Anaheim Ducks Fan Mailbag: 11/03/2014 – 11/09/2014

November 7, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) moves in for a shot on goal as Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy (5) helps goalie Mike Smith (41) defend during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

This past week was not particularly great for the Anaheim Ducks. The team missed Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry because of flu-like symptoms and netminder Frederik Andersen with leg tightness on Wednesday’s game against the New York Islanders, but the Ducks were able to salvage a point in the standings with a furious rally before falling 3-2 in overtime on a goal from John Tavares. On Friday, Getzlaf and Andersen both returned to the lineup, while Perry sat out again with the flu. However, Francois Beauchemin battled sickness, yet still played, as the Ducks blew a 2-0 lead and lost to the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 in the shootout. On Sunday, Nick Bonino and the Vancouver Canucks came into the Honda Center for the first meeting between the two teams since making the blockbuster deal that sent Ryan Kesler and a 2015 3rd round pick to Anaheim for Bonino, Luca Sbisa, and 2014 1st and 3rd round picks. Perry was moved to Injured Reserve with the flu, retroactive to Wednesday, while Beauchemin and Cam Fowler both sat out. Fowler suffered a lower-body injury against Arizona, presumably to the left knee that he suffered an MCL sprain to in March of last season. The Ducks lost another lead and another game, falling 2-1 in the shootout to Vancouver.

Despite these injuries and a winless week, there are still positives for Anaheim. Defenseman Sami Vatanen has really been a force for Anaheim, leading all Anaheim defensemen with ten points in 16 games played, all of which have come on the power-play. His ten power-play points are the most among all NHL defensemen and tied for third among all NHL players, and his four power-play goals are tied for third in the NHL, only behind Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz.

Kesler is third on the Ducks in scoring, with 11 points, including a three game point streak (three assists). He is currently 10th in the NHL among centers in faceoff win% and 7th among those who have taken a minimum of 200 draws. Kesler also has the fifth most faceoff wins, with 180 through 16 games. He is second among Ducks’ forwards in ice time to Getzlaf, currently leads all NHL forwards in minutes played, and is 14th among all NHL forwards in ice time per game, at 20:12.

The Ducks had a strong week on special teams, going 3/7 on the power-play on their homestand thus far. This bumped their power-play conversion rate to 20.7%, good for 13th in the league. The Ducks also sport a top-10 penalty-kill at 84.9%, which is tied for the 9th best mark in the NHL. Anaheim has killed the last six power-plays they have faced. These are improvements for the Ducks, as the team was only 22nd in power-play conversion last season and 13th on the penalty kill.

Kyle Palmieri is nearing his return from the high ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason, giving the Ducks another forward to utilize in the lineup. With Fowler and Beauchemin ailing, Hampus Lindholm and Vatanen have shouldered the load and responded brilliantly for Anaheim, which needed its trio of young defensemen to improve this season. Lindholm is second on the team in ice-time per game at 22:46, while Vatanen leads the team with 33 blocked shots. Though the Ducks have been hampered a bit by injuries in the early going, their depth has stepped up and played well for flashes, making Anaheim a better and deeper team when healthy.

Another eventful week has passed, so it’s time to answer questions for the Pucks of a Feather mailbag. Again, editor Jason Byun will answer questions that have been asked about the team.

Nov 2, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Anaheim Ducks goalie Jason LaBarbera (30) defends his net in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. The Ducks defeated the Avalanche 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

1. With the injury to John Gibson and uninspiring play of Jason LaBarbera, should the Ducks look to acquire a goalie in case Frederik Andersen suffers an injury before Gibson returns?

– Andy

Jason: This one’s a bit tough. I can understand wanting to acquire a goalie for insurance, but Jason LaBarbera actually is the insurance goalie. I’m leaning more against the Ducks signing another goalie, unless Andersen does sustain an injury that will sideline for a significant period of time.

First, both Andersen and John Gibson have outgrown the AHL. There isn’t much of anything for either player to gain in the AHL: if they split starts evenly in the NHL, they’ll get one or two a week each. In the AHL, games are usually just on weekends, which means one or two starts a week. No veteran is going to block Andersen or Gibson, so the “more playing time” argument doesn’t really apply in this case. The only way the Ducks will know if Andersen and Gibson can really handle the NHL is if they keep getting NHL starts.

Second, Bob Murray wants to give young guys an opportunity. Jonas Hiller was allowed to walk so that Andersen and Gibson could take over. Players such as Saku Koivu, Daniel Winnik, and Stephane Robidas weren’t given contracts, and the team has asked players such as William Karlsson, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Sami Vatanen to take their roster spots. Young players such as Matt Beleskey, Jakob Silfverberg, Lindholm, and Fowler have each taken steps forward in their development this season as well. While signing a veteran such as Ilya Bryzgalov, Tomas Vokoun, or even Martin Brodeur sounds enticing, it doesn’t really seem to fit the youth movement that Murray has been seeking (then again, neither did the Dany Heatley signing, but that was more of a low-risk, high-reward flyer).

Even if the Ducks do sign a guy like Bryzgalov or Brodeur, once Andersen and Gibson were to return from their injuries, that’s a mess. It doesn’t make much sense to carry three goalies, but none of those three goalies are AHL players. Again, there should be no veteran blocking Andersen and Gibson from competing for the number 1 spot when both are healthy. Use LaBarbera as a stopgap if both are hurt (as the Ducks did against the Avalanche and Islanders), but the only time a goalie like Bryzgalov should be considered is if both Andersen and Gibson cannot play for a significant amount of time.

Nov 9, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Alex Burrows (14) moves the puck between Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) and defenseman Bryan Allen (5) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

2. The Ducks offense has had struggle scoring. Anaheim has no need for Bryan Allen anymore, so can’t the team just unload him and buy low on a forward prospect or a veteran scorer?

– Andrew

Jason: I’ve been harsh and extremely critical of Bryan Allen during his tenure here in Anaheim, but I’m a bit wary of dealing him. For some reason, he’s not allowed to make small mistakes, yet mistakes by Vatanen, Lindholm, and Fowler are constantly overlooked. Allen, for the most part, has played a solid two games since his return from a hamstring ailment. He’s a physical presence on the blue-line and gives the team solid depth on defense, something this team has needed with injuries to Ben Lovejoy, Mark Fistric, and Fowler.

Allen’s a fine depth defenseman, and he’d probably be the seventh defenseman when the team gets Lovejoy back. Yes, Josh Manson has played very well in limited action with Anaheim, but he’s not going to get regular playing time when the Ducks’ regular six defensemen are healthy. He and Mat Clark need to be playing as many games as possible, which means they will return to the AHL, where they will get ice time rather than time in the press box with every game.

Yes, Allen has a cap hit of $3.5 million this season, a fair bit for a player who should ideally only be on the third pairing or seventh option on the team. But to acquire a forward prospect or a scoring veteran forward would require someone more enticing than Allen (mostly because of that contract). It would also probably require an attached draft pick, which are assets that the Anaheim organization values as a budget team that has built its core with homegrown players. It’s easy to talk about trading Allen, but actually doing so is a bit more difficult, and the returns won’t be that significant. Yes, Fistric is cheaper, but Allen is also a better player than Fistric (even if they are similar).

Besides, Allen’s contract is up after this season, and if the youth movement for Anaheim continues, he probably will not be offered a contract by Bob Murray. His cap hit will come off the books, giving the team some financial flexibility to re-sign some of its key components (like Matt Beleskey, who’s having a terrific season thus far and will enter unrestricted free agency after this year).

The Ducks’ offensive woes are mostly for three reasons. First, their two franchise cornerstones in Getzlaf and Perry have each missed time, with Perry missing the past three games because of the flu. Perry leads the team with 11 goals, four more than the next highest scorer (Beleskey, who has seven). Getzlaf and Perry are depended upon to score goals at crucial times, and with them out of the lineup, players who are usually relied on as depth scorers suddenly become the “go-to” guys. Perry’s return to the lineup should help the Ducks in the goal-scoring department.

Another reason is that the team not playing a full 60 minutes. Against the Islanders, the Ducks fell behind early and looked lost for the first 30 minutes before turning on a switch and thoroughly outplaying New York for the final period and a half of regulation. Against Arizona, The Ducks let up for about five minutes in the second period, allowing the Coyotes to score two goals in 58 seconds to tie the game. The Ducks were in complete control, yet because of a lack of focus, they stopped winning puck battles and were stuck in their own zone at times. The same thing happened on Sunday against Vancouver: most of the team didn’t battle as hard after Vatanen’s goal.

Lastly, the Ducks have run into some solid goaltending performances of late. Great chances are great chances, but sometimes, a goalie is just sharp. Andersen and Gibson have each stolen games for the Ducks this season (Andersen’s 39 save effort against Philadelphia, Gibson’s 38 save shutout against Chicago). Mike Smith, after an ugly start to his season, has a 1.99 GAA and .939 SV% in his last five games, stopping 153 of 163 shots, including 37 of 39 against Anaheim on Friday. Eddie Lack, who had allowed at least three goals in all of his starts this season, stopped 28 of 29 shots against Anaheim on Sunday while picking up his first win of the season.

I don’t really believe that the team needs to go out and make a trade for a scoring forward because of three consecutive overtime-losses. The Ducks did that to themselves because in those games, they were controlling the puck and the pace of play when they were skating and working in the corners. When that wasn’t happening, all three opponents had their way. Injuries and such are a factor, but there is no denying that the Ducks were beating NHL teams and controlling play with the 18 skaters they had dressed on each of those nights. The lack of execution and competitive edge is as much to blame as anything, as their time in the offensive zone suffered once those elements were missing. Anaheim is in fine shape. They just need to string as complete a game together as possible and continue bringing pressure.

Nov 5, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (center) attempts to handle the puck defend by Anaheim Ducks left wing Patrick Maroon (left) and defenseman Hampus Lindholm (right) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

3. With how strong the second line of Matt Beleskey, Ryan Kesler, and Jakob Silfverberg has looked, that knocks out a need the Ducks have needed. Who gets the spot on left-wing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry?

– Paul

Jason: Oh man. If that line of Beleskey, Kesler, and Silfverberg continue that level of play, then the Ducks are going to be a major handful to deal with. That’s a line that can win puck battles and match-up against opposing teams’ top forwards because of Kesler and Silfverberg’s incredible two-way prowess. That means more offensive-oriented shifts for Getzlaf and Perry, but they need to find that third player that they haven’t had since Bobby Ryan was traded to the Ottawa Senators (and even before then, as Boudreau removed Ryan from the top-line and used him on the second line to distribute scoring, including a fairly long experiment as the team’s second line center during the lockout season).

With Beleskey and Silfverberg playing well with Kesler, that removes two options for Getzlaf and Perry. At this point, the field looks like it consists of three or four players, which are Patrick Maroon, Smith-Pelly, Dany Heatley, and possibly Kyle Palmieri (if the position is not settled by the time Palmieri returns).

Heatley was signed in the offseason to a one-year, $1 million deal as a bounce-back candidate and veteran who could complete the Getzlaf and Perry line. However, he suffered a groin injury in the preseason and hasn’t had any particularly inspiring games since returning from the Injured Reserve. He’s only played in four of a possible seven games since his return, and his ice time has decreased with each game: he barely played ten minutes on Sunday against Vancouver, even though he played on the top-line with Getzlaf and Smith-Pelly after Maroon and Kevin Bieksa fought right off the opening faceoff. Heatley is a shooter first, yet he only has six shots on goal and has been largely invisible on the ice. He’s mostly just been on the perimeter to start the season, as winning puck battles and going to the dirty areas has never really been a part of his game. Despite the early disappointment, Heatley has been a respected goal-scorer in this league for a while, and there is still a chance that he can produce on the top-line.

Maroon began the season on the top line because of the injury to Heatley, and he has had an impact. Maroon isn’t the lethal sniping threat that Heatley has been in his career: he’s a net-front presence who loves engaging in physical play and getting in the dirty areas. Like Getzlaf and Perry, he’s a heavy forechecker, but Maroon has a tendency to emerge from the corners with the puck thanks to his big frame and good strength. He’s a willing one-touch passer with underrated ice vision and hands. His ability to get pucks on the forecheck and give the rubber to Getzlaf and Perry has made him a terrific early candidate to stay with Getzlaf and Perry, as the Ducks become a better team when Getzlaf and Perry have the puck more often. Maroon does not have to be a 20 goal scorer with Getzlaf and Perry, but he can become a solid 35-40 assist player that makes his linemates better while chipping in about 15 goals. Maroon has four points on the season, all assists, but he also missed eight games with an MCL injury suffered against the Buffalo Sabres.

When Maroon got injured, Boudreau scrambled to find a top line option for the Ducks. Smith-Pelly got his chance after spending the playoffs with Getzlaf and Perry, where he led the team with five goals. Like Maroon, Smith-Pelly is a gritty player: he leads the Ducks in hits and engages on the forecheck as well. He is more of a shooter than Maroon is and has three goals on the season. He’s not quite as proficient as Maroon is at winning puck battles, but he offers more speed and better offensive instincts. Smith-Pelly is the kind of player who could end up being that 20-goal scorer on the wing with Getzlaf and Perry: he isn’t the deadly offensive presence that Perry is, but Smith-Pelly has a solid shot and is willing to get into the crease and pounce on rebounds.

Lastly, there is Palmieri, who has skated with Getzlaf and Perry before. Palmieri offers more speed than any of the four players, but he’s not as physical as Maroon or Smith-Pelly in the corners. However, Palmieri is always willing to shoot the puck, as one of his most noticeable characteristics is his aggressiveness in the offensive third. Palmieri doesn’t shy away from the physical aspect of the game, but he isn’t as effective in the corners as Maroon or Smith-Pelly, as he’s a smaller player at 5’11 and 195 pounds. Still, his speed and shot are great assets for the team, and he can create rebound opportunities for Getzlaf and Perry.

If I had to pick, I’d say that it’s currently between Maroon and Smith-Pelly for the top line spot, but I really like Maroon on there. His ability to win pucks is something he does better than almost anybody on this team, and the ability to control the puck in the offensive third is huge. Shooting and offensive prowess is important, but the Ducks already have that in Getzlaf and Perry. A complete line should add more elements, and Maroon is no slouch as a passer. He’s a physical player who can crash the net and convert rebound opportunities, but he can let Getzlaf control the puck more often, which is usually good news for Anaheim.

The Ducks have needed to fill the four spots on their top-six outside of Getzlaf and Perry for a while. With the Kesler deal and emergence of Beleskey and Silfverberg, three of those spots may be filled now. If someone on the team can fill in that top line spot, the Ducks become a much better team for it. And the players that don’t can be used effectively in depth scoring roles, another area that is important for good teams to have.