The Wait Is Over

The wait is over. The NHL is finally back, and it has been much too long for Ducks fans. After three intense days at training camp, the Ducks returned to the Honda Center for their first preseason game of 2010-2011. Wearing the A’s on Tuesday night were Lubomir Visnovsky, Bobby Ryan, and Ryan Carter.

The forward lines at the start of the game were:

Brandon McMillan – Peter Holland – Devante Smith-Pelly

Kyle Palmieri – Ryan Carter – Dan Sexton

Matt Beleskey – Bobby Ryan – Emerson Etem

Aaron Voros – MacGregor Sharp – Trevor Smith

The defensive lines:

Paul Mara – Mat Clark

Luca Sbisa – Scott Valentine

Cam Fowler – Lubomir Visnovsky

Goalies:

Curtis McElhinney

J.P. Levasseur

Power Play 1:

Sexton – Holland – Smith

Fowler – Visnovsky

Power Play 2:

Palmieri – Ryan – Beleskey

Mara – Clark

Penalty Kill 1:

Beleskey – Sharp

Valentine – Sbisa

Penalty Kill 2:

Carter – Palmieri

Mara – Clark

Quick Period Breakdown

The game started off very tentatively, as one would expect for the first game of the preseason. Both teams had trouble controlling the puck and making crisp passes. Early penalties by Phoenix allowed the Ducks to start taking over the first period, but Anaheim couldn’t capitalize on any of their four power plays of the first period. The Ducks took the momentum into the dressing room having played smart, disciplined hockey.

In the second, it was the Ducks who found themselves shorthanded, and the Coyotes struck quickly on a power play goal by Kyle Turris. Former Duck Andrew Ebbett scored 4 minutes later on a goal from the same location as Turris. Bobby Ryan finally put the Ducks on the board on a power play goal off of some nice passing from Cam Fowler and Lubomir Visnovsky. The power play line on the ice for the goal was a change from the usual power play lines, as coach Randy Carlyle sent out both Emerson Etem and Devante Smith-Pelly to create traffic in front of Phoenix goaltender Jason LaBarbera. The move paid off as Ryan’s one-timer found the top corner while Etem created some chaos in front of LaBarbera. That forward trio had a few even-strength shifts together, but was later broken up again. Goalie J.P. Levasseur replaced Curtis McElhinney halfway through the second as the Ducks coaches wanted to get a look at both goalies in action. Phoenix got another power play goal by Brett MacLean, and an even strength goal by Viktor Tikhonov who deflected a shot from the point.

The third period went scoreless with the Coyotes tightening up to defend their lead and the Ducks not playing with enough desperation to make a comeback. Anaheim was outshot by Phoenix in each period, with the final total being a lopsided 21-40. Phoenix’s power play went 2 for 5, while Anaheim’s was a disappointing 1 for 8. The Ducks had some good maintained pressure in the offensive zone, but struggled to get shots on net and ultimately couldn’t capitalize on their chances.

Forwards

Of course, it was great to see Bobby Ryan back in an Anaheim jersey after a long, drawn-out contract negotiation. He pleased the crowd with his power play goal, but his -2 rating was something to forget. Tuesday night was his first game as a center in the NHL, and there were some times in his own zone when it seemed he wasn’t sure where to be. His comfort, confidence, and execution in the defensive zone will come with time, and Carlyle will be sure to take advantage of the preseason to get Ryan that experience he needs to become an NHL centerman.

The forward that always seemed to grab my attention was Emerson Etem, the Ducks’ second first-round draft pick in 2010. Perhaps it’s his distinct stride, but it’s also because he seems to always be where the puck is going. He sees the game extremely well for an 18-year old. When he has the puck, he makes strong plays to deke around a defender with his quick hands, blow past the defender with his startling speed, or simply get the puck deep into the zone. When he doesn’t have possession, he knows where to go to end up with the puck on his stick. Although he was a -2, he had a strong game in all three zones, including rare time on the power play that resulted in the Ducks’ lone goal of the game. One thing to keep an eye on for Etem is the amount of hits that he takes. Although he gets back up from each one no worse for wear, it is something he needs to learn from and adjust to in order to make the jump from junior to a full-time NHL position.

Devante Smith-Pelly seems to be one of the most NHL-ready forwards of Anaheim’s prospects. Not very flashy with the puck, Smith-Pelly plays a very simple game: play hard, shoot hard, and hit hard. Ducks fans will love the crunching body checks along the boards that he throws, as he seems to hit everything in sight. Smith-Pelly has been scoring goals all summer at the rookie conditioning camp, the rookie tournament, and training camp. He gets to the net and uses his strength to fight for prime positioning to get himself excellent scoring chances. He may not be the most skilled of the Ducks prospects, but there’s a reason he was chosen in the second round of the 2010 entry draft.

Peter Holland and Kyle Palmieri are two players that have generated some hype among the Ducks prospects, but I’m not sure if they’re quite ready for spots on the Ducks’ roster. There is no doubt that they are extremely skilled hockey players, but their decision making and execution wasn’t up to par as their play led to errant passes and turnovers. Holland and Palmieri have both done well in the lower hockey levels, but they will need to quickly adapt to the NHL style of play if they are to claim spots on the Ducks’ roster. The preseason will be a great opportunity to see if they can learn from their experiences of playing against seasoned hockey players.

Aaron Voros is known for his physical presence, but it wasn’t felt nearly enough tonight. I expected him to have some energy shifts in the middle of the second and third periods, when the Ducks were struggling to gain momentum. Unfortunately, he did not use his body effectively, and only when he took a dirty hit in the corner did he finally drop the gloves. With a minute remaining in the game, it did little to fire up his team.

Defensemen

The kids are all right. Both Luca Sbisa and Cam Fowler looked comfortable and confident in all areas of the ice. Sbisa looks much bigger than I remember, and he showed a physical side to his game tonight. He seemed to always be in perfect position to break up plays and jump on loose pucks. While Sbisa held down the defensive end, Fowler impressed at the other end of the ice. Anaheim’s first overall draft pick of 2010 had plenty of time on the power play partnered with Lubomir Visnovsky. Visnovsky, who plays a similar smooth-skating offensive game, was a great defensive pairing for Fowler to learn from. Fowler was responsible in the defensive end and confident in the offensive zone. He logged an impressive 24:40 of ice time, second only to Visnovsky’s 24:51.

Speaking of Visnovsky, wow can this guy play. Twice he had the puck at the point and deked his way through multiple Coyotes to bring the puck in on net by himself. Though his 5’10” stature doesn’t lend itself to physical play on the defensive end of things, he’s quick with the stick to break up the play and get the puck moving the other direction. His creative play and hard shot from the point make it no surprise that he was tied for fourth among defensemen in goals scored last season with 15 tallies.

The first thing I ever thought about Mat Clark was, “That guy looks mean.” At 6’3” and 211 pounds, he sure does look intimidating. However, tonight he was a little bit too mean as he took three minor penalties in the second period alone. Clark is positionally sound in all three zones and brings a strong physical presence to the Ducks’ blue line. His hard-edged play led to a fight with Phoenix’s tough guy Paul Bissonnette, who had 19 fighting majors last season according to HockeyFights.com. While Clark looked a bit hesitant to go at it with such an experienced fighter, he took up the challenge and stood up for himself and his team while taking multiple hard rights from his opponent. If Clark can find the right balance between responsible play and the rough stuff, he will be someone to be very excited about.

Newly signed Paul Mara didn’t have a very notable first game as a Duck. Mara is a big body that does an excellent job of clearing the front of the net, but at times it seemed like that was the only thing he wanted to do. On Phoenix’s second goal of the game, he was standing in front of McElhinney covering nobody while Ebbett was open for a one-timer. If he becomes more mobile, he might be able to show Anaheim why he was drafted 7th overall in 1997.

Goalies

Curtis McElhinney had a strong outing, stopping 20 of 22 shots. The first goal allowed was a power play goal from an uncontested Kyle Turris from the top of the circles that handcuffed him high to the glove side. The second goal was Ebbett’s one-timer from the same location, this time with Paul Mara’s big frame blocking his view. McElhinney had some timely saves to keep the Ducks in the game while being heavily outshot. One thing I noticed about McElhinney was how he handled the puck. He was very comfortable skating the puck to and from behind the net, directing the puck out of traffic, and passing to his defenders.

J.P. Levasseur had the unfortunate task of coming into the game in the middle of Phoenix’s goal scoring tear. With little time to warm up after sitting half the game on the bench it is hard to blame the young netminder for the quick goals against, but in the NHL you have to be ready the moment you step on the ice. Levasseur had some trouble with mobility while down in the butterfly on the first goal, as he got caught frozen on his knees while Phoenix worked the puck around him. The second goal against was a deflection that found its way through heavy traffic in front. Levassuer rebounded with a strong third period, stopping all nine shots he faced.

Wrap Up

The Ducks’ roster was a young one, and it showed on the scoreboard. However, they came out hard and played smart, patient, and disciplined hockey in the first period. If they can maintain that for a full sixty minutes, they can be the strong team that Ducks fans are hoping for. Tuesday night was the first preseason game of the 2010-2011 year, and the first ever preseason game for many of the Ducks’ prospects. It is up to them to take this experience and learn quickly to impress the coaches, the management, and the fans. If they can do that, the Ducks have a promising future to look forward to.

Reunion of the Dynamic Duo?

I’d like to take a moment to write some of my thoughts on #9. No, not Bobby Ryan. The other #9. Don’t pretend like you don’t know who I’m talking about. Regardless of your feelings on the topic, there is no denying that the Ducks very easily could have failed as a franchise had it not been for Paul Kariya.

Paul Kariya. I can hear the boos raining down on me from the internet for saying his name in a Ducks blog. I cringe every time he touches the puck at the Honda Center and the arena erupts with displeasure. But despite the negative feelings shared by many hurt Ducks fans, I still remember everything he did for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Paul Kariya was the Ducks’ first son, their very first draft pick going at #4 overall in the 1993 Entry Draft. Being the first pick of a brand new franchise, expectations were high for the young winger. After spending one more season playing college hockey, he joined the Ducks and expectations were quickly met. Over the course of nine seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Kariya scored 300+369=669 points in 606 games, good for second behind Teemu Selanne. Kariya also trails Selanne in points per game by a mere 0.024.

Not only is he among the top in franchise statistics, Kariya is also a leader on the ice. Even at a young age, he set a notable example with his focus and determination, and his heroics in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals will always be remembered. In just his third season in the NHL, Kariya was given the C to become the franchise’s third captain, serving for seven seasons until he left the team in 2003.

And there it is again. I can feel the hostility surging as I mention Paul Kariya’s unceremonious abandonment of the team he had promised a Stanley Cup. But instead of returning to lead the team he had grown with, that had raised him and cherished him, he chose to play in Colorado. A stacked team just two seasons removed as Stanley Cup champions, many Ducks fans believe that Kariya chose the easy way out. Instead of leading his own team to glory, he chose to join a team already poised to win. The message perceived by fans in Anaheim was, “I don’t believe I can win a Cup with the Ducks, I think I’ll win one in Colorado instead.”

But is this really the message that Kariya meant to send? Nobody knows but him. Sure, the honorable thing would have been to stay with the team and fan base that had invested so much in him, especially after having promised to bring the Cup to Anaheim. There’s no disagreement from me there. But when I found out that he was going to be playing with long-time friend Teemu Selanne again in Colorado, I was happy for them. So much so that I wasn’t mad that he left Anaheim. Extremely sad, but not angry. I was excited that the two players who made magic happen on the ice would be skating together once more. Our game deserves to see that type of chemistry flourish and captivate audiences around the entire NHL. If not in Anaheim, then why not in Colorado?

We should also remember that hockey is both a game and a job, and that the players are human like you and me. For something that takes up so much of everyday life, it’s understandable to want to be in the company of close friends. And for Kariya and Selanne, linemates and friends that mean so much to each other, the prospect of accomplishing the ultimate goal of hockey together would have been a tremendous temptation.

Of course we all know how that season went for Kariya and Selanne and their new team, and the rest, as they say, is history.

But what if it’s not all in the past? There is plenty of talk about a potential reunion of the Dynamic Duo, this time back in Anaheim. Could the magic still be there? Bringing Kariya and Selanne back together to the building in which they amazed the world would be a fairytale ending to two storied careers (whenever that day comes).

Would it be the right fit? It’s no longer the Arrowhead Pond. The colors and crest have changed. The coach and the system are both drastically different. Kariya would be older than all but 4 players on the roster. Not to mention the roster is crowded up front and weak on defense.

But would I welcome Paul Kariya back to Anaheim? The team’s first ever draft pick. The team’s longest-serving captain. 2nd all-time in goals. 2nd all-time in assists. 2nd all-time in points and points per game. 2nd all-time in power play goals. 1st all-time in short-handed goals. 2nd all-time in game-winning goals. 3rd all-time in games played. The face of the franchise for nine seasons and the reason many Californians—myself included—took interest in the game of hockey and the Anaheim Ducks to begin with. So would I welcome Paul Kariya back to Anaheim? Wouldn’t you?

One More Year!

“Ducks Fans – After thinking about it for the last few months, I’ve decided to return to play for the Ducks. I’m excited about the summer additions the team has made. I know this team can win. ” – Teemu Selanne via the Anaheim Ducks Official Site.

Just months ago I was at the Honda Center on Fan Appreciation Night getting swept up in a crowd that serenaded #8 with an emotional chant of, “One more year!” Yesterday, upon reading Teemu’s statement, that wish was granted.

In 1992, Teemu Selanne broke into the NHL with an incredible NHL-record 76 goals as a rookie. Now with 17 NHL seasons under his belt, the Finnish Flash has amassed a total of 606 goals, 654 assists, and 1,260 points with the Winnipeg Jets, the San Jose Sharks, the Colorado Avalanche, and of course, the Anaheim Ducks. When looking at his Ducks-specific stats, his accomplishments appear even more impressive. Selanne is the franchise leader in games played, goals, assists, points, points per game, plus/minus, power play goals, game-winning goals, game-tying goals, and overtime goals.

And now he’s back for one more year. Having just turned 40 in July (not to mention two serious injuries last season), this is an impressive feat. Not many hockey players continue with their careers going into their 40′s, and very few have retained the level of talent that Selanne has. With the same hunger for goals and wins that he had when he first came to the NHL 18 years ago, Selanne is a feared and respected opponent. His presence immediately increases the Ducks’ chances of success.

It hasn’t been easy on the Finnish Flash, having seriously contemplated retirement for the past three offseasons. It hasn’t always been easy on the fans either. But we continue to wait patiently to see when the day comes that Teemu Selanne decides to hang up the skates for good. Until then, we will loyally and enthusiastically support the most likable, recognizable, and respected figure in the Anaheim Ducks franchise.

Thank you Teemu, for your dedication to this team and this community, for your amazing talent and perseverance, for your love of the game and the positive attitude you always display. Here’s to an incredible career. Here’s to the Ducks team that you’ve stuck with and that you believe in. Here’s to one more year.

Ana-who? A look at the Ducks’ roster, past, present and future.

After a curious deadline day, I look at the Anaheim Ducks’ roster and I’m at a loss for words. Is this the same Ducks team that I wildly cheered on as they powered their way to a Stanley Cup Championship just two years ago? Quite frankly, no, it is not.

First, let’s look at the 26 names eternally engraved on a ring of Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Goalies:
Giguere, Bryzgalov
Defensemen:
Beauchemin, DiPenta, Huskins, Jackman, S. Niedermayer, O’Donnell, Pronger
Forwards:
Carter, Getzlaf, Kunitz, Marchant, May, McDonald, Miller, Moen, Motzko, R. Niedermayer, Pahlsson, Parros, Penner, Perry, Selanne, Shannon, Thornton



Two years later, only twelve—count them, twelve—remain on the Ducks, and one of those (Drew Miller) is still being yanked back and forth between the AHL and the big club.
A look at those that remain: Giguere, Beauchemin, S. Niedermayer, Pronger, Carter, Getzlaf, Marchant, Parros, Perry, Selanne.
The rest of the current roster (according to http://ducks.nhl.com 3/7/2009) is as follows: Bodie, Brookbank, Brown, Christensen, Ebbett, Festerling, Hedican, Hiller, Larsen, Nokelainen, Ryan, Whitney, Wisniewski.

Now let’s look at the status of this team going into next season. The Ducks have 16 players (10 forwards, 4 defensemen, and 2 goalies) locked up for next year. 6 are currently headed for unrestricted free agency, and 6 (3 of which are minor-leaguers) are restricted free agents.
Without regard to potential trades, the Ducks locked in for next year are: Beauchemin, Belesky, Brookbank, Carter, Ebbett, Getzlaf, Giguere, Hiller, Mikkelson, Miller, Nokelainen, Parros, Perry, Pronger, Ryan, Selanne, Whitney.

For 2010-2011: Belesky, Carter, Getzlaf, Giguere, Parros, Perry, Whitney.

This means next year (again disregarding potential trades and re-signings), only 9 Ducks remain of the 26 members of the Cup team. The year after, only 5.

What does this mean for the Ducks? Youth. Restructuring. Rebuilding. A fresh start. However you want to look at it, it means change. As much as I would have loved to keep that Cup team in tact for ever and ever, I have to accept this for what it is. Yes, it killed me when the Ducks started disappearing, starting with those who didn’t re-sign after 2007, to the Andy Mac trade last year, to the recent deadline day deals. However, this is also an exciting time for Ducks fans. With so few players locked in for the upcoming years, Ducks management will be busy bringing in new players from free agency, trades, minor league affiliates, and draft picks. No, this will not be the same team that we have gotten used to, but with patience, hopefully it can grow into another special group of Ducks.

The Cruel Question Mark

per Link, rumor has it that Chris Pronger to Boston is a done deal. In summary, here is what it looks like:

Bruins get: Pronger and Moen

Ducks get: An unnamed Bruins roster player, Stuart, Colborne, and a first rounder in '10

Seeing that the Ducks are on the verge of an implosion, the identity of this roster player is VERY important. Having sources tease us like this is just plain cruel. Having said this, let's try to narrow down some possibilities as to who it might be:

First, it is useful to compare this deal to the one the Ducks made a few years ago. To recap:

Oilers get: Lupul, Smid, a first rounder, a second rounder and another conditional first.

Ducks get: Pronger

I find that the comparison to the Oilers trade works because despite the fact that Pronger has a few years burned off his contract and is a few years older (both of which should decrease his trade value), he is fresh off winning a cup and is being dealt in a deadline deal to a team I will call the cup favorites (both of which should increase his value). Having said this, I feel we can eliminate the first rounders right off the bat. We are left with:

Oilers get: Lupul, Smid, a second rounder and a conditional first.

Ducks get: Pronger

Bruins get: Pronger and Moen

Ducks get: An unnamed Bruins roster player, Stuart, Colborne

Using math, we can probably get away with doing this:

Bruins get: Lupul, Smid, Moen, a second rounder and a conditional first

Ducks get: An unnamed Bruins roster player, Stuart, Colborne

Now I am of the thought that Lupul was worth more in 2006 that Colborne is worth now and that Moen is worth more than Stuart. I think these are pretty safe assertions seeing that Lupul was hot off stellar playoff runs at so young an age, proving that he was a solid first round pick (a title he continues to uphold). Sure, Colborne is averaging a PPG in his first year in college and that definitely points to his panning out to be a solid first round pick of his own. Having said this, he is still a prospect. Moen, on the other hand, has proven to be tight in the defensive end and has proven that he is a consistent playoff performer that can skate with the best. I think Stuart has yet to show the league that he is underrated. In other words, this mystery player from the Bruins had better be worth at least a B level defensive prospect, a second rounder, and a conditional first at the very least.

After losing Kunitz, I think it might be safe to say that Mr. Question Mark is a forward.
Possibilities include: Wheeler, Kobasew, Kessel, Krejci, or Lucic. Should the Ducks receive anybody worse than the 5 named here, I would consider the Bruins to have robbed us. Out of the 5, getting Kessel may be a long shot (but hey, I'd love to have him) so it is more likely the other four. Who is worth at least a defensive prospect, a second and a conditional first?, I'd say Wheeler or Lucic. However, no way Lucic goes because he is signed into next year for pennies. Thus, fair value states we'd probably get Blake Wheeler.

However, I'm going to factor in my rose colored glasses and predict that the Ducks will get Chuck Kobasew. I think we'd be getting the short end of the stick if we got him, but I'd rather be either right or pleasantly surprised.

You heard it here first folks:

Bruins get: Pronger and Moen

Ducks get: Kobasew, Stuart, Colborne, and a first rounder in '10


PS. If I get this right, Murray owes me an internship.

Ducks Roughed Up at the Garden: A First-Hand Account

Unfortunately, I have not been able to watch many Ducks games at all this season. Tonight I got the chance to see the Ducks live at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston. I don’t know how the Ducks have been playing other than how they look on paper, so forgive me if I say anything that you disagree with.

Tonight, the Ducks were on the wrong side of a lopsided game. They did not have the intensity that one would expect from a team desperately clawing their way to a playoff berth. The Bruins, on the other hand, displayed why they are number one in the Eastern Conference. Some immediate notes: it was good to see Getzlaf on the ice, just two days after getting his nose broken by a high hit from Buffalo Sabres forward Paul Gaustad. Getzlaf understandably seemed to play a bit more reserved than his usual high-intensity game, but still had a strong presence throughout the night. The Ducks also had a new member on the ice tonight, newly-acquired defenseman Ryan Whitney. The 26-year-old puck moving d-man was brought over from Pittsburgh for gritty winger Chris Kunitz and offensive prospect Eric Tangradi. Whitney, by chance, happened to be in Boston visiting family when he got the call that he would be staying in town to join the Ducks at the Garden that same night. Despite playing with the Ducks for the very first time, Whitney logged an impressive 24:19 minutes of ice time, second on the Ducks behind Chris Pronger (25:42). Whitney was one of only seven Ducks without a minus rating. Full marks to both of them for their gutsy efforts tonight.

The Ducks’ effort on the backcheck seemed to be lacking today. 5 out of the 6 goals against were off the Bruins’ rush. Two that I noticed were off of bad line changes. In the second period, with just about 30 seconds left in Steve Montador’s tripping penalty, the Ducks penalty killers cleared the puck and skated off the ice, not realizing the puck went straight to Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. Thomas moved the puck up the ice to Michael Ryder who skated in on a 3-on-1 and scored a quick goal against Jonas Hiller. In the third, just as I was thinking of how Ryan Carter was having a strong game (aggressive forecheck, constantly challenging big Zdeno Chara for the puck), he took a bad line change, slowly skating back to the bench as the Bruins skated into Anaheim’s zone. The result? Byron Bitz’ 4th goal of the season.

When the defense has an off night, the goalies need to step it up to hold their team in the game. Such was not the case tonight. Both Ducks goalies looked like they were lacking confidence, letting in goals that they would have stopped had they been at the top of their respective games. Both Giguere and Hiller played pretty deep in the net tonight, showing more net for the Bruins snipers to pick at. I’m waiting for Giguere to show the aggressiveness and confidence that he showed a couple years ago when he was challenging shooters and taking away angles, leaving nothing to shoot at.

The second period had plenty of hostility between the two teams. Old teammates George Parros and Shawn Thornton came together at center ice after Parros laid a heavy hit (that looked clean from my seat) on Boston's star forward Marc Savard. Regardless of the hit, I’m almost certain the two heavyweights were planning on scrapping at some point in the night. There were a few big punches thrown, but it didn’t look like many landed. It was more of a grappling match than a boxing match. Thornton did well for himself against the larger Parros, and ended up getting the takedown. Later in the second, Mike Brown took exception to Milan Lucic lingering in the crease in front of Hiller. Brown pushed the young Bruin, trying to start something, at which point Lucic spun around, pulled Brown to the ice, and proceeded to repeatedly punch him in the back of the head. As Lucic continued to pound away, Sheldon Brookbank came to the aid of his teammate, and a large scrum ensued. Brown and Lucic continued to jaw at each other as they were escorted to their respective penalty boxes, and Brookbank was escorted off the ice after receiving a game misconduct for being the third man in. Two things greatly upset me about this. First is how Lucic continued to punch Brown as Brown was on the seat of his pants on the ice. Living in Boston, I have heard a great deal of buzz about the young, heavy-hitting Lucic, but tonight I lost a lot of respect for him. Believe it or not, there is a code in hockey fights. Top in the code is that when your opponent is down, you stop. Watch the top fighters in the league going at it. Of course they want to win, but the intent is not to (really) injure the other fighter. Often fighting is to stick up for oneself, to stick up for one’s teammate, or to sway the momentum of a game. Enforcers are respected by their teammates and by their opponents for their roles of protecting their team. There is nothing respectable about repeatedly punching someone who is prone on the ice. The second thing that upset me about this “fight” is how the refs let it happen. They should have quickly jumped in when Brown went down and couldn’t fight back. Instead, they allowed Lucic to rain punches on Brown’s helmet, which prompted Brookbank to rightfully step in and help out his teammate. Because the refs failed to respond to the situation, Brookbank and the Ducks got penalized for having a third man in. Shortly after this penalty, Ducks captain Scott Neidermayer got in a short scrap with Marc Savard, who both received roughing minors.

Not all was terrible for the Ducks, though. It was refreshing to see Bobby Ryan playing strong hockey. Throughout the night, he was aggressive on the forecheck and skating hard on the backcheck. He was patient with the puck, looking to make the smart play, yet not afraid to take shots. Parros also had a very strong game in my eyes. He had some very hard hits in all three zones and created some good scoring chances. He dropped the gloves with Thornton in an attempt to fire up his team, and tried for a second fight, but the Bruin (I didn’t see who) backed down from the challenge, leaving Parros with a holding penalty, which unfortunately resulted in the Bruins’ 5th goal.

A few parting thoughts: the Ducks need to find new chemistry for their lines. That is, of course, if they are done making moves for the season, which might not be the case. Getzlaf and Perry started the night playing with Rob Neidermayer, who didn’t seem to fit on the line in my opinion. In the second, the top line played with Parros, which I assumed was to make sure none of the Bruins took liberties with our young stars while tempers were flaring. They played well with Bobby Ryan in the third, but I think Randy Carlyle wants to keep Ryan with Selanne to create two threatening offensive lines. I think the best match for now is to have them play with the speedy Todd Marchant. With that combination, the three had a strong presence in the offensive zone. Also, the Ducks continued to play strong while shorthanded, at least in the first period before things got out of hand. Both Marchant and Getzlaf had good chances to make something happen on the penalty kill, with Marchant getting a breakaway and Getzlaf dangling around the Bruins’ defenders.

It’s these small positives that the Ducks need to take away from this game. Should they reflect on the beating they took tonight? Of course. They need to play with more urgency and intensity if they’re thinking of the playoffs. But getting down on themselves isn’t going to get them anywhere. All of us Ducks fans know they have it in them to be a good team. They need to work at getting back to the dominant team they were two years ago, and they can do that by focusing on small things little by little, keeping up their strong points and improving their weaknesses. It will undoubtedly take time for this to happen. Let’s hope it happens before it’s too late, if it’s not too late already.

A Long Awaited Night

I have been waiting for this day since I came to Boston for school. Just a few subway stops away from the TD Banknorth Garden, I have been anticipating the day that I could cheer on the Ducks in the home of the Bruins. Freshman year, I was disappointed to learn that the Ducks would not be in Boston, or even play them at all for that matter. “Next year,” I thought. The next year came around and I anxiously checked the schedule. No Ducks in Boston that year either, but the Bruins did play at the Honda Center for the Ducks’ home opener. After I had already left for Boston for the start of the school year.

The 2008-2009 season rolled around after a disappointingly long off-season, and finally I saw that the Ducks are scheduled to play in Boston on February 26th, 2009. I immediately contacted my friend and Emerson Lions teammate Sean, who has season tickets that he shares with the team. He already had the tickets reserved for me, and I can’t thank him enough. They’re great seats, too. Section 14 in the Loge level, right next to the zamboni door. Of course I decided to go with my girlfriend, Candice, who has become a Ducks fan herself.

February 26th finally came and I was a little kid on Christmas Eve. As soon as I held the tickets in my hands, my eyes lit up. Sitting in my 4:00-6:00 class before heading out to the game was torture. Every time I checked the clock, time had slowed down even more. My legs were shaking with anxiety. When class got out, I almost literally ran out of the building back to my apartment, pulled on my Ducks jersey and hat, and headed for the subway with Candice, also in Ducks hat and jersey.

Riding the subway to the Garden was a strange experience. There were plenty of Bruins-clad fans surrounding us. Any other day, I would be happy to see them, fellow hockey fans. But not when the Ducks are in town. I was all smiles as we walked into the arena and to our seats. I was all smiles throughout the game, regardless of the lopsided loss. I was all smiles on the way home. Not only was it hockey night, but I got to see the Ducks, and any time I get to see them is a good time. Sure there was a little heckling from Bruins fans, but they were good-natured about it. And I was happily surprised to see that there was a nice handful of Ducks supporters there too. It was great experiencing the camaraderie between fellow Ducks fans throughout the night, from shouts of “Go Ducks!” across the concourse to “Hey, next time, huh?” on the way out of the arena.

Did the game go as I had hoped? No. Did I get to be one of the extreme few to leap up as the away team scored a goal? No. But the Ducks were in town and did I have a hell of a fun night cheering them on? I wouldn’t miss it.

The Hustle

Check out Bobby Ryan's hustle last night. Most notably these couple plays found on this video at about :32-:47, 3:28-3:40)

Both goalies looked impressive, but I think had they played Norrena instead of Leclaire we would have had many more goals. Leclaire came up with some huge saves.

Just an observation

At the end of 10/19, the Ducks were 1-5-0.

Then I made a blog post calling out our top line.

Since then, we've been 8-0-1. They've gone 11-32-43 with a +24 combined since that post. Their production beforehand? 0-2-2 and -14.

Maybe I should go into motivational speaking.

At Montreal

A Live Blog.

2 posts by Montreal.

Goal by Huskins on a beautiful pass from Parros. Looks like we have a new top line.

Goal by Getzlaf on an excellent pass from Perry. I want to see more out of this top line the rest of this game. I need more confidence in this team.

The Ducks seem to be controlling the play for the early going. I'm liking the defense we're playing and it looks like we're able to set up in the offensive zone on even strength.

My TV KDOC TV feed showed a picture of two goaltenders in Habs uniforms. The older one is Patrick Roy. The younger one is J.S. Giguere.

Scratches for this game are Bret Hedican and Brad May. Carter is dressed for this game.

Huge stop by Giggy on Kostopolous. Habs are getting the chances, but they have just been unlucky, I suppose.

Penalty Ducks. This better not become a pattern for the rest of the game.

PPGoal Tanguay. An absolutely stunning goal. Giggy had no chance.

Another penalty Ducks.

Huge save by Giggy on a breakaway by Kovalev. In the play, Pronger takes a slashing penalty. Things are not looking good. 5 on 3.

Weirdly, Kovalev goes off too for unsportsmanlike conduct. 5 on 4.

Koivu Goal. This occured just as the penalty expired so I'm not certain as to whether this is registered as a PPG. Looks like the Ducks took it upon themselves to prove me wrong after I had praised their defense in the early going.

Perry vs Boullion. Perry wins.

Koivu's goal will not be a PPG.

End of first.

Sorry, I skipped out to grab groceries and now its 4-3 with 6 minutes left in the second. Sorry bout that.

Apparently the first line has started to put up points. This is what I want to see. Next up: Teemu Selanne.

Powerplay Montreal. We need a stellar kill here.

SHGoal by Travis Moen off the steal. You gotta see this goal. Fantastic shot to the top corner pocket. If we're going to take this many penalties, we need a better SHG rate.

Perry will draw a penalty shot off a fantastic odd man rush. Fingers crossed here.

Perry beats Price but couldn't pull the trigger as the puck rolls off his stick. Lucky Price.

Scott Niedermayer makes a huge defensive play to poke the puck off Higgin's stick on the breakaway.

Kunitz draws a penalty. VERY VERY marginal call. I want to see another SHG here.

End of Second.

Third period begins with Kunitz in the box.

Penalty killed. Giggy left a couple of fat rebounds on that one. Scary.

Another pipe by Perry.

A fantastic glove on Plekanec. It's good to see Giggy back into his groove after a horrid first few games of the season.

This game is very evenly matched. The play is very back and forth with pretty even with the scoring chances.

Selanne Scores on the Power Play. I called this. Wide open net for Selanne, no choice for price. This is the Ducks team I want to see (offensively at least. I am still not happy about our penalties).

Montreal Powerplay again. This gets old.

The first line maintained control in the offensive zone through a very good cycle. That was a fantastic shift by the top line.

Tanguay Scores. Montreal finally puts one in after many great saves by Giggy since the third Montreal. I feel Montreal deserved this.

The top line establishes a long cycle deep in the offensive zone again. One thing I've noticed about Montreal is that they aren't physical at all when it comes to defending against this cycle. Not one check against the Ducks' top line in that segment. The Habs have got to do better than this.

Montreal pulls Price but still cannot create any offense with the extra man. I dont think they recorded one SOG with the extra man. They looked tired but they haven't played the game for several days.

The Ducks completes the eastern Canada sweep. Only two teams have done this previous.

The Ducks weren't so great against Toronto. They were a tad better against Ottawa but still weren't anywhere effective. They were now much better against Montreal. Are the Ducks finally out of the slump? Let's hope so.

Vs. Carolina

Another loss.

I'm very disappointed in Getzlaf and Perry. They are nowhere near playing what their 5.325 salary says they should be playing at. As a line, they are worth over 14 million. After 6 games, Kunitz, pointless. Getzlaf, 1 assist. Perry, 1 assist. Lets compare this line to another top line worth less than 13 million (next year). Kopitar, 4 games, 1 goal 2 assists. Brown, 4 games, 1 goal 3 assists. O'Sullivan, 3 games, 1 goal 1 assist.

This is really unacceptable. If their season doesn't start turning around and if they don't start playing like they deserve their salaries, then some changes will need to be made. Seriously.

Penner?

Anyone else check out what the projected lines are for the Oilers tonight?

Penner is on the third line. Ouch.

Hope they feel like they are getting their "$4.25 million" (or close to that) from him a year since they stole him from the Ducks via offer sheet last year.

At San Jose Sharks & Bobby Ryan

Well, no goals at the end of the one period.

That should give me enough time to watch The Office in between periods. Thank goodness for the TiVo.

Okay, okay.

Bobby Ryan. Those who have chatted with me or seen discussions of which I have taken part about Bobby Ryan know that I wasn't a big fan. First of all, I will cut the guy some slack because he was drafted right after Sidney Crosby. What a tough thing to keep in mind. I never understood what Burke or the other staff saw with him. I mean, who was drafted afterwards? Anze Kopitar. He's worked otu well for the Kings, hasn't he?

Well, truth is I feel like after this pre-season I finally feel like I was wrong. I attended the first game of the pre-season versus the Sharks in Anaheim and Bobby Ryan was great. He had two goals and an assist (I may be wrong about the number of the assists). He had a great sniper of a shot. He was in shape. He looked like he belonged on a line with Getzlaf and Perry.

Well, it's the third. We're down 3-0. Giggy makes a great save on an Erhoff one timer. The Sharks look good. I think the Ducks have taken some stupid penalties and not played the way they are capable. 10 minutes left in the game.

So I guess Carlyle has put Kunitz with Getz and Perry. We really need to strong front lines and I don't think that will be solidified until we get Ryan up from the minors. Who do we deal for space room for Ryan? Marchant? Who takes him? Denton says F. Beauchemin will get traded, but I don't see that happening. Burke and Carlyle are not ones to sacrifice solid D for offense.

Selanne's opportunity from May looked great. I feel like we are all a bit nervous on the ice tonight. Nabokov is solid so far. I have him on a few fantasy teams. I had him all last year and he was a great goalie for me. Funny thing is, my two starting goalies tonight in one league are Nabokov and Giguere.

Okay, so with 6 min. left we are playing well and SCORE! Nice deflection from Rob Neidermayer. Should that be one of his 7 goals for the season? Kidding. Suddenly we pick up the pace towards the end of the game. I feel like that is how the Ducks lay hockey for the past year, catch up. They let the opponent go ahead and then play catch up. Is that why most people rate us to finish 5th or 6th in the west? Anyone else feel like the Sharks get rated high every year and then blow it? How about the Stars? Avery joins the team and suddenly they are the favorite to win the cup. Turco doesn't have me convinced yet. As for the Sharks, Rob Blake will burn out.

Dang. Setuguchi scores. One more person that was drafted after Bobby Ryan. Sloppy recovery on the play. That just about seals the game right there. Cheecho gets the star of the game. Any surprise there?

Selanne and Morrison appear to be playing well together. How about May on a line? One thing that the Ducks have always done very well is forecheck. I think that is a reason we won the Cup a few years ago (Selanne's goal on Hasek in game 6 ring a bell?). When we forecheck, we win games, we score goals, we look good.

Pros of this game: Giggy still looks good. Sure we are down 4-1, but Giggy played well, made great saves.
Cons: still need better offensive chances, more shots on goal.

Anyone want to take the next game under their wing?
Comment please.

Odie to Kings

By now, you must have heard of this news. Let's dig a bit deeper. Who wins this trade? I'm going to give it to the Kings. Sure, the Ducks freed some room for Ryan. Sure, they open up the 7th defenseman spot to possibly Salcido (who was cut earlier in training camp) but I'm still going to go with the Kings here for getting such a solid defenseman for nothing. The ducks received a conditional third round pick from the Kings for Odie but here's the catch: the Ducks only get this pick if the Kings trade Odie this year. If the Kings wait it out, they don't have to pay the Ducks a dime. In effect, the Kings would have to find a trade offer for O'Donnell that would net them a return greater than a third round pick to get Buffalo's native third rounder. If you think about it, the chances for that are slim.

Ducks Trade O' Donnell & Quick Notes

According to ESPN and the Ducks homepage, Sean O'Donnell has been traded to L.A. for a conditional pick.
I have always liked O'Donnell. I think he works well with Pronger and can fight it out in the corner.

I do like the fact that Teemu is back. I expect him to be on a line with Morrison and Kunitz.

I attended the Ducks first pre-season game last week versus San Jose at the Honda Center. I was very impressed with Bobby Ryan's play. I have to say I didn't think he was a great choice after seeing Kopitar bloom so quickly, but he had a great game with Perry and Getzlaf. Great sniper shot on that first goal.

Guess who's back... Back again... Teemu's back... Tell a friend.

So it sounds like Teemu will be back for another year, pending the dissipation of the cap situation. Selanne is quoted as saying, "I have made a decision, I’m not going to say what my decision is, but I have made a decision and I’m skating every day." In response to the cap situation: “There’s no rush,” Selanne said. “The only thing I can say is that I haven’t been skating every day for the last four weeks just for fun. There is a reason.” Sure, its not "official" that he'll be back, but just yesterday a Finnish news outlet parroted these sentiments, asserted that Selanne indeed will be back for a 16th season. As a fan, that's as good a indication as any other.
Dan Wood from the OCRegister also reports that Selanne was skating at Anaheim Ice today with Bobby Ryan and Paul Kariya. Seriously. One of these days I've got to head down there and see if I'm lucky enough to see these three in person.

Via OCRegister

I can dream, can't I?

You know who I want for Schneider (and picks)? Jussi Jokinen.

The Biggest Trade Ever

On August 9, 1988 Wayne Greztky was sent to the Los Angeles Kings with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski in exchange for, well does anyone remember? Seriously though. Martin Gelinas and Jimmy Carson, $15 million in cash, and a bunch of draft picks.

Remember, this is around the prime of his career. This was an incredible trade.

I don't want to take a lot of time to write about my feelings on it, but think about this.

How many hockey teams existed in the NHL in 1988 that were west of the St. Louis Blues/Minnesota North Stars and not in Canada?

The Los Angeles Kings.

That's it.

What about now? What about after the Gretzky trade?

Anaheim Ducks.
Phoenix Coyotes.
San Jose Sharks.
Colorado Avalanche (it should be noted that the "Colorado Rockies did exist before Gretzky entered the NHL and they were moved to New Jersey to become the Devils).
Dallas Stars.

Just to the east we now have a few more teams too.

Nashville Predators
Atlanta Trashers (okay, so they too once had a team that was moved to Calgary)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Florida Panthers
Columbus Blue Jackets
Carolina Hurriances


I exclude any Canadian team here because it is to show the growth of the sport in the USA. Sports need big players to make big games to attract big crowds. No one can deny the influence Gretzky has on the sport just by this list to show the expansions the NHL has had since the Gretzky trade. Who will be the next? Sidney Crosby? I don't know. I think he has great potential to be, but I can't say for another three years.

How many of those teams have won Stanley Cups?
Anaheim, Colorado, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Dallas.

Who would have won those cups had Gretzky never gone to Southern California? I don't think we will ever know and I like it that way.

Be A Pro

So a year ago, there was this video game that sent shockwaves throughout the sports games community. If you haven't heard, NHL 08 was praised by almost every reviewer and won Sports Game of the Year from Gamespot.com. Just in case you haven't noticed, the 08 season has come to a close and the 09 season is about to start. What does this mean for EA's NHL franchise? Probably back-to-back awards.

Before I go on, if you haven't a next-gen game console, now might be the time to buy it (especially since Microsoft slashed the price of the Xbox 360 premium to 300 dollars, down from 350). Can this game possibly be this good? It sure looks like it.

Hearing the accolades for NHL 08, I bought myself a copy, and boy was I glad I did. I spent countless hours in franchise mode building the Ducks into a powerhouse of a team. I think I steered them to 4 or 5 Cup dynasty, but I suppose that is neither here nor there. Point being, NHL 08 was ridiculously awesome and NHL 09 promises to improve on that formula in leaps and bounds. How, you say?

Be A Pro.

This is the name of a new mode they're introducing. In it, you almost literally strap on your own skates and develop yourself as a player from the minors to superstardom. What sets this apart from other hockey games (or game modes) is the fact that your success does not require the finger dexterity to pull off a spicy button combination to score highlight reel goals. This new game mode instead opts to test you on your hockey smarts. In this mode, you exclusively control your own player on the ice - with or without the puck. Do you position yourself for the one-timer? Do you screen the goaltender for your teammates? Do you join in on the rush? These are decisions made by real hockey players and for the first time, the couch potato can join in on the fun. As a player, you can select several templates including, but not limited to, standup goaltender, defensive defenseman, playmaker, grinder, etc. How well you play is determined on how well you play according to the expectations of your role.

The success of your player would depend on three factors, how well you position yourself, how you interact with your team, and how well you show up on the stat sheet. With this mode, gone are the days where all that matters is lighting it up. Yes, if you're often caught out of position, the coach WILL notice. If you always hog the puck, the coach WILL notice. If you don't shoot enough, the coach WILL notice. As line changes happen, you step off the ice and watch the game from the bench, at which point, the coach will give feedback. As you progress in your career, you are given points to spend on a variety of attributes, giving the player choice on whether he should choose to improve his speed, reflexes or whatnot. If that's not revolutionary, I don't know what is.

On Xbox Live, at least, there will be an EA sanctioned official hockey league. Teams are created and players would be recruited to teams with other players. They would play to advance to higher divisions and division 1 teams would play for a trophy, which I hear is an actual physical trophy (don't ask me, I don't know how it works).

The game hasn't been released yet, so the details are a little fuzzy. Personally, I'm excited to see how much realism is involved with this mode. Do I get to negotiate contracts with teams? Do I get traded? Mayhaps I can negotiate an NTC? At this point, only the folks at EA know the more fine details of this fine new game mode.

You can bet top-dollar that on 09.09.08, I'll be dropping 60 bucks for NHL 09.



Link

The Messier Promise

Excuse me while I step out of the Duck spotlight and expose thoughts on modern sports.

It seems that nowadays there are a lot of athletes who think that they can guarantee some sort of win when they are in a hopeless situation. Several basketball and football athletes can be named who did so. 

I think that this is a gesture that should only be made at the right time (it's easy to say that it is the wrong time when the team ends up losing, isn't it?) and made by the right player. 

Joe Nameth. I don't know much about football. I can tell you who plays for what team, the legacy of the Packers and Steelers, why L.A. can't keep a football team, but really I can't defend all the guarantees made. Now, I can say that Joe Nameth stepped up and did it. I know he wasn't huge beforehand, but he made his professional career out of that event. 

Ever since Adam, a friend of mine who writes a darn good sports blog (go-cougs.blogspot.com), mentioned that he could name a few hockey players. Gretzky, Lemieux, Lindros (this surprised me), and Messier. Now Messier was already a great player before he played with the Rangers. Five Stanley Cups in Edmonton.  

This, however, is what most people who don't know anything about hockey should remember.