Chris Kunitz is interviewed on the latest Duckcast - Link
Brian Bochenski profile and an upated on Pahlsson/May
Brandon Bochenski first had Orange County on his mind about two weeks ago.
His wife, Jennifer, bought a DVD box set of "The OC," the teen soap opera set in Newport Beach. A week later, on Jan. 2, Bochenski was traded from Boston to the Ducks.
The other, more important twist of fate is that Bochenski has gone from a peripheral player in Boston to a second-line wing for the surging Ducks.
Read the rest here - Link
May is ready
Brad May has been in the NHL long enough that he doesn’t need to be told that there’s always someone ready to fill your shoes.
Nothing is a certainty, even for a 17-year pro like May. The veteran moved closer to returning to the lineup Friday when he skated with the club. But he knows the Ducks have changed dramatically since he went down with a broken bone in his right foot in practice on Dec.15. They’ve gone 8-2-1 with first place San Jose in their sights.
Young players like Ryan Carter and Brandon Bochenski have capably filled roles held by injured Samuel Pahlsson and re-assigned winger Bobby Ryan. The fourth line of Todd Marchant, George Parros and Brian Sutherby had been intact for some time until Parros injured a knee.
Read the rest here - Link
Pahlsson is waiting.....
Samuel Pahlsson wants back in the Ducks' lineup but his sore abdomen isn't allowing it.
Pahlsson missed his eighth consecutive game Wednesday as additional rest has not helped alleviate inflammation in the area. The veteran center has been able to participate in practice but he isn't ready to go back up against the game's top forwards."It's frustrating," Pahlsson said. "I felt good for a while and it's frustrating when it comes back. And it doesn't get better. It's no fun to play when you don't feel good."
Read the rest here - Link
But he and May seem to be ready
Back at practice after a day off following their decisive victory over Toronto on Wednesday, the Ducks got some more good news Friday as forwards Samuel Pahlsson and Brad May went through a grinding session without a hitch.
Both appear set to return from injury for the Ducks' home game Sunday against San Jose, leaving Coach Randy Carlyle with this question:
Whom does he sit?
Pahlsson figures to jump back into his customary spot centering the checking line after sitting out eight games because of abdominal inflammation. If that's the case, the Ducks will have to find a new place for rookie Ryan Carter, who has shined in place of the veteran.Read the rest here - Link
Pronger and Getzlaf are all stars
Back in his early days of junior hockey, Ryan Getzlaf was like many youngsters who dreamed of being a star in the NHL but also worried if they would ever be drafted.
Getzlaf's only worry now is dealing with impending stardom, after the Ducks' center earned his first All-Star game selection Thursday as the Western Conference reserves were announced for the Jan. 27 event in Atlanta.A participant in the NHL's YoungStars game last year in Dallas, Getzlaf earned a spot in the showcase game as he leads the Ducks with 48 points. The 22-year-old center is on a career-best nine-game point streak and has 17 goals and 31 assists.
Read the rest here - Link
Ryan Getzlaf is an All Star
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf admits he’s still a kid at heart. He enjoys playing with his three dogs, enjoys watching football or Seinfeld re-runs and will watch plenty of hockey highlights on his off nights.
But don’t let that youthful exuberance fool you. When the 22-year-old Saskatchewan native laces on the skates and steps on the ice, he’s all business. As if leading his team in scoring during its Stanley Cup run last season wasn’t proof enough, now Getzlaf gets an opportunity to skate among the League’s elite after being named to the Western Conference roster yesterday for the NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 27 in Atlanta.
"It’s a real exciting opportunity for me and I consider it an honor being selected," Getzlaf said. "I’ve looked up to a lot of the players that I’ll be playing with and against in the game. It’ll give me a chance to talk to them about the different experiences they have been through. I hadn’t made any plans for that day, so I’ll be there."
Read the rest here - Link
Perry not quite an all star (although he is)
Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and defenseman Chris Pronger were obvious choices for selection to the Jan. 27 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta. The unfortunate part of the equation is the exclusion of right wing Corey Perry.
Perry is tied for eighth in the NHL with 23 goals, and ranks higher on that list than every player in the Western Conference except Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames and Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings, each of whom earned an all-star berth in fan voting to choose the game’s starters. And yet, Perry will not be going to Atlanta.
Read the rest here - Link
A profile on Bertuzzi
Since the smiles haven't been coming a lot the past two seasons, it's a relief to hear Todd Bertuzzi say he's "having fun" playing the game lately. The usually stoic Bertuzzi has reason to be happy, since he's playing his best hockey in a long time. It's something he had hoped would happen much sooner after he was signed by the Ducks over the summer.
Read the rest here - Link
After back surgery and a concussion limited Bertuzzi’s 2006-07 campaign to just 31 total games (15 in the regular season and 16 in the playoffs) between Florida and Detroit, Bertuzzi was glad to be healthy to start this season. But while just getting comfortable with the Ducks, the Sudbury, Ontario native suffered another concussion after a hit from Minnesota enforcer Derek Boogaard on Oct. 14. The injury would end up costing him another 14 games.
