So, the Edmonton Oilers proceed to hold on to their playoff lives by the pores and skin of their enamel. They pressured a Sport 6 in Edmonton on Friday (June 21), which guarantees to be electrical. That mentioned, postseason hockey is nearing its finish. For the opposite 30 groups within the NHL, focus shifted way back to offseason priorities, together with and particularly the 2 greatest storylines of each NHL offseason: the NHL Entry Draft (June 28 and 29) and Free Company (July 1). The Anaheim Geese, who simply skilled their sixth-straight season with out the playoffs, have one more premium draft choose – third general – and a surplus of wage cap room – greater than $30 million – to play with. These, in and of themselves, are causes to be excited in regards to the offseason in case you’re a Geese fan. Let’s take a look at some others.
Purpose 1: These Uniforms…
Let’s start with the latest revelation, and subsequent hints by the franchise, that the staff will don new uniforms beginning with the 2024-25 season. We’ll cease in need of saying that the Geese have a storied uniform historical past, however there however have been variations over their 30 seasons which have ranged from iconic to, let’s simply say, boring. The introduction of recent uniforms because the franchise continues its construct, each on the ice and within the higher Orange County neighborhood, is a contemporary injection of power that must be handled with optimism by followers.
Associated: Anaheim Geese Jersey Historical past
It shouldn’t be onerous to beat their newest batch of main uniforms. It’s not unfair to say that the Geese haven’t had the best run in relation to uniforms since their 2007 rebrand, even when they’ve achieved a good quantity of success on the ice. They’ve sprinkled in some attractiveness right here and there, together with and particularly their thirtieth anniversary jersey, however their nightly residence and aways have left quite a bit to be desired for a lot too lengthy. They now have an opportunity to alter that narrative.
Purpose 2: A New Captain Lies on the Horizon
Normal Supervisor Pat Verbeek has said that naming a captain is a precedence. What isn’t thrilling about that? It’ll be the primary captain since franchise-legend and all-time factors, assists, and video games performed chief Ryan Getzlaf hung up his skates following the 2021-22 season.
Who it’s stays to be seen, however there definitely are candidates in every single place you look. If Verbeek arms the respect to a different veteran, then names like Cam Fowler or Radko Gudas make sense. If he opts for the longer-term (and extra logical) play of naming certainly one of their younger gamers captain, then names like Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, and Mason McTavish come to thoughts. Verbeek is aware of greater than we do, however one factor that we do know is that Getzlaf leaves behind large skates to fill. Below his management and big-game talent, the Geese had been perennial gamers within the Western Convention playoff image, making the Western Convention Closing twice and the second spherical a further time.
Verbeek being prepared to call a captain is indicative of the course he’s prepared for this staff to go: ahead. He said in his end-of-season availability that the 2 years in his publish has given him “a extremely good deal with on how the room’s working [and] who all of the voices are.” That feels like a man who has discovered his man — or males — to put on letters for the Geese for the foreseeable future.
Purpose 3: The Geese Have Cash to Spend
The Geese have handed out beneficiant contracts to various veterans in latest seasons, most just lately Alex Killorn and Gudas in the course of the 2023 offseason. Earlier than that, it was Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. Regardless of the belief that some, perhaps all, of these contracts will sooner or later turn out to be a burden, the reality is that these are battle-tested veterans and leaders. Some are champions. Having them, to not point out the younger expertise, could make a pretty free agent vacation spot. And fortunate for the Geese, they’ve obtained cash on their facet, too.
The 2024 NHL free-agent pool consists of gamers like Brandon Montour, Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Jonathan Marchessault, and so many others. With their estimated $30-plus million in cap room, the Geese can make a splash. Signing a giant title carries the potential to advance the Geese’ timeline in a single day. There’s no assure Verbeek can pry any of those guys from the grips of what different groups can supply, however when you think about that the Geese, for the primary time shortly, can supply one thing in addition to cash and nice climate, it certain makes free company this offseason a must-follow.
Purpose 4: Draft Picks to Use, or Leverage, to Make the Staff Higher
Since 2019, the Geese have picked ninth, sixth, 10th, 22nd, second, and third within the first spherical of the NHL Entry Draft. They’ve additionally picked many instances early within the second spherical, all of which has netted them a bunch of gamers that ought to lead them again to significant hockey. Within the upcoming draft, they once more have the third-overall choose.
Nonetheless, we are able to in all probability really feel secure making the argument it’s a minimum of price contemplating buying and selling that choose. The Geese don’t want one other teenager who in all chance is not going to be an impression participant for a minimum of a season or two, or perhaps extra. They want needle-movers. There must be groups on the market with impression gamers they wouldn’t thoughts transferring if it meant buying a excessive first-rounder and no matter else the Geese would possibly package deal. Proper? Or Flawed? You let me know within the feedback! Both approach, a third-overall choose within the draft places the Geese able to enhance their roster, which is all the time an ideal factor.
Purpose 5: The Younger Gamers Are Able to Fill Up the Roster
To spherical out our listing, let’s go along with the plain: the younger expertise. Every bit of the younger core, which for years now has been lauded as one of many deepest swimming pools of younger expertise league-wide, has NHL expertise beneath their belt. With Carlsson, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, McTavish and others, the Geese are lastly set to ice a roster the place the expectation goes past making a tradition and studying learn how to turn out to be execs. Positive, lots of them are merely a portion of a full season into their careers, and the educational curve will stay steep. However, apart from Cutter Gauthier and whoever they take at third general within the coming draft barring a commerce, the foundational items of the Geese’ future will all enter subsequent season with NHL expertise. They’ve been to the present. Battled in opposition to different execs. Competed in large video games.
Plus, they’re complemented by a steady of veterans like Gudas, Killorn, Fowler, and Vatrano, who’ve developed chemistry with their younger teammates. Don’t overlook about Terry as nicely, who ought to solely proceed his ascent within the Geese ahead group as guys like Zegras, Carlsson, and McTavish achieve extra expertise. The mixture of youth and expertise on either side of the puck ought to give us all loads to be enthusiastic about as we look forward to subsequent season.
Finally, the Offseason Must Be All About Ahead Progress
We’ve simply outlined 5 causes Geese followers must be enthusiastic about what lies forward in the summertime months. The thrill, nonetheless, could be for naught if each the entrance workplace and the gamers fail to understand the necessary of their jobs this offseason. Simply as Verbeek and head coach Greg Cronin want to find out methods to make this staff higher, the gamers must get higher as nicely. After six seasons of mediocre to downright horrible hockey, it’s time for the franchise to take the subsequent step. For causes we’ve simply outlined, evidently they lastly appear prepared for that.
All people mentioned the proper issues. Everybody needs to transfer towards Stanley Cup competition. All people is aware of they should have productive summers. Proof might be within the pudding, because it all the time is, and in just a few month’s time, we’ll begin to be taught whether or not the Geese are for actual about climbing out their six-season hunch.