219 replies to this topic

[TroyLoney]

It appears that the Ducks two best young players, Ryan Getzlaf & Corey Perry, have a problem with giving a consistent effort. A couple of recent examples are the Oilers game before the break and the Olympics themselves. Going into the Oilers game Ryan Getzlaf was eager to prove that his ankle was healthy enough for him to still be effective and that he should not be taken off of Team Canada. So he DOMINATED the Oilers and racked up two goals and two assists in a blowout win for the Ducks. Speaking of Olympics, Corey Perry was determined to make Team Canada and played great to start the season. He was named to the team on December 31st, 2009. Let's take a look at some stats based on that date:

Perry (before being named to Team Canada)
16 goals
25 assists
41 points
40 games

Projected out over a season that's 33 goals, 51 assists for 86 points.

Perry (since being named to Team Canada)
6 goals
13 assists
19 points
23 games

Projected out over a season that's 21 goals, 46 assists for 67 points.

Perry has definitely cooled off since the motivation to make Team Canada was removed. Is that a coincedence? Maybe. But I don't think it is. I think it's another example of how these two players need something to motivate them or else they will simply not give their best effort on a regular basis.

It's not just with the Ducks, either. In the Olympics both Perry & Getzlaf started slow. Mike Babcock had to have a talk with them after the first couple of games and after that we saw them become dominant players for Team Canada. (LINK) Then they come back to Anaheim and lay an egg as they combined for no goals, one assist, -2 and one hit (they were also 8-for-22 in the faceoff circle for a whopping 36% success rate) against the Avalanche last night.

This has been an issue with both of them for years now and I, for one, am getting sick of it. When they play hard they are dominant and almost impossible to stop as we have seen in the past. When they don't play hard, though, they suck up 20+ minutes a night with no results...as we've seen in the past. I know it's possible for a player to play hard at least 90% of the time because I've seen Alexander Ovechkin do it for years now. Dan Sexton is currently doing it for the Ducks as well. If Getzlaf & Perry simply had the drive of a guy like Sexton think how good they would be. I'm not asking for them to play balls to the wall hockey every single night but at least 90% of the time. They are being paid millions and they should be held to that standard, in my opinion.

We entered this season thinking that the line of Ryan/Getzlaf/Perry would be one of, if not the, best lines in all of hockey and that has not been the case...at all. Why? Some may blame head coach Randy Carlyle but I have to believe that Carlyle is doing all he can to get those guys to play their best every single game. To me the responsibility lies with them and them alone. They have to want to play hard because if they decide to give less than their best effort nothing any coach, player or fan can say will change that.

Maybe I'm expecting too much out of them. Maybe I'm not being fair and I've overevaluated them. I don't think so, though. I want to see Getzlaf and Perry live up to their potential and play like we all know they can play for an entire season instead of just a few games here and there. They have what it takes to be among the truly elite players in this league and yet they are closer to guys like Tomas Plekanec and Mike Green in production this season than they are to guys like Crosby, Thornton, Sedin or Kane. That's not acceptable to me. Getzlaf dominated Joe Thornton in the playoffs last season but Joe is on his way to his third 100 point season while Getzlaf is on pace for 87 points. It's not a huge difference but it's the difference between being a consistent star player and being a very good player. Getzlaf and Perry have the physical talent to be consistent star players and I hope they can get the mental attitude to realize that potential.

[DUX714]

Very good points.

Funny about an hour ago I thought, " I wonder how long before they get their own thread?" haha

[Sojourn]

If anything the Olympics should prove to some people that Carlyle is not the reason Getzlaf and Perry show up when they want to show up. They were very underwhelming to start the Olympics. It wasn't until the Russia game that they started to turn up their game, and this was under a completely different coach.

[ducksfan13]

i agree with you 100%.. i just wish that they could be motivated by their love of the game rather than needing something extra to get them to give an effort out on the ice. Maybe RC should have a talk with them the way babcock did

[DUX714]

They are both at the age where they should be starting the prime of their careers. I hope they don't wake up years from now and think they could have been better.

[letsgoducksdotcom]

If anything the Olympics should prove to some people that Carlyle is not the reason Getzlaf and Perry show up when they want to show up. They were very underwhelming to start the Olympics. It wasn't until the Russia game that they started to turn up their game, and this was under a completely different coach.

What struck me was watching them play Colorado last night and looking at the point totals for Stasny, Stewart and Duchene. Not as good, but VERY CLOSE to Ryan, Getzlaf, Perry.


That can't happen. If our top 3 .. our THREE franchise players are only 'as' good as those 3 (and no disrespect meant, those 3 avs are good players) then we are in trouble.

[hail2ducks]

the guys are getting paid 5+ million a year, if thats not enough motivation, nothing is!!

[TroyLoney]

the guys are getting paid 5+ million a year, if thats not enough motivation, nothing is!!

The motivation is to GET the $5 million salary. Once you have it, though, and you've already won a Stanley Cup...and now an Olympic Gold Medal...what's the motivation? It has to come from within and it doesn't appear that either of these guys have it. They should be dominating games right now, not floating through them.

[Sojourn]

the guys are getting paid 5+ million a year, if thats not enough motivation, nothing is!!

They get that money whether they play well or not, hail. There is no incentive clause.

[hail2ducks]

well then PT their a*s until they start throwing up

[DUX714]

well then PT their a*s until they start throwing up

How is potty training going to help?

[hail2ducks]

How is potty training going to help?

touche lol

[Sojourn]

How is potty training going to help?

I have a few ideas.

One of them starts with an iron supplement.

The other one starts with a laxative.

I imagine you can see where I'm going with this.

[DUX714]

More proof that Getz can be dominate when he wants to be??

With his status in doubt just before the olympics Getz had to do something to prove to the Canadian brass he was healthy and ready to go. He then went and had maybe his best game of the season... against the Oilers but still. Just sayin.

[TroyLoney]

More proof that Getz can be dominate when he wants to be??

With his status in doubt just before the olympics Getz had to do something to prove to the Canadian brass he was healthy and ready to go. He then went and had maybe his best game of the season... against the Oilers but still. Just sayin.

Great point! I'm glad I made it in the first post of this thread.

[DUX714]

Great point! I'm glad I made it in the first post of this thread.

haha - ooppss! I guess I was skim reading and missed that, or on the phone with a customer.

Shhhhhh!

[QuackHead]

They're both too laid back, they need to find some intensity.

[TroyLoney]

haha - ooppss! I guess I was skim reading and missed that, or on the phone with a customer.

Shhhhhh!

Don't sweat it. Great minds think alike.

[Jspiral]

If anything the Olympics should prove to some people that Carlyle is not the reason Getzlaf and Perry show up when they want to show up. They were very underwhelming to start the Olympics. It wasn't until the Russia game that they started to turn up their game, and this was under a completely different coach.

Same Captain tho!

[WILD WING MX]

I think they're just suffering from Olympic jet-lag.

[2forroughing]

Quite honestly I was pissed off when Getzlaf played in the Edmonton game. Not because he did so well, but because he chose not to play the night before against Calgary.

That Calgary game was HUGE. If we would have won, we would have went into the Olympic break in 8th place. It is my opinion that Getzy took advantage of the situation and CHOSE to sit it out. He was questionable for the Edmonton game as well, but when Team Canada said they would have to see if his ancle was okay otherwise he would be replaced; BAM... miracle recovery, and an awsome performance.

I agree with you T.L. I've had these thoughts throughout the season. Although I never expressed it, I had felt that during the early part of the season, that RC should have benched him for a game just to send a message. I wish he would have, now I don't think we can afford it.

We also can not afford any more lackluster efforts!

[DucksFan39]

do we need one topic for every freaking topic on this board?

jesus christ, they just came back from the olympics, the fans here are so spoiled i swear

Quite honestly I was pissed off when Getzlaf played in the Edmonton game. Not because he did so well, but because he chose not to play the night before against Calgary.

You think he chose to sit out?

do yourself a favor and delete this post, flatout pathetic you would say such a thing about a player who has played through injuries ALL the time

get real man, this is insulting to a warrior like getzlaf

[Getzlaf_15]

Maybe we should trade them both for gritty, Carlyle guys who give 110% on every shift.

Team full of George Parros's (Parroses?)!

[Kenny]

I think they're just suffering from Olympic jet-lag.

They didn't even leave the Pacific time zone.

And I think the plural of Parros is Parrai.

[Ducks15]

Same Captain tho!

Honestly, I think that is the problem. Don't get me wrong, Scott Neidemayer is a great Captain and a hell of a player, but he lacks the vocal presence that could be what is needed. If Mike Babcock talking to Getz/Perry got them to step up their game, and Steve Yzerman questioning whether or not Getz could play got him to outright dominate.. maybe what is needed is somebody in the locker room to step up and question them. Push them to do better and let them know when they are slacking off. I'm no expert on what goes on in the locker room currently, but if somebody(it doesn't have to be the C) were to step up and start pushing people vocally to do better that could be enough to spark their effort night after night.