Lots of news today. From Scott Niedermayer to the state of the Ducks to player profiles. Lots of interesting stuff
A new Duckscast has been posted featuring Dave Farrish - Link
More Scott Niedermayer news via the OC Register
Just about the time his past and perhaps future Ducks teammates wrapped up practice Thursday at Honda Center, Scott Niedermayer began a game of pick-up hockey some 11 miles away at Westminster Ice Arena.
While the Ducks were preparing for Friday night's matchup against the visiting San Jose Sharks, Niedermayer was skating for the second time in a week, laying groundwork for a potential comeback that remains uncertain.
"No decision has been made," Niedermayer said. "Really, there is no change in anything right now, other than the fact I'm skating. When the decision does come, if it is to go back and play, I'm a little bit closer."
Niedermayer, 34, has been contemplating retirement since winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the Ducks' run to the Stanley Cup title last season. Despite having two seasons left on a four-year, $27 million contract he signed in 2005, Niedermayer has remained away from the team during training camp and the first six weeks of the season while pondering his future.
Read the rest here - Link
The OC Register puts the Ducks under the magnifying glass
The Ducks have played Phoenix at home twice now and gone 0-1-1.
"I think we can take a lot of positives out of this," Jean-Sebastien Giguere said.
The Ducks have given up 49 goals overall in 17 games.
"We'll take the point and move forward," Coach Randy Carlyle said.
The Ducks lost this game, 6-5, in overtime, which meant they had scored five times and still lost for the first time since Feb. 6, 2006 (Edmonton).
"I better get back out there and help these guys," Scott Niedermayer said.
Well, if he did say that, he didn't say it in a public forum.
It was left to 17,147, some of whom dressed as red upholstery, and maybe 20 former teammates to think it.
The Ducks faintly congratulated themselves for overcoming a 4-2 deficit Wednesday, but still lost, 6-5, to the Coyotes.
They held visiting coach Wayne Gretzky scoreless but hardly anyone else, and now have yielded 11 goals in their past two games, both at home and both against the Pacific Division.
A look at the Duck's pregame skate
The need for pregame skates has been debated about for years but it is clear that Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle sees the importance in them.
Under Carlyle, those skates aren't just about leisurely moving around the ice to get loose. But while a spirited session can be productive, it doesn't necessarily translate to a sharp game that evening.
Take the Ducks' 5-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday night, a defeat Carlyle didn't see coming.
"Monday's pregame skate was the best pregame skate we've had in probably a year and a half," he said Wednesday. "We had lots of energy and lots of jump. We were efficient with the puck. We did all the [right] things.
"We were jumping and it was only 20 minutes. But it didn't translate into that type of effort that night."
Carlyle said he has seen a handful of occasions in his two-plus seasons when the Ducks wouldn't be sharp in the morning but turned in a strong performance hours later, when it counted.Read the rest here - Link
The LA Times has a look at the state of the Ducks and informs us that Maxim Kondratiev has been placed on Waivers.
The Ducks have won only six of 17 games this season and were outscored, 11-5, over their last two games.
Time to panic? Not exactly, according to the Ducks, who will play Pacific Division rival San Jose tonight at the Honda Center.
"At different moments we've played pretty strong, but with us it is about putting good games together more than putting good shifts together," center Andy McDonald said of the Ducks' lack of consistency this season.
Added forward Travis Moen: "We're looking to put two or three games together because as of late, we've struggled a little bit. We have to play better in our own end."
Playing tighter defense and getting better goaltending have become issues for the Ducks after Wednesday's 6-5 overtime loss to Phoenix and Monday's 5-0 loss to Dallas.Read the rest here - Link
A profile on Todd Marchant
Are you sick of the richest Laker's laments? Tired of another millionaire athlete's off-the-field antics? Bored by the latest selfish superstar's braggadocio?
Try learning more about Todd Marchant, the Ducks center with the peach-fuzz buzzcut and the flames beneath his skates' silver blades.
What he does outside the ice rink involves things you can't coach, record on a stat sheet or necessarily put toward a down payment on the next Stanley Cup.
On Saturday night, Marchant, Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere and their wives will chair the yearly Dux in Tux charity event at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach. He will make a speech and hand out $280,000 in grants to 28 local not-for-profit organizations who have appealed to the team's charitable arm, Ducks Care.
Read the rest here - Link
Corey Perry Profile and Highlight Video
Perry video highlight from last night - Link
Given an opportunity to see an increased role with the Ducks on the ice this season, Corey Perry has thrived, blossoming into one of the team’s most feared offensive threats.
'He's getting more of an opportunity to play all the key offensive situations," said Ducks coach Randy Carlyle. "And he's taken advantage of that."The hard-hitting Perry has four goals in his last five games.
Beginning with his two-goal performance in a 4-1 win over Los Angeles during the second game of the year in London, the 22-year-old from Peterborough, Ontario has had or been tied for the team lead in goals.
“Things are just going in the net,” Perry said. “I’m just going to the loose areas and getting shots on net. You battle hard and things happen. It’s nice.”
With his ninth goal of the young season Wednesday against the Coyotes, Perry is already halfway to his career high of 17 goals, posted last season.
Read the rest here - Link
The Wild Wingers Kids club is having a contest
Duck Calls with Josh Brewster will be holding an exclusive contest for all Wild Wingers Kids Club members to become an on-air guest host with Josh Brewster after the Sunday, January 20th game against the Dallas Stars. The winner will have the opportunity to go to the Duck Calls studio and receive a tour as well as watch the Ducks game with Josh Brewster. After the completion of the game, the winner will guest host the show live and will have the ability to talk about an assortment of Ducks topics WITH Ducks fans. To enter this contest, please email an essay of why you deserve to be a guest host on the show. The essay can be no longer than 500 words. Please email your essay to kidsclub@anaheimducks.com, and make sure you type “Duck Calls with Josh Brewster” in the subject line of the email. Please provide your name, age, address and phone number is the essay as well. This will be the first of two contests to guest host Duck Calls.
Read more here - Link
Ducks worth some big bucks
Read about how valuable each team is along with your Ducks here - Link
