Gee Wiz

ARTHUR:
The Ducks were out of gas at the end of their road trip, dropping this afternoon's game in Madison Square Garden 3-0. Giguere pitched a gem through two, but was ultimately undermined by two third period penalties, one a roughing call to Whitney for putting Sean Avery in a headlock, the other a token Artyukhin call.

The freshest legs on the ice (other than Giguere's) belonged to Sheldon Brookbank, who dressed in place of a scratched Nick Boynton, and Brendan Mikkelson, who was called up from Toronto. Together, the two players were asked to eat the minutes of recent ice-time gormandizer James Wisniewski, whose shoulder was injured in last night's game against Philadelphia.

Daniel, Wisniewski's on a bit of a trial contract this year. We assume he wants a multi-year at 3M+ per, and the Ducks gave him one year at 2.75M to prove, amongst other things, he could play a healthy and productive season. If he can't stay healthy this season, should the Ducks re-sign him?

DANIEL:
I think the Ducks should consider giving Wisniewski a contract extension. If he is hurt, maybe Bob Murray can muscle him into a pay cut for a short period of time. Wisniewski has demonstrated an ability to eat minutes, connect on the home run pass (...occasionally) and deliver a few big hits. That's definitely worth 1.5-2M a year if he can play 60 games a year. I don't think a 3 year $6 million deal would be a poor investment, considering the prize of next year's free agent class is Duncan Keith. There won't be a lot of defensemen available who can play 23 minutes a night, be physical and are younger than 30. Although, Ruslan Salei might be an option, or we can take a shot at Jordan Leopold.

I'm as frustrated as anybody. Wisniewski had 4 points in our first 4 games. More importantly, I think he's the nastiest blueliner on our team. That might not be saying much, but it's something we desperately need. The absence of it on the free agent market and the need to have a guy who can play 23-25 minutes a night make Wisniewski very valuable. But you can't pay a guy big money to only pay 40-50 games a year. If the Ducks lock up Wisniewski, it better be for less money.

ARTHUR:
I've been very vocal about how much I hate this contract. Paterson has found some quality journeyman defensemen for us over the years, and I just can't justify paying Wisniewski to fill a hole that another player could fill at half the price, especially when we had him set for arbitration. I think Bob Murray has trouble NOT paying the guys he likes. That's why he screwed up the Beauchemin deal, and that's probably why he blinked first heading to arbitration. He's got blueline colored glasses on, and he can't see this guy's a major injury risk.

Granted, this is his shoulder, not his knee, but I think Marian Gaborik proved in Minnesota that, at some point, fragility is unforgivable. Now, if it's a strength and conditioning issue, he really should have taken care of it this year, his trial contract year. If it's a freak luck thing, we should really get him away from our players. And if it's just genetic, my heart goes out to him, but injuries and ailments kept even Super Mario away from the game-- mere mortal athletes can't expect more.

The thing that spells 'don't re-sign him' for me is that he plays a physically taxing game. He likes to hit, he likes to mix it up, he likes to block shots and he likes to take shots on net. His style of play puts him at risk for injury every shift, and Carlyle just added four minutes to his ice time. I mean, injuries will happen to any player, but as a professional athlete, you have to have some sense of what your body can and can't do, and Wisniewski should probably file his physical game under the 'can't do's.' And I think he knows that, but he has to make a choice to either figure out why his body is betraying him and fix it or change his style of play altogether. THAT version of Wisniewski will have earned the contract he wanted this offseason.

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Think Outside The Box

DANIEL:
This is Anaheim Calling to the hockey world.

Teemu Selanne defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in Wachovia tonight, putting the Ducks on the board late in the 3rd, knotting the tying goal with seconds left and scoring the only goal of the shootout in a 3-2 Anaheim victory. Hiller was phenomenal as well, making 33 saves for the second consecutive game, stopping some point blank chances in overtime and using his pads to shut the door on all three Philly snipers in the shootout.

But one disturbing trend continued into tonight's game: the Ducks gave up another PPG. That makes 7 power play goals against in 4 games. The Ducks go shorthanded around 6 times a game, and are surrendering a little under 2 goals a game on the PK. Arthur, do you think these Penalty Kill woes will continue, and does the Ducks new scoring depth make this penalty problem less of a threat?

ARTHUR:
First, we shouldn't gloss over Selanne's play tonight. He's playing like it's 1999. He really did beat the Flyers. I hear the Anaheim Ducks were in attendance for the game, but I didn't see enough to confirm that.

I don't think we can really point to tonight's game as a continuation of special teams trouble. The referees like to penalize both of these clubs based on reputation, and the result was an officiating train wreck. There were bad calls, phantom calls, make-up calls, punishing players for trying to draw penalties, missed high sticks and trips-- oh, and they sent Artyukhin to the box at the end of the 3rd after swallowing their whistles for most of the period. They suddenly remembered they'd only raised the orange-triangle-arm on the Russian once. It's hard for either team to find its stride under those conditions, which is why both Flyers goals came on the man advantage. Maybe the Ducks should send a video of tonight's game to the NHL to show them how ridiculous reputation calls make their officials look.

I suppose the Ducks could take a second pass at playing clean and quiet hockey, but it was so disastrous last year that I think these penalty kill woes will and SHOULD continue. The secondary scoring minimizes the value of goals against to a degree, but I'm much more encouraged by what Dave Farrish is doing with the PK units. I mean, he's got Joffrey Lupul's legs and active stick out there (Lupul killing penalties? It must be the beginning of an avant-garde movement in NHL coaching). There's more than one way to skin a cat, and he's certainly using the new players to find some alternatives to having a giant defenseman clearing the front of the net.

Ultimately, we're doing well even strength and Farrish is still working on the PK units. It's much too early to worry about this.

DANIEL:
The Penalty Kill is still a concern for me. The loss of Pronger has made protecting the net so much more difficult. I've been noticing how much more willing opposing players are to patrol the crease. The Pronger goal on the power play came off a screen. Hiller never saw the shot. I think the inability to clear the crease is going to be a bigger problem throughout the season unless somebody toughens up. The Western Conference teams live in front of the net, and we need to do a better job protecting it. Another part of killing penalties is the puck movement that was a problem during the Minnesota game. We can't just keep giving the puck back to the team and letting them rebuild the attack. The Ducks have the speed and skill up front to be a nightmare shorthanded, they should be able to spend more time keeping the zone and fighting off the penalty, similar to what we saw against Boston. Not to mention that it doesn't seem like we are taking less penalties this year, which means we have to stop giving up so many power play goals.

Finally, I think that fixing the PK is imperative because, even though the scoring lines will eventually mesh, we currently cannot protect ourselves in high scoring games. The 6 we scored against Boston might have been an anomaly. Right now, we look more like a 2-3 goal per game team, which won't be enough to compete with the Red Wings and Sharks if we're giving up 2 power play goals a game.

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You Win, You Start

ARTHUR:
A sublime win in Boston tonight, as the Ducks went 2 for 2 on the power play and 6 for 6 on the penalty kill en route to a 6-1 victory over the Bruins.

Several encouraging trends flowed into tonight's game. Lupul is still blocking shots and passing (I can't believe it either). Artyukhin is still scoring. Selanne is still a power play machine. And Koivu still ain't afraid of Zdeno Chara.

But the trend most likely to influence the game against Philadelphia is that Jonas Hiller won, putting Carlyle's reported 'you win, you start' system to the test for the first time this season. Hiller got very little work after a shot-heavy 1st and 2nd period tonight, and he had the benefit of goal support and an Anaheim team still attacking the opposing net, something Giguere could have used against Minnesota.

Daniel, is 'you win, you start' a valid method for choosing a starting goaltender or will Giguere and/or Hiller too often suffer at the mercy of both the schedule and inconsistent efforts from their teammates?

DANIEL:
I choose to believe that Joffrey Lupul has read our complaints and has altered his game to please us. I figure that's just as likely as a shot going off Tim Thomas' pad, rebounding on Perry's head and settling in the back of the net.

As for the pressing issue, I think Carlyle's plan to just keep the winner in net is eventually going to run into a couple of roadblocks. Obviously, it's detrimental to a goalie to be punished for the poor play of the people skating in front of him (see Giguere in Minnesota). Just as important, what do you say to a guy who makes 25 saves in a 1-0 loss?

I don't believe for a second that if Hiller wins on Saturday, he will be playing on Sunday. I think Carlyle has always been the type of coach who doesn't mind making waves with the players, and he does a great job of getting them to go the extra mile. I expect him to keep Hiller and Jiggy on their respective toes for a while. I might have a little too much faith in Randy, but his attention to detail leads me to believe he recognizes the hot goalie regardless of play. The guy giving us the best chance to win will be between the pipes.

Until he decides on a number one, Giguere and Hiller will be juggled, like any other line that Carlyle squeezes production from.

ARTHUR:
You know, I think the answer here is both. Yes, the goaltenders will be at the mercy of factors beyond their control and yes, that's a valid method for choosing a starter.

It's not like they're being judged on their ability to play with another team. Most of these players will be around in April, giving this same checkered effort. So how Giguere and Hiller perform behind them is an ABSOLUTELY valid way of determining who should be the number one.

I mean, this is just the nature of being a goaltender. The game comes to you. It's not like you can go out there, work hard and make a big save. You're at the mercy of the flow of the game, not to mention a healthy dose of luck. Giguere and Hiller have to prove they can find a way to win, find a way to shut the door and find a way to pitch themselves out of trouble. And I think it's fine for Carlyle to put that pressure on them. If you can find a way to beat Detroit when everyone on your team is letting you down, then you've earned your job security.

And on the possibility of starting Hiller back to back, I think it's something Carlyle should consider. Hiller had a lot of trouble on short rest (for a backup) last season. If he wants this job, he should have to prove he's taken the next step with his conditioning.

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Twin Comebacks

ARTHUR:
I couldn't get a hold of Daniel tonight, but as I'd already prepared a prompt, I thought I would post my answer to it.

A night of comebacks in the Twin Cities, as Anaheim squandered a three-goal lead, losing in overtime and leaving Minnesota with one point. The Ducks seemed rather unaccustomed to their hot start against the Wild; they faded down the stretch after goals by Lupul, Artyukhin and Koivu. Still, compared to last game, it was an encouraging effort by the new squad.

Particularly noteworthy were two plays by Joffrey Lupul. The forward made a cross-slot pass to Ebbett, who could not cash in the dish, and then followed that up by blocking a shot with his eye socket. Daniel, Me, which was the more impressive play, Lupul passing or Lupul sacrificing himself to block the shot?

DANIEL: ARTHUR:
I've made the joke before that Lupul is secretly the greatest passer in the history of the NHL. It's akin to the Chuck Norris Fact where the martial artist's tears can cure cancer. And I was impressed by the pass. Both by its quality and Lupul's decision to dish. But the more surprising and more impressive play to me was Lupul putting his body on the line.

In Ken Dryden's The Game, Dryden recalls the evolution of Larry Robinson: how Robinson blocked fewer shots, fought less and generally stopped putting his health on the line after he re-upped with Montreal. And the author is forgiving of that, because once you earn a big contract and your career becomes a series of contracts, there's nothing wrong with trying to stay healthy. And veterans like Robinson usually find a way to be effective without putting themselves at risk.

Lupul is definitely on his first pricey contract, and that led me to believe I'd see the same shoot-first-examine-pass-options-later puck piggy that I'd remembered from seasons past. Instead, I've found a tougher, well-rounded puck piggy. Yeah, he's still a puck piggy, but as long as he's willing to protect himself (and apparently the net), I don't find his inflated wage quite as upsetting as I maybe should.

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We Open On A Loss

ARTHUR:
Last night the Ducks dropped their season opener at the Honda Center to the rival Sharks, a team that dropped its own opener in Colorado. Meanwhile, Central Division powerhouses Detroit and Chicago dropped their openers overseas.

Daniel, does dropping the season opener mean anything?

DANIEL:
I don't think winning or losing the season opener is indicitave of a quality season for the Ducks. In the 2002-2003 season we lost our first two games, but still pushed the Devils to a game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals. Last year we lost our opening game to the Sharks, but still beat them in the first round of the playoffs. In 2005-2006, we won the opener but then went on a 3 game losing streak, eventually dropping in the Western Conference finals to that uppity Edmonton team.

I don't think losing any one game is a huge problem. I think how you play in that game is a bigger problem. The Ducks had a couple of bounces go against them last night, and it completely sapped their energy. Let's face it, we were dominated in every aspect of the game. The Sharks skated all over us. We got out hit, beat to loose pucks, and were pinned down in our own zone for long stretches. If there's a silver lining, it's the fact present in the question: the Sharks got owned by the Avalanche but still came and handled us in our opener. There's no cause for alarm yet, just a long list of things to take care of at practice.

ARTHUR:
Yeah, generally this doesn't matter. I think the worst case scenario is starting the season with a two game series overseas and losing both games. For that, no one envies Detroit right now.

People will point to the lineup, I'm sure, but this is the third straight season Anaheim has opened with a loss. If anything, I feel this lineup has more pieces, more movable parts, that need to click into place. And if they don't click, their understudies are banging on the door.

I think we've seen a lot of this in the Salary Cap era. Teams revamp from season to season. Sometimes they fire on all cylinders; sometimes they stall at the gate. Neither start is usually indicative of where the team will be when all is said and done.

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And Then There Were . . . 23

DANIEL:
This is Anaheim Calling to the Hockey World.

The Anaheim Ducks have officially announced the final cuts of the preseason. Logan MacMillan was sent to Bakersfield of the ECHL and Brendan Mikkelson was sent to Toronto of the AHL. Logan MacMillan being sent to Bakersfield probably isn't a huge surprise considering his limited ice time during the preseason, but Carlyle expressed sincere interest in running 11 forwards and 7 defensemen during games, leaving us wondering if he would carry 8 blueliners on the 23 man roster. In the end, he chose to have 14 forwards and 7 defensemen on the full roster. Tell me Arthur, what do you think were the main factors that led to Mikkelson being sent to the AHL rather than Ebbett who is also on a 2-way contract?

ARTHUR:
I think there is some surprise at MacMillan playing in the ECHL. It could be that we're more familiar or comfortable with that organization or that we want to see some toughness out of him, but first rounders rarely end up in the ECHL, even in a complex minor affiliate situation.

On Mikkelson, I have to say that he and Christensen were given a real opportunity on Sunday. They both needed to do well to send Ebbett home. Christensen came through; Mikkelson didn't.

They gave the blueliner time with Eminger, his most successful mate, they put him on the penalty kill and they generally gave him a chance to do the little things right. But, at every turn, he seemed to come up just shy, missing opportunites to clear the puck, sending the puck into open space and just not using the boards effectively. If he can't eat minutes on the blueline, it doesn't matter if he can eat minutes up front.

This may not last very long; most of this corps is still so unpredictable. But I like the message this sends to Mikkelson: this team has no problems relying on free agency if its prospects come up short.

DANIEL:
I know Mikkelson didn't have the best game on Sunday, but I think the real story behind these cuts is Joffrey Lupul's back. The OC Register mentioned that Lupul was kept out of practice on Tuesday due to some recurring back problems. If that's the case, this is probably a move by Carlyle to make sure he has forwards around to take care of the hole that Lupul is about to leave in the Top 6.

Ebbett has shown he can play with Selanne, and while the wing is a new position for him, I think that the desire to have a skater who knows how to create offense is a compelling need if Lupul isn't 100%. Also, Ebbett is a strong positional player, and he'll be a strong back checker when Selanne isn't. I thought Mikkelson played a good game Sunday. It's not so much that he made a lot of mistakes, just that the mistakes he did make came at key times, like on the penalty kill. I'd also like to mention that the Christensen-Marchant-Artyukhin line looked fantastic, and Christensen earned at least a chance to play regular season minutes. Mostly, I just think these cuts reflect a greater concern for Joffrey Lupul's back more than any satisfaction Carlyle has with his situation on defense.

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Now With Cup Holders

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

Ducks fans were treated to a 5-4 win against the Kings at the Ponda Center on Sunday night. But another interesting treat greeted fans taking their seats in the non-300 level: cup holders.

Daniel, are the new cup holders a noteworthy upgrade, or do they simply draw attention to the fact that the Pond has been living in the past since its construction?

DANIEL:
I think I'm a little unimpressed with cup holders. I almost never use one, and the fact that our seats have pretty good leg room makes me feel confident in stashing my beer under the seat. Mostly, I can't believe it took so long to make this happen. It's cup holders for the love of Howe, not a seat warmer. I do wonder what made Ponda Center management suddenly decide that we need cup holders. I appreciate the many things the Ponda center does for me: convenient bathrooms, the brief relationship with Ruby's, not to mention the vast array of beer for the persistent shopper, but I can't wrap my mind around cup holders. Maybe in 1999 it would have been cool, but now every arena has them.

If the Ponda Center really wants to impress me, it needs to sign a food contract that can get me a burger, fries and a soda for less than $10. Or at least get rid of Rubio's. I hate Rubio's, and I miss Ruby's.

ARTHUR:
Once upon a time, if you had a car without a cup holder (and such a thing was possible despite the automobile cup holder's invention in the 1950s), you would just go into a gas station and buy that $1 plastic cup holder that hung from your car windowsill. And you WOULD buy it, because cup holders are logical in any place where consuming a beverage is not your primary concern. It's not luxurious or decadent; it's a cup holder!

I'll admit that I'm to blame for this ridiculous question, but as my elbow sank into the newly designed armrest, I remembered what it was like the first time we sat in the 300s. I actually remarked to you, "Dude! Cup holders!" The Pond had managed to convince me that storing your drink at arm level was a privilege, a status symbol and the dominant factor in the differential in ticket price. And now, they deign to distribute it to the masses.

I'm not saying it's bad; it's certainly good in all the ways that cup holders are good. Notably, you can have a sizable tray of food in your lap and reach for your drink laterally. And I'm not saying that it doesn't take SOME planning to implement. I mean, we saw a guy get his drink kicked onto the steps today. And as far as I'm concerned, the Staples Center cup holders in the upper levels put your drink in your neighbor's lap. But it's hard to call this an 'upgrade' in such a young building. Honestly, I'd grown accustomed to the inconvenience.

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Being Bobby Ryan

© Photo courtesy of CK. All rights reserved to CK. No rights reserved to Anaheim Calling or its associates. No unauthorized duplication of any kind.

DANIEL:
Last night the Ducks had their first encounter with the San Jose Sharks since eliminating the Presidents' Trophy winners in the opening round of the playoffs. The game featured Selanne scoring his first preseason goal on a brilliant slap shot, Ryan Carter announcing his candidacy for the Selke with some terrific defensive play and the return of Will Smith's "Gettin Jiggy With It," as Giguere looked more like a $6 million goalie. But the most interesting play of the game happened when Bobby Ryan found himself dropping the gloves with the Sharks' Jamie McGinn.

McGinn levelled Corey Perry, who turned to bring the puck into the neutral zone after receiving a no-look pass from Ryan, who was digging the puck out along the boards. Later, Ryan told the OC Register that, as he put Perry in that position, he had to be the one to defend him.

Arthur, Bobby Ryan is going to be counted on for a lot of offense this year. Is this really a mess he needs to clean up himself, or should he have let a Parros handle it on the next shift?

ARTHUR:
Generally, no, he shouldn't be fighting. HOWEVER, the kid's got character, and he's absolutely right about his responsibilities in this situation. In his first shift last Wednesday, I told you I thought he was having a little too much fun out there. He elbowed a guy in the face and smiled at him. Now, I understand he's excited; this is the first time since he was drafted that he KNOWS he'll make this team. But that excitement has resulted in some showboating in the pre-season, and that showboating created this situation.

It was a cute little no-look pass into open ice, Perry had to follow the puck as it squirted out and he was destroyed in the process. It wouldn't have been enough for Ryan to just pat him on the shoulder on the bench and say, "sorry, man." He had to do something about it. I'd compare it to missing your assignment and watching the guy score on the goaltender. Yeah, you can say, "sorry, Jiggy," but you're likely to hear, "Don't apologize! Go score a goal!" There's really only one response when you make a mistake like this. Ryan knows that, and I give him full marks for following through. And as I said when it happened, I would have lost some respect for him if he didn't.

But I'd also compare this to throwing a high pass across the middle as a quarterback. You can dive head first to pick up the first down on the next play and show your receiver you're willing to sacrifice yourself, but it should end there. As the quarterback, you can't leave yourself open to injury like that. You just learn to be a little more considerate of your receivers, and you can baseball slide into the first down marker for the rest of your career.

And that's how Ryan should view this. He can't expose himself to injury, but if he's a little more considerate of his teammates, he won't have to.

DANIEL:
I have to agree with you, on all counts. But more than just being responsible for his mistake or defending a teammate, I think this fight demonstrates that Bobby realizes how important he is to the team. None of us like to see it, but from time to time star players have to mix it up. Last year Scotty, Getzlaf and Perry were all dropping gloves in the Detroit series, because it was do or die. They were demonstrating their heart and commitment and letting everybody else on the team know that we weren't going to roll over for Detroit. In 2006, Iginla squared off with Beauchemin to stand up for his teammate, and even though it backfired a little when Beauchemin won the fight, I still think it reminded everybody that the Flames were his team.

This fight is a strong message for the Ducks and the rest of the league. Bobby Ryan is not just a young kid who can create offense. He's taking ownership of his game and becoming a more complete hockey player. I never considered Bobby Ryan to be anything more than offense. I knew he was a hard worker and that he'd go to the tough areas to score goals, but I never thought he'd be the type of guy who'd eventually have an "A" on his chest. I don't think he should be doing this every time he makes a mistake, but standing up like this shows he is willing to do whatever it takes to win. I think that should comfort Anaheim fans in the type of effort they'll be seeing from Bobby Ryan this season. I know it comforts me.

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Knock on Wood?

ARTHUR:
A wild game last night. The pre-season Ducks squad (outshot 30-2 in the 1st), came back to win in overtime at Jobing.com arena. It was a shame it was radio only.

For Ducks fans that attended the first two pre-season games at Honda Center, this may have been their first occasion to tune into Ducks radio this season, unless they caught the first broadcast while leaving Honda Center Wednesday night. You may have noticed that Steve Carroll is training a new color commentator, the OC Register's Dan Wood.

Daniel, as someone who listened to a lot of Ducks radio last season, what do you think of Dan Wood so far? How does he compare/contrast with former color guy Brent Severyn?

DANIEL:
There are 2 major differences between Wood and Severyn. First, Wood is too uptight right now. The guy doesn't seem to enjoy his job. Being the color guy on hockey games should be fun. As a listener, I appreciate a guy who brings more than just knowledge to my listening experience. Forgive the abhorrent pun, but Wood is so stiff. You could use the guy to build a log cabin. He sounds disinterested in calling the game, and if I was a casual fan listening to him I would probably change the station.

Second, I need more than just game analysis. I don't know if it's because I've spent so many years listening to Vin Scully, but I expect player anecdotes. I want to hear stories about hockey players that don't necessarily have to deal with the game, but might reveal the nuances of a particular player. That's how Vinny does it and that's what I expect. Severyn, always had some story, even if it was just about being in the locker room with other guys, or things that happened with different teams that were comparable to the Ducks current situation. Wood does do a good job of breaking down the game, but I can't listen to the same type of analysis over and over. It gets a little boring. It's good to explain the game, but if that's all you're doing, you're going to make me think there's nothing interesting about the people playing it.

ARTHUR:
First, can I just say that the OC Register keeps the WORST headshot in history on file for Mr. Wood. It looks like it was taken in 1991 at a Bayside High yearbook photo shoot. I understand he works in print (and now radio), but you've got to keep a better picture on file.

I think your first complaint, when we heard him on Wednesday, was that he doesn't seem to have a radio voice. I agree with that. His voice has a glottal quality, kind of Jeff Bridges, somewhere between his role in The Fisher King and The Vanishing. And he doesn't have that radio voice rhythm that you hear in guys like Severyn and more exaggerated in guys like Jim Fox. The rhythm will come in time, of course. The throatiness, we'll probably just get used to, hopefully.

I think the biggest difference is akin to what you were saying about anecdotes. Despite covering the Ducks for the Register, a lot of Wood's comments are stats, little known facts and interview information from the players and coaching staff. That's interesting to a point, but it leads to moments like the end of last night's game, where his departing thoughts were a question on whether or not a team had ever been outshot 30-2 in the 1st and come back to win. It's nice to geek out over stats, but you would think, in all his time on the beat, he could draw a comparison to something he'd seen before. It's his job to lighten the mood, and he's still pushing very dry sports page information. Hopefully, he'll inject some personality into the broadcast in the near future.

Looking at the TV Schedule, I'll be hearing a lot of Dan Wood this season. Good luck, Mr. Wood. I hope you sound better next I check in with you.

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'Nucked

ARTHUR:
Vancouver's pre-season squad shut the Ducks out last night 3-0 at Honda Center. As Daniel and I were rather negative about the pre-season opening win, we're going to switch gears and be positive about this pre-season loss.

Daniel, who impressed you most tonight and why?

DANIEL:
Well, obviously Matt Clark, but I'll let you go on about him.

The other player that impressed me was Shawn Weller. He didn't do anything amazing, and that was the amazing thing. He played a very solid game, taking the body, and making sure to pressure on the forecheck. I think he had one scoring chance that he couldn't bury. I simply enjoyed the fact that he played the game he was supposed to play and didn't try to do too much just to make the team. We said last night while we were watching the game, it's more important to make the right decision and show that you can play smart than it is to flash your various skills around the ice. I think Weller did a good job of that last night.

ARTHUR:
The particular thing I emphasized to you last night, which our readers should remember when looking at Matt Clark, is his size and age. This is a 1990 kid who already matches up with pro players. His AHL stint is imminent, and it should be brief. For what he can do now, and how soon he'll be able to try his hand at the pros, Clark was a 2nd Round steal for the Ducks.

So, what can he do? Let's start with vision. His eyes are always moving, and his neck has swivel parts. It's like he has sideview and rearview mirrors out there, and he's the most careful driver on EARTH. Be sure, he knows where you'll be on the ice. And when you get too close, he is surgical with his stick work. He can disrupt you as you enter the zone, along the boards or the very moment you're trying to make a play. I was really surprised to see how well this translated against NHL players at near NHL-speed.

Then, and this just has to be said on principle, how many players can hold their own paired with Scott Niedermayer? More importantly, how many can get back and effectively cover for a Niedermayer mistake? Add Matt Clark to that exclusive company. Covering a 2-on-1 after a Niedermayer misplay, Clark dove-checked the puck off the attacker's stick and brought it with him as he slid toward the half boards. He didn't look out of place playing with a hall-of-famer; you can't say enough about that.

The thing I did NOT expect to see from Clark last night, which he showed me no less than FOUR times was big hits. He hunched two players over their own bench, the price of playing the puck in the neutral zone against him. He then pinned a player horizontally on the wall at the Ducks blueline, separating him from the puck before he could dump it. And last, though he didn't get all of him, he cut across the slot to blindside the puckhandler. He knocked the puck loose, but a slower reaction and he would've knocked the guy out.

You could argue that these were highlight reel hits, and he timed them to build a good film record with the coaches. But I'm going to argue that this kid has more fire in his belly than anyone gives him credit for. Because I know, and I think he knows, that that last hit wouldn't fly in the OHL. I think Matt Clark is going to unleash the physical part of his game when he finally comes to the pros. And I, for one, can't wait to see it.

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Thursday Morning Practice at Anaheim Ice

[Note: We have a photo gallery courtesy of CK available here.]

ARTHUR:
About a dozen onlookers showed up to Anaheim Ice Thursday morning to watch the Ducks' Wednesday night pre-season squad take an open practice with Coaches Brown and Farrish. Your bloggers were there for the short session.

Daniel, what problems from Wednesday's game were you glad to see the coaches addressing Thursday morning?

DANIEL:
That's an easy question to answer. I was most pleased with work on puck possession. I know that our roster has changed, but I think the main components of a puck possession game are still in place. I think a lot of these kids are not used to having to fight for the puck, keep it in the zone and then transform that pressure into offensive chances. I don't think the style of game we play needs to change just because some of the personnel has changed. I think this extra practice with forechecking and maintaining the zone is especially important considering that no matter who we place a particular prospect with, that team will not be exposing him to our system. These kids need to learn this before they get sent down.

ARTHUR:
I was happy to see Coach Farrish working so closely with Artyukhin. With limited hockey sense, it will probably take him a while to feel comfortable in our system, and the coaches seem to recognize that. They paid extra attention to his timing and his positioning on the forecheck, restarting the drill for him on more than one occasion. He can really fly out there, and with some tenacity in the practice rink (and probably some rote memorization), he may know where he's supposed to fly to before the season starts. If he can, he'll vindicate Murray and the pro scouting staff's high hopes.

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Pre-season Opener

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

Daniel and I were at tonight's game against Phoenix at Honda Center. The Ducks squad edged their Coyotes counterparts on a 2 goal effort from Bobby Ryan and shootout goals from Ryan and Lupul. Hiller and Pielmeier both played, with the latter skating into the game with 9:57 remaining in the 2nd.

Before we talk further about tonight's game, let's take a look at the lineup for tomorrow, again, per J.P. Hoornstra:

70-Brittain 11-Koivu 10-Perry
32-Calder 48-Ebbett 8-Selanne
52-Donally 22-Marchant 16-Parros
61-McCue 64-McMillan 47-Weller

27-Niedermayer 73-Clark
43-Mitera 34-Wisniewski
19-Whitney 71-Warg

35-Giguere
31-Pogge

Should be interesting. And Daniel and I will be at that game. We'll also be at tomorrow morning's practice to watch tonight's squad get yelled at something fierce. There were some boneheaded plays (a turnover in front of the crease by Brookbank) and some downright frustrated players (Bodie finally just dropped the gloves), but Daniel, in your opinion, which players took a big step back tonight?

DANIEL:
Well, the first guy who did a lot of damage to his chances was Nicolas Deschamps. His talent did shine through at times, but his overall game just wasn't complete. He still wasn't making good dumps, his defensive game was lacking and he just looked lost on the ice. He's a brilliant offensive guy, and he created a scoring opportunity below the circles out of nothing. But I think he still can't process how fast the game is at this level.

My second choice for a guy who hurt his chances of making the team was Maxime Macenauer. I don't know what to say. He was still good along the boards, but he just didn't produce anything offensively. He was invisible tonight.

Finally, Steve Eminger had a rough game. It's clear he's an Eastern Conference player, because he keeps trying to play defense with just his stick. He wasn't taking the body. He took a bad penalty that led to the first Phoenix goal. It might have just been the fact that he's still unfamiliar with the system, but he couldn't move the puck well at all tonight. In fact, the only guy who had a good night on the blueline was Brookbank, and then he ruined it by creating the most ridiculous turnover that led to the game tying goal. The D race didn't become any clearer tonight.

ARTHUR:
I think I was most disappointed in Troy Bodie and Matt Beleskey. Bodie opened the game with a great hit, separating his guy from the puck. Unfortunately, he hung around too long to admire his work, and the pass from his linemate bounced off the back of his skate. It was pretty much downhill from there. A good dump and a good play here and there, but he ultimately dropped the gloves just to even out the quality of his game film. It was a good scrap; he switched hands on his guy and kept throwing bombs.

Beleskey didn't disappoint me outright; he played a PK without a stick for almost the full 2 minutes in his zone. But he just wasn't throwing his body around enough. Some tenacious play with Nokelainen and Brown tonight really would have impressed the coaching staff.

I'm not really sure how many players were taking tonight's game seriously. Of the regular Ducks, I'd say Nokelainen was the only one treating it like it was a regular season game. And of the rooks and newcomers, only Sexton was really pushing hard all game. I think tomorrow night's game might be closer to NHL speed.

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Lineup for Wednesday

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

Just a couple of quick notes for the pre-season opener:

J.P. Hoornstra at Quackalackin' put up tomorrow night's lineup as posted in the locker room:

Bobby Ryan-Peter Holland-Dan Sexton
Nicolas Deschamps-Maxime Macenauer-Joffrey Lupul
Evgeny Artyukhin-Ryan Carter-Troy Bodie
Matt Beleskey-Petteri Nokelainen-Mike Brown

Luca Sbisa-Sheldon Brookbank
Brian Salcido-Nick Boynton
Brendan Mikkelson-Steve Eminger

Also, Zupke of the OC Register reports that Duck veterans will be working various posts at Ponda on Wednesday and Thursday, including box office, team store and concession. Check the list at Fan Zone across from Section 210 to see who's working where.

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Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

[Note: We have a photo gallery courtesy of CK available here.]

DANIEL:
Ducks training camp held its first open practice Sunday, which meant another weekend at Anaheim Ice for your bloggers. We were treated to a peek at post-op players Getzalf and Christensen (in a blank jersey), our first look at tryouts Calder and Cullimore and, best of all, a full-contact scrimmage. The drive to the upcoming season continues, and with it, the battles for roster spots. Arthur, give me the Top 3 things you noticed today at camp, and tell me how they might shape the team this season.

ARTHUR:
Koivu
They tried Koivu in a few different line combinations on Sunday: Beleskey/Koivu/Selanne, Calder/Koivu/Selanne and Brittain/Koivu/Deschamps. While Saku looked effective in the first two trios, he looked downright youthful when he took the ice with another capable playmaker in Nicolas Deschamps. They were finding the puck in open ice and along the blueline, and Josh Brittain was banging bodies and clearing space. Koivu can still play on a puckhounding speed line, and I think he's going to give us more offensive options than most people think.

Sexton/Holland

"Talent is luck. The important thing in life is courage." - Woody Allen in the film Manhattan.

I was beginning to feel this phrase summed up the dichotomy between Sexton and Holland. The former is constantly pushing himself to skate a little faster and work a little harder in the dirty areas. The latter is looking and waiting for openings and spaces to spread his wings.

Then yesterday, Holland reminded me of my favorite sports axiom: you can't teach size. He was still mostly ineffectual in the power forward drill, but this time, Carlyle gave the forwards the chance to defend the slot. And Holland looked great, really holding his man at an arm's length and shutting him down. He was effective, to the point that you wondered why he has so much trouble on the other side of the puck in that exercise.

Still, Sexton looked hungry, even shrugging off a hard check into the boards. I think his courage may get him a roster spot much sooner than I expected and maybe a long call-up this season. If so, Holland should take note of it.

Smiles
They were having fun out there. In the drills, Koivu tried a couple of dekes that had Wisniewski laughing out loud, and Ryan dove to take the puck from Niedermayer as he was skating playfully off the boards with it. After the trade deadline last season, everyone talked about the infusion of locker room guys and how important it was to have a loose squad. This team seems like it's really starting to gel, well before the first preseason game.

I've got a few other things on yesterday's practice, but I'll save that for another day. Probably after guys start getting cut.

DANIEL:
The three things that stood out the most to me during camp were the play of Eminger, the improved play of Deschamps and Macenauer and the digression of Sbisa.

First, I think Eminger looked great today. During the scrimmage, he was holding the zone, making good outlet passes and he was working the shot. His defensive play in front of the net during drills was very solid. He had good stick work and he was cutting down angles-- all things I want to see in a potential 5-6 D-man. You and I have argued about which is the most exciting battle coming out of camp-- I insist it's Jiggy v. Hiller

ARTHUR:
And I insist that a situation that the Ducks can financially carry into next offseason, one which cannot possibly resolve itself during the preseason or even the first 10 games of the season, can be nowhere near as compelling as the clock running on a rebuilding defense with brand new one-way contracts, a stellar second-year player and affordable in-house options.

DANIEL:
But to the mainstream media and the mainstream hockey fan, a goaltending battle will ALWAYS be the sexier story. It's like a quarterback controversy. Yes, your average hockey fan is interested in how a defense gels and the mistakes of waiving, trading or sending down better defenders, but it's not an above-the-fold storyline.

Still, I'll grant you, the sheer volume of defensemen is making that battle one that needs to be followed. As far as I'm concerned, Eminger is leading the way.

I was equally encouraged by the improved play of Deschamps and Macenauer. Deschamps was working some pretty offense with Koivu and was drilling home some difficult shots. I think this kid has a lot of offensive upside, and if the Ducks start spreading offense over three lines, he could be a viable option. Otherwise, I expect him to be with the team full time next season. Macenauer is still ripping that shot. His skating leaves a bit to be desired, but he goes hard to the net and he isn't shy about pulling the trigger. He doesn't force the shot, he just makes the most of his opportunities.

Finally, I was a little disappointed by the play of Sbisa today. I didn't get to see him in the drills, but during the scrimmage, his puck control and vision were off. He wasn't seeing the ice well, and he wasn't making good decisions on outlet passes. His skill set is phenomenal, but it needs to translate into quality play. If he can only make the right decision when nobody is around, then he will have a very bad time playing in the Western Conference.

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A Peck of Power Players

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

Daniel and I will be at Rookie Camp on Saturday, and we promise to have something valuable and hockey relevant posted this weekend. But here's something whimsical:

Last week, the OC Register announced Anaheim's official Power Players squad for the 2009-10 season. The organization selected this year's class from an auditioning group of 95, and six veterans return to the 14 member team.

Daniel, using the meager information available to us and whatever methods you want, who is the best Power Player and why?

DANIEL:
I find this to be a difficult question, mainly because I have no criteria with which to evaluate the Power Players. Let me say that I think Katie is the most attractive, Alexandria has the most interesting career aspirations (museum curator), and Megan went to my alma mater Cal State Long Beach, which in my opinion is major points. Although, I think my final criteria is which girl I think a dude could approach in a bar and not feel overly intimidated.

With that in mind, I choose Christine, number 4 on the Orange County Register's slide show. I like Christine because her photo in the Register is entirely awkward, but she's mysteriously attractive in the photo on the team website. This leads me to believe that she doesn't have the type of looks that'll freeze you in your tracks, but the ones that a man can appreciate for their own unique qualities, like a favorite painting in a museum. Not only that, she's 21 with a degree in humanities, plans for an MBA (although I kind of detest business majors), and she digs community outreach. I like her ambition, and she seems to have a sensible way about her. I don't know; my whole vibe about this girl is that she's down to earth and I appreciate that.

On the realest level, Christine is the one who stood out the most when I looked at the photo from the team website. It was only through a process of elimination that I was able to match that photo with her photo in the Register. So I guess I picked her because, of all the girls I saw, she just appealed to me the most.

ARTHUR:
First, I just want to ask, what's with the creepy pinhole pictures on the Register? I was drinking an iced tea when I read the story, and I had to put it down for fear that Chris Hansen was going to walk into my kitchen.

I guess I see what you're saying about Christine; she's not actually smiling in either picture, which gives you a Mona Lisa mysterious feeling? I don't know. I prefer to leave that mystery unsolved.

To me, Katie did appear to be the most attractive. She struck a solid pose in profile, even though she was being photographed by a pinhole camera in what looks like a wood-paneled bungalow where they probably asked her to put the lotion in the basket on her way out. Now, that's focus. From the team pic (center, back row, pink blouse), you can tell she believes her left is her best side, as she parts her hair over her right eye. So it looks like she consciously strikes that profile pose when possible. Of course, at 19, this could all be evidence of a girl uncomfortably close to her high school cheerleading career, though I definitely gave her points for her hockey story: she went to a Ducks game and started taking skating lessons after school.

But while Katie struck me as the most natural cheerleader type, photogenic on command (even for a pinhole camera in the Ducks' dimly lit version of Uncle Touchy's Naked Puzzle Basement) I'm going with Liszt, as an attractive non-cheerleader type.

First, you have to give her points on the name. To counter your museum painting, you can't even say this girl's name without thinking of Liebesträume. Second, in her picture in the Register, she tilts her head down and throws a smoky glance upward, looking you dead in the eye. It's almost as if she knew it was a creepy pinhole shot and adapted to the mood of the lens accordingly. Third, she's 21, packing a bachelor's degree from UCI, which gives you favorable odds of having an adult conversation with her. And fourth, her sister used to play hockey, so she's watched her share of games and maybe even picked up a thing or two.

I realize this job is a lot of posing, jumping around and dancing (if you can't skate), but I'm going to go with Liszt as immediately appealing in still photography.

This was Anaheim calling to the hockey world. Enjoy your Rookie Camp, boys and girls.

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Balance of Power

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

The Wild Wild West continues to shake, long after July 1st, as the Canucks added three defensemen last week: Schneider by free agency and Lukowich and Ehrhoff in a courteous Sharks salary dump.

Daniel, half of last year's western playoff seeds have experienced some cosmetic surgery this summer, including our Ducks. Looking at the rosters now, which of the West's elite eight do you think will miss the cut or, alternatively, jump to the top of their division this year?

DANIEL:
Any talk about the final standings for next year have to begin and end with the Presidents' Trophy winning San Jose Sharks. On paper, the team isn't very different, and that's why I think they'll still win the division. Since the arrival of Scott Niedermayer, all Ducks teams have been built for the post-season, not the regular season. Anaheim will make a jump out of the 8th seed and take up residence somewhere in the 4-5 range. Dallas may have gotten Morrow back, but he won't be enough to turn the ship around now that Turco is dissolving between the pipes. Still, the Stars are unpredictable, and stumbles by St. Louis and Columbus this year will have them in the playoffs as a 6-8 seed. Finally, I think this is the year the Kings join their California brethren in the playoffs. Scuderi and Smyth might be the veteran leadership the franchise needs to get the young stars going. The Pacific might send four teams to the playoffs this year.

The Northwest will still yield only two teams this year, but Calgary takes home the division crown. Luongo's a great netminder, no doubt about it, but Calgary's defense is going to dominate this year. They don't have the scoring depth to make it all the way to the top, but I could see them as a solid 2 seed. Vancouver will be fighting it out with Anaheim, and the loser of the Chicago/Detroit battle for positioning in the 4-6 slots. The Canucks may have gotten stronger on D, but nothing about this team convinces me they have what it takes to get it done in the trenches.

Now for the wildest division in the West: the Central. No one knows how the loss of so many players will affect Detroit. They might not miss a beat, as their fans hope, or the new talent might have trouble performing over a long 82 game season. Either way, Chicago's kids are a year older and still the most talented core in the west, maybe the league. Kane, Toews, Sharp and Hossa, just doesn't seem fair, really. I know Hossa will be out for the first month or two; if the Red Wings can get off to a ridiculous start and put enough space between themselves and Chicago, maybe they hold on to the division. Otherwise, Chicago will usurp Detroit and battle San Jose for the top seed in the West. Columbus isn't deep enough up front or on the blue line, and as a result, Steve Mason will experience a sophomore slump that takes Columbus out of the top 8. St. Louis still has the potential to be a playoff team. Adding Erik Johnson and Paul Kariya for the long haul will be great. I'm just not sold on Chris Mason or the blue line corps in front of him. If St. Louis struggles, they'll be getting golfing tips from the Kings, who will take their spot in the playoffs.


ARTHUR:
I agree that this is Chicago's year to make a run, but I think they'll take it all the way to the Presidents' Trophy. They added some role players and kept, literally, everyone not named Khabibulin or Havlat. The Hossa upgrade may not arrive until winter, but when you factor in the number of contract-year players the 'Hawks will put on the ice, they can easily fill that void and will probably end up the most win/loss-centric team in the NHL.

That isn't to say Detroit won't give them a run for their money, but the acquisition of Todd Bertuzzi is emblematic of a team that feels anemic after bleeding forwards all offseason. And I think San Jose will fall just enough with their slightly tweaked lineup for the Blackhawks to make up the 13-point difference that separated the teams last season.

On the other side of the coin, I don't think Columbus has done enough to keep their playoff spot. The upgrade from Peca to Pahlsson is a positive, but too many teams were chomping at the playoff bit last season to be held back, even by the likes of Sammy Pahlsson. I agree that St. Louis will find itself beating back surging teams in the Pacific, the Kings and a dangerously healthy Stars squad, but I think both teams will get the best of the Blues.

Finally, the Northwest seems like a mess. There are major changes in Minnesota and Edmonton that are just as likely to tank the teams as turn them around. And while, on paper, Vancouver's acquisitions of Schneider, Ehrhoff and Lukowich seem a desperate attempt to replace Ohlund, they're really a sign of how precious little the Canucks have to do to stay atop their division. Calgary will make a push, but some key contract-year players will make the difference for Vancouver.

There are definitely more moves to come,-- someone out here has to take Heatley --but I'd expect to see no more than two new playoff faces out West.

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Traffic On The Road To Recovery

ARTHUR:
The OC Register reported last week that Ryan Getzlaf is likely to miss all of training camp and the preseason recovering from surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle which he severely aggravated while training last month.

Daniel, after the major offseason facelift, training camp and the preseason could be crucial to helping this new roster find its rhythm? Is it a big deal that Getzlaf will be missing them?

DANIEL:
I'm not very concerned about Getzlaf missing training camp or the preseason. While every line on the team will be changing this year, I expect for opposing teams to be getting a steady diet of Ryan-Getzlaf-Perry next year. This saves Getzlaf from not having to learn new linemates, and it helps Lupul and Koivu, who pretty much know they are skating with Selanne. There might be a problem with the new blueliners and learning the best way to provide defensive help, but Getzlaf has been showing an increase in his defensive awareness that will make that a non-issue for the most part.

This issue raises only one major concern for me: the potential for a lingering injury. Getzlaf has never had a major injury keep him out of the lineup for a long stretch. He could try to come back too quickly and end up aggravating this muscle tear further. More importantly, abdominal injuries can be very unpredictable and can easily flare up. If anything, losing a couple of games early on might be a necessary sacrifice to give us a healthier Getzlaf heading into winter.

ARTHUR:
To quote a great sports philosopher: "We talkin' about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talkin' about practice . . ."

Carlyle will try to spread the Top 6 over three lines, and Getzlaf will certainly be integral in that decision. But I seriously doubt that the depth chart on opening night will be written in Sharpie. Slumps and streaks are the nature of hockey, and Carlyle loves him some line juggling. Every combination will be explored; Getzlaf's availability only affects the order in which Carlyle will explore them.

And yet, I think there is some value to having Getzlaf there as the team integrates Koivu into the power play. The man-advantage was Anaheim's life's blood down the stretch of this past year, and it could be Shark-like if they can properly integrate their new weapon. A Shark-like power play can translate to a Shark-like head start in the standings. That's really the only missed opportunity I see here.

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Cap And Crunch

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

With the slow offseason news cycle, Daniel and I had decided that August would be a contest to see who would resort to asking an inane hockey question first. The loser would write the prompt: What's the greatest hockey movie of all time? Unfortunately, only two days into the contest, Daniel threw in the towel.

But rather than subject you to a discussion of Youngblood, I decided, as the winner, to go with this prompt:

This week, the NHL announced its intentions to examine the contracts of Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger. Both contracts are severely front-loaded to reduce cap hits, and the NHL is specifically interested in the drops in salaries in these deals after the age of 40, a pivotal year for players considering retirement.

So, Daniel, did Philadelphia and Chicago circumvent the salary cap, here? And assuming they did, is there anything wrong with that?

DANIEL:
I'd like to point out that saving readers from the inevitable movie prompt should not be seen as a negative thing. Then I'd like to point out that I'm not a lawyer, so I don't really know what the league thinks it's going to find. I am under the impression that the average salary of a contract is the figure used for a cap hit. If there is language in the CBA that alters that fact in given circumstances, I am unaware of it. Thus, my immediate reaction is to say that Chicago and Philly have not circumvented the cap. But that's just the letter of the law as I understand it.

From an ethical perspective, this is the type of deal-making that undermines the attempts to bring parity to the league. This entire situation is a gray area that the league must be immediately regretting. The fact is, every GM is looking for a way to give his team a competitive edge, just like every player on the ice. It's only natural that they find a way to walk in the gray area of the rules. If the league wanted this to be clean cut, it should have anticipated this problem and made sure there was a fair way to negotiate contracts. You can't get mad at a GM who uses his understanding of the collective bargaining agreement to negotiate an awesome deal-- It's like hating on college kids who pick the puck up with their sticks and tuck it into the net. How are you going to be mad at somebody who's just better than you are?

Maybe the league needs to think about a system where there are two types of contracts: ones where the variation of the salary warrants calculating an average for the cap hit, and ones where the dollar values are so far apart that the player's yearly salary is the number used for the cap hit. I think the only real problem here is that the league left a gaping loophole in its creation of the salary cap. I don't agree with what Chicago and Philly have done, but I don't think the league has any way of punishing them for this.

ARTHUR:
Well, I think the league's issue here is whether or not Pronger or Hossa stated that they planned to retire during these tacked-on years. Signing them to additional years under the league average is one thing, but signing them for seasons that they have no intention of playing is quite another. If the NHL suspects that there was an attempt to defraud the league, then I understand the investigation.

On paper, Hossa and Pronger are committed to play these years, and that's why the league approved it. If we signed Bobby Ryan to a contract like this, I can't imagine the league having a problem. We wouldn't be circumventing the cap (until/unless we bought him out and re-signed him). This is really only an issue with a player's "last" contract. And I'm sure the league plans to address it, in all its various forms, soon.

Yes, it's circumventing the cap, but it's 'cute' when these teams do it, as it's borne of some serious salary mismanagement. I can't call it "wrong"; I'm tempted to call it "sad." It's like someone with bad credit writing a bad check.

I reserve the right to change my tune when Chicago finds a way to keep Duncan Keith.

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O Brother, Where Art Thou?

ARTHUR:
Anaheim calling to the hockey world...

It was March of 2003. I had returned to Southern California on Spring Break from Berkeley. Daniel and I were watching TV and talking about the Ducks when suddenly, I looked at him and very seriously said, "I think this is their year." He looked back skeptically. "Maybe. We'll see," Daniel-speak for, "You iz crazy." I reiterated forcefully, "No, I'm serious. I get the same feeling I had with Buffalo a few years ago. They're . . . the RIGHT players." The players in question were Rob Niedermayer, Steve Thomas and Sandis Ozolinsh (acquired a couple of months prior). They joined a well-disciplined Anaheim team with a knack for defense and timely scoring.

I was wrong, of course-- or as right as I was about Buffalo. And, of the four players acquired that year, only Rob Niedermayer made it to the second Cup run. His game evolved in the intervening years, probably at Carlyle's request. He stared down some of the best players in the NHL, and owned them on the defensive boards as he had once owned the puck on the offensive boards. But he lifted the Cup that year, taking it from his brother, and later holding it with Pahlsson, the only other forward who could vividly recall 2003's defeat.

A week ago, a tweet from Darren Dreger of TSN read: "Rob Niedermayer isn't returning to Anaheim. Teams don't believe it, hence there isn't as much interest as there should be."

Daniel, with the expected budget for the year depleted, we may have seen the last of Rob NIedermayer. What has he meant to this team? And what has he meant to you, as a fan?

DANIEL:
Robbie has been invaluable to the team. If it wasn't for him, Moen and Pahlsson, I don't think we win the Cup in 2007. He plays hard every shift, and he isn't afraid to go into the tough areas, make hits and win pucks. As I have joked on many occasions, "When the puck goes into a corner, a Niedermayer comes out with it." More importantly, I don't see anyone filling his skates anytime soon. Carter and Miller are average checkers, and neither of them have Robbie's hands. People forget that he came into the league as a scorer, but accepted his role as a checker. Carter and Miller will not provide that same timely scoring.

Robbie made our checking line not only defensively responsible but also a legitimate scoring threat. I ask you, was there anything better than seeing a team's top line hemmed up in their zone for a 40-second shift, only to give up a goal to our checking line? It was so demoralizing; you could see the confidence drain from the opposition's bench. More than that, Robbie brought a lunch box attitude to the rink, and he showed, as Marchant will continue to show, that a diligent role player can be vital to a team's success.

As a fan, I'll miss the pride I had in that line. They're all gone now. I loved watching Robbie forecheck; he was really an artist. He finished every check, and the way he worked the puck from skate to stick, from skate to teammate or the way he'd get a D-man so twisted you thought that dude was listening to too much Keith Sweat.

Just as important though, I remember that 2003 Cup run. That run is important to me as a hockey fan because it justified my loyalty to the Ducks and made haters across the country accept that, even if we were created as Disney's marketing gimmick, we still played hard hockey. I'm a sentimental dude, and Robbie sticking it out through both runs was just magical. He will always be associated with some of my best Ducks memories. He may not have always made the most amazing plays, but he perfected the necessary and mundane tasks of the game and made me a better, more knowledgeable fan. Robbie's efforts helped create the playoff expectations we now have in Anaheim. If you don't miss him, I don't think you're a Ducks fan.

ARTHUR:
I know there are some people who are going to say his effectiveness waned this season and that I'm once again displaying my bias for the '93 Draft class. To that I say, right on both counts.

The shutdown line looked pretty bad this year, but when Carlyle asked them to score more, Robbie did it, potting more goals than his last two empty-net-scoring-filled-seasons combined. He still faced the tough competition (according to Behind The Net, the toughest of any player on the Anaheim roster), but he found a way to do exactly what his coach wanted.

And that's Rob Niedermayer to me. He does everything the coach asks of him, even if it means doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well, even if it means letting his skill set fall into disuse and even if it means tanking his stats in a contract year while playing for a team whose games the other teams don't watch.

He deserved better than this. For staying here. For luring his brother here. For being whatever we needed him to be. I'll miss that attitude.

As a fan, I don't need a player who loves Southern California. I don't need a player who's happy to see me and sign autographs. I don't need a player who's active in the community and a friend to local charities. In fact, a player could probably be a despicable human being, and it wouldn't concern me. Because that's external to our relationship: him playing hockey while I watch it. In that respect, nobody trumped the Shutdown Line. They had the "showing up for work" stat cornered. And it troubles me to see all three of them put out in the cold.

I suppose I should blame the realities of the market, and not Murray, that I should imagine him in his office reciting a speech similar to the one in the movie Miracle: "How do I cut this kid? He's done everything I've asked." And then feel as if both of us are sad that Pahlsson is in Columbus, Moen is in Montreal and Robbie is headed elsewhere. But as I've said before, I don't automatically side with the guy still cashing the checks that say 'Ducks.' This entire line deserved better than this.

...oh, and so did Beauchemin.

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All The Right Moves?

DANIEL:
Well, we at Anaheim Calling have noticed that there isn't a lot happening that involves the Ducks right now. In fact, there isn't a lot happening at all. The top story on the Ducks website is a Q&A with Ryan Whitney, and the OC Register is apparently reporting on the Sharks. I digress. The point is, what are we going to talk about, Arthur?

I've been thinking, and thinking, and thinking, then I ate, then I thought more. Then the question came to me. On the last post, you said that our off-season is over. With that in mind, I'd like to know how we did. Do you think that these moves will be enough to get us back amongst the top teams in the conference and get us a deep move into the playoffs?

ARTHUR:
I would argue that the Ducks were one of the top teams in the conference this year, but that won't show in the standings unless we win the division. And we can't win the division if we don't out-point the Sharks.

I give San Jose the edge in the Pacific because they're bringing back the same Top Six, as well as Boyle and Blake. They're primed to repeat this year's performance. The Ducks, on the other hand, have added two major players to their Top Six and will be shifting the minutes around a now Pronger-less D-corps. If they find their groove early, it might be close, but I'm sure that at least the first dozen games will be spent juggling the lineup. I honestly can't predict what we'll have after that.

And I think that's really the wild card here, based on Carlyle's various comments to the OC Register. He wants consistent defense. And I think that means putting a dedicated backchecker with Koivu and Selanne, thus spreading out the offensive players. It also means splitting Niedermayer and Wisniewski, who weren't always successful at cueing and covering each other's offense. If he builds the defensively responsible, but offensively dangerous, team that he's contemplating, Carlyle should have a playoff squad capable of winning multiple series.

And at the end of the day, we have options. There's an overflow of talent. Almost half of the team might be fighting to stay on a line or get moved to a better line (not to mention the two guys trying to elbow each other out of the crease). Murray might even be motivated to call up players like Sharp and Mitera periodically, rather than let them lounge around a random AHL team. It should be an EXTREMELY competitive depth chart in October.

I offer only two predictions:
1) We will no longer field accusations of being a one-line team.
2) Carlyle won't have to use the healthy scratch as a motivational tool.

DANIEL:
I'm happy with this off season. Not because it impressed me. We didn't do everything I wanted, [insert complaint about Top 4 D-man here]. But for the first time in about 2 years, there seemed to be front office motivation. Murray had a plan, he got what he could and he protected the future instead of mortgaging it on an underwhelming free-agent class. In previous years, Burke was scrambling, looking for the last piece to win the Cup and then dealing with the indecisiveness of Niedermayer and Selanne. This year, Murray wanted second line scoring, he wanted to make cap space and he got both. If nothing else, I say we are winners because the front office has a plan and is moving forward with that plan. I think that means the league will be dealing with a secure, confident Ducks team that will be very dangerous next year.

I don't think all the moves were great. Boynton isn't going to round out the Top 4 very well. Lupul is overpriced, but happy to be back in Califas. Maybe that'll help. And really, any type of scoring relief for our top line is bad news for the rest of the league. I think we have the top goalie tandem in the NHL, but they both need the D to be responsible on rebound control, which worries me.

The Sharks core is still intact, and the Kings might have acquired the veteran they need to turn their young talent around. But Kings fans shouldn't hold their collective breath. The division will be a dog fight, and I agree that San Jose comes out on top. They are just too loaded with talent. In terms of the conference, I wouldn't be surprised if we wiggle our way back to home ice, but only because Chicago will be playing without Hossa for the first 1/3 of the season. We have the goaltending and the scoring to go deep. Let's see now if fate agrees.

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