At this point, I think it is a matter of when, not if, this deal gets signed, but you don't want this dragging out much longer.
Opening night is just around the corner for the Anaheim Ducks, meaning it's time to look at a few big questions heading into the 2023-24 season.
Will Missing Most of Training Camp Impact Trevor Zegras' Start?
A week ago, this question would have been, when will Trevor Zegras re-sign? However, after the star forward signed a three-year extension on Monday, this question changed a bit.
Instead of wondering if he'll be with the team on opening night, I now wonder how sharp he'll look to start the season.
Of course, Zegras hasn't spent all summer on the couch, he's been training hard away from the team and doing everything in his power to be ready to play once his contract was signed. However, any player will tell you that it's impossible to replicate game situations in practice and how important training camp is for them.
There will be an element of playing catch-up for Zegras and it could lead to a slow start for him. There's also the extra layer of difficulty having to learn a new system under a new coach.
I don't have any concerns that Zegras will be bad this season, I'm fairly confident he'll be great again and potentially take another step toward true superstardom, but it might take him a few weeks to get back up to speed.
When Will Jamie Drysdale Re-Sign?
After getting Zegras' contract out of the way, you have to figure Pat Verbeek has turned all of his attention toward getting a deal done with Jamie Drysdale now.
Drysdale is in an odd position, there's no questioning his talent, he's a future top-four defenseman at the absolute minimum. But he's also coming off a season where he featured in just eight games for the Ducks.
At this point, I think it is a matter of when, not if, this deal gets signed, but you don't want this dragging out much longer.
As just discussed, missing training camp is a difficult thing for any player to deal with and Drysdale is in danger of coming back after the regular season has started.
Like Zegras, I'd expect a slow start after Drysdale does sign, but a strong season from him overall.
Will John Gibson be Traded?
This seems to be the question asked before every Ducks season in recent memory and the answer has always been no.
However, this might finally be the year Gibson is moved out of Anaheim, especially if Lukas Dostal proves he's ready for a bigger role in the NHL.
The stumbling block for a potential deal remains Gibson's contract and whether the Ducks are willing to eat a significant portion of his salary to make a deal work. But if they're confident in Dostal's ability to take the net, they might be more willing to eat some money.
There's also the possibility that Gibson has a small bounce-back season under Greg Cronin. It's unlikely Gibson returns to his best form, but the roster has improved a bit and with Dallas Eakins gone you'd expect a better defensive structure in front of Gibson.
If Gibson looks like a quality NHL starter again come the trade deadline, it's likely someone is willing to take a run at the 30-year-old netminder and the Ducks will finally pull the trigger and move him.
What Kind of Impact Will the Coaching Change Have?
It was a rough couple of seasons under Eakins who, while not having the best roster to work with, never instilled much confidence.
It was fairly clear that he was seen as a tank commander and wasn't someone who the Ducks saw as a long-term option.
While expectations are still low, there is hope that Cronin can begin to develop an identity for this Ducks team as they take their first steps toward improving.
Verbeek brought in a few veterans like Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas to help Cronin cultivate that new identity and bring in a different kind of mentality in the locker room.
It's not something that happens overnight, it takes a lot of time and effort to make changes like that, so it will be interesting to see how that develops as the season goes on.
Another thing that will be interesting to see is if Cronin can help the Ducks' abysmal special teams that saw both units finish 31st in the league.
Even if the Ducks don't see much improvement in the standings, if Cronin can begin moving things in the right direction and instilling his principles, it will be a successful season.