Ed Stein: Mid Summer Reader Poll Burning off season questions.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Yes they make the playoffs

2) Big RFAs - No I am not worried about resigned, just how much

3) Bieksa buyout - Yes buy him out

4) Breakout player - I think Ritchie could be in for a good season. Looked good at rookie camp and looked determined

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - I think around 52-56 games. Bernier here makes it easier to rest Gibby on some nights

Bonus) Expansion loss - If Despres stays healthy and has a good year, I think he will be a goner.

Cut and paste for comments.

1) Ducks make playoffs - yeah . Im saying wild card spot

2) Big RFAs - hampus and Ricky will be resigned . It a no brainer . How much is the question

3) Bieksa buyout - yes please . I can't decide which I'd rather cut . Stoner or bieska

4) Breakout player - ummm . Id say theaodore . With Ritchie and close second

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - more . I'm pretty sure we don't want Bernie playing more than 25 games . I wondering if the new rules for equipment are going to mess with the goaltenders though

Bonus) Expansion loss -depre or manson . We really can't afford to lose any young fowards . So it'll be a d man

1) Ducks make playoffs - No, not without a stellar left wing.

2) Big RFAs - Yes. But they will (have to) be signed.

3) Bieksa buyout - Yes.

4) Breakout player - Theodore, hopefully.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - Under 50, too injury prone. How many did Giguere play under Carlisle? Totally different teams, but I don't recall how the coach used his goalies, so I err on the side of caution. Hopefully the backup can rest Gibson a lot if we are to be playoff bound.

Bonus) Expansion loss - No clue.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Yes. It won't be as the Pacific Division Champs, and I'm fine with that. A high scoring winger will go a long way to help making this prediction true.

2) Big RFAs - Not worried at all. Murray said it would take a while. It's also par for the course, it took a long time to sign Silf and DSP in years past.

3) Bieksa buyout - Yes, but they can wait till after the season is over. He's serviceable as a 4th or 5th dman. As long as he's gone by the expansion draft (or convince him to waive his no movement clause for that).

4) Breakout player - Theodore. He showed he's NHL ready last year and I've thought he's the best Anaheim prospect over the last 2 seasons.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - If he stays healthy, I think he gets over 50, but probably not more than 60. We've got a solid backup, no reason to make Gibson play every game.

Bonus) Expansion loss - As long as Bieksa isn't an issue (and assuming Fowler is traded), I think Despres is gone, since I expect Vatanen, Lindholm, and Manson to be protected, and in no way do the Ducks expose Rakell to the expansion draft.

1) As the roster is right now, how confident are you that the Ducks are a playoff team? Why or Why not?

Although a lot of teams in the Pacific have seemed to improve (SJ, Cal, Edm, Az), it's hard to picture the Ducks not in a playoff spot. A lot of that depends on BM supporting his core by resigning RFAs and filling the voids up front lost with Perron and McGinn. Still a lot of work for BM to do before October, still tough to tell.

2) Are you worried that Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell are still restricted free agents?

Yes, c'man BM do your job!

3) Should the Ducks buy out Kevin Bieksa's contract?

No for the time being, Bieksa still has value as a 4-6th D and is a great mentor for the young D core (Theodore, Lindholm, Vatanen, Manson). I think he could pair well with 53, playing simple and accountable in his own end doing the small things right. I wouldn't rely on him for the PP unit, but I think he can still kill penalties.

4) Who will be the Ducks breakout player this year?

Shea Theodore, no doubt is he NHL ready and I expect him to be a force on the PP unit right away. The kid has incredible vision and great offensive capabilities. The Ducks PP definitely improved last season under PM, add Theodore to the mix and this team will be lethal with the man advantage. I think 53 is all the reason the Ducks can move Fowler for some offensive power.

5) How many regular season games does John Gibson play this season, over under 50?

50+, can't ignore the injury past with Gibson but I think he is ready to take sole-ownership of the #1 job. I'm confident he can keep healthy and help the Ducks get back to the playoffs.

Bonus) What player do you think the Ducks will lose in the expansion draft next summer?

Despres. Lindholm, Manson, Vatanen, and Rakell have done well to solidify their roles in the Ducks system, I don't feel the same about Despres being the reason I would leave him exposed to an expansion draft.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Once we sign Lindholm and Rakell, probably, but Ducks depth is very weak and will need contributions from young players.

2) Big RFAs - No. Murray said it would take time. Hopefully they are working out long contracts and not bridge deals.

3) Bieksa buyout - Not yet. Still a good veteran presence if not overused. When it comes to the expansion draft though, Ducks have to have him waive his NMC or buy him out. Can't waste a protection slot on him.

4) Breakout player - Most likely Theodore, but needs to be Ritchie. Ritchie will have to contribute to the top two lines to help with scoring depth. Raymond is not the answer on the wing.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - More. Hopefully.

Bonus) Expansion loss - Despres.

1) Ducks make playoffs - I think they will, but i'm not too confident about it, lack of secondary scoring

2) Big RFAs - Would love to see them get signed soon

3) Bieksa buyout - yes please!

4) Breakout player - Chris Wagner, not in terms of points, but I think he could be a Sammy Pahlson type player. I think he will stand out on defense and PK, especially with Thompson out

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - 50>gibby

Bonus) Expansion loss - Cogs

Playoffs ?? Playoffs - Not as currently constructed & BM seems to be on
permanent vacation -

Buy KB out - sounds good - I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon -

NR Breakout player this yr - He was so close last yr - needs some puck luck but has all the tools -

don't get me started on 67 & 47 - hoping for the best - prepared for the worst -

Find some forward scoring help now for crying out loud -

1) Ducks make playoffs -

They are still a playoff-caliber team, but losing Perron, McGinn, and Stewart and replacing them with Mason Raymond has the forward corps looking pretty thin compared to the depth we had at the end of last season, and places a lot of responsibility on Ritchie to find his game at the NHL level and Silfverberg to figure out how to score consistently while playing on a shutdown line. I also think there will be an adjustment to Carlyle which may have us out to a slow start again this season, and it is unlikely we have the firepower (at this moment) to catch up like we did last year. So playoff-caliber? Yes. Do we make the playoffs? Only if Bob Murray signs one or two of the remaining UFA forwards (Tanguay/Hudler) or trades one of our 8 defenseman for a good top six forward.

2) Big RFAs -

Not worried about it at all. Murray stated publicly that the deals would be done in August. some GMs and agents seem to like to get the RFAs signed quickly, and some prefer to wait to see more comparable contracts before signing. I think the Lindholm deal has been held up because they want to see what some of the other big RFA dmen (Barrie, Trouba, Ristolainen, Ceci, Jones, etc) get before settling. 2 of these are signed (5.5mil, 5.4mil) so just one more shoe to drop I think before Murray concedes that Lindholm is probably worth that range and signs him already. Rakell is in the same situation as far as I see, although the possibility is there that Murray is trying to force a two year bridge deal rather than conceding to a longer term, higher dollar contract right out of the gate. Either way, both are on the roster come training camp.

3) Bieksa buyout -

Did any of our players file for arbitration, thereby triggering the August buyout window? And is that what you are referring to? Or do you mean next seasons post-Stanley cup buyout window? Because if you mean next season, then my answer is definitely and emphatically yes. I am hopeful the play of Bieksa and Stoner will improve under Carlyle this season but looking realistically at the situation we are in, Bieksa only has one season left on his contract after this one and having to protect an aging and declining player from the expansion draft so you can retain his services for just one more season is a waste of the protected spot. This will be a business decision that has to be made, regardless of how good he plays this season. However, my understanding is that this may be a bit of a gamble, since the NHL buyout window is supposed to open either June 15 or 48 hours after the Stanley cup is awarded, whichever occurs later. As long as the Cup is won on or before June 15, we are fine to buy him out with plenty of time before filing the protected list. If the cup isn't awarded until after June 15, things will get dicey and a lot of teams may be stuck holding onto NMC contracts and we may simply not even have the option. So if you are referring to us potentially having an August buyout window right now, and taking a pre-emptive approach on things, my answer is I am ok with that. Not only is it insurance against not having the window next offseason, but it is insurance against Bieksa getting injured and thus unable to be bought out. Business is business. Players and agents rightfully fight for NTC and NMC but what we are going to see through this season is that players with NMC that are not or are no longer elite will be treated like lepers.

4) Breakout player -

We probably only have three candidates in Gibson, Theodore, and Ritchie. All others on the roster are already established. I guess it depends on what you call a breakout year, but I think we can expect 40 points from Ritchie, 30 from Theodore (many on the PP), and 30 wins from Gibson. Anything less from any of these guys and it will be disappointing. So I guess all three will be breakout players, in their own right. I think Gibson get the most press though, league-wide.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games -

55 games, 30+wins. Management is serious about handing him the reigns and if Bernier was capable of being an above average starter he would have earned a starting job in this league by now. Only thing that may affect this would be if Gibson is injury prone, which I think is still to be determined.

Bonus) Expansion loss -

It is way too soon to tell. I think we are going to see a ton of transactions this season as teams posture to not lose any good players for nothing. It also depends largely on what we do with Bieksa, as I mentioned already. Also, I have yet to see any kind of effective write-up on whether Theodore or Ritchie will be exempt or not based on the two years of professional experience thing, and the disturbing lack of clarity from the league as to what constitutes two years of pro experience (since this differs based on age at signing of the first pro contract and number of games played at different ages). Nearest thing I can figure is that both will need to be protected because the league is a bunch of Richards and cant make it easy by saying all players who are still under RFA status at the Expansion draft are auto-protected. Since I am taking worst case scenario, we protect Getzlaf, Perry, Kesler, Silfverberg, Rakell, Ritchie, TBD Forward, Lindholm, Vatanen, Fowler/Depres, and we trade one of Fowler/Depres for that TBD forward. In that scenario, we likely lose Cogliano.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Yes, just dont think the other teams can contend with the California 3 for the Pacific just yet. Good ole Randy does scare me though.

2) Big RFAs - No, they will get it done and be ready for camp I'm sure.

3) Bieksa buyout - No, not till next year if he is not willing to waive his NMC to become expansion eligible.

4) Breakout player - Mason Raymond on pure speculation that he had a good season with Randy when he was on the leafs a couple years back.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - Over, but barely. Maybe like 55 for me.

Bonus) Expansion loss - Cogs probably.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Not with the current roster. Need to add depth and scoring up front to be a serious playoff team. Ritchie, Noesen, Kerdiles are not the answer.

2) Big RFAs - Not worried. Would like to see Landhold tied up for a long time.

3) Bieksa buyout - I think he has value this year under Carlyle and with <20 minutes a night. Should be bought out after this season if he refuses to waive NMC and has to be protected.

4) Breakout player - Shea Theodore in the NHL and Julius Nattinen will have a breakout second half in San Diego.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - >50. The wild card is his injury history

Bonus) Expansion loss - There's a lot of hockey to play and trades to make before next June. As it stands today, Ducks lose Manson. If they get Bieksa off the books, they'll protect Manson and lose Despres.

1) Ducks make playoffs - Not as of today, no. As of right now they have 2 forward lines and 10 defensemen, a horrible imbalance. Unless there are some major moves that happen I don't see how anyone can say this is a playoff team, much less a Cup contending team that Murray keeps harping about.

2) Big RFAs - They will get signed but I can't see what the hell the hold up is, especially with Lindholm. The market has been set with other RFA d-men signings, just pay the man already! If money is the problem maybe Murray should have thought twice about giving Jared Boll $900K.

3) Bieksa buyout - HA! That's a good one! I was stunned when they bought out Mark Fistric. The Samueli's are not going to pay Bieksa that much money not to play hockey. I get why Murray signed him in the first place, he had no idea how well the kids on defense were going to play. He gambled that they weren't going to be ready and he was wrong, now he's stuck with Bieksa's cap hit.

4) Breakout player - Normally I'd say Theodore, but with Carlyle and his aversion to playing kids who the hell knows. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bernier. Getting out of the fishbowl that is Toronto might work out for him. Knowing Carlyle. it's either going to be him or Jared Boll.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - Well, the Ducks have 13 back-to-backs so assuming Bernier starts those that brings Gibson's total to 69 games. He's going to miss some because of injury because he always does but hopefully it's not 19. i'm going to say > than 50 games, but just barely.

Bonus) Expansion loss - This is a tough one, because it's difficult to know right now whether the Vegas team is going to focus on offense or defense. I would imagine offense because casual fans want to see goals scored. In fact, as the roster stands now I can see Murray using the 8 player and a goalie provision which would allow him to protect another defenseman. After Getzlaf, Perry, Kesler, and Rackel who else on the offense would Vegas want? Silfverberg maybe? He's more of a checker anyway, I couldn't see any great demand for him.

1) Ducks make playoffs - I think so. Forward lines are incomplete, but the team led the league last year in GAA. The defense is still young, and only going to be better this year. The defense will get this team to the playoffs. We may see a lot of 2-1 games.

2) Big RFAs - Not worried at all. They will be signed. BM said both would be signed sometime in August OR September. Those were his words. It's only the 1st week of August.

3) Bieksa buyout - Only as a last resort, after this season, and only if he doesn't waive his NMC.

4) Breakout player - I think Theodore. I don't see Ritchie top 6 otherwise I could see him also. Wild card here, Noessen.

5) Gibson >, < 50 games - Somewhere in the low to mid 50's. I think Bernier might flourish with our D, and will be given close to 30 starts. Injuries are the wild card here.

Bonus) Expansion loss - Despres

Are the Ducks a playoff team?

Yes. Plain and simple, they have enough depth and a few of their players will be better this year than they were last year. Silfverberg, Rakell, Lumpy and of course Perry and Getzlaf.

Are you worried about the RFA's not being signed?

If I was a Ducks fan, I would be. Lumpy is going to want close to Ekblad money and I don't think the Ducks are going to pay him that. I think they are in serious trouble.

Buyout Bieksa?

No. They need to get into their time machine and erase the day that they acquired the plug. The guy is useless, aside from being a 'good guy' and mentoring the youth, he is WASHED UP.

His nickname when he came up in Vancouver was 'Juice'. He had an 18" neck and weighed 215. Now the guy's neck is the size of my wrist and he MIGHT go 185. He clearly quit the 'juice' 2-3 years ago.

Also, they can't buy him out this year. Duh.

Who will be the Ducks breakout player?

Shea Theodore and it isn't close. The guy is a stud, and when the Ducks are forced to deal Lumpy, he will get even more important minutes. This kid is the real deal.

How many games will Gibby play?

He is my keeper in fantasy, so I hope he gets over his injury issues this year. If he does he will play close to 60 games and be in the conversation for the Vezina.

Are the Ducks a playoff team?

Yes. Plain and simple, they have enough depth and a few of their players will be better this year than they were last year. Silfverberg, Rakell, Lumpy and of course Perry and Getzlaf.

Are you worried about the RFA's not being signed?

If I was a Ducks fan, I would be. Lumpy is going to want close to Ekblad money and I don't think the Ducks are going to pay him that. I think they are in serious trouble.

Buyout Bieksa?

No. They need to get into their time machine and erase the day that they acquired the plug. The guy is useless, aside from being a 'good guy' and mentoring the youth, he is WASHED UP.

His nickname when he came up in Vancouver was 'Juice'. He had an 18" neck and weighed 215. Now the guy's neck is the size of my wrist and he MIGHT go 185. He clearly quit the 'juice' 2-3 years ago.

Also, they can't buy him out this year. Duh.

Who will be the Ducks breakout player?

Shea Theodore and it isn't close. The guy is a stud, and when the Ducks are forced to deal Lumpy, he will get even more important minutes. This kid is the real deal.

How many games will Gibby play?

He is my keeper in fantasy, so I hope he gets over his injury issues this year. If he does he will play close to 60 games and be in the conversation for the Vezina.
- Dollars2Donuts

You may be right on 47 - however I don't really care if they have to break the bank to sign the guy - he makes everyone he plays with better and their corsi goes up, in some cases considerably -

expansion & JG - hey so many variables on both- especially expansion that there's no telling what Vegas may or may not do and who may or may not be around to be picked - after the trade deadline the picture will be more clear -

JG less than 50 - he just hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy and grind out a 65+ start season - which in my mind is the cut off for # 1 goalies -

You may be right on 47 - however I don't really care if they have to break the bank to sign the guy - he makes everyone he plays with better and their corsi goes up, in some cases considerably -
- dozerD10

Hard to break the bank when Ducks have a lousy owner who doesnt spend to the cap.

1) I think the Ducks will make the playoffs. The center depth, defense, goaltending and special teams play is too deep. Moreover, some of the fat is gone. How is Kesler supposed to get going when he spent 12 shifts on the PK in games 1 and 2? The penalty prone Frankenstein protects no more!

2) There is 9ish million in cap space. We read budget this and that, but where is the money to keep RFAs? Outside of depth signings the money saved will be used to keep Rakell and Lindholm. Maybe Hampus gets a 7 year deal. It's August, so the signings should happen in the next couple of weeks.

3) Kevin Bieksa will not be bought out in an attempt to circumvent a protection slot for the expansion draft. I know Murray has already had a sit down with Mr. Bieksa and has made a handshake deal. Mr. Bieksa doesn't seem like the kind of person to be a stickler like, "Nope, contract! Hurdy durty. Fine print." He isn't on Vegas' radar. This is a non issue in my eyes.

Also, Bieksa is a legitimate good player. I think he didn't have a good year last year for what he's truely capable of.

4) I want Perry and Getzlaf to do well. This team was on Bruce's emotional rollercoaster the past few year. Prospect wise the usual prospects are Ritchie and Theodore, although I think Manson could have a monster year. Everything is there with Josh, and it starts with getting a few in the back of the net early. Got to get the shooting % up!

5) Gibson will bolster the heaviest lifting in net. He's ready for it.

Bonus) There is a lot of speculation here. It's going to be a young defensemen. If there was ever extra motivation to be had its now. Specifically for Despres and Manson.

JG less than 50 - he just hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy and grind out a 65+ start season - which in my mind is the cut off for # 1 goalies -

Lol, has he had an opportunity yet to be the #1 for 50+ games? That just might have something to do with it.

We'll finally see how Gibson handles sole ownership of the net with FA out of the picture, be interesting to see how FA holds up over 50+ games in Toronto.

Are the Ducks a playoff team?

If I was a Ducks fan, I would be. Lumpy is going to want close to Ekblad money and I don't think the Ducks are going to pay him that. I think they are in serious trouble.

- Dollars2Donuts

Ekblad $$ the kid is good, but not Ekblad good. I doubt he expects that kind of money, it's not like he's put up Ekblad or Klingberg numbers.

I hope they tank