The Ducks have been playing really well considering their expectations for this season. Eakins’ score by committee/roll four lines strategy has allowed them to play with a rolling pace against most teams. However, there are some periphery moves that could be made to this roster to create a more formidable team.
First, lose MDZ. He’s not bad as a 3rd pairing defenseman, but he’s not at all suited for top 4 minutes, which is what he’s been getting while Guhle is out. Instead, ship him off to Winnipeg who is in dire need of any NHL-calibre defensemen they can get their hands on. After shipping of MDZ, make a deal with Dallas for Honka who the Stars are looking to get rid of for a low draft pick. Honka never hit his stride with the coaching staff in Dallas, but his underlying metrics suggest that he could turn into a serviceable top 4 D in the future. If anything, it provides a young, fast, right-handed defenseman who can swap in and out with Holzer on the 3rd pair when Guhle is healthy. And while Guhle is out, Honka can play with Fowler on the 2nd pairing as he can at least provide speed and a good breakout pass, two things MDZ cannot do.
Second, send down Deslauriers, he is BAAAAD. Call up Sprong.
Third, start scratching Grant and Rowney for Shore and Sprong on the 4th line. If Eakins wants to roll four lines that are creating chances and making life difficult for opposition he needs to put to rest this fourth line of grinders idea. Every line should have the ability to score. Shore has shown this season that he has decent hands, decent speed and good playmaking ability. With Sprong, who has a near elite shot, and Ritchie, who is able to retrieve pucks down low and get in front of the net, this 4th line could add another wave of offense and skill that would give other teams’ bottom 6 issues.
A fully healthy Ducks team with this roster has more skill, more speed, more ability to exhaust team with their tempo and a defenseman on each pairing that can help the breakout from their own zone.
Eakins isn’t rolling 4 lines. Rowney played 8 min yesterday and Grant 10. Rowney and Grant kill penalties. Sprong doesn’t. This team is fine as it’s currently constructed. I wouldn’t mind adding Honka. But the rest of your steps don’t make much sense.
Eakins isn’t rolling 4 lines. Rowney played 8 min yesterday and Grant 10. Rowney and Grant kill penalties. Sprong doesn’t. This team is fine as it’s currently constructed. I wouldn’t mind adding Honka. But the rest of your steps don’t make much sense.
It varies, Grant is averaging 14.30 per game and Rowney is averaging 12.39, which is pretty high for fourth liners. Grant and Rowney played 17 and 15 minutes against the Blue Jackets, Eakins' likes to use all the lines and will use whichever one he thinks is the hottest. Shore and Jones can be just as good as Grant and Rowney on the PK, as well as provide a counter-punch ability like Rakell and Silfverberg do on the PK. The Ritchie-Shore-Sprong line will give the 4th line a better chance to be a hot line that could see boosted minutes.
It varies, Grant is averaging 14.30 per game and Rowney is averaging 12.39, which is pretty high for fourth liners. Grant and Rowney played 17 and 15 minutes against the Blue Jackets, Eakins' likes to use all the lines and will use whichever one he thinks is the hottest. Shore and Jones can be just as good as Grant and Rowney on the PK, as well as provide a counter-punch ability like Rakell and Silfverberg do on the PK. The Ritchie-Shore-Sprong line will give the 4th line a better chance to be a hot line that could see boosted minutes.
Check out Grant’s zone starts. I’m sure it’s like 80% d zone. He and Rowney are being used as defensive line and Grant gets more time because he good in the face off dot. There’s a reason for the way the roster is constructed. Adding Sprong over Rowney/Grant doesn’t make this team better. Also Shore and Jones can’t win face offs and I don’t recall seeing either on the PK this season.
Check out Grant’s zone starts. I’m sure it’s like 80% d zone. He and Rowney are being used as defensive line and Grant gets more time because he good in the face off dot. There’s a reason for the way the roster is constructed. Adding Sprong over Rowney/Grant doesn’t make this team better. Also Shore and Jones can’t win face offs and I don’t recall seeing either on the PK this season.
Yea but Grant's stats are awful defensively at controlling shot rates as he's a -19.6 CF relative, Rowney is a -15.7 CF relative. So yea, they get started in the defensive zone a lot, but they don't have the skill to push the play into the opposition's zone, so when they're on the ice they usually get hemmed in their zone. Ritchie-Shore-Sprong doesn't need to be good defensively because they'll usually be pushing the play into the other end.
Shore played penalty kill last year and Jones played a lot of PK in junior and the AHL, and he has the speed, stick skills, defensive awareness and size to be effective in the position in the NHL.
Faceoff win % effect on the game is negligible, it's just another puck battle, and although Grant is good at winning the faceoff battle, he's not good at winning puck battles against the board which is exemplified by how bad the team's shot rates are when he's on the ice. The Ducks' best penalty killers are Rakell and Silfverberg and neither of them is good at faceoffs, but they're very good at winning puck battles against the boards. Shore and Jones are also really good at winning puck battles against the boards so I think they'd make a better option on the PK while making room for a much better 4th line.
Yea but Grant's stats are awful defensively at controlling shot rates as he's a -19.6 CF relative, Rowney is a -15.7 CF relative. So yea, they get started in the defensive zone a lot, but they don't have the skill to push the play into the opposition's zone, so when they're on the ice they usually get hemmed in their zone. Ritchie-Shore-Sprong doesn't need to be good defensively because they'll usually be pushing the play into the other end.
Shore played penalty kill last year and Jones played a lot of PK in junior and the AHL, and he has the speed, stick skills, defensive awareness and size to be effective in the position in the NHL.
Faceoff win % effect on the game is negligible, it's just another puck battle, and although Grant is good at winning the faceoff battle, he's not good at winning puck battles against the board which is exemplified by how bad the team's shot rates are when he's on the ice. The Ducks' best penalty killers are Rakell and Silfverberg and neither of them is good at faceoffs, but they're very good at winning puck battles against the boards. Shore and Jones are also really good at winning puck battles against the boards so I think they'd make a better option on the PK while making room for a much better 4th line.
If you win a FO you don’t have to chase the puck. FO win % is not a negligible effect on the game. Starting a shift with the puck makes the game easier and allows for set breakouts.
Silfverberg and Rakell don’t start and PK shift off a FO. They’re the second pair after grant and Rowney. They get to just focus on disrupting entries. Sprong isn’t the answer to any 4th line problems. Also Jones will be with steel and Terry again. Pretty sure he was scratched last night due to the collision with the goal post Friday.
You can make a case for shore over Rowney but if your PK pair is Rowney and Grant then Shore is probly the odd man out.
All that said the 4th line isn’t the difference maker on this team. It’s whether or not the Getz and Steel lines can start scoring.
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