Episode 94: World Juniors Kick Off, Ducks Eye Trades & Kings Lose Bergevin to Buffalo

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Southern California hockey brought big feelings this week: a front-office shakeup in LA, trade buzz in Anaheim, and a pair of games that showed how special teams and shot quality can flip a scoreboard. We start with community—holiday check-ins, shoutouts, and a push to hit our subscriber goal—then head straight into the real changes. Marc Bergevin heads to Buffalo for a bigger role, while Jim Hiller steps into direct power play control. It’s overdue, and the timing says it all: the Kings can’t keep living on one or two goals and expect deep spring hockey.

Across the freeway, the Ducks have ambition. With OC Vibe construction in motion and the Wild Wing statue on the move, the bigger conversation is roster direction. We unpack why a move for Jordan Kyrou or Robert Thomas would rewire Anaheim’s forward core, slot cleanly behind Leo Carlsson, and stabilize the power play with speed and distribution. We also touch on Ryan Strome’s trade chatter and how center depth, cap planning, and term shape smart decisions.

Game stories bring receipts. LA’s losses to Seattle highlighted a painful pattern—outshooting but failing to finish, ceding special teams momentum, and blocking too few shots. Anaheim outplayed the Kraken 5-on-5 and still got goalied by Philipp Grubauer, then edged Columbus with timely pushes and better net-front presence. We zoom in on how both teams can fix their power plays: more movement through the bumper, better weak-side seams, and a heavier screen game. Then it’s on to World Juniors, where names like Carter George, Liam Greentree, and multiple Ducks prospects flashed the future with composed transitions and sharp reads.

We wrap with predictions, a nuanced Fantilli vs Carlsson snapshot, and a candid case for change in LA: let Byfield drive offense, modernize the system, and swap “safe” for “dangerous.” Anaheim’s path is about layers—keep the rush, add cycle pressure, and convert shot volume into goals. If you love honest SoCal hockey talk, you’ll feel right at home.

Enjoy the episode, share it with a friend, and help us hit 100 subscribers. If you’re coming to the January 16 watch party at Noble Ale Works, say hi—we’ll have stickers and plenty to cheer about. Subscribe, rate, and drop your take: retool, rebuild, or rethink?

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