All teams seem poised to take the rosters they have, as of today, into the opening of the preseason games; taking into account any surprises in training camp.

Without a doubt the most improved team and one of the most changed is the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks added Saku Koivu, who captained the Montreal Canadiens last season. Koivu will get to play with long time friend and fellow FinnTeemu Selanne.

The Ducks also reacquired Joffrey Lupul from Philadelphia, along with Luca Sbisa in exchange for Chris Pronger. Pronger was in his contract year and was the odd man out with a deep Ducks blue-line.

The Ducks added Nick Boynton to a one-year contract, as well as Steve McCarthy. Both are experienced blue-liners that help make one of the best defensive teams even better.

The Ducks were a dangerous team in last years playoffs, and look improved in many aspects.

They freed up a lot of money in ditching bully Pronger and added some great talent in Sbisa, Lupul and Koivu. Losing Broad Street bully Pronger to Philadelphia will likely look like a good offseason move as the Ducks will not only fight in the playoffs, but maybe for a Stanley Cup this season.

The Los Angeles Kings are a new looking team as well.

With veteran forward Ryan Smyth added in exchange for defenseman Kyle Quincey and Tom Preissing, the Kings are more dangerous up front.

The other big name addition for the Kings is Rob Scuderi, who won the 2009 Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This addition at defense, adds veteran talent and a Stanley Cup ring, making the Kings a more dangerous team in the coming season.

Additionally, the Kings added prospect talent and resigned several young AHL-level players. A solid managerial decision for a team looking to improve consistently over the next couple of years.

The Kings got better at the cost of losing youthful defense. The Kings’ new additions in most respects won’t matter, but at least they tried. Until the Kings solve the gaping wound that is defense all the scoring talent in the world wont help. One addition of the talented Scuderi wont make much difference in the big picture.

With so much hockey news regarding the Phoenix Coyotes, they remained quiet in the offseason. The Coyotes’ biggest additions are veteran Adrian Aucoin and goaltender Jason Labarbera.

The Coyotes also added veteran defenseman James Vandermeer, forward Stefan Meyer, and Vernon Fiddler. To be honest, from a team looking to make the playoffs and struggling to remain in Phoenix, the offseason doesn’t look like an improvement, but rather an attempt to stay status quo.

The Coyotes should have money and cap room available to go after more players, in order to improve and fight for a playoff spot—and maybe even fan support—the team needs more talent than it currently has.

Youth is good for long term, but the Coyotes are on life support and need an infusion of young talent and veterans with big names, and stat sheets. Alex Tanguay or a veteran scoring defenseman would certainly shake things up in the desert.

The Dallas Stars look much the same as last year, and seem poised to not add any major pieces having learned a harsh lesson from Sean Avery last season. The Stars answered their goaltending woes trading for Alex Auld, a veteran netminder who can take some of the load off of Marty Turco.

With such young on defense, the Stars added veterans Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka. On the blueline the Stars seem committed not to resign veteran defenseman and long time Dallas Star, Sergei Zubov. Up front, the Stars added Warren Peters, who will likely occupy the third line for the Stars.

The Stars may look to add another veteran forward or defenseman, but the major dictator is money. Another question left unanswered is the approach new GM Joe Nieuwendyk and new coach Marc Crawford plan to take in building a winner in the Lone Star State. As a Stars fan, and as the usual subject of my work, the Stars offseason is a disappointment…aside from the adding of Alex Auld as a backup goaltender.

The Pacific Champion San Jose Sharks did little to improve, or get worse in the Northern California surfing months. The largest contract action was resigning veteran All-Star defenseman Rob Blake for one more year and adding veteran forward Scott Nichol. For a team struggling to shake bad playoff voodoo, the Sharks also could have done more and are bound by cap.

The Sharks take my “award” for laziest team in the offseason. Money is tight, but shaking up this team seems more than likely what will need to be done for a Cup to be raised in Northern California.

Ken Armer is a Senior Writer at Bleacher Report and a Community Leader for both the NHL and Dallas Stars. He can be reached at karmer@bleacherreport.com.

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However, the Ducks do receive a fair shake. In return for Pronger, the Ducks receive right wing Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Luca Sbisa (Flyers’ first-round pick in 2008), a first-round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, a first-round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional third-round selection in the 2010 or 2011 NHL Entry Draft .

Niedermayer must still agree to a new contract with Anaheim, and if he does not come to terms with the Ducks by July 1 he could test the free agent market. With Pronger’s age, he’s only 34, and the uncertainty of Niedermayer’s return, makes this a questionable move for the Quackers. In a way, it makes you wonder if the Ducks’ four year playoff run could be coming to an end.

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Detroit police say a woman was accidentally hit by a chair swung by Ducks general manager Bob Murray after Anaheim’s loss to the Red Wings in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

Sgt. Alan Quinn said on Saturday that the woman was struck while in the press box Thursday night at Joe Louis Arena, and Murray apologized. Quinn says police took a report and the woman declined to seek charges.

The incident was first reported on Friday by WJBK-TV in Detroit.

The Ducks said Saturday that Murray denies throwing a chair. On Friday, he told the Los Angeles Times that it was a “complete accident.”

With the 4-3 win, the Wings advanced to play the Chicago Blackhawks in the conference finals that start Sunday in Detroit.

When was the last time good news came out of the Motor City?

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“Man, that is a sleek and sexy design!”

“It looks like Gary Bettman and a five-year-old designed it!”

“Dang! Three of the four semifinals series are going to game sevens!”

Ok, so I said the last one. But seriously, it is an amazing time to be a hockey fan. The Chicago Blackhawks will be going to the Western Conference Finals, possibly for an Original Six meeting with Detroit, or maybe with the Cinderella Anaheim Ducks.

Glancing at the other end, top-dog Boston could be outed by the Carolina Hurricanes, who have truly picked up speed and seem poised to slam into the Eastern Conference Finals. They could meet either or the depth-filled Pittsburgh Penguins, or the talent-filled Washington Capitals.

Either way, tonight is the night of the game seven: something only true hockey fans can ever fully appreciate, especially at this magnitude.

Last night, driving to Walmart with my girlfriend, I mentioned that the Ducks had managed to win Game Six and stay alive against the Red Wings. She, a hockey novice, asked what that meant. I explained the significance of the game seven. From the tone of both of us in the conversation, I knew she understood that sometimes in a game seven the “best” team may not win; that maybe my Ducks stood a slight chance. Additionally, she seemed amazed at the fact so many of the teams were going to a game seven.

It got me to thinking about the fact Boston and Detroit, two of the best teams during the season could wake up tomorrow out of the playoffs. How Washington with a win would deny Sidney Crosby a Stanley Cup for one more year.

Who lives and dies boils down to 60 minutes. It doesn’t get anymore exciting then that. For those of you with teams involved, you of all people know your team’s season comes down to that 60 minutes.

Who will live and die?

I don’t have a magic mirror to tell you how the games will turn out, or even have any predictions. Merely an urging to all who grace the NHL home page of Bleacher Report to watch as many games tonight as possible. History could be made, like so much has been made before in game sevens. Tonight, six teams find out who survives and if their hard work was all for nothing.

Get excited, hockey fans! Go find that remote!

Ken Armer is a Community Leader for the NHL and the Dallas Stars for Bleacher Report. He also covers the Anaheim Ducks for TheHockeyWriters.com. He can be contacted at karmer@bleacherreport.com

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On Wednesday, Murray traded center Samuel Pahlsson, left wing Travis Moen and defensemen Steve Montador and Kent Huskins, in a flurry of deals that brought forward Erik Christensen from the Atlanta Thrashers, center Petteri Nokelainen from the Boston Bruins, defenseman James Wisniewski from the Chicago Blackhawks and two promising prospects from the San Jose Sharks, to Orange County.

The flurry of deals came one week after Murray dealt left wing Chris Kunitz, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for skilled defenseman Ryan Whitney.

The reason for the trades? To get rid of some players, who are unrestricted free agents this July and would likely leave Anaheim.

After preliminary contract discussions involving representatives for Pahlsson, Moen and Huskins all went nowhere, Murray decided to take action himself and gurantee some compensation for their services.

Murray told the media that, “it would have been totally irresponsible of me to not get the best I could for these unrestricted guys.”

But while Murray saved some salary and traded some expiring contracts, the general manager still believes that the Ducks are a playoff team in 2009.

“I fully expect this team to run for a playoff spot,” Murray said. “If I sense that any of our players think we have ‘sold,’ and quit, we will rectify that situation.”

With about a month left in the season, we’ll see of Murray is right and the Ducks are able to not only earn a playoff birth but also make a serious run for the Stanley Cup.

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Jonathan Quick looks to stop the leading Anaheim goal scorer Ryan Getzlaf.

Anze Kopitar was back on his game notching the third goal of the game and looking so much better than he did in the game against the Philadelphia Flyers. In that game, Greener put it best when he said that Kopi looked hungover. He had nothing in the tank last week, but tonight he looked like his usual self and scored his much-needed 11th goal of the season. Before that goal, Wayne Simmonds started off the second period with a goal only 37 seconds in! Needless to say, we were all shocked and I was feeling pretty good about this new line of Kopi, Simmonds, and Frolov. I’m not sure if any of the lines tonight will remain for the next game, but perhaps this line will see more shifts in the future.

The penalty box was kept annoyingly warm by the bodies coming and going through the game. The Kings took seven penalties and Ryan scored one of his three right after the Kings had killed a 5-on-3. Not only was that frustrating, but it was compounded by the fact the Ducks had only taken three penalties of their own! The roles were reversed here and I did not like that feeling of constantly having to kill off penalties when the Kings REALLY needed to come out with a win. Halfway through the game, it was announced that the Dallas Stars had lost to the Detroit Red Wings and that the Phoenix Coyotes had won their game against the Tampa Bay Lightening. So this meant that if the Kings lost, they’d stay 5th in the Pacific Division. But they were able to pull out the win, thanks to my favorite Russian who got assists from two of my favorites, Teddy Purcell and Kyle Quincey.

Speaking of Purcell, I mentioned before that I was glad he was now getting consistent time on the second unit of the PP. He seemed to have a bit of spark when he actually had the room to operate and get plays going. Because of this, I guess I just assumed that the number of minutes he would log would rise, but it appears that I was a bit preemptive in my thinking because he only had 13:51 of TOI tonight. Bah.

The goaltending was interesting as well. Jean-Sebastian Giguere let in two goals on three shots and was promptly replaced by Jonas Hiller who was basically just plain better than Giguere. I guess I’m not too surprised; the young almost always replace the old and feeble, right? Jonathan Quick did pretty well this game but made some egregious errors at times. Some were rookie mistakes, yes, but he didn’t seem as aware as he has been. Hopefully he’ll get his head in the right place soon. The Kings faceoff against the New Jersey Devils next and I’m pretty happy knowing that if Quick isn’t back on it by Saturday, that the Kings have a reliable goalie on the bench who is patiently waiting his turn.

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Samuel Pahlsson celebrates his game winning goal in the third period.

Good question.

I have no idea. Dustin Brown has stalled a bit; Anze Kopitar is a little dry in that department. Alexander Frolov is the Kings leading scorer and he’s on the checking line! What do they have to do here? Once again, I have no idea. The only area the Kings really dominated was in the faceoff circle going 59%. Kopi did well by winning 13 of 19. But the more important stat of SHOTS ON is not happening. Only 18? I’m not sure what else to say; the game was a bit on the boring side with lots of free-flowing movement and without too many whistles.

This was Erik Ersberg’s first game back in net after recovering from a slight groin injury. He looked like his old self, which is exactly what I was hoping for. He was setting himself solidly in front of pucks and moving well in the paint. At the same time, there were some rebounds that were getting away from him, but all-in-all, not too bad. The two goals against him were both on the PP and the defenders were looking a bit off around Ersberg. Since all three goals up to the game’s end were on the PP, I was hoping the penalty that Brad Festerling took near the end of the game would help get the Kings energy levels back to normal and maybe they’d be able to tie the game up. Alas, the Ducks penalty killers were looking good and the Kings were going no where except back to their zone to retrieve the puck.

As a whole, I am unimpressed with this showing by the Kings and I hope Thursday’s game where the Ducks are the visiting team proves to be better. Perhaps two points to help move the Kings up the standings, maybe?

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Bret Hedican celebrates his goal with teammates Chris Kunitz and Steve Montador.

There were four PP opportunities for the Kings with one being a 4-minute penalty but they weren’t able to get anything going on any of them. The 4-minute penalty was actually played better by the Ducks than the Kings, which was… mildly.. frustrating… especially since the penalty came from an incident with Ryan Getzalf’s stick accidentally making a beeline for Patrick O’Sullivan’s face. This boy already has lost 4 or 5 teeth, he really can’t afford to lose anymore; so when I saw him spit something out of his mouth that looked like a tooth, I definitely flashed back to last year when he took a puck in the face and had to have emergency dental work. But, whatever happened didn’t seem to affect him too much since he was back on the ice before the end of the first period.

Once again Erik Ersberg looked solid in net. He was doing his usual thing of not getting rattled inbetween the pipes. Both Ducks’ goals were even-strength goals with the first by Corey Perry. I haven’t taken another look at the goal but I remember wondering where the D was on that rebound. Oscar Moller was the Kings player that was there for the initial shot, but the rebound couldn’t have gone anywhere but in the back of the net. Bret Hedican’s goal came with less than five minutes to go and was the game sealer. Terry Murray didn’t pull Ersberg with two minutes to go and I wanted Brian Hayward to shut the hell up. You obviously know why he’s not pulling Ersberg, so shut up about it! Ugh!

One surprising note, Wayne Simmonds got only 8:53 of TOI! Yeah, he’s an ugly, ugly skater, but he had been getting around five more minutes than that on average. Drew Doughty logging 28:27 of TOI is… just… beastly… although he didn’t record any hits. Actually the Kings were definitely outhit overall, 22-14. Boo. It appears that I’ve lost interest in this recap, so I’m just gonna… stop and go do something else.

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Scott Niedermayer and the Ducks earned an overtime victory over their SoCal rivals.

I forgot to check the stats sheet last night, so no numbers for this post.

Things I didn’t like:

• Matt Moulson being reassigned to the Manchester Monarchs. What the eff!
• Peter Harrold skating as a forward.
• Brian Boyle on a line with Peter Harrold.
• Patrick O’Sullivan having to skate with these two yahoos.

First, Erik Ersberg looked solid. This isn’t to say that I think he’s leaps and bounds better than Jason LaBarbera. I just thought that the Swede was square on almost all of the shots that came his way. That being said, there were some tense moments when he was flopping around when a rebound was snagged by a Duck, but, other than that, he looked good. But one game isn’t going to convince me; I basically won’t have full confidence in Ersberg unless he pulls a Ty Conklin from last year. I need to know that he can stand up to teams who are prepared to face him in the net. If other teams know his tendencies in net and he can STILL shut them down, then I’ll give him my full vote of confidence. But, of course, I’ll be cheering for him to be successful for every game. I’m obviously not going to turn on him if he has one bad game.

Second, the goal to end the game in overtime basically sickened me; a slapper from Chris Pronger with a screen in front of Ersberg. Vomit inducing indeed. It was such a shock when it went in; it felt like it just happened way too quickly. But no clichés here, the Ducks scored and the Kings grabbed a point. They’re still last in the standings and, of course, the Western Conference, but by no means are they out of the race. It’s the beginning of November for Christ’s sake! I’m so focused on the Kings working on their consistency that I haven’t even been watching the standings all that much.

In conclusion: keys for Thursday’s game against Florida? Umm, win?

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Jonas Hiller and the Ducks have a lot of defensive issues to address.

Starting the season 0-4 was not the statement a team battling to be a top dog in the Pacific wanted to show for itself. The only face-saving would come in a romping on Friday night against the San Jose Sharks.

Anaheim @ San Jose (1-4 Loss)

The Ducks start the season limping out of the gate, losing to the new and improved Sharks. The Sharks jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the second period (no goals in the first), adding a third goal at 2:52 of the third period. Rob Niedermayer would put the Ducks on the board at 14:35, but the Sharks would add one more at 15:57, leaving the Ducks hurting after the road loss.

Coyotes @ Ducks (4-2 Loss)

The most looked forward to game of the year for me and I turned it off fairly quickly. During the offseason, I had the epiphany of a fantastic song the Ducks should use as pregame music in the home opener (”Indestructible” by Disturbed).

I emailed my contact within the team, Adam Brady (Ducks Director of Media) and he emailed the appropriate people and they liked the idea. Needless to say, as the puck dropped for the season opener, a packed Honda Center believed along with me that their Ducks were “Indestructible.” Apparently Phoenix didn’t get that memo and the Ducks didn’t soak in the lyrics.

(Click Here for the Ducks Indestructible video)

Ken’s Note: I’m not generally one to get gushy, but seeing the Ducks use my idea, although only a small part of the finished product made the 80 some articles I have written about the Ducks more than worth it. I recommend to all current CL’s and serious writers to make contacts within the organization if possible.

Feel as though you or a part, if only a small one, of the large media body that covers that team. To leave the Ducks behind for the Stars this season seeing that song represent the Ducks seemed like a touching ending to an unforgettable spring and summer writing for them. I leave behind those amazing memories for new ones with the Stars.

Ducks @ Kings (3-6 Loss)

The Ducks jump to an early two-goal lead with goals by Brian Sutherby and Todd Marchant in the first but remain scoreless in the second period when the Kings add two to the 2-1 game after the first period. The final frame sees the Ducks outscored 3-1 making the grand total of 6-3 for the Kings. Clearly, the expected Pacific Division worst Kings are capable of winning after all.

Oilers @ Ducks (3-2 Loss)

Even with Jonas Hiller in goal, the Ducks can’t overcome their losing ways. The Ducks keep it close until the third when Edmonton scored to go ahead and held the lead until the final buzzer. Kent Huskins, and Rob Niedermayer scored goals for the Ducks. The Ducks battled hard but still got the “L”.

Sharks @ Ducks (0-4 Win)

The Sharks entered as possibly the hottest team in not only the division but the conference. The goaltending of J.S. Giguere looked more solid than it has in past games. Giguere looked to have returned to past form and ready to stop anything San Jose shot at him. The defense looked sharp, much like the new pairings were finally starting to click.

“It feels really good,” said Giguere in Adam Brady’s recap on the Ducks website. “It was a good night for us. We still have a lot of room for improvement, but this is a good start.”

The Ducks defense got the scoring going, with a goal coming from Francois Beauchemin at 18:13 of the first. Travis Moen scored at 3:56 of the second, with assists from both Niedermayer brothers and Chris Pronger and Sammy Pahlsson scored in the third to seal the deal for the Ducks.

“We got our first win and we’re happy with it,” Giguere said in the Ducks recap. “The last game (a 3-2 loss to Edmonton) was a starting point. Now we just have to keep going forward and try to put some good games together.”

The Ducks will look to keep their winning streak alive against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Stay tuned next week for the complete weeks analysis.

Image: Courtesy of Getty Images via Yahoo Sports

Quotes: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks game recaps found on team website.

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This game was to see who would have to occupy that unfortunate spot of dead last in the Pacific Division, which is where the Kings were for much of last season. I came into the game fully content with the possible result of the Kings being slotted in that 5th position. None of my daydreams yesterday had the Kings winning 6-3 over the Ducks. Then again, I wasn’t expecting the Ducks to look like a group of disorganized high school kids. They continued their physical brand of crap while taking 13 total penalties. Two were fighting majors and two were coincidental minors (Ryan Getzlaf and Denis Gauthier canceling each other out). So the Kings had 9 PP opportunities and converted on 3 of them. The Kings took 9 total penalties with 5 being actual PKs. Once again my boys killed all of the penalties against them and haven’t given up a goal while being shorthanded yet! They’re 14 for 14 and I’m loving that stat. They looked solid last night and I was very much impressed. Jarret Stoll has continually impressed me with his scrappy efforts, and he definitely improved on his faceoff percentage going 60% (won 9, lost 6).

Another notable on the PK was Michal Handzus. He looks so much stronger and looks less afraid to get his nose dirty. He’s actually taking the body now, which he rarely did last season, so I’m pretty happy with how he’s been doing on an individual level. He registered an assist and had 18:18 of ice time. Going back to Stoll, he had plenty of TOI at 20:39. At first I was wondering why he always seemed to be out there, but then I realized it was basically a game of specialty teams with all the penalties that were being called.

The awesome thing about the goals by the Kings was that the 6 goals were scored by 6 different skaters. I think Matt Moulson had the prettiest goal while Patrick O’Sullivan had the slickest goal. I honestly didn’t think Moulson was going to gain control of the pass from Dustin Brown and have time to get the shot off before the angle to the net got too sharp. But gain control he did where shot it from the left side over J.S. Giguere’s left shoulder far side. If that goal doesn’t make Kings fans notice my boy, I don’t know what will. The shot was so pretty and perfect that he couldn’t have made it any better. Giguere literally followed the puck with his eyes all the way to the back of the net. Perfect. Sully had a fantastic game last night. He had a bit of the time on the PK, more time on the PP, and ample time at even strength so it seemed like he was everywhere on the ice. He was so effective in everything he did that I believe he’s earned his spot back on the top line with just one game. I knew he had it in him; it was just a matter of when.

With Sully on the top line, the subsequent shift of players was unexpected for me. Moulson was moved to the 2nd line left wing, which I was stoked about, but that meant Alexander Frolov was moved to the 3rd line left wing. As much as I didn’t expect that, I think that just gets our 3rd line moving that much more to have a big body that is always searching for ways to get the puck to the net as opposed to shutting down the opposition. I thought that all four lines the Kings rolled out looked great together. The defensive pairings were a bit of a different story. With Jack Johnson out, the pairings obviously changed and after some time in the second period I noticed that Peter Harrold was getting an ungodly amount of minutes (17:55) with almost four minutes coming on the PP. This fact coupled with Drew Doughty not having been out on the ice for quite some time, I voiced my concern. Whereupon, ½ of KingsCast and I tried to get some information from people watching the game on TV at home, but there was nothing until the 3rd period when we found out that Doughty was having “flu-like symptoms.” I was so relieved that it wasn’t a substantial injury because we would have basically been screwed if he AND Jack were out. But the flu isn’t bad, he just needs some shuteye and he’ll be back in no time. Going back to Harrold, for how much he was fumbling and bumbling around, he had way too much time on the PP. None of his passes were landing; he couldn’t outmaneuver past Ducks or even clear the damned puck at some points. It was so frustrating to watch Harrold stumble around while the rest of the roster was working smoothly. He definitely stuck out like a sore thumb when he was on the ice.

I must take a minute to address the fight between Raitis Ivanans and George Parros that occurred less than two minutes into the game after the first Ducks goal. I’ve never seen anyone land that many kidney shots in succession as Ivanans dished out to Parros. It was fantastic and got the crowd amped up. Conversely, Chris Pronger had 4 hits in the game, which all seemed to be against Oscar Moller. Hey, D-Bag, you’re an ugly monster and Moller is an 18-year-old kid who you are twice as big as. There’s really no need to plaster his face against the glass whenever you can. Stop being a prick. And I saw you raise your elbows while skating by Moulson. You elbow him and I’ll shankify your ass.

I could honestly go on and on and on about how great this game was, but I won’t. I will end by saying that I’m glad the Kings now have a decisive win under their belts after losing two games against a solid Sharks squad. This performance is very promising for the Kings as I’m sure Terry Murray knows the boys have it in them to not suck on a game-to-game basis. Good job, guys!

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Dan Wood feels as if the east coast media has already forgotten about the Ducks.

Q: The Ducks were said to have one of the best defensive corps for the past two seasons. With the loss of Mathieu Schneider and Sean O’Donnell, are the Ducks still the top defensive team on paper?

I think the Ducks would still be right up there for that distinction, probably vying with Detroit and its top four of Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart. While Schneider is still a good player and should help Atlanta, even at age 39, I’m not sure he really fit with the Ducks after Scott Niedermayer returned last season. Schneider’s strength is offense, and he wasn’t on Anaheim’s top power-play unit and he played on their third pair at even strength. I think Ken Klee, who came
from the Thrashers in the Schneider trade, is a comparable player to O’Donnell, and Klee is a right-hand shot, which will probably enable Chris Pronger to switch over to his natural left side. I expect Kent Huskins to continue to grow as a player this season and get more ice time. The key for the Ducks, though, is being good on the ice, not merely on paper. Francois Beauchemin needs to bounce back to his 2006-07 form after an off season, and Niedermayer and Pronger both need to play better than they did last season, too. This team was built around Niedermayer and Pronger when it won
the Stanley Cup in 2007, and those guys need to be Anaheim’s best players.

Q: Will the Ducks be capable of hanging with teams like Dallas and San Jose or are the Ducks truly a sleeper in the Pacific?

I think the Ducks are being overlooked by virtually everyone in the mainstream hockey media, and I really don’t understand why. As many things as they had working against them last season, the Ducks still wound up with 102 points, matching the fourth-highest total in the league. As they enter
this season, everything with the notable exception of their remaining salary-cap challenges seems to be exactly as they want it. Even with their struggles last season, the Ducks went right down to the wire with Dallas and San Jose in the race for first place in the Pacific Division. I think a repeat scenario, with those three teams staging an epic battle, is more likely than not.

Q: Will Bobby Ryan be back with the Ducks for most of the year or be much like last year sharing more time in the minors?

Answering this question requires guesswork on what will happen with Anaheim’s salary-cap situation. The Ducks will enter the season dangerously close to the NHL’s $56.7 million limit, with virtually no flexibility to add players. Unless they subtract a significant amount of salary, likely by trading another veteran player, I don’t know how they will make room for Bobby Ryan. Having said that, I think an argument can certainly be made that Ryan deserves to be here now, based on his training-camp performance, but I don’t think he absolutely “demanded” to be here with an earth-shattering effort in camp and the exhibition campaign. If he lights it up in Iowa, he will likely force the Ducks into making a move to create room for him.

Q: Who was the most impressive prospect behind Bobby Ryan in the Ducks training camp?

The Ducks spoke highly of defenseman Brett Festerling, but that was due at least in part to the fact that Festerling has a lower salary-cap hit than fellow promising young defensemen Brian Salcido and Brendan Mikkelson. Salcido, an Orange County product, is more of an offensive-oriented defenseman, whereas Festerling and Mikkelson are more defensive types. I think we could see any or all three at some point this season, but again, Anaheim’s salary-cap issues are likely to play into this scenario, as well.

Q: Why has Brian Burke still not signed a contract extension when he seems to want to stay in Anaheim?

Burke cites family issues as the reason for the uncertainty surrounding his future. From my understanding, he wanted to take a significant amount of time, perhaps until Christmas, to try to sort through everything, which includes children from his first marriage living in the East. In many ways, working in the East would be preferable for Burke.

Having said that, he has talked many times about the great situation he has here and how much he likes working for Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli. I honestly don’t know what will happen here. My guess is it’s probably 50-50 that Burke stays beyond this season or resigns with an eye toward working elsewhere.

Note: Ken Armer was a major contributor to his interview

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Teemu Selanne and the Ducks emerged victorious over the their northern rivals.

Let’s actually start with the forwards. Oscar Moller and Matt Moulson swapped ice time with each other to be on the top line with Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar throughout the entire game. It was nice to see Moller getting big minutes and with the top two skaters, but there were times when he was just out of position. He obviously wasn’t making an obscene amount of blatant errors, but it was apparent that he was on a tryout with the top offensive pairing. There weren’t as many penalties in this game compared to Frozen Fury, so it didn’t seem like a night solely devoted to specialty teams. That’s not to say the reffing was fantastic or anything; in fact, it was straight up horrendous.

• I thought the checking of Kyle Calder headfirst into the boards was grounds for a penalty, but the refs thought otherwise.
• I thought the times the Ducks interfered with Jason LaBarbera while he was still in the blue paint was grounds for multiple penalties, but the refs didn’t think that was a big deal.
• I thought the holding penalty against Kopi during the OT frame was the biggest piece of nonsense, but apparently those are supposed to be called.

Okay I will preface this by saying I don’t play hockey on a daily basis, so I probably don’t have the authority to critique the refs, but… honestly. Since this game wasn’t televised, I’ll lay the scene out. It’s in overtime where the Kings are on the power play. Some Duck grabs a hold of Kopi’s stick and holds it across his midsection. Kopi notices this and puts his left arm up in the air to show that he’s not hooking or holding the Duck. The latter then proceeds to try and get himself tangled up in Kopi’s stick somehow and then magically trips and falls. Whistle blows and Kopi is sent off the ice for holding.

Really?

There is then a minute of 3-on-3 skating, which creates so much ice that it’s ridiculous. But just like in the regulation periods, the Ducks spend most of their time in the Kings’ zone. I am baffled as to how the Kings just couldn’t get anything going into the offensive zone. Sometimes they couldn’t even get into the neutral zone, but when they did, the Ducks blocked passes and shut them down around their blue line. The only way the Kings could really create chances were if they played the dump-and-chase card. I hate the Ducks so much.

The defense… needs work. I shouldn’t have been toooooo hard on the guys since both Jack Johnson and Tom Preissing sat up in the press box. I really think that one or the other should have dressed for the game since having both players out created a weaker defense. In Jack we could have had a physical puck mover out there or a positionally sound veteran dman in Preissing. Too bad we had neither player and had to resort to putting two 18-year-old dmen on the PK at times. Pretty scary stuff. There were also some ridiculously huge defensive breakdowns, especially in the first period. Davis Drewiskie, wow. I can’t really describe this one play that almost resulted in a breakaway for the Ducks, but he did get better as the game went along, thank god.

Barbs was in net for the entire 65 minutes + shootout. I thought he looked okay, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous as all hell whenever the Ducks got a shot on. For some reason I was super stressed out over this game. I know it’s just a preseason game and it’s not worth any points, but, damnit, I hate losing to them. Although, if this were a regular season game and you asked me if the Kings deserved the point for the shootout loss, I would have said, “hell no.” The only real positive for me was that Moulson scored the lone goal for the Kings. He received the pass while standing with his back to the net to the right of the goal mouth. Since he’s a lefthanded shot, all he did was pivot to his right and stuffed the puck into Jonas Hiller. Other than that, the game was pretty bad.

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No one? That’s what I thought.

I really don’t like to bag on other markets/cities outside of the Pacific Division because I have mad respect for everyone. But Buffalo? 9 times?? REALLY? 7 times for Boston?? St. Louis 5 times???

In the Pacific Division only the Dallas Stars get a bit of love by having 4 games aired nationally. The rest?

San Jose – 3
Phoenix – 1
Anaheim – 1
Los Angeles – 0

Zero. ZERO! Oh my god, really? Look, I’m not whining and complaining about this because I’ll be able to watch almost all of the games myself. What I’m angry about is the fact that the NHL and Versus are essentially telling hockey fans that the Kings, Flames, and Oilers are not relevant. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t air ANY games from 2 of the 6 Canadian teams. I know that the eastern teams are the big hockey markets that draw in the biggest numbers, but how does that create exposure for other teams? In a league where certain markets aren’t perceived as being relevant, the NHL and Versus have made it clear that they think so as well.

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With Selanne now a month late on letting Brian Burke know of his decision, Ducks fans must begin to wonder if the Finnish Flash is finnish-ed in Southern California. Possibly Teemu has been working out to get back into hockey shape and lost his cell phone, or is enjoying his free time in Finland while Brian Burke is busy fretting over Kevin Lowe, but probably not.

The Ducks and Burke have given Teemu the time needed for such a decision and have received nothing, not even a “screw you guys, I’m goin home…” Instead the most beloved hockey player in Anaheim hockey history is choosing much like Brett Favre to taint his legacy.

But there is one major difference, Brett at least made up his mind, and changed it. Teemu can’t seem to do either one. It’s gotten to the point he may not know if he I coming or going. Do I dare say senility may be setting in for the Ducks leader? It could be possible an onslaught of dementia has the 38 year old forgetting to pick up the phone to give a “shout-out” to Brian Burke.

If Teemu is going to return, it’s a month past the “deadline” imposed by Burke. Before people jump me for pointing out he is a free agent, move on, your nagging isn’t needed as I’m the definite source on Bleacher Report who knows that. My point I this “deadline” was less of a deadline and more about manners. The Cap issue lingers in Anaheim because Burke doesn’t know what to do, everything now rides on Teemu.

Furthermore, if Teemu chooses to hang up the skates, the Ducks would be left out to dry in sorts, as the only option would be to trade for a replacement. Luckily they do have the goods on the table to acquire someone worth it, but the loss of Selanne would hurt.

Personally, I love #8, he skates effortlessly, and scores goals at 38 I can’t score at 21. The man has plenty of miles left on the tires and he is still regarded as one of the top scorers in the NHL, regardless of his age. With all this considered, I would ask Brian Burke and the Ducks to move on, make the trades needed, acquire someone talented and get under the cap and prepare for training camp. The insanity of waiting for Teemu has drug on enough.

When school ended in spring, talk of Teemu was in full swing, as I prepare to return he is still the talk of Ducks hockey. Maybe the Ducks can save face, and make a trade for Andy McDonald, that would ease the pain of losing Teemu, for one of joy to have a real franchise player*, who lived for the Ducks back.

Lastly, Burke, put the nails in Teemu’s coffin. It is quite possible the Ducks could be terrible this year without him, but I would rather lose with players devoted to the team than a player who can’t make up his mind. Enough is enough, as is my bantering on this subject.

*Franchise player – someone selfish who sticks by team through thick and thin. Fans know this player would choose the team over selfish idea’s any day.

For definition of selfish please see Teemu Selanne.

Image: Courtesy of The Hockey News

Ken Armer is a Senior Ducks Writer and a Community Leader for the NHL and Anaheim Ducks. You can contact him on his profile or via e-mail at karmer@bleacherreport.com

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“In our view, Randy is one of the top coaches in the NHL,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke in the Ducks press release. “We’ve had an aggressive, hard-working club each of the past three years, largely due to his influence. He’s clearly been paramount to our success since taking over the reins.”

Carlyle was named the seventh head coach in the team’s history on August 1, 2005. In 2007 Carlyle led the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup championship, Pacific Division championship, and a franchise-record three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Only the Detroit Red Wings, Stanley Cup champions this past season have matched the Ducks playoff success since Carlyle has taken over behind the bench. He has the most wins and highest winning percentage in Ducks history, compiling a 138-74-34 record for 310 points in 246 career NHL games (.630 winning percentage).

“Working in Orange County for owners such as the Samueli’s is a privilege, and I’m honored to be able to continue representing the Ducks,” said Carlyle in the press release. “I’m thankful for the great relationship I have with Brian Burke and our hockey staff and expect more success in the future. We fell short of our goal last year and it’s time for us to respond.”

Carlyle is more than just a coach; he is the life blood of the team. His passion and hard-nosed style get carried onto the ice by his players, who over the past two seasons have become one of the most physically bruising in the NHL.

In Carlyle’s first season in 2005-06 he helped lead the Ducks to the Western Conference Finals, but in his second season Carlyle and the Ducks would become the first California team to win the Stanley Cup.

In his third year with the Ducks this past season, Carlyle helped the Ducks achieve their second consecutive 100-point season. Before Carlyle the team had never held such regular season success.

For a guy that never really smiles, his fans and the team have a lot to smile about today after locking up such a successful coach.

For more news on the Anaheim Ducks or any other Pacific Division team be sure to check out Battle of the Pacific, a collaboration of Bleacher Report writers discussing their favorite teams in a blog forum.

Original Source: Courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks website

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The 28 year old, 6-0, 211-pound defenseman had a career year last year in Florida, appearing in 73 games and scoring 8 goals, and 15 assists for 23 points. Montador also recorded 73 penalty minutes. Last season Montador set career highs for goals, assists, points, power play goals (2) and shots (96).

Montador saw action with the Calgary Flames in 2004 when the Flames made a run at the Stanley Cup. He would see action in all seven games against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2005 Florida acquired Montador and Dustin Johner in exchange for Kristian Huselius.

Montador was involved in Right to Play with Andrew Ference and went to Tanzania to support it. A one hour documentary about Right To Play aired on the NHL Network and TSN last year.

With the signing finalized it seems imminent that Mathieu Schneider will be moved now, with the Ducks gaining a talented blue liner at a bargain price.

Montador wont just help the team, but possibly even the community, as seen through his giving nature with Right to Play. Without a doubt, i look forward to seeing Montador in a Ducks jersey next year.

Original Article: Courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks website.

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Brendan Morrison is a solid veteran with excellent foot speed,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke on the team’s website. “He’s an intelligent hockey player and is a tremendous addition to our top six forward group.”

Morrison has quite a scoring touch the Ducks will find handy, scoring 50-plus points in six of his last seven seasons. The center also will add stability to the Ducks second line while young centers in the system, such as Bobby Ryan have one more season to develop before making the jump to the second line.

Last season with the Vancouver Canucks, Morrison was plagued by a serious knee injury, but looks to be healthy come training camp.

In college Morrison was a three-time Hobey Baker finalist, winning the award in 1996-97 as the top collegiate hockey player.

Some Ducks fans have begun to think this signing means the end of the Teemu Selanne era, personally I think not. If the Ducks were looking to replace Teemu, they would have signed a winger, not a center. This acquisition is merely trying to get back the type of player lost when the Ducks traded away Andy McDonald to St. Louis. Morrison is a speedy center with good puck movement.

The Ducks next move will probably be making room for this signing and Selanne if he chooses to return. This means that defenseman Mathieu Schneider is probably without a doubt on the chopping block.

 Original Article and Image: Courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks website

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Bettman basically told Burke and Lowe to cool it, after a conference phone call between the three men this morning.

“The NHL, in response to Kevin Lowe’s comments over the weekend, has ordered both Burke and Lowe to both cease and desist,” the Ducks said in a statement according to the Los Angeles Times.

No fines are penalties were assessed.

Lowe responded to Burke on Friday on an Edmonton radio station calling the Ducks GM a “moron” and a “media junkie” along with some pretty harsh comments about the Southern California hockey market.

This was all in response to Burke’s initial comments about Lowe being the reason for a sharp rise in salaries for talented young players, using offers made by Lowe to Thomas Vanek and Dustin Penner as examples.

Buffalo matched the $50 million offer to Vanek, while the Ducks let Penner go, refusing to pay a five year $21.25 million contract. After the Ducks let Penner go, Burke said Lowe’s action were “an act of desperation by a general manager who is fighting to keep his job.”

In other Ducks news, the Ducks signed goaltender David LeNeveu to a two way contract. LeNeveu, 25, recently played for the Rangers organization and was a second-round pick in 2002 by Phoenix.

Original Source: Stephens, Eric. “NHL’s Bettman orders feuding Ducks and Oilers GMs to cool it.” Los Angeles Times 07 Jul 2008 7 Jul 2008

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Below is the Ducks’ complete 2008 preseason schedule:

For my readers in the Anaheim/Southern California area:

Tickets for the preseason home games go on sale on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased on the Anaheim Ducks website. Tickets may also be bought at the Honda Center box officer on a first come, first served basis or can be purchased by calling (714) 703-2545. Regular season home seats are expected to go on sale in September.

The NHL regular season schedule is expected to be released in mid-July.

Original Source: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks website

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At 6′3″ 210-pounds Bickel is a big defenseman, said to be physical and an intelligent puck mover. In 45 games with the Gophers Bickel recorded one goal and six assists.

Bickel, an undrafted free agent said the Ducks came after him with an offer that “was hard to turn down” according to Twincities.com

“He had a great year for us,” Gophers coach Don Lucia said. “We’re going to miss him.”

It is not likely Bickel will be making the Ducks team this year, but he may find a home in Iowa and find himself a big part of the Ducks blueline in the coming years.

Original Article and Image: Pioneer Press @ Twincities.com

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To My Readers:

First, let me get some background information out of the way. Adam Brady is the Director of Publications and New Media for the Anaheim Ducks and Honda Center. Adam has been a huge influence on my writing, and I must admit makes some topics and articles much easier, as he does the hard work for me.

To my readers, be sure to always cite your information. As guys like Adam deserve credit for their work, just as we deserve credit for ours. I’m hoping this will be the first of many interviews with Adam.

To Adam:

Thanks Adam for taking the time to do this, I know you have had a hectic schedule lately with the draft and everything. If there is anything you want to add to aspiring sports writers please do, as your friendship and advice has certainly helped guide me. Even when I point out the American Airlines Center is in Dallas, ha-ha.

Ken: What is the best part of your job, and working for the Ducks?

Adam: Even though my job covers Ducks publications (like Ducks Digest) and the website, I would say my favorite part specifically is working on the Ducks Blog. It really gives me the freedom to use my writing ability in kind of a different, hopefully entertaining way. And one of the best parts is the response I get from fans on a daily basis. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Ken: How did you end up working for the Ducks?

Adam: I had been living in Northern California for about nine years and was looking for the chance to come back down to Orange County, where I grew up. I found out about the opportunity with the Ducks and went after it. Apparently, the interview went pretty well. I started in September of 2005, doing strictly publications. It wasn’t until March of ’06 (just before the Cup run) that I took over the website as well. The lucky thing for me is that since I started working, they’ve been pretty good. There were some years before I got here that were pretty lean.

Ken: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Adam: I’d say from both a blog standpoint, the hardest part is coming up with material. It’s not so hard during the season when the Ducks play every other night or so, and I was literally writing something every weekday. But during the offseason it’s tough. That being said, there are times I think I don’t have much to offer, then a half hour later I look up and I’ve written 800 words.

Ken: Who is your favorite Ducks player to interview and work with?

Adam: I don’t think you can do much better than Teemu Selanne as far as a guy who “gets it” when it comes to talking to media or providing a good quote. It sometimes gets hidden in the heavy accent, but he’s very well-spoken, very bright and seems to know after all these years how to give reporters what they’re looking for. Another guy that is kind of underrated as far as how bright and thoughtful he is would be J.S. Giguere. I’ve had good experiences with him as well. Scotty Niedermayer is also a very smart guy, who might tend to give the bland quote once in a while, but every now and then you get some good stuff from him.

Ken: Who is your favorite Ducks player personally?

Adam: As far as on the ice, my favorite player is Sammy Pahlsson. I just love the way he plays the game. He’s such a no-nonsense guy, so quiet, and yet he’s always one of the toughest guys out there. At the same time, if you were to put him on a top-two line, I think he could easily be a 20-goal scorer. He just seems to have that scoring knack, but he’s not asked to fill that roll. I think he’s one of the more underrated guys in the game, but the more we keep claiming that, the less he’ll be underrated.

Ken: (I know Brent Severyn from where I worked in Dallas) Is Brent as crazy in Anaheim as he is in Dallas at the rink?

Adam: Brent is truly one of my favorite people in the organization. He’s just a good guy to be around. He can definitely give it out and he can definitely take it. Considering what he used to do to guys on the ice at times, it’s amazing how not afraid to make fun of him I am. That being said, one of these days he’s going to throw me into a wall.

Ken: Most memorable experience while working with the Ducks (besides the Stanley Cup win)

Adam: Well, it’s hard to find a “second-best” to that, but I would say being with the team in London was pretty memorable. That was just a surreal experience from the moment we got on the plane all the way through the two games. It was just so strange being over there with the Ducks, especially knowing no team had done that before. And to have people come up to me at the arena because they recognized me from the blog was pretty unexpected and flattering.

Ken: Has working for the Ducks changed your ability of being a fan?

Adam: No, I really don’t think so, aside from not being able to cheer in the press box. I’m still a huge fan of this team, even though I’m kind of in a unique position where I’m writing about them on an almost-daily basis. It’s expected that I am still a fan of the team even though I’m supposed to be writing from an unbiased perspective. But because I work for the team, I don’t think people expect me to trash them – and hopefully understand when I don’t. But I’m just like any other fan when I’m watching the team on TV, watching intently like anyone else.

Ken: If you were Brian Burke for one day what would you do?

Adam: Fire Brady.

On to the serious journalistic questions:

Ken: With such a busy draft how excited are you of Jake Gardiner?

Adam: It’s hard to get overly excited about a guy that you know probably won’t develop into an NHL-caliber player for at least two years (and he admitted that himself). That’s especially because he’s only been a defenseman for about a year and is still getting used to playing back there. But the fact that he made such a dramatic switch and excelled at it shows that he’s a naturally gifted player. And the fact that he’s going to be immersed in a great program like Wisconsin (as are two of the other 10 Ducks picks) is definitely a positive for him.

Ken: What have you heard as to why Burke chose to invest in a pick that will go to college for four years when a junior hockey selection would be available in two or three for NHL play?

Adam: From what I’ve heard from Burke, they went with the best player available, regardless of position. They definitely were leaning toward a defenseman, but they weren’t limiting themselves to that if someone really special was available when they selected. I think the fact that they wanted Gardiner at 12 and traded down hoping they would still get him at 17 says something about the kind of player he would be. And I don’t think the fact that he might spend a couple years in college was a concern.

Ken: What do you think of Nicolas Deschamps? Will he be a regular Duck in two years? Is it expected he will go to Iowa this fall?

Adam: I actually don’t know a lot about him and I’m not sure what the plans are for him in the near future. He’ll be here for conditioning camp over the next week, and I’m sure we’ll have a better idea after that.

Ken: What was the best part of your draft experience?

Adam: To be honest, just the city of Ottawa itself. I was really reminded how much I liked that city. When we were there for the Final, we stayed in a hotel that was outside the downtown area. This time I was right downtown, so I got an even better feel for the city, even though I was there a short time. At the draft itself, it’s always fun to be a part of any experience where all 30 teams are involved and there are some pretty big shooters in the room. In addition to that, the crowd at Scotiabank Place was great, even when they booed Brian Burke.

Ken: What up and coming Ducks prospect in the system are you most excited about?

Adam: I guess it would be too obvious to say Bobby Ryan, but I am curious to see how his career pans out. We saw glimpses of how good he can be last season, and I really root for him because he’s a good kid with a ton of pressure on him. As far as someone that really hasn’t had any NHL time, I’m definitely interested to see what Brian Salcido can do. It’s partly because he’s a SoCal kid and partly because of the fact that much of the Ducks defense is getting up there in age, so a young d-man who can play is going to be vital.

Ken: What do you feel the Ducks must do to reload for a Stanley Cup run this season?

Adam: Well, I think the fact that Scott Niedermayer just decided to come back is huge, and hopefully that paves the way for Teemu Selanne to do the same. I’m also fairly certain Corey Perry is resigning. That being said, I don’t think that’s going to be quite enough. This team had a lot of trouble scoring goals last season, and I think they need a little help to find scoring on that second line. That probably starts at the center position. We’ll see what Brian Burke and the rest of the front office is able to do about that, considering the limitations of the cap.

Ken: Do you think the Ducks will make any waves in free agency or trades during the off season?

Adam: I have a hard time believing they will, but I’ve thought that in the past and the Ducks have made some moves. I think the Ducks are pretty limited as far as what we can spend on free agents, but you never know what the team might do in order to fill those needs.

Again, I would like to take time to thank Adam for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer these questions. Hopefully this will be a semi-regular thing between us. To read more of Adam’s work visit the Anaheim Ducks website, or Adam Brady’s Ducks Blog.

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Today the Anaheim Ducks announced right wing Corey Perry has been signed a five-year contract, which will run through 2012-13. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deal were disclosed, but the contract is thought to be worth approximately $5.325 million per year.

“Corey is one of the top young players in the NHL today,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke in the Ducks Press release. “He’s a true Duck, a hard-nosed goal-scorer who’s difficult to play against.”

The 23 year old right wing scored 29 goals, 25 assists for 54 point with a +12 rating and 108 penalty minutes in 70 games last season. Perry was also selected as a 2008 All-Star. Perry ranked among the Ducks top scorers, and shattered career highs in goals, points, plus/minus, power play goals, game-winning goals, and shots. Perry finished the year leading the team in goals, second in points, and tied for second in game winning goals.

In only three games in the playoffs Perry recorded two goals, one assist, for three points along with eight penalty minutes.

Perry was drafted in the first round (28^th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Perry has amassed a total of 59 goals, 64 assists, for 123 points, with a +25 rating and 213 penalty minutes in 208 career NHL games with Anaheim. Perry has appeared in 35 career playoff games with Anaheim, scoring 8 goals, 13 assists for 21 points recording 61 penalty minutes.

Perry was part of the 2007 Anaheim Ducks team who won the Stanley Cup, and is also a close friend to Ducks Center Ryan Getzlaf. Perry is among a group of young players in Anaheim who have amazing talent. Perry was expected to be a highly sought after restricted free agent, but now teams will be left wondering what if. Even if Perry had remained on the market, it seemed probable the right wing would return to Orange County.

Today and moving on into the free agent period, as teams rush to fill major gaps and find a way to win. The Ducks and Brian Burke can feel comfortable they have a sniper in Perry signed until 2012-13. Now all it will take is minor tweaks to minimize the cap hit, and get back Teemu Selanne, who is expected to also remain in Anaheim. For now, in Anaheim, its Mission Accomplished, but tomorrow will certainly bring a new challenge. I’m sure as soon as the Perry deal was finalized, Brian Burke was already on the phone looking to acquire someone new, or trying to get back Teemu Selanne.

Either way, its hockey’s version of Christmas and man is the future bright! Is it hockey season yet?

Original Source: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks press release on the website.

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Although me saying, “it will without a doubt be so-and-so” is plain stupid, especially since I never saw the Bertuzzi drop coming, but it seems most logical financially to drop the aging defenseman Mathieu Schneider. Schneider, the oldest player on the team at age 39, will collect $5.75 million in 2008-2009.

He is undoubtedly worth the money, but not in the Ducks organization. Many teams would find value in Schneider. His age is a non-factor; he seems to be one of those players that, like a fine wine, have gotten better with age.

Even looking north on the I-5 we find a team who could find value in Schneider, the Los Angeles Kings. Schneider has already played many years with the Kings. Currently the Kings are adopting a win now and at all costs attitude, which would make adding Schneider a good call for them as well.

I’m not saying this is what the Ducks will do; it is merely just a scenario. I highly doubt they would trade a great blue liner like Schneider to the cross town rival Kings, but moving him certainly is a win for everyone involved.

For the Ducks, moving Schneider provides money available to sign free agents and the ability to begin developing young defenseman such as Brian Salcido. For Schneider it would provide him the ability to be a top defenseman, rather than remaining in Anaheim and being a third or fourth guy.

Most of all, for the team acquiring Schneider, they get a defenseman with tons of experience and talent. Schneider is worth every dime of his salary, and a man who even at 39 years old is capable of being the top defenseman. Any team in the NHL would improve from his presence; in Anaheim he provided a great amount of depth on the blue line.

Unfortunately it seems he needs to leave, not because we don’t want him or need him, but more because we can’t afford him and the others we need to re-sign. For Ducks fans, we know at the end of the day Brian Burke will do what it best, he sees things in the budget we can’t. Maybe Burke will find a way to keep Schneider and sign all the guys we need. That would be nice, but I won’t get my hopes up.

*Salary Figures are Courtesy of nhlnumbers.com

Image: found here

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“Todd Bertuzzi is a quality person who we believe can still play at the NHL level,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “Unfortunately, we are handcuffed by our salary cap situation. We thank him for his efforts last year and wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Bertuzzi underachieved in his first year in Anaheim, recording 14 goals,26 assists for 40 points in 68 games. In those 68 games “Big Bert” also recorded 97 penalty minutes. In six playoff games against Dallas Bertuzzi recorded 2 points, both assists.

“I didn’t see it coming but it’s not that surprising. He was overpaid and her underproduced. If dumping his salary means we can re-sign Teemu selanne and or corey perry, then it was money well spent. Hopefully we can find another winger that will compliment our forwards.” said Christy Finn, season ticket holder with the Anaheim Ducks.

Bertuzzi does leave a gap in the forward lines due to his size, but with a rich free agency Burke could easily fill from the inside out, or pursue someone new. Either way, things are heating up in Orange County this offseason.

Bertuzzi was expected to make $4 million in 2008-2009. Now his future looms with uncertainty.

Original source and image: Anaheim Ducks website

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