retirement and he said no, citing the additional year on Lydman’s contract.
I don’t know that Lubo has another 50+ year in him but I don’t know that he doesn’t either. But, if Lubo & Lydman comeback all of the sudden the PP is better, ES scoring goes up and the GAA goes down. Yeah you’re right again CZ Lubo & Lydman are the ‘ifs.’
Granted Viz did not have a good year,however, last year different story to me. Both Lydman and Viz were very good, but ,we still had a very poor start to the season and barely squeaking into a play off series that we tanked. I agree a motivated Getz is a great player, but a loafer, nonetheless, he is. I believe something up front has to change but the paid decision makers will decide that.
As you and cz are expressing I’d rather see the improvements come from within. Maybe I’m just not as hopeful as you guys. You did send a cold chill reminding us that the “paid decision makers will decide” on the changes up front.