from Elliott Teaford of the OC Register,

Rickard Rakell didn’t enjoy playing in Randy Carlyle’s old-school offensive system. It was too predictable, too restrictive and led to a significant drop in the left wing’s production last season, when he scored only 18 goals after consecutive seasons of 30 or more.

The Ducks scored an NHL-low 199 goals, which helped to explain why they finished sixth in the eight-team Pacific Division and failed to advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2012. It also helped to explain why Carlyle was fired as coach and replaced by Dallas Eakins.

Change has been good, according to Rakell.

“It’s a different energy around the whole team, getting this practice facility and all the seriousness about everything when it comes to food, sleep, recovery and practice,” Rakell said. “You can really notice the difference. They’ve given us all the tools. For us, everybody is just excited.

“We don’t have anything to lose.”

continued