The secret of the Ducks success

[yave1964]

 The Anaheim Ducks enter 2015 with the best record in Hockey with a 24-8-6 record good for 54 points and a 9 point lead in the Pacific.

 

  This in spite of Corey Perry missing the past 15 games with a knee injury and phenom rookie goalie John Gibson having a lost season.

  To me the most alarming stat for the Ducks is the fact that they have 107 goals and 101 goals against, a great record in spite of a rather ordinary goal differential of plus six. Usually these things fnd their level. A team with an ordinary goal differential will usually wind up with an ordinary record.

  But to me coach Boudreau has done a great job with a rookie tender who has been great at times and very average at others, missing his best forward in Perry, and having a series of young forwards such as Silferberg, Devante Smith-Pelly and Rakell have been a mixed bag.

 

With all due respect to Perry and Getzlaf as well as newcomer Kessler this team has a new sheriff in town, actually three, the team now belongs to the best trio of young defenseman in the game on one team, the trio of Sami Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler.

 

  These three carry the puck, shoot and get back in their own zone and play big minutes every night,  their combined skill level is a sight to see. If they played together on an east coast team where they could be watched by most of us instead of playing after we go to bed, songs might be written about the trio, they are that ridiculously skilled. Vatanen carries the offense, Lindholm may be the best shut down defender in the game and Fowler combines both skill sets. Which one is best? Personally I have been sold on Lindholm for a year or two now and still see him as a plus 30 player with 55-60 points for an average season for the next decade but man, these three can all really play.

 So if you get a chance to watch a Ducks game this year, don't concentrate on the forwards, if you get a chance watch this trio, pinching in, never getting caught out of position, skill and speed making up for experience, with no disrespect to Cary who has put together a fine defense of their own, this is the trio to keep an eye on for this year and going forward. It is there team.

[briere48]

i think it's all about having experienced players on every line that's helping the youth

 

first line has getzalaf who is 29

second line has kesler who is 30 which is a big addition like you menioned that adds a ton of experience to the second line

third line has bourque who is 33

4th line has thompson who is 30

 

first line d has lovejoy who is 30

second line d has beauchemin who is 34

third line d stoner who is 29

 

every line has an experienced player which is helping the youth, without them, they probably would be bad as edmonton. that's the perfect example of balancing youth and vet players.

[jammer2]

@briere48   Nice post, agree with all of that. Some valid points.

[Commander Clueless]

The secret is clearly voodoo.

[briere48]

@briere48   Nice post, agree with all of that. Some valid points.

thank you

[yave1964]

@briere48

 

Actually Stoner and Lovejoy make up the third pair but the premise of your post I agree with.

 

I was a realy bad d-man when I tried to play, I was slow as death skating forward and nearly stationary in reverse. I have always had an affinity for d-men, I love studying them on most nights when I watch Hockey which is most nights. I have absolutely fallen in love with Lindholm, he is so poised and never gets turned around, his first pass is accurate and his shot is sneaky fast. He is the closest thing to a young Lidstrom that I have ever seen. He is playing top pair minutes with Vatanen, his skill at both ends allows Vatanen to press forward with the puck. These three kids are the envy of the entire league.