Running 2022-23 NHL thread

I think the idiot Canucks have the last chance with only 3%. 5th most points since the trade deadline. They do this damn near every year. Just a horrible organization.

 

Woo hoo, that means the Caps have a chance!

 

Blackhawks. You can Bettman on it.

 

Eakins out:

Dallas Eakins out as Ducks coach: What makes Anaheim’s coaching vacancy attractive

By Eric Stephens and The Athletic Staff
1h ago
16

Dallas Eakins will not return to the Ducks next season, as the team has chosen to not renew his contract, Anaheim announced Friday. Here’s what you need to know:

• Eakins has coached the Ducks for four seasons, compiling a 100-147-44 record and no playoff appearances during his tenure.
• Anaheim clinched last place in the 2022-23 NHL regular season Thursday with its 5-3 loss against the Los Angeles Kings.
• The Ducks finished with a 23-47-12 record and have the best odds to get the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft (25.5 percent).

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

What does this mean for the Ducks?
General manager Pat Verbeek held off on a coaching change last year as he had only been on the job for two months and wanted to give Eakins a longer leash after enacting a full-fledged rebuild by trading off key veterans. After inheriting Eakins, Verbeek will bring in his own choice to lead a team that sunk to last place in the NHL but has an intriguing core of young players fronted by impact forwards Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish, along with growing defenseman Jamie Drysdale.

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The job should be an attractive one even if Anaheim just finished off its worst season in franchise history. They’ve got a solid core theoretically in place — Terry, Zegras and Drysdale need to be signed to new contracts this summer, but Verbeek has loads of cap space — and a potential game-breaking talent could be added to that.

If the team wins the May 8 draft lottery, the next coach could be welcoming junior hockey superstar Connor Bedard to Southern California. — Stephens

How should Eakins’ tenure be judged?
In a lot of ways, Eakins’ four years as coach was a no-win situation. The Ducks brought him in under the final years of the Bob Murray regime and Murray pushed back at the idea of doing a full-scale rebuild and moving out veteran players as the team started to plummet from its perch as a playoff contender. Eakins was tasked with managing a transitioning club that finally started to work in notable young talent during a pandemic period but couldn’t maintain what appeared to be a successful first half of last season.

His teams did not improve defensively and their goaltenders, especially John Gibson, were often left exposed and asked to do the near impossible in carrying the club over long, grinding seasons. Their inability to play consistently with any solid structure was alarming at times. Bluntly, they were a mess in their own end and regressed offensively this year. But Eakins also didn’t have much to work with in terms of personnel courtesy of Verbeek, especially where the mission clearly became one where development was prioritized over winning games. Some, like Terry and McTavish in particular, grew under his watch. Zegras was allowed to make plays and the mistakes that came with his creativity. Other young players stagnated, however.

Eakins handled a difficult job with dignity and many praised his ability to connect with individuals. But he essentially became a caretaker for the next coach that could reap the benefits of the Ducks’ rebuild. It is going to take time and a lot of pain to endure before they win again. — Stephens

Backstory
Eakins has spent eight years with the Ducks organization and previously coached the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s AHL affiliate team, from 2015 to 2019. The Ducks promoted Eakins as their coach in June 2019, becoming the 10th coach in franchise history.

What they’re saying
“This was a very difficult decision, one that comes after careful and considerable deliberation,” Verbeek said in a statement. “At the end of the day, I simply feel that a fresh perspective and new voice will be beneficial for the team. Dallas has handled himself with class and character through a difficult season, and we wish him the best in the future.”

16 COMMENTS

Andrew R.


Tank you for your service.


Ryan B.

Some will point and say it's not his fault with the roster he had at his disposal, but this was the season for him to demonstrate that the team was going to take the next step and maybeeee fight for a wild card position. Vatrano, Strome, Klingberg openly stated that they struggled in the first half of the season due to the system. So there's the proof that it was on Eakins.

Mike S.

Wish him the best, I bet he'd be a great assistant coach in the NHL.

Fev 1.

What a class act, never complaining to the media/public about the tough position he was in. Tried his best to maintain a professional organization. Brought balance to every game and practice. Great human being overall.

Hopefully the youngsters will appreciate the care he gave to everyone and that they uphold all the class he brought. Daring to take analytics to the whiteboard, Dallas was an important aspect in transitioning away from the whole Murray culture.

That said, this is a great opportunity to begin the new era and revamp the entire coaching staff. Clearly the PP/PK units killed the season (5-3 PP should always produce a goal) and the team never gelled without a true Getzy type of captain.

We'll look back at this season as the most frustrating, but the new Ducks dynasty begins next season. It might be a couple more until we return to the playoffs, but by then the team should be refined and dominating.

Can't wait to see the Ducks own the Kings as Kopitar and Doughty lose their edge.


Volker E.

@Fev 1. Very well said !

GC W.

I'm amazed he lasted that long. He's a disaster at the NHL level.

Layton O.

I'm real tired of hearing excuses for this guy, just because he is a good hang. The kids that left have improved in more impactful ways than the kids still here.

Peter W.

He’ may have been a great guy, but he was a terrible coach. I think the young players will greatly benefit from having a coach (whoever it ends up being) who brings out their best. It’s gonna be a very exciting offseason!

Corey H.

Eakins seemed like a good guy. I think it worked out to pick up his contract this year. We were able to guarantee a top 3 pick and not like a middle 8-12 pick, aren’t stuck with a bad coaching contract for future years and can pick our next coach.

Danny E.

I was not a fan of Eakins' coaching, obviously, but every indication I've seen shows that he is a first-class human being. Normally when coaches have left Anaheim, I've wished them good riddance. Not this time. This team needs this change, but I will remember Eakins fondly for the person, the class act, and the good man he is.

Christpher P.

Loyal soldier just dealt a brutal hand

Dan D.

This makes Verbeek an A#1 POS. He gives the coach nothing to work with and then fires him. As long as Verbeek is in charge, the ducks will always be losers.

Chris L.

The final straw for me was another "too many men" penalty last night. I believe that is on the coach. It happened too often to the Ducks this season.

Nick Q.

They should order some new unis to go with their new coach, big extensions for the core, and their shiny new draft pick. Can't play good unless you look good, and the Ducks look downright lousy in those horrible uniforms that they should have already retired.

Nick Q.

How is it possible that they've had the worst uniforms in the league since 2006?

Trent W.

As a Kings fan, he will be missed.

 

Used to be that any non-playoff team had a shot. But the rules/odds seem to change most every year.

 

Wow comments and all. How thorough.

 

Caps increased their odds last night by blowing a 4-1 lead to the Devils
By picking up one point instead of two, they tied the Red Wings with 80 points
The teams have the same record but Washington is eighth and Detroit ninth because the Caps have fewer wins in regulation

 

I think the rule is a lottery win moves you up a maximum of 10 spaces. Somebody on the interwebs the other day was fantasizing about a No. 4 pick for the Preds (who damn well better have John Hynes in the recycling bin come Monday morning.)

 

Right move. He refused to play the young guys. He somehow ended up being a downgrade from Rierden. Like the Penguins, we’re in for a world of hurt over the next few years .