Anaheim Ducks: Dump the Dump and Chase

The Anaheim Ducks have played with a flawed “Dump and Chase” system ever since the return of Randy Carlyle. And with the results looking the same the excuses have run out and its time for it to stop. If you needed any sort of indication, look no further than Pontus Aberg’s second goal last night.

If you didn’t remember or just wanted to see it again here it is. Now I am not a Pontus Aberg fan. I’m not saying he isn’t an NHL quality player but he is a fourth line potential third line player. But this goal is everything that the Ducks don’t do. And everything they need to. Taking away the dazzling toe drag and cut back that leads to the goal the part to look at is the start in the neutral zone. Aberg strips the puck from Kevin Labanc right ahead of the red line. More often than not the Ducks gain the red-line and dump it in. Aberg turns up ice, head up the whole way and went hard to the net pushing the defense back with his speed. He creates space with his speed and scores a great goal.

As Ducks fans were used to seeing this done to us, not for us. And it needs to stop now more than ever. The Ducks have the roster that can do it and to be honest, would probably be its strength. The likes of Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg, Sam Steel, Max Comtois etc. being able to be creative and push the envelope is exactly how the Ducks will succeed. So how do we get to this? You dump the “Dump and Chase”

Not About Carlyle…….Per Se

We here at Pucks of a Feather have written about how we want Randy Carlyle out as head coach. More than once it’s been the topic of articles, to be honest. And as much as confetti will fall from our offices when it happens this isn’t an attack on Carlyle per se. Just the antique system he deploys. In this day and age, the game of hockey is all about possession. You need to have the puck to be successful. Now I am not nor will I ever be the person that tells you, Corsi, is the end all be all in hockey. Stats have their place but the eye test is better than tracking numbers. The hard fast truth is the Ducks don’t have the puck very often. And haven’t for the last few seasons. That’s because everytime they get the puck they dump it into the corner.

The dump and chase worked in an NHL where heavy hitting teams could attack not so fast moving defensemen. A time like 2007, funny how that lines up. In 2018 the game has changed, honestly, it’s been changed for a few seasons now. The Ducks rosters of the last couple of years that employed this failed because they weren’t fast enough. They fail now because they aren’t physical enough. And they have failed overall because its a system that gives away the puck. I have played hockey all my life, nowhere close to the NHL level but this lesson translates to any level mites to pros. You’re system cant be predicated on giving the puck away.

It’s Not You, It’s Me

The Ducks need to break-up with this system. They are in a relationship that flat out isn’t working anymore. They have a team that can come out you with speed creativity and pepper opposing goalies with shots. They can score goals night in and night out like Aberg’s against the Sharks. They just need to finally break away from this system and if it means the coach as well then so be it. Carlyle and Bob Murray claimed the system this year would be “new”. All that has been used through 12 games is a faster version of a system that does not work. Bruce Boudreau would be welcomed back with open arms with this roster and wow that would be fun to watch.

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• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

I am not saying that the Ducks need to completely change their identity. The Ducks have always been a cycling team and it works when they can establish it. But cycling is predicated on you having the puck. You can play heavy and fast below the goal line. But you need to have the puck to succeed with that strategy. And with the roster they have; Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell, Isac Lundestrom, Adam Henrique etc. and puck-moving mobile defensemen this strategy harms them all. They need to push the envelope, skate all 200 feet of the ice and power past opposing players. Until they change something they will be just what they are now, a .500 team. Sometimes they will get burnt sometimes they will hold on and be opportunistic. But 5-5-2 is exactly what this team is.

The season is extremely young and the year can not only be saved but made incredible, but things need to change and change fast before it slips away.