Anaheim Ducks Round Table: Advice for the 2019-20 Roster

Aside from the obvious Troy Terry, Sam Steel, and Brendan Guhle, which rookie do you think deserves a chance with the Anaheim Ducks this season and why?

Jonathan Morris: I believe Maxime Comtois will surprise a lot of people with a strong enough camp to land a top 9 spot from the start of the season. He will jump up and down the lineup settling in at the second line LW.

TJ Watson: Maxime Comtois, because he showed that he can be physical and show restraint without taking boneheaded penalties.

Ed Stein: I think Max Jones has earned his shot. After he came up in 2019, Jones looked like he belonged in the NHL. Bob Murray trusted the 2016 first-round pick enough to play him an average of 13:10 per night. I think he can hang with the top six this season.

Ben Thomasian: It feels weird writing it, but the funny thing about history is that if you don’t learn lessons from it, then it’s bound to be repeated. In a bid to not become the 2020’s version of the 2010-2019 (and counting) Edmonton Oilers, the Ducks will need to be forcibly restrained from making every mistake the Oilers have made.

On top of the names already mentioned, it would seem likely that Max Jones, Jacob Larsson, and Josh Mahura will all be pegged to play games in Anaheim uniforms this coming season. Adding more players to the mix and pushing them to play before they are ready is a very Oilers thing to do. Jesse Puljujarvi may be the latest of the Oilers to be played too early based on hype, but there have been others.

The Ducks themselves have a history of bringing in players before their time. Look at how quickly the shine washed off Nick Ritchie in the fandom’s eyes as an example. Recently, I saw someone use the term “generational talent” to describe Max Comtois. Effectively placing him in the same tier as Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. How quickly will the shine wash off if he doesn’t perform to expectation? For that reason, I believe it is best to stick with who they have playing already, without rushing players such as Max Comtois and Trevor Zegras.

Of the three I mentioned, Max Jones is the most interesting one for me. Given that the Ducks have seemingly pigeon-holed him into a bottom 6 role (an idea I actually think is best for the player), his trade value will likely never be higher than it is now. For that reason, he may be the Ducks best trade chip. A trade chip with rapidly diminishing returns, should he not be given top 6 minutes and line-mates. Taking a trade off the table, however, Jones is a player the Ducks don’t have a lot of. A player with size, in an increasingly smaller lineup. A player with speed, in a relatively average to slower-paced team. Perhaps more than that, Jones was able to create chances with bottom 6 line-mates.

With the Ducks moving on from one of the games greatest offensive threats on the penalty kill last season, there would appear to be a place for Jones to make his own. I would love to see him take on a more defensive responsibility in the Andrew Cogliano mold and solidify a defensive forward spot going into the future.

Jordan German: For the Ducks, I think a vital prospect that deserves time is Max Comtois. It’s a cliche to say so at this point, but Comtois is a one of a kind prospect that could be a generational talent. In his first ten games with Anaheim, he already had seven points total and showed that he could already outskate some of the seasoned veterans in the league.

A good example of that is the goal he scored on the Sharks in the opening minutes of the first game of 2018-2019. On top of that, his stickhandling is so nasty, it’s almost a spectacle in and of itself to watch. He just has an all-around brilliant hockey IQ that would see him play well on any line, and his next games in Anaheim could be some really useful development opportunities.

Alternatively, I’d also love to see Isac Lundestrom come back for the season. He had a rough start last year, and amongst the locker room happenings, he didn’t get enough time to really shine. He had two assists in his first fifteen games in Anaheim, and he spent time down in San Diego developing as well.

He managed six assists total in his twelve AHL games, plus all of the extra padding points from the tournaments he competed in for Sweden. He’s had some useful time to himself to improve, and his passing ability will be much needed for a Ducks team heavy with talented shooters. Maybe Comtois and Lundestrom would bring a little magic along with such dynamic abilities working together.

Khalid Hart: Max Comtois. He had a major impact last season so it’s only right that we continue to see what he’s got. Clearly he can play with the big club it’s a matter of where he’s placed and who he plays with.

Jake Robles: I think Max Jones is the player I’m most excited to see get an opportunity with the club. He wasn’t exactly a big scoring threat until later in the season, and even then he only finished with a few points. However, he looked a little more comfortable as the season started to wind down and I think he’ll come into camo motivated to break out. He’s been through a lot injury-wise, so I think a healthy start to the season could be what helps him prove himself this year.

Ciara Durant: I’m going to go against the flow and choose a player that has not been mentioned yet by my staff. Kiefer Sherwood is the player I believe deserves a shot this season. The young forward had a great showing last season to the point where he played more games than any of the other rookies.

Sherwood is not one of those flashy players that have been hyped up like Comtois, Jones, or Terry. However, for the Ducks to be successful, they need to roll out 4 great lines. The focus can’t just be on the Top 6 or 9. Sherwood is a great bottom 6 players who bring energy and positivity to the lineup. Out of all the players going into camp, he will have to work harder to prove that he belongs with the big club. He has already shown us that he’s willing to put in the work and be proactive. Although I wouldn’t be upset if he played with the Gulls this season, I’d love to see one of my favorite underrated prospects worm his way into the lineup once again.

Which player are you most looking forward to watching in 2019-20?

Jonathan Morris: I feel like, along with the pressure being taken off of Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell will be the main beneficiary of a resurgent season. The Ducks need more than a couple of 20 goal scorers. Rakell will be one of them and the rookies will add a different dimension to this team.

TJ Watson: Rickard Rakell or Troy Terry. They may be the face of the future leaders of the franchise.

Ed Stein: John Gibson. This is the year #36 pulls it all together, including a long stretch of good health. It’s time everyone knows how good Gibson really is and I’m going to enjoy watching it.

Ben Thomasian: Given the question doesn’t specify the Ducks, I really want to say Kaapo Kakko. I won’t lie, I have a serious man-crush on him (I have stickers, t-shirts, jersey’s, etc.), that may only be surpassed by 2022 Ducks draftee and generational talent, Brad Lambert.

However, recognizing this is all about the Ducks, I have to say, John Gibson. Gibson is the only current Duck I have a jersey for. So, with that in mind, Gibson is bae and my sole reason for watching. My eyes cannot be tempted by another… I mean, have you seen that flow? That hair is gorgeous.

Jordan German: It’s an odd choice, but the player I’m most excited to watch in this upcoming season is Adam Henrique. When he first came to Anaheim, it was truly the first time in a while that I felt like the Ducks traded for star-presence, and that feeling wasn’t totally wrong. Henrique has been solid for the Ducks, putting up seventy-eight points and only thirty-eight penalty minutes in the 139 games he’s played for Anaheim for the past two seasons. He also showed his loyalty to the Ducks by signing a five-year contract in 2018, when most people thought he’d head back to the Devils sooner rather than later. It’ll really be awesome to watch him get back out there and do his thing.

The other player I’m equally excited for is Devin Shore. Originally acquired in a trade for fan-favorite Andrew Cogliano, he didn’t get to play too long for Anaheim before he took a nasty knee on knee collision that shook him up. Still, Shore is young and shows a lot of promise. He ended up with twelve points in his thirty-four games with the Ducks. This year, he’ll have the rest of the season to prove himself further, and considering that his two full previous years in Dallas were career years, he might even be coming into his prime for the Ducks.

Khalid Hart: All eyes should be on Rickard Rakell. With Perry out of the picture, he will have to be the go-to guy for goals. On top of that, he is also playing with one of the leagues best passers so he should have no problem scoring goals.

Jake Robles: Jakob Silfverberg. By far, Silverberg was one of, if not our best forward last season. I think I’m excited to see what he does, mostly because I think he can hit 50 points this season. He was 6 points away from tying his career-high of 49 in a year where the Ducks as a whole didn’t do a whole lot of good things on the ice. It definetly wasn’t a fluke and I’m confident he could do it again, especially if he gets those top-line minutes again with Getzlaf.

Ciara Durant: Again, a player that has yet to be mentioned is Ondrej Kase. I’m not just excited to watch him play because he is my favorite Ducks currently on the roster, but he shows so much promise to have a break out year. If he can manage to stay healthy and is given the chance to play in the Top 6 (preferably alongside Getzlaf) I think he’s going to be an absolute force that other teams are going to be terrified to play against.

There is one other player I am kind of excited to watch too, and that is Nick Ritchie. Before you pick up the rocks and start throwing them at me, hear me out. Despite the penalties he took last season, he still managed to end the season 5th in points. With the healthy consistency he will be offered under Dallas Eakins, I think this is the season we could see Ritchie’s true potential.

Over or Under: The Anaheim Ducks have an 80 point season.

Jonathan Morris: Going back to how I answered the previous question, along with John Gibson, the Anaheim Ducks will eclipse 80 points this season.

TJ Watson: Way over. I’m thinking around close to 95-100 points. I think they stay healthy this time and they finally figure out how to beat VGK and stick it to San Jose and Nashville.

Ed Stein: Over. The Ducks will be better this year. So will other teams in the Pacific Division. I think the Anaheim Ducks finish around 85 points in 2019-20 before kicking it into high gear the next season.

Ben Thomasian: I was going to say over (aiming for ~84) until I realized 80 points was what they had last year. Coming into this season compared to last, the Ducks are down a top 4 defenseman (who was a top 50 scorer), and they haven’t added to their offensive line-up. The youth will likely be youth, meaning that they’ll be inconsistent. Some nights they’ll look incredible and on others, they’ll disappear.

They won’t, however, make up the 50 goals it would take for the Ducks to reach the middle of the table for goal scoring last season. Combined with the Ducks lack of additions to the roster, I believe that most of the teams that the Ducks would be competing with, both in the Pacific Divison and around the same 80 point mark, all got a bit better in the offseason. The Ducks will absolutely continue to lean on Gibson to win games, and he will certainly help with that. But, will it be more than last season, given a lesser defense, and a slightly older Ryan Miller backing him up?

The Ducks team, to my mind, will compete for the lottery. With the Ducks taking a leaf from the Oilers rebuild over the last decade and adding a coach who is well versed in taking NHL teams to the lottery, they may just have a shot at drafting the big Swedish Left Wing, Lucas Raymond, in the next entry-level draft.

Jordan German: In almost every aspect of life, I’m an extreme pessimist, and while most of the articles I write don’t show it off too much, I won’t lie when I say that I’m not too optimistic for this season’s outcome. The Ducks will finish over eighty points, but that doesn’t mean it will be enough to make a playoff push.

The season could either be one to remember, or be one of the worst in recent years. It really hinges on how head coach Dallas Eakins runs the team, and how the lines shape up. If Eakins can blend the superb youth with the gritty veterans, I think things will work out really well, and the youth will truly come into their own this year. But, we won’t know any of that until it happens.

In the best-case scenario, the Anaheim Ducks will finish with somewhere around ninety-four points, just squeaking in for the 2nd Wild Card spot. Worst case scenario, the Ducks finish around eighty-two points and miss the playoffs again. The playoffs would most likely be pretty short, second-round exit at best, but I couldn’t see a team with this much unlikely talent tank too horribly in good health. Make sure to knock on wood for that one.

Khalid Hart: I’ve been very vocal in that I believe the Ducks will get 80 points or better and land a wild card spot or even 3rd place in the Pacific. Outside of Phil Kessel coming to Arizona, the Pacific Division hasn’t exactly gotten any stronger. In our current state, we’re a bubble team, so anything is possible.

Jake Robles: I say over, but not too much over. Maybe 85-86 points. I don’t think we’re in for another year like last year, but with the youth movement taking over, there’s going to be some growing pains, especially with Dallas Eakins taking over at the helm. I have confidence that they’ll return to their winning ways and I believe we’ll see a super motivated group, but I’m not putting my expectations too high.

Ciara Durant: Over, but not by much. My guess is that they end the season somewhere between 80-85 points. This isn’t because I think the team is going to be awful again. However, there are a lot of teams that were worse than the Ducks last season who have taken significant strides to make their teams contenders again (New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers for example.)

I think they’re going to have a much better season, but that doesn’t mean they will win more games. Just as long as they make the season entertaining and give more effort than they did last year, I’m totally fine with them having a low point total and possibly getting a decent draft pick for the 2020 draft because let me tell you, that’s a draft we should all be excited about!

If you could give the team one piece of advice going into the 2019-20 season, what would you tell them?

Jonathan Morris: My thought is that Kase needs to be the spark plug and the only way to maximize his potential and see if he can handle it is give him Perry’s old spot as the top line RW.

TJ Watson: No matter what, find the will to band together as one.

Ed Stein: Patience. The team will improve greatly as the season progresses. If things don’t go well the first month or two don’t worry, it will get better.

Ben Thomasian: For the younger players I’d say to prepare well. These early years will set you up for the rest of your lives. Well prepared athletes stay healthy, healthy athletes get games. The more games you play, the more likely it will before you to make an impact. Naturally, the accolades and the fat paychecks will flow from that.

For the older players, I’d tell them to keep it light. They’re the emotional rocks the younger players are going to learn from and emulate. It seems weak, but a positive attitude and making the work-place more enjoyable to attend will go a long way towards the franchise’s future success, as well as your own quality of life.

Jordan German: If I could rally the troops together, I’d probably spew out some of the worst most overused lines in the sports world. The team would probably think I’m some under-budget Gordon Bombay. Still, I could try my best, so I would tell them to just play their game. There’s no need for anyone to get flashy or go for plays that risk injury just to pad stats.

Last season was really tough with all the injuries, but it’s back to a mostly clean slate. The youth just needs to listen to the veterans and get into their own comfortable styles, and the veterans need to keep an open-mind in teaching the youth, along with working with a great developer in Dallas Eakins. If they can get along and play some solid hockey, those ninety-four points or so might not be too far out of sight.

Khalid Hart: Play for each other. This is a building year so this is the time to develop chemistry, especially with new and younger players coming into the fold.

More from Ducks News

• Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
• Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
• Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
• Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

Jake Robles: I think the biggest pieces of advice I would give them would be to play for each other again. A tough year like last season can disjoint a team but as long as they believe in the cause, and each other, they can be successful.

Ciara Durant: Everyone had great advice for this question and I don’t think it needs to be overexplained. However, my advice would be to celebrate the small victories. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in making big things happen, and when they don’t discouragement sets in. Look to improve and celebrate the small victories because those are just as important, if not more so, than the big victories. Have fun while doing it too.

Find that spark that first made you fall in love with hockey and doesn’t let it dim, even if you lose “big and important” games. The greatest stories of victory come from those who fell to rock bottom, get back up, and keep moving forward to get back on top. The team reached rock bottom last season and the only place to go from here is up, even if it’s a longer process than expected.

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