Anaheim Ducks: What Can Dallas Eakins Learn From the Past?

Defensive Stratagem’s

There are of course other pieces of the Ducks play last season, and in days past that, which may be used for learning purposes. While not solely a Ducks-centric defensive stratagem, and more one that Carlyle had taken with him to every coaching stop, the Ducks under Randy Carlyle, the Ducks would typically attempt to overload one portion of the ice and attempt to minimize the space the attacking puck handler would have to work with.

Specifically, there would often be four of the Ducks defensive unit closing onto an opposition player and forcing them into a corner. This essentially divided the defensive zone into quarters, with the puck handler, the puck, and an overwhelming number of Ducks players all in one-quarter of the ice. This stratagem has some positive aspects to it, however, it similarly has a glaring flaw.

If the puck handler can move the puck outside of this confined space, the opposition team would have players in open space. It also has an impact on the Anaheim Ducks players who would have to accelerate rapidly to reach those opposition players. That acceleration increases player fatigue, which over a game accumulates. Players with greater levels of fatigue tend to make poor tactical decisions, present a decline in the execution of skills, and may increase their risk of injury.

This system of defense was somewhat mimicked in the past by Eakins himself. The “swarm” defense he implemented in Edmonton, required the doubling up of defensive players onto a single opposition offensive player. The first defensive player would skate in and pin the offensive player along the boards, with the second defensive player coming in to strip the puck away.

Like Carlyle’s strategy above, Eakins strategy left offensive players alone in open ice. If the second player moved in before the first had effectively pinned the offensive player to the boards, the offensive player was able to get the pass off to a teammate. The issues here are similar to those described above.

Dallas Eakins Can Learn From His Past Mistakes

Eakins did, in the past, admit that that “swarm” defense was a flawed strategy, so it seems unlikely that he would revisit it. Particularly given the harm it caused his career and reputation. Eakins would be wise to review both coaching strategies and find the rationales for why they didn’t work, before implementing his own, newer, defensive strategy.

Hopefully, since his Edmonton days, Eakins has sourced the hockey world for new idea’s. It was a criticism during his Edmonton days, that his players often looked lost on the ice. He admitted during a press conference with the Edmonton Journal that his players didn’t have a sound understanding of defensive structure.

"“My bad,” he said. “I assumed that we knew what traditional d-zone coverage was and it was clear that we didn’t.”"

This may be in part due to the lack of intensity shown during practices. Although this is just circumstantial rumors that abounded at the time. Since then, however, Eakins has had quite a few years with the Ducks prospects on which to build his knowledge, each of which would have further helped his learning curve in their own way.

Nick Ritchie spent very little time in the AHL due to his goal-scoring prowess there, yet when he arrived in the NHL he looked unsure of where to be on the ice at any given time. Given previous concerns about his NHL players looking lost on the ice, this should prove to be the point that Eakins could make to himself. Drill the players often. While drills may get bad press, they’re put in place as learning tools, so that the players may move without thinking. Positioning and movements become ingrained in certain situations.

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Brandon Montour, highly touted for his offense yet maligned for his defense in junior, continued that trend into his professional career. While he certainly improved over the years while with the Anaheim Ducks, he came into the league after spending time in the AHL, with no defensive nous to show for it.

Similarly, Jaycob Megna, Andy Welinski, and Marcus Pettersson, all struggled initially with their defensive plays and positioning. Jacob Larsson has yet to make it back into the NHL after his initial positive stint. These struggles may be attributed to the players in general, however, the coach’s primary role is as a teacher. As was the case in Edmonton, the players may not have a base understanding of defensive zone plays. Or at the very least, it may not be their strong point.

From the defense, offense is generated. Thus Eakins would do well to head his own mistakes of the past, and ensure his players are fully aware of where they need to be and what they need to be doing. Darryl Sutter taking the role he has should help improve Eakins where he has traditionally been weak. The former assistant to Darryl Sutter, John Stevens had the following to say, during an interview with the LA times:

"“Darryl’s attention to preparation was unbelievable, and his attention to the emotional preparation of a hockey team, I thought, was unbelievable. He was relentless in the preparation and how important every game was and how much emphasis he put on the individual being prepared, and that certainly left an imprint on me.”"

The Ducks may get the best of both worlds. A shrewd tactician, with an eye for detail, in Sutter, and of course they have their guy in Eakins leading the show. If he can learn from the mistakes of the past, the Ducks could be in good hands.

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