After a mediocre first half of the 2024-25 Nationwide Hockey League season, the Anaheim Geese are beginning to present indicators of life in an enormous method. A few weeks in the past, it seemed like Greg Cronin’s crew was useless within the water within the quest for a postseason berth. However since January 23, the Geese have received six of seven video games, within the course of returning to relevance within the Western Convention.
Though the chances are nonetheless stacked towards this roster relating to making the playoffs — Anaheim stays 9 factors again of the ultimate wildcard berth — it has been a massively optimistic stretch for the group nonetheless. Now again to .500 at 24-24-6, the 13-day 4 Nations Face-Off break in all probability did not come at a good time for the surging squad.
Regardless, will the current string of success persuade common supervisor Pat Verbeek and the entrance workplace that promoting may not be one of the best technique between now and the March 7 NHL Commerce Deadline?
Ought to Anaheim purchase or promote?
The quick reply might be not. Sure, the Geese have not made the playoffs since 2017-18 — they usually have been swept by the San Jose Sharks in Spherical 1 that yr. However as presently constructed, this nonetheless does not venture as a Stanley Cup contender simply but. The probably state of affairs is that it is going to be one other lengthy offseason in California. It could take a herculean post-4-Nations effort to sneak into the dance come mid-April.
Anaheim’s brass cannot actually take an opportunity that the crew will proceed to have success during the last 28 video games of the season. Earlier than their present heater, the Geese had misplaced 4 video games in a row and 7 of eight, dropping to seventh place within the Pacific Division. Whereas the surge has helped them leapfrog the Seattle Kraken within the division, there’s nonetheless an extended strategy to go.
It does not assist that the 2 groups occupying the wildcard slots within the Western Convention are surging. The Vancouver Canucks have put their early season drama within the rearview and have received six of eight, whereas the Colorado Avalanche have come out on prime in 5 of seven, and do not look to be lacking Mikko Rantanen an excessive amount of — within the short-term, not less than.
Geese have already made some strikes this yr
The current surge will likely be unlikely to sway Verbeek from promoting forward of March 7. The franchise has already been busy on the commerce market, buying Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers in a mid-season blockbuster earlier than bringing Justin Bailey to city from the San Jose Sharks’ group.
However they are not anticipated to deliver too many extra gamers to Anaheim, particularly because the roster seems to be a pair years away from Stanley Cup rivalry. The extra probably state of affairs is that certainly one of goaltender John Gibson or ahead Trevor Zegras get moved. Gibson has been the crew’s foremost commerce chip for years, however his $6.4 million cap hit has made it inconceivable up till now to discover a suitor for him.
Zegras’ worth might be as little as it is ever been after he managed simply 15 factors in 31 video games final yr and is at simply 15 in 32 in 2024-25. The Bedford, New York native has struggled mightily over the previous few seasons and simply does not appear like the identical participant he was when he broke into the league. The previous first-round choose ought to nonetheless be engaging as a top-six scorer, and a change of surroundings could possibly be simply what he wants.
What the Geese ought to actually be searching for is one other powerful ahead up entrance — one thing the roster is missing. Whether or not or not the membership makes a late run for a postseason spot, Anaheim’s deadly flaw is an absence of sandpaper.
Geese’ deadly flaw is an absence of toughness up entrance — and 1 participant might repair that
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Though the Geese have two bruising defensemen in Trouba and Radko Gudas, there aren’t actually any forwards who play a tricky, playoff-style sport in addition to Alex Killorn, who’s previous his prime at 35-years-old. There’s a plethora of expertise up entrance, however guys like Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano and Cutter Gauthier do not precisely play a tough sport.
With Lukas Dostal on the come up in Anaheim, the goaltending seems to be to be set for years to return. And the identical will be stated for a younger defensive unit that options a few former/present prime prospects in Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe and Drew Helleson.
It looks like solely a matter of time earlier than a really gifted roster figures it out, and we could possibly be seeing that in real-time. Nonetheless, certainly one of Gibson or Zegras could possibly be on the transfer, and if that occurs, Verbeek needs to be attempting to get a roster participant again in return. And an ideal match could possibly be Boston Bruins ahead Trent Frederic.
In fact, groups that promote on the deadline usually are not often seeking to deliver roster gamers again to city, except they match the long-term imaginative and prescient of the group. Frederic, who would deliver a tough and tumble perspective that’s badly wanted in Anaheim’s ahead group, might do exactly that.
A former twenty ninth general choose by the Bruins within the 2016 NHL Draft, Frederic has spent his whole profession in Massachusetts. His greatest exhibiting got here final season, when he managed career-highs throughout the board with 18 objectives and 40 factors over a full 82-game slate. The 26-year-old has fallen out of favor in Boston this yr, and because the Bruins proceed to battle, his identify has been talked about in commerce discussions all through the marketing campaign.
Though Frederic has solely managed 14 factors in 48 video games this season, primarily in a bottom-six function, he can be a stable participant so as to add to Anaheim’s ahead group. Professional Hockey Rumors’ Gabriel Foley additionally sees Frederic as a possible slot in California:
“His heft down the lineup has proved useful for a Bruins crew in want of a star-protector. Frederic has 4 preventing majors this season, and was voted because the clear winner in all of them by followers on HockeyFights.com,” wrote Foley final week. “He could possibly be a low-cost acquisition because the Geese search for a bodily spark of their bottom-six.”
The Geese don’t have anything however cap area to work with, and will simply get the pending unrestricted free agent locked up. He additionally matches into Anaheim’s rebuild at 26, and could possibly be a complementary piece of the ahead core for years to return.
Because it stands, the entrance workplace can afford to be affected person. Regardless of the new streak, they’re nonetheless unlikely to be a playoff crew for a few years. With the season not but misplaced however hanging by a thread, Anaheim might lastly ship out a participant like Gibson or Zegras and look towards the longer term. Bringing somebody of Frederic’s profile might assist repair the Geese’ deadly flaw, and place them effectively to complete the 2024-25 season robust.