Some gems from today's practice in Calgary
Moving on, the Ducks are practicing this morning at the old Calgary Corral arena, which is across the street from the Saddledome, where they will play the Flames tomorrow night. The locker room at the Corral (which somehow hosted the Flames from 1980-83) is apparently so small you have to go outside to change your mind. Because of that, the Ducks are forced to change into their gear at the Saddledome, then walk about three minutes across a snow-covered city street with very light traffic to the Corral in everything but their skates.
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How Niedermayer brings value to the Ducks
The addition of Niedermayer has also dramatically improved the club’s penalty-killing, which had been a sore spot all season. Before Niedermayer’s arrival, the Ducks languished near the bottom of the NHL’s penalty-killing rankings, succeeding only 78.8 percent of the time, having given up 41 power-play goals in 193 times short-handed. In the past five games, opponents have converted just one power-play chance in 22 tries, giving Ducks penalty-killers a 95.5 percent success rate.
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Weight gets profiled
Doug Weight said he didn't want to ruffle any feathers in the Ducks' room.
Just fill the bill as a second-line centre and make sure nobody in Anaheim plumage has reason to believe he's in a foul mood following the unexpected end to his six-year National Hockey League stay in St. Louis.
"I want the guys to know I care," he said Thursday morning. "I want them to know I'm happy to be here. I want them to know I don't need to run the show."
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Marchant is a jack of all trades
With standout defensive-minded center Samuel Pahlsson back in Orange County attempting to deal with abdominal inflammation that has hampered him all season, veteran Todd Marchant figures to move into a significant role on the checking line as the Ducks open a three-game, Western Canada road swing Thursday night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Marchant, a former Oiler, will get the first crack at filling Pahlsson’s usual spot between wingers Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer on the Ducks’ shutdown unit that spends most of its time playing against other teams’ top offensive players.
“Those are primo minutes,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “We’ll see where it takes us.”
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Is Pronger as evil as Edmonton thinks he is?
Chris Pronger pretends to be surprised by his place among the NHL's most suspended, and some would say dirtiest, players.
Ask him about his seven career suspensions, second only to Chris Simon's eight, and his jaw drops in mock disbelief.
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Brad May gets to have some "fun"
Our Anaheim city reporter, Sarah Tully, caught up with the Ducks’ Brady May, who next week will ride in the Rose Parade with the Stanley Cup. Here’s her report:
Ducks left wing Brad May’s misfortune became a coup for the Rose Parade this week.
The forward was tapped to ride in Anaheim’s float in the New Year’s Day parade shortly after May broke his foot and was put on injured reserve. Until May’s injury, Anaheim organizers had yet to find anyone to ride on the float, except for the security guard watching the Stanley Cup.
“I would have to think I’m the easy choice since I’m not playing,” May said. “I’m sure if Scott Niedermayer could do it, they’d probably bump me at the last minute.”
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