Anaheim Ducks News for Wednesday

Well I've got another Teemu Selanne retirement update and a few other news items featuring Chris Pronger, Jonas Hiller and more!

Teemu Selanne Retirement Update and a little on Drew Miller

Teemu Selanne doesn't have a decision yet, but at least he has a timetable.

"I'll take this week, and next week and we'll see how it goes," Selanne said after a 90-minute workout Tuesday morning at Anaheim Ice.

It's the most specific time frame Selanne has offered for a decision on ending his unofficial retirement. The Ducks' all-time leading scorer began a skating program earlier this month and said he would have a decision sometime in January. The team has not pressed him to make a decision.

Read the rest here - Link

Varius has some reasons for Teemu to play

It can be said that Teemu Selanne, also known to many fans as “The Finnish Flash”, was on his way downhill after landing with the San Jose Sharks and then Colorado Avalanche. He failed to win a Cup in Denver with best-buddy Paul Kariya. He seemed to be done for. However, Ducks’GM Brian Burke decided to take a chance on him. Selanne did have knee surgery and a lot of time to rest during the lockout. Selanne also had some of his best years in Anaheim, so Burke took a gamble that paid off greatly. For just 1 million, he bought himself a 40-goal scorer as Teemu found himself a new man.

Read the rest here - Link

Pronger is going to savor the all-stars

”As a defenseman, you really just have to enjoy yourself at the All-Star Game since it’s obviously a show for the offensive stars in the League,’’ Pronger told NHL.com. “The games played over the past few seasons have been pretty high-scoring affairs and we defensemen get hit in waves. I still feel there comes a point in the game when the competitive juices start to flow for us (defensemen), and we begin to play at a higher level. You certainly want to put on a good show, but at the same time you don’t want to get hurt.’’

Read the rest here- Link

A nice profile/interview of Hiller

"For people who aren't close to the team," he says, "they probably think I sit on the bench all the time and do nothing."

Hiller is the Ducks' backup goalie, No. 2 at a position that accommodates only one. His team played 60 minutes Tuesday against Dallas and Hiller, predictably, played none of them.

He did skate in warmups, faced some shots from his teammates and even extensively stretched his groin muscles.

Then he retreated to the locker room, put on a baseball cap and later assumed his usual spot, near a collection of water bottles and the wooden bin that holds the rest of the Ducks' sticks.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks vs. Predators Preview

The Anaheim Ducks have been a much improved team with Scott Niedermayer in their lineup. Most of that success, however, has come at home.

The surging Ducks play 12 of their next 13 games on the road, a difficult stretch that begins Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.

A career high-tying three points from Niedermayer and another strong performance by goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere helped the Ducks (25-17-6) to their fourth straight win, 4-2 over visiting Dallas on Tuesday.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN Update on a lot of things

The Ducks headed out of town this morning with a four game winning streak, second place in the Pacific Division (one point behind San Jose) and fourth place in the Western Conference.  The Ducks have put together two previous four game winning streaks this season - November 9 - 17 and December 18 - 27.

The Ducks will try to put together their first five game winning streak in Nashville on Thursday.  They also visit Minnesota on Friday and Dallas on Sunday before heading home.

Read the rest here - Link

Casino Night is coming.....

“Casino Night is always such a fun and fantastic event with a great new theme every year,” said Ducks owner, Susan Samueli.  “What remains constant, however, is our commitment to raising funds for Orangewood Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit that positively impacts the lives of foster youth in Orange County.  We are proud to partner with Orangewood and support this important cause.”

Partygoers will have the chance to place bids on a variety of silent auction items and enter in opportunity drawings throughout the evening.  Silent auction and opportunity drawing items include tropical/mountain vacations, Ducks tickets and autographed merchandise and jewelry.  Admission to the Cotton Club VIP Lounge was $500 each and general admission tickets were $100 each.  For more information, please visit http://casinonight.p11.com/.

Read the rest here - Link

Scottie for the Hart Trophy?

There's not supposed to be any room for part-timers, at least not when it comes to considering candidates for major individual trophies.

Good thing, too, 'cause if they were awarding the Hart Trophy for league MVP honors solely on the basis of impact, without consideration to the number of games individuals have played, it would be a runaway race between two contestants.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Tuesday

Hello all, one more player to add to the IR list.  Rob Niedermayer is out with a leg issue. Other than that, it was a slow news day.

Here is a pick of Sammy and Giggy with the cup - See the original here - Link

Picks from the State of the Team - Link

Ducks Injury update via MVN

The Ducks held a light optional practice yesterday and this morning they were back to the usual pre-game routine. Missing from action was George Parros, who was put on the IR yesterday after news that he would be out longer than a week with a bruised knee. Rob Niedermayer was also missing due to a leg injury suffered “either last game or in the practice before,” per coach Randy Carlyle.

Read the rest here - Link

Another update on injuries

The Ducks will be without two-thirds of their vaunted checking line Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars at Honda Center, with right wing Rob Niedermayer joining center Samuel Pahlsson on the sidelines.

Niedermayer suffered a groin injury early in Sunday’s 4-3, overtime victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks, and though he made it through the game, the results weren’t good when Niedermayer tried to skate Tuesday morning.

Read the rest here - Link

The Kits for Kids drive update

The Ducks announced today the overwhelming success of the second annual Kits for Kids Donation Drive. Ducks fans and supporters donated over 1,600 Wild Wingers Kids Club kits to patients at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) during the holiday season.  A majority of the kits were personally delivered by the entire Ducks roster during the team’s holiday visit to CHOC on Dec. 20, 2007.

“We’re so pleased with the response from the community to our donation drive,” said Ducks Director of Fan Development Matt Savant.  “Seeing the faces of CHOC patients light up when they received their kits was priceless and we hope to build on this success for next year’s drive.”

Read the rest here - Link

A profile on Beauchemin

It isn't often that Francois Beauchemin has scored a game-winning goal in overtime.
In fact, the Ducks' third-year defenseman couldn't recall Monday if he had scored an overtime goal in junior hockey or the minor leagues.
"That's not something you really think about," said Beauchemin, a day after his second goal of the season beat San Jose, 4-3. "But I'm glad that it happened."

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Monday

I am finally getting back into the swing of things after a week off.  There is a lot to report on as the Ducks have recalled Miller and a few other articles were posted today.

Build your on life size Rob Niedermayer Poster - Find out how - Link

Ryan Miller is recalled, a status update on the injuries and a few other misc. notes via MVN

Miller’s return is primarily due to the fact that George Parros is now on IR with his bruised knee, retroactive to last Wednesday. Although Parros skated lightly today, he is still not progressing fast enough to be reinserted into the line up.

Sami Pahlsson experienced a set back at practice on Saturday with new soreness in the abdominal area. As a result, he was not taken off IR and will not play against Dallas tomorrow evening. Even though he is on IR, he is still considered day to day. It will depend on how soon he recovers and if he does not have further soreness and inflammation.

Read the rest of this great post here - Link

Francois Beauchemin gets a little coverage in the OC Register

“Sometimes the minus is a stat you don’t look at specifically,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said. “His was minus-12 at one point. We talked to him about trying to do less, be safer, get your confidence from a defensive aspect first before you start to stray out on the other side of it. He’s been more conservative and he’s picked his times to jump into the play. That’s what we ask of all our defensemen.”

Read the rest here - Link

Official Ducks interview of Beauchemin

Having to deal with the absence of his defensive partner from the past two seasons, and as a result an increase in minutes and pressure, Beauchemin had some difficult adjustments to make in the early part of this season. That’s part of the reason the third-year defenseman saw his plus/minus rating this season reach a team low -12 at one point.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks Weekly Notes has been updated

WINNING AT HONDA CENTER: Including a 14-6-4 record this year (excluding Sept. 30 "home" game in London, England), the Anaheim Ducks are 60-17-16 in their last 93 regular season games at Honda Center dating back to Nov. 25, 2006...the Ducks have a .673 winning percentage (103-39-37, 241 pts.) over the last 179 home games, earning at least one point in 140 of those 179 contests (19-6-8 in the last 33 home games of 2002-03 season and 19-11-11 in 2003-04)...Anaheim finished the 2006-07 regular season with a home record of 26-6-9, tying the club record for home wins in a season (26-10-5 in 2005-2006)...the Ducks also went 10-2 at home in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, clinching all four series wins at Honda Center.

Read this and much more here - Link

Bid to get your own game worn jersey

Beckett Media is proud to offer these authentic, game worn road white jerseys, from the 2007-08 Anaheim Ducks. These were worn in regular and pre-season games September through November 2007. This includes the September 29-30 NHL opening dates played in London, England! These are the first Ducks game jerseys in the new RBK EDGE style ever worn and offered. Five of these jerseys are the first ever worn by these players.

Read the rest here - Link

Beckett Select Auction Preview: 2007-08 Anaheim Ducks Jerseys from Beckett Media LP on Vimeo.

Anaheim Ducks News for Sunday

So much for Sunday being a slow news day......

Pahlsson will be out again

Ducks center Samuel Pahlsson said he likely will miss his seventh consecutive game Monday night.

Pahlsson has an abdominal strain and is trying to strengthen the area. He does not have a target date for his return.

"I don't know when I'm playing," Pahlsson said. "It's gotten a lot better. It's just a matter of when."

Read the rest here - Link

2008 All Star Balloting Results

The fan balloting for the NHL All Star Game has concluded and the results were released today. The Ducks had four players on the ballot, but none of them made the starting line up. Chris Pronger came closest, finishing 3rd in balloting for defensemen. Fellow d-man, Francois Beauchemin, finished a respectable 5th place. Jean-Sebastien Giguere finished in 4th place for goaltenders. Ryan Getzlaf came in 8th place among forwards.

Read the rest here - Link

Varius has a look at Ducks forward situation

With ever-growing rumors that Teemu Selanne is on his way back to the Ducks this season, I figured we should take a look at the potential logjam at forward this presents Anaheim.

Scoring Line 1

Without a doubt, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have cemented their statuses this season as first-liners. The problem is, their coveted left-wing spot has seen a revolving door of guys who just haven’t been the perfect match.

In my opinion, I would leave Chris Kunitz there. He brings energy and grit to an already feisty line and complements the others well. While Perry is agitating and dangling his way off the boards or out of the corners to the front of the net, Kunitz can install himself in perfect deflection position in front of the net. This frees Getzlaf to roam behind the net or to the high slot, where his rocket shot is best used.

Read the rest here - Link

Bobby Ryan is profiled on the Ducks official site

From the moment his name was called as the second overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, right wing Bobby Ryan has had immense expectations to live up to.
Along with being the highest draft pick in Ducks history, Ryan was Brian Burke’s first selection as Anaheim’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. One pick prior to Ryan’s selection, Pittsburgh drafted Sidney Crosby, who was already being dubbed “The Next One” and has since won the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP during the 2006-07 season.

“Oh yeah, there are expectations,” Ryan said. “I’m sure there always will be. You hear what people say and what people think.”

Read the rest here - Link

Playoffs will be a close race like last year

Warning: Objects might be closer than they appear.

The Ducks, rejuvenated and stabilized by the return of Conn Smyth Award-winning defenseman Scott Niedermayer, are now looking ahead as they drive toward the playoffs.

But this season there are no guarantees of reaching the postseason, not even for the defending Stanley Cup champions.

A 6-2-1 surge in their first nine games after Niedermayer ended his flirtation with retirement thrust the Ducks back into playoff contention and boosted their confidence, but it would behoove them to check the traffic in their side-view mirror, too.

After holding on for a 2-1, good-to-the-last-stop victory against Chicago on Friday night at Honda Center, the Ducks were just three points behind Pacific Division co-leaders Dallas and San Jose as they headed to Phoenix for Saturday's universally dreaded finale of back-to-back, home-and-away contests.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Friday

It was a dark and stormy night...... well it is but that is not what I am here fore. I've got a Bobby Ryan profile, some analysis of our Ducks and other important news.

Schedule Change!!!!!!!!

The start time for the Ducks' Jan. 20 game at Dallas has been changed from 10:30 a.m. Pacific time to 12:30 p.m. Pacific. The start time was changed to comply with the contracted flex scheduling related to the NBC coverage of the Boston/NY Rangers game.
The Ducks-Dallas game will be broadcast locally on KDOC.

See the original post - Link

New Ducks Cast with Steve Carroll discussing Scott Niedermayer - Link

Bobby Ryan gets interviewed by the LA Times

There are times when he threads a perfect pass up ice or bulldozes a defender in the offensive zone. And there are times when he looks out of place or can't keep up with the speedsters who zoom by him.
It's all part of the education of the Ducks' Bobby Ryan.
With Sidney Crosby now a superstar and Jack Johnson learning the ropes with the Kings, the Ducks have patiently waited for 20-year-old Ryan to grasp the NHL learning curve and prove they were right to draft him second overall in 2005, behind Crosby and ahead of Johnson.

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register has a look at how the D is contributing

However far the Ducks go this season, it has become clear they will get there largely on the strength of their defensemen, a group that features the “big four” of Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Mathieu Schneider and Francois Beauchemin.

Since Niedermayer’s return to the lineup in mid-December, the Ducks have not only cut down dramatically on the number of goals and scoring chances they are giving up, but they have received a significant offensive boost from their blue-line corps. Entering Friday night’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks at Honda Center, the Ducks have received six goals and 16 points from defensemen in the past seven games.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Wednesday

Well it was no surprise that the Ducks made a move.  The Ducks traded Hnidy, a 6th round pick and eliminating part of the Chistov deal to get Brandon Bochenski.  There is also a new Duck Cast among a lot of other news.

New Duck Cast featuring Marchant, Moen, Miller and DiPenta having a round table discussion of the Winter Classic- Link

Bochenski NHL Profile - Link

Bochesnki in Action - Link

Ducks trade Hnidy

The Ducks announced on Wednesday that they have acquired right wing Brandon Bochenski from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Shane Hnidy and Anaheim’s sixth round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In addition, the Ducks relinquished their option to exchange fourth round picks with the Bruins in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (as part of the Stanislav Chistov deal, Nov. 13, 2006).

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks Blog coverage of the trade

While the 6-foot-1, 187-pound Bochenski might give the Ducks more depth up front, a bigger part of this deal is getting out from under the two-year, free-agent contract the club had given Hnidy last summer, when Niedermayer appeared destined for retirement.

Whereas Bochenski’s $600,000 contract runs only through this season, after which he will become a restricted free agent, the Ducks would have been on the hook for a salary-cap hit of $757,500 to Hnidy next season. While that is a relatively small number in today’s NHL, being free of it does provide a little more wiggle room for the Ducks in their quest to re-sign budding star right wing Corey Perry.

Read the rest here - Link

Pahlsson still injured

“I think we found out the reason,” Pahlsson said Wednesday. “I was compensating for the injury and put stress on some muscles because of that.”

In all likelihood, bad habits Pahlsson developed while playing with the sports hernia last season, all the way through the club’s playoff run to the Stanley Cup championship, came back to haunt him.

Obviously, the hope had been that the off-season surgery would leave Pahlsson good as new. Now it appears he will have to manage the situation for the remainder of this season, and then hope that rest and further rehabilitation and strengthening work next summer will resolve it once and for all.

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register takes a look at the Ducks

As the NHL's first team to reach the season's official halfway point — 41 games — the Ducks have played anywhere from one to four more games than all but one of their conference rivals.

A more accurate indication of where the Ducks truly stand is winning percentage, which places them 11th in the West with a 19-17-5 mark entering tonight's matchup with the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.

"Yeah, we're right near a playoff spot, but we've played so many more games than other teams," Ducks right wing Rob Niedermayer said. "Everyone looks at where we're at in the standings. We know it's very urgent. Forty-three points — double that is 86. That's not near enough."

Read the rest here - Link

Brad May interview (thanks to BuchananHermit at the official Ducks board)

Ducks forward Brad May is out of the lineup because of a broken right foot, but it freed him to represent the team and the city of Anaheim in Tuesday’s Rose Parade.

May, who came to the Ducks via trade in February 2007, appeared in 18 playoff games to help the Ducks win their first Stanley Cup championship last season.

Before his early wake-up call for Rose Parade duty, May answered five questions from The Register. Here’s what May had to say:

Question: What is the first thing you bought with your first pro paycheck?

Brad May: I bought a Dodge Daytona hatchback. It was a used car. A Dodge Daytona, red with a white stripe. … It’s just because I needed a car. It was $3,000. It cost me $3,200 Canadian. And it was the coolest car. … I was 18 years old.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Monday

Happy New Year!

Here is today's news:

Francois Beuchemin's New Years Resolution Via the 12/20 edition of OC Metro Business

I'd like to be a consistent, productive player on a team committed to defending a Stanley Cup championship.  I'd also like to continue being an active member of this terrific Southern California community.

Ducks year in review via Ducks Blog

January 16
The Ducks play their 1,000th game as a franchise, a milestone that is about as meaningful as they "A Mighty Decade" banner that used to hang from the Honda Center rafters.
February 27
While several Western Conference powers stock up at the trade deadline, the Ducks remain relatively quiet, only acquiring winger Brad May. The move turns out to pay off, as May brings leadership, toughness and forechecking ability to the Ducks down the stretch. More importantly, he stands out as a star of the Ducks championship DVD, as his wireless mic reveals him to be a trash-talking genius. In response to an unidentified Ottawa player telling May to "watch out for the boards" after a hit, May turns to the guy, looks at him for one second and says, "Who the [bleep] are you?"

Read the rest here - Link

The Year in photos on the official site - Link

Eric Duhatschek has a look at the Ducks and Niedermayer

"But it's worked out. I'm pretty fortunate the organization kept the door open and it wasn't easy, all the questions these guys had to answer. I'm sure having that hanging around was an extra distraction. I'm sure it was not the best situation for the team."

Maybe not, but the Ducks understood that they were a better team with Niedermayer than without him — and since there was no magic answer about how to deal with the effects of a Stanley Cup hangover anyway, maybe injecting a player of his caliber into the line-up at mid-season was just the way to go. Now, when the Ducks get to April, Niedermayer will be about 50 games into his season and ready for the playoff push.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Thursday - Non Game News

More info on Pahlsson via MVN

He had hernia surgery that was supposed to correct the problem. As a result of the surgery, he missed the first five games of the season after having played 275 consecutive games for the Ducks. In spite of his medical issues, Pahlsson was still a finalist for the Selke award last year for best defensive forward, an award he should have won hands down.

The surgery did correct part of Pahlsson’s problems, but did not correct everything.

Read the rest here - Link

BOC has a great analysis of Powerplay goals allowed by the Ducks and our rivals to the north

One thing that really caught my eye over at BTN's blog, though, was tracking shots and goals from where they are taken on the ice. This is a pretty fascinating new layer of data, and while its accuracy or its usefulness is still being explored, I think it's pretty darn cool that the data is being collected. It may not mean much just yet, but I think it's day is coming.
As an example, I asked Gabe in the comments of his blog whether it would be possible for him to run some shot and goal charts for the BoC teams, specifically on their 4-on-5 penalty kills. Why the PK? Well, just for starters we've observed this year how the Sharks are killing penalties with ease, whereas the Ducks and Kings have struggled in that area. Perhaps by looking at the shot charts side-by-side maybe some aspect might become apparent--some difference in how the different PK units are allowing shots, and which shots are becoming goals.

See all the great details here - Link

Anaheim Duck Fan has a sneak peak at the City of Anaheim float that will feature the Stanley Cup

The City of Anaheim is sponsoring a float in the Roses Parade on New Years Day.
On the float is a replica Honda Center and riding down the parade route on the 1st is going to be the Stanley Cup. I was hopeful that the Stanley Cup would be appearing before the 31st, and had been told this morning that the Rose Parade was talking to the Ducks about having a player standing with the Cup for the Judging on the 31st. I have been told by a Ducks representative, who was here today, that the Cup will not be here before the first, and that no Ducks player will be here either.

See some pictures and more details here - Link

Ace Got Skills update

The next edition of Ace’s Got Skills will be here in January! Last year’s edition saw four of the eleven youth players representing the Ducks come home with titles at the National Championships in New York City. Several youth players will hope to duplicate that success, taking the first steps at local competitions held in January. 

The three local events will be held Jan. 10 from 5:45-8:45 p.m. at Anaheim Ice, Jan. 11 from 6-9 p.m. at the Glacial Garden Skating Arena and Jan. 12 from 3:15-6:15 p.m. at the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace. Anaheim Ducks players Corey Perry and Kent Huskins will be present on the ice to participate and give instruction to participants.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News For Friday

Vote for the Ducks win as the biggest story in 2007 at the OC Register - Link

The Ducks share stories of Christmas Past and Present

Brian Sutherby
I usually like the Griswolds in “Christmas Vacation.” That’s probably one that I make sure I watch every year. It’s a pretty funny movie. Another one that I’ve started watching is “Elf” with Will Ferrell. That’s also a pretty good one.
George Parros
I think “A Christmas Story” is pretty classic. I just grew up with it. It’s always fun to watch little Ralphie.

Travis Moen
I remember as a kid getting a GT racer that was pretty exciting. I always like clothes and those have been some good gifts over the years, but the GT racer sticks out in my mind as a little kid getting that and going out on the snow hill.
George Parros
I got Greyskull Castle one year for He-Man and I was pretty pumped about that back in the day.

Read the rest here - Link

O'Donnell is happy that he did not get traded

"But it is still kind of stressful at the time. . . . It was the first time I was in that type of situation. I mean you hear rumors all the time and you hear your name in rumors all the time, but they are usually speculation.
"This was different. They had to do something to clear space. You look around the room and you just weren't sure who it was going to be."

Read the rest here - Link

Bobby Ryan gets profiled

The first pick that year was Sidney Crosby, and it’s unfair to compare the two. Crosby was a once-in-a-generation prospect; Ryan, Brian Burke’s first pick as Ducks GM, was a project, and Burke knew it.

But Burke deemed Ryan the best player available, and he fit Burke’s power-forward profile at 6-foot-2, 218 pounds.

While Crosby became the NHL’s brightest star, Ryan spent the past two seasons working on his game and his body.

Read the rest here - Link

Four reasons for the trade by TSN

There are fairly obvious reasons why the St. Louis Blues traded Doug Weight to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Andy McDonald.

McDonald is six years younger than Weight, he's got more offensive upside (even though McDonald is way off his usual pace this season) and is under contract for another season after this one while Weight is an unrestricted free agent who wasn't likely to be re-signed

Read the rest here - Link

Evidently the Ducks are not special enough

The Ducks are hoping Scott Niedermayer will be the boost they need to win another Stanley Cup.

The Anaheim Ducks are hoping that the return of All-Star defenseman Scott Niedermayer is the catalyst to another Stanley Cup run. But before they worry about who they’ll be playing in April, the Ducks have some serious problems -- mostly on special teams -- that need fixing now.
A year ago, the Ducks entered the weekend before Christmas with a lordly 27-4-1-5 record; their 60 points were 10 more than Eastern Conference-leading Buffalo. Anaheim’s 134 goals were the most in the NHL (only Buffalo was within 15), and its 87 goals against (including the five shootout goals) was seventh. Most notably, the Ducks were plus-22 on special teams, having scored 44 power-play goals, allowed just 25 and scored three shorthanded goals while allowing none.

Read the rest here - Link

More on how cool Drew Miller is

Drew Miller is a rookie for the Ducks, even though he has his name on the Stanley Cup. He debuted with the Ducks during the playoffs last spring, playing three games with the team. He got his first NHL goal and point on October 17 against Nashville. He has been scoring points off the ice as well, just by being himself.

Haili Todrick loves her teddy bears, Hannah Montana and hockey. At the Fan Fest, she had most of the Ducks players sign the bear with the Stanley Cup Champions jersey on it. One Duck took a little more time with Haili. He took the bear and gave it a BIG hug, smiled and said, "It's so cute! Can I keep it?" Of course she said no.

Read the rest here - Link

More on the CHOC visit

On Thursday, the entire Ducks team visited CHOC for their annual Christmas visit. All of the Ducks players arrived at CHOC and were split up amongst the different floors. Some wore Santa hats, others wore reindeer antlers. They all wore grins and were happy to visit the children and take their minds off their illnesses, if only for a short period of time. The Ducks also handed out Wild Winger Kid’s Club kits that had been donated by fans. Close to 1,500 kits had been donated, which meant that CHOC could distribute them not only to their in-patients, but also to their out-patients as well. That is the first time they have been able to do that, thanks to the generosity of Ducks fans. In addition to the kits, the Ducks distributed blankets courtesy of Hockey Fights Cancer. Especially fitting on the oncology ward.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Thursday

George Parros gets interviewed

When did you start wearing the mustache?
In college I would grow a mustache for the playoffs or something like that, just to be different or as a half joke. I always had a fond respect for the mustache, and I always loved hockey’s history with the mustache. It used to be that everybody had one. But I didn’t have one for a little while, until two summers ago when I went to Vegas and grew one in for that trip just for fun. I showed up to L.A. and was working out before training camp, and the new coach there, Marc Crawford, saw it and said, “That’s a great mustache.” I told him, “Oh yeah? I’m thinking about keeping it for camp.” He said, “You better.” I kept it for camp and the rest is history.

 
But you shaved it since then.
When I got picked up by Colorado [just prior to last season], I shaved it and they all got mad at me. They had seen it when I played against them in a preseason game in Las Vegas. When they heard the mustache was coming over to their team, they were pretty disappointed that I had shaved it. So, I grew it back and I had it for about a week or so before I got traded here. They’ve loved it so much, it took on a life of its own.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks Visit CHOC

Photos - Link

“Although we try to be active in the community throughout the year, the holiday season is a special time for us,” said Ducks owner Susan Samueli.  “Our players look forward to this annual visit to CHOC, as they enjoy spending time with the children and sharing the excitement of the holidays.  Our partnership with CHOC has provided great opportunities to create special memories.”

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks get analyzed again

With the puck headed to the front of his net and a menacing Shark ready to pounce for a tying goal, Scott Niedermayer extended his stick to full reach.

Not only poking the puck out of harm's way, Niedermayer sprung teammate Todd Marchant on a rush that ended with Bobby Ryan scoring late in the second period, a goal that was insurance in Anaheim's 2-0 win over Pacific Division rival San Jose Tuesday night.

So subtle was Niedermayer's play that he wasn't awarded his first point of the season until official scorers reviewed the goal at the second intermission.

Read the rest here - Link

Burke the best GM?

In the wake of the hard-won Collective Bargaining Agreement there was a general consensus that it suddenly became a whole lot harder to be a good-to-great general manager in the National Hockey League.

With a nod to the declaration that no man is perfect, I offer up a candidate for master of the new agreement, the precursor to sainthood and greatness conferred upon the likes of hockey legends Sam Pollack, Bill Torrey and, in more recent times, Detroit's Ken Holland and New Jersey's Lou Lamoriello.

His name is Brian Burke and he manages the defending Stanley Cup champions in that somewhat under-the-radar hockey hotbed of Anaheim, CA.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Duck of Carona? Just kidding, they did open a rink there......

The Anaheim Ducks and Anaheim Hockey Club (In-line) announced today that a new in-line rink will open in Corona, Calif., this January (2008). The rink, named the Anaheim Hockey Club of Corona, will serve as the Ducks’ official in-line facility and complement Anaheim ICE, the club’s official practice facility. Renovations are underway, which will make Anaheim Hockey Club the premiere in-line facility in Southern California.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks news for Monday

Well shockingly enough most of today's news covers Scott's return and the associated trade. Ryan Carter is back from the AHL. My thought's on Ryan Carter's return is that Samuel Pahlsson's injury is more severe and he will be out a few games or more. Todd Marchant will move up to center the checking line and Carter will center the 4th line. Now that is a pure guess. It could be we found a trade for Marchant and we are filling that role. However, I do not think it has to do with any trades as we are so close to the Christmas deadline. There is also a bunch of misc. news that I will put up front because I am bored with all of the Scott Niedermayer news.

More coverage on Parros donating his hair

Since the start of his professional career, Parros has been growing his hair long so he can donate it to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children experiencing medical hair loss. Parros, alongside Ducks Kids Club members and season seat holders, cut the minimum of 10 inches of hair it takes to create a Locks of Love hairpiece. Professional hairstylists from TríKo Salon in Newport Beach were on hand volunteering to cut hair.

Read the rest here - Link

See the pics here - Link

Watch the Ducks and Win

Presented by the Orange County Register

Watch the December 30 game on KDOC and during the telecast, three (3) clues will be given about the “mystery player” of the game. Once you have gathered all the clues, simply log onto the OC Register website to enter the name of the mystery player and you could be a winner!

A Grand Prize Winner will receive an Authentic Team Autographed Ducks Jersey! Plus, 25 Runner Up winners will receive an Anaheim Ducks Prize Pack.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Ducks will be visiting CHOC

The Club’s Entire Roster Will be on Hand to Greet Patients and Distribute Donated Kids Club Kits

The Ducks will make their annual holiday visit to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in Orange on Thursday, Dec. 20 from 2-4 p.m. The entire Ducks roster will be in attendance in an effort to brighten the season for patients and their families who will receive ongoing care at CHOC during the holidays.

“Although we try to be active in the community throughout the year, the holiday season is a special time for us,” said Ducks owner Susan Samueli. “Our players look forward to this annual visit to CHOC, as they enjoy spending time with the children and sharing the excitement of the holidays. Our partnership with CHOC has provided great opportunities to create special memories.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks Recall Ryan Carter

The Ducks announced on Monday that they have recalled center Ryan Carter from the Portland Pirates, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Carter, 24 (8/3/83), has appeared in six regular season games with the Ducks this season (scoreless). Now in his third stint with Anaheim in 2007-08, Carter made his NHL regular season debut on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings in London, England

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register takes a look at the Duck's penalty problems...again

It's safe to say that no one else around the NHL is shedding any tears for the Ducks, who gladly cultivated a rough-and-tumble image all the way to last season's Stanley Cup championship.

The reputation gained in the process might be coming back to haunt them now.

Primarily because of their own lack of focus and undisciplined play, the Ducks lead the NHL with an average of 20.2 penalty minutes per game and have been short-handed a whopping 201 times, far more than any other team in the league and 41 more times than the Ducks have gone on the power play.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducksblog takes a look at the Scott's return

Skating with former Ducks and New Jersey Devils teammate Jeff Friesen and an assortment of far less accomplished mates, nearly all of whom were simply out for a mid-day workout and undoubtedly thrilled to be on the same sheet of ice with a former Norris and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Niedermayer played it very close to the vest. Rarely did he carry the puck for any length of time and hardly ever did he take a shot. Surely, the last thing he wanted was anyone to think he was “showing off.” Anyone who knows Niedermayer would be certain of that.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register takes a look at future of this season

Then the Ducks unwrapped themselves as the defending Stanley Cup champions.

For the first time in this 35-game-old season.

And you thought Christmas took a long time to arrive?

Your calendar is a liar today, folks. Opening night actually was Sunday at Honda Center, the night Scott Niedermayer returned and the Ducks finally were as close as they'll ever be to being themselves again.

Read the rest here - Link

The Canadian Press has a look at the Ducks

The trade finally happened. Their superstar defenceman has returned. Now it's time for the Anaheim Ducks to start winning some games.

"We feel with the addition of Scott Niedermayer back into our lineup and the change we've had to make, that it's given us a little shot in the arm," Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle told The Canadian Press on Monday.

"We're feeling better about ourselves today than we did five days ago."

Read the rest here - Link\

National Post take a look at the McDonald trade

Scott Niedermayer's return from semi-retirement set off a salary-induced chain reaction last week with the Anaheim Ducks, whose stalled Stanley Cup defence will now look to two players who began their careers before Sidney Crosby began grade school.

General manager Brian Burke had to carve into his payroll to find space for Niedermayer, the 34-year-old defenceman, and ended up trading Anaheim's longest-serving player to a Western Conference rival. Centre Andy McDonald was shipped to the St. Louis Blues for a prospect, a draft pick and Doug Weight, an ageing 36-year-old forward who has struggled at times to generate offence this season.

Read the rest here - Link

The LA Times has a look at Weight

"It's great to have a role and be singled out in it," said Weight, who'll center the second scoring line with Ryan and Todd Bertuzzi. "I know what I've got to do. I've got two pretty darn good players playing with me right now and some great defensemen. This is team that's got a lot of confidence."
Weight said he has been excited for the last two days since learning that he might get traded to Anaheim after it became clear that he wouldn't be part of the youth movement transpiring under Coach Andy Murray in St. Louis.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Sunday Morning

George got his hair cut and a look at what Scott and Doug Weight bring to the table is what's in this edition.

George get a new look.... :)

Photo via the Daily Pilot

Newport Beach stylist Vincent Vu, who owns the Triko Salon on Birch Street, had the honor of cutting Parros’ hair. As he worked, the crowd applauded and took pictures — which probably amounted to the second-most adulation Parros got this year. In June, the Ducks won the Stanley Cup for the first time.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register Analysis of Scott and Doug

If this revised edition of the Ducks that includes returning star defenseman Scott Niedermayer, newly acquired center Doug Weight and just-recalled rookie winger Bobby Ryan isn't markedly better than the group that has meandered to a 15-15-4 record to this point, the defending Stanley Cup champions won't be around to defend their title come playoff time.

Read the rest here - Link

LA Times Analysis of Scott and Doug

Niedermayer said it is up to them to fulfill their potential.
"Things on paper translate sometimes and sometimes they don't," he said. "Our job is to try and make that translate into good things on the ice. That really has to be our focus. It looks good, but let's get out there and play well and do our jobs."
The Ducks are giving Bobby Ryan another shot as they recalled the onetime No. 2 overall pick from the Portland Pirates, their minor league team in Maine.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Friday - Recap of McDonald Trade

Here is the rest of the coverage from tonight's trade

Brian Burke Interview - Link

Official Coverage(repost)

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired center Doug Weight, left wing Michal Birner and a seventh round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for center Andy McDonald.

“Andy McDonald has been a great contributor for us over the last few seasons, and we thank him for the tremendous work ethic and character he brought to our club,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “At the same time, we are pleased to add one of the most dynamic passers in the NHL today with Doug Weight. His production and leadership during his NHL and international career speak for themselves.” 

Weight, 36 (1/21/71), scored 4-7=11 points with a +4 rating and 12 penalty minutes (PIM) in 29 games with the Blues this season. The four-time NHL All-Star (1996, 1998, 2001, 2003) has scored 4-1=5 points in his last four games.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register Coverage

This transaction also enabled the Ducks to keep what will now become their “big four” of Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Mathieu Schneider and Francois Beauchemin together on defense. That group figures to stack up favorably with any in NHL history.

As difficult as it is to watch the departure of McDonald, who had been the team’s longest-tenured player, the move makes a lot of practical sense. Here’s wishing McDonald nothing but the best in St. Louis, where he will be reunited with former Ducks captain Paul Kariya. Those two could very well make some beautiful music together.

Read the rest here - Link

AP Coverage

Andy McDonald, a key member of the Anaheim Ducks' Stanley Cup championship team last season, was traded Friday to the St. Louis Blues for Doug Weight, Michal Birner and a seventh-round pick in next year's NHL entry draft.

McDonald, in the second year of a three-year, $10 million contract, had 27 goals and 51 assists in 82 games last season and played in his first NHL All-Star Game. He has four goals and 12 assists in 33 games this season.

The 30-year-old center played in 391 games with the Ducks after signing as a free agent before the 2000-01 season.

Read the rest here - Link

Mirtle Coverage

Well, that's not quite what I expected.
After back-to-back outstanding seasons, McDonald had struggled this year and is on pace for just 10 goals and 40 points. He was due $3.33-million both this season and next, and it's the 2008-09 figure that matters here.
As in, Weight doesn't have one.

Read the rest here - Link

NHL Coverage

The Anaheim Ducks created the cap room needed to bring back All-Star defenseman Scott Niedermayer on Friday by sending center Andy McDonald to the St. Louis Blues for center Doug Weight, left wing Michal Birner and a seventh-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft.
The trade allows the Ducks to make enough room under the cap for Niedermayer, who announced earlier this week he was returning to the Ducks after considering retirement. Anaheim would have been over the cap next season had it not shed significant salary.

Read the rest here - Link

TSN Video - Link

TSN Coverage

The 36-year old centre had been struggling this season with four goals and seven assists in 29 games, however he seemed to have a breakout game this past Tuesday against his former club, the Edmonton Oilers where he scored twice and picked up an assist.  In order to get the deal done, Weight waived the no-trade clause in his contract.

"It's good to be a Duck," Weight said during a conference call from his home. "It's been a strange turn of events over the past couple of days."

Read the rest here - Link

The Hockey News Coverage

There are a couple of questions you have to ask yourself when assessing the trade the Anaheim Ducks made Friday.
No. 1, are the Ducks a better team with Scott Niedermayer and Doug Weight than they were without Niedermayer and with Andy McDonald in the lineup?
No. 2, is this part of a bigger series of moves for the Ducks?
What we do know is that in order to get the tagging money they needed to get Niedermayer back into the lineup, they had to acquire a contract that was due to expire after the season. As it turns out, Weight's deal is up after this season, which gives the Ducks an additional $3.5 million in tagging room, far more than the $900,000 they needed to activate Niedermayer.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Thursday

Well, I've the usual Niedermayer news coverage plus a nice article on Andy McDonald, the latest Duck Cast featuring Geoff Platt and a few other interesting tidbits.

Duck Cast featuring Geoff Platt - Link

George is getting his hair cut this weekend - Link

A profile on McDonald

Although Andy McDonald may not have known until the last minute he was going to break the Ducks record for consecutive games played on Tuesday night, the record is still meaningful to him, considering how he got to the mark.

McDonald played in his 276th straight game Wednesday night, breaking Samuel Pahlsson's record.

Previous to starting the streak of 276 straight games, a good chunk of McDonald’s 2002-03 season was derailed by a concussion. Rebounding from that injury is how the new Ducks record started for McDonald, which makes the achievement more important than it would have been otherwise to the veteran center.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN covers Thursday's Practice

Scott Niedermayer got his first full practice in with the Ducks on Thursday, complete with all the barking by coach Randy Carlyle. Although the rest of the team practiced about an hour, Niedermayer remained on the ice with George Parros, Geoff Platt, Bruno St. Jacques and Jonas Hiller for at least another half an hour. After practice Niedermayer said, “I feel pretty good so far. I’m just going to keep working as hard as I can on and off the ice and get ready as soon as I can.” When asked if he would be ready to play on Friday night against the Minnesota Wild, he said “I would be ready.”

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks coverage of Scott's return to the team

While Niedermayer skated with six of his teammates on Tuesday and took part in pre-game workouts before last night’s game against Vancouver, Thursday was the first chance he had to simulate game situations, something the Conn Smythe Trophy winner said was important in getting mentally prepared for his return to the ice.

Read the rest here - Link

Another profile on Scott Niedermayer

Typical millionaire athletes do not drive to games in a Toyota Prius, car-pooling with their baby brother. They do not lend their time and celebrity to a conservation project and, most certainly, do not walk away from $13.5 million in salary.

So, Anaheim Duck defenceman Scott Niedermayer is not your typical millionaire athlete, which is why the 34-year-old will probably make a seamless comeback from "retirement," possibly starting tonight against the Vancouver Canucks.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register coverage of Scott Niedermayer

A day off in between games equated to another day of waiting for the Ducks to activate Scott Niedermayer.

Niedermayer went through another practice with his teammates Thursday and ended the session still a non-roster player until the Ducks clear room for their former captain. That would involve trading a player, and all heads were accounted for at the team's morning skate at Honda Center.

Read the rest here - Link

Press Enterprise Coverage

The cavalry hasn't come to the rescue yet. But it's in the building, and for the Ducks that's room enough for optimism.

Scott Niedermayer did not suit up for Wednesday night's game against Vancouver. Part of the reason was that morning was the first and only time he has skated with the full team in anything resembling a practice.

The other part is that technically Niedermayer still isn't a member of the active roster, nor will he be until General Manager Brian Burke sheds $900,000 or so to satisfy salary-cap restrictions. Presuming Burke can make a deal in the next 48 hours, it's realistic to assume Niedermayer would make his season debut Friday against Minnesota.

Read the rest here - Link

LA Times Coverage

"Scotty is a special player," Carlyle said. "He could go away [from hockey] for four or five years and then come back and put the skates on and he'd be ready. That's how effortless a skater he is."
For Niedermayer to play, the Ducks must make a trade to create enough salary-cap room. Trade speculation has centered on defensemenMathieu Schneider and Sean O'Donnell, and center Todd Marchant, but as of late Thursday the Ducks had still not made a deal.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Wednesday - Non Game News

Here is the news not covering tonight's game.

AnaheimDucks.info has a great report on the cap issues involving Scott Niedermayer

The “tagging” issue, while only brought up this past week, actually started for Anaheim the day they extended Chris Kunitz. You see the “tagging” rule in the CBA applies in different cases; whenever a player’s contract is extended or whenever a player with a multi-year deal is acquired. In this case, acquired can apply to being called-up, being traded for, coming off suspension or being signed after Dec.1st in the current season. Due to the fact that the Ducks has to keep cap room open should Niedermayer return, Anaheim was strongly up against the cap when they began the season. They signed Chris Kunitz to an extension which averaged out to 3.725 million a season. Under the “tagging” rule, since Anaheim didn’t have current cap space this year to fit the average of the extension in, the amount is set as “tagged” salary for next year (minus the current cap hit of Kunitz’s expiring deal). Thus, we end up with 2.669 million “tagged” for next season.

Read the rest of this great article here - Link

Niedermayer covereage via "The Provingce"

There's no tree museum where you pay a dollar and a half just to see 'em, not yet anyway.

But the orange groves of Anaheim have long been paved over, replaced by parking lots and subdivisions and malls and roads. And more parking lots.

Anaheim is also home to Scott Niedermayer now and his wife Lisa and their three boys and, like Joni Mitchell sang, he didn't know what he'd got till it was gone.

"I was done," Niedermayer said on Tuesday morning after skating with a handful of his Ducks teammates for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup last June.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN has coverage of Scott's first team practice and other team news.

He certainly doesn’t need the extra practice from the conditioning end of things. Drew Miller, who also skated yesterday, commented that “Scotty was the fastest one out there.” Coach Randy Carlyle said that he “looks like Scott Niedermayer. All the things that you remember about him were very evident again just in the morning skate. His skating ability. The effortless way he moves around the ice.” Carlyle also said that Niedermayer is lighter than he was at the end of the season. While Carlyle meant weight, you can see that Niedermayer’s shoulders are also lighter. Mentally “I feel really good. Best I’ve felt yet. It’s why I’m back here.” When asked if he was refreshed, Niedermayer agreed. “That’s a pretty good word.”

Read the rest here - Link

More Niedermayer coverage from the Ducks Blog

“I was on the short end of a lot of jokes, but I guess that’s to be expected,” Niedermayer said. “It was fun, good to see everybody again and be on the ice with them.”

Instead of returning to action against Vancouver, Niedermayer is likely to make his season debut Friday against the Minnesota Wild or Sunday against the San Jose Sharks. In either case, the game would be at Honda Center, an idea that appeals to Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, who as the home coach would be better able to control Niedermayer’s ice time and matchups.

Read the rest here - Link

Selanne Rumors continue

NHL sources tell us Teemu Selanne plans to follow Scott Niedermayer by putting off retirement and returning to the Stanley Cup champions for the season’s second half.

According to sources, a verbal agreement between Selanne and Anaheim management already has been reached. Before the return becomes official, however, general manager Brian Burke needs to unload a salary or two — and the likely candidates to be discarded are Sean O’Donnell and/or Todd Marchant.

Read the rest here - Link

All-Star voting update

Ryan Getzlaf is eighth among forwards with 84,339 votes, Chris Pronger (133,259 votes) and Francois Beauchemin (103,071) are third and fifth, respectively, among defenseman and J.S. Giguere (68,472) is fifth among goaltenders in the XM / NHL All-Star Fan Balloting, Presented by 2K Sports.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Tuesday

Nearly all of today's links cover's Scott Niedermayer and a few other things. So here you go!

Scott Niedermayer doubtful for Wednesday

Back home from a three-game road trip, the Ducks and their returning former captain, Scott Niedermayer, finally got the chance to get reacquainted on Tuesday.
In an optional day of practice at Honda Center, Niedermayer took to the ice with teammates Jonas Hiller, Kent Huskins, Brad May, Drew Miller, Geoff Platt, Brian Sutherby and recent call-up Bruno St. Jacques.
It was the first time the Conn Smythe Trophy winner has had the chance to skate at Honda Center or practice with any of his teammates since announcing his plans to return. The Ducks departed for the road the morning of Dec. 6, around the same time Niedermayer practiced for the first time at Anaheim Ice.

Read the rest here - Link

Scott Niedermayer made  an appearance on Ducks Calls (December 10) - Link

Stanley Cup to appear in Tournament of Roses parade and some repetitive coverage of Scott's possibilities to play on Wednesday - Link

Drew Miller makes a kid feel very special (and vice versa)

Back in October I attended the "Face Off Fest" with my wife and our two children(Aiden, 8 and Haili, 7) We had two goals... Get my 06/07 Jersey signed by as many of the Players who's names are on the cup as possible and, possibly more importantly, get the same players to sign my daughter’s Teddy Bear(who wears a Stanley Cup Champs T-shirt). This endeavor was VERY successful, with many memorable conversations with players, But one encounter left a lasting impression on my daughter, Haili.
When Haili handed the bear to Drew Miller he gave it a BIG hug smiled and said "It's so cute! Can I keep it?" Haili gave an emphatic "No" Drew looked over at Andy Mac who told him "No man, you can't keep the bear" we all had a good laugh and Drew promptly signed the bear, gave it another hug and gave it back. We really thought nothing of it at the time... Little did we know how much Drew's playful banter had meant to Haili.
Fast forward to November.

Read the rest at the allducks.com message boards. - Link

Girl with a Puck has a great new round up including news on the State of the Franchise event

... is coming your way, January 8th! Sweet. I've got to start coming up with some questions to pick the brains of Brian Burke (Sleek, here's your chance!), Coach Randy Carlyle, and the unnamed players who will be in attendance.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News - Monday Morning Links

Penalty problems analyzed by the OC Register

"This is an all-too-familiar statement. We were taking far too many penalties," Carlyle said, baffled to explain the recurring problem. "I've asked that question of everybody, including every player, every member of the coaching staff. It seems at times that we as a group can't help ourselves."

Read the rest here - Link

Perry get benched

Over the last nine games, Perry has drawn 10 minor penalties, many of which have come while the Ducks were on the attack.
"First and foremost, he cannot be less aggressive, but he has to be more careful with the use of his stick," Carlyle said Sunday. "He gets no leeway from the officials because he's a player that's scrappy. And they deem at times that he embellishes.
"And they're constantly on him about it. Verbally. Because I've seen it. He gets no slack in that respect."
Perry says he's finding it tough at times to recognize how much he can do to pester an opposing player before the whistle blows.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN has more Ducks rumors

First need - move a defenseman. The Ducks already have seven players on the roster. Maxim Kondratiev was eliminated earlier this year and is now playing in Russia. With Niedermayer, there is also Chris Pronger, Mathieu Schneider, Francois Beauchemin, Sean O’Donnell, Kent Huskins, Shane Hnidy and Joe DiPenta. So who is likely to go? O’Donnell would free up enough money. Hnidy would not. Schneider, having been the “replacement” in case of retirement might be the best trade option. He would free up considerable money which would allow for the re-signing of Corey Perry. Having three top two defensemen doesn’t seem reasonable either. Joe DiPenta is the only person who will stay as he has no contract on the books for next year.

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register has more Ducks rumors

Now that vacationing Scott Niedermayer has decided to rejoin the Ducks — don't rule out Wednesday's home game against Vancouver for the Conn Smythe winner's triumphal return to active duty — the player most likely to be traded to make the required salary-cap room for next season is veteran center Todd Marchant or veteran defenseman Sean O'Donnell.

The best fit, salary-wise, is O'Donnell, who earns $1.25 this season and $1.25 million next season.

Read the rest here - Link

A profile of Andy McDonald

At 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, if the roster is to be believed, Ducks center Andy McDonald does not look like the prototype iron man.

It's a description McDonald certainly never would have imagined in 2003, when he missed 39 regular-season games and all of the club's playoff run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals because of a severe concussion that resulted from a blow to the head delivered by then-Colorado Avalanche and current Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Adam Foote.

Read the rest here - Link

The current locker room environment

This is where giddy anticipation collides head-on with sober reality.

Like those reality television programs, in which the survivors have the opportunity to share in great wealth but the losers are voted off the island -- the Anaheim Ducks are about to engage in their own version of that game.

In a matter of days, the defending Stanley Cup champions will welcome back defending playoff MVP and Hall of Fame-bound defenseman Scott Niedermayer. Those left in the Ducks' dressing room will instantly revel in the feeling of once again being considered Stanley Cup contenders.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Thursday Part 1 - The Scott Niedermayer Post

Today was a news filled day with Scott returning and a few other items.. So onto the news!

Duckswire Roaming Reporter Diana went today's practice and got some video!

Video from today's interview - Link

Photo of the Day

Official Ducks coverage of today's skate

“I’ve felt better, but hopefully each day I feel better and better,” Niedermayer said in assessing his time on the ice. “I’ve skated a little bit on my own but not the caliber that I’m going to be preparing to skate in the NHL. I have some work ahead of me for sure.’
While he will not get a chance to practice with his teammates until next week when the Ducks return home from a three-game road trip, Niedermayer said being back with them is one of the main reasons he decided to return to the club.

Read the rest here - Link

NHL.com coverage via the AP

In a mostly deserted rink, a solitary figure zipped around the ice.

Scott Niedermayer was back at work.

After the Anaheim Ducks won their first Stanley Cup last summer, Niedermayer was almost completely convinced he had played his final NHL game.

Gradually, as he watched the Ducks play, he changed his mind.

"It's one thing to make the decision in the summer, but then to be here opening night when the banner went up, we got our Stanley Cup rings, all pretty special times. The best of times of being a professional athlete," the 34-year-old Niedermayer, more gray than black in his stubble, said Thursday after skating seriously for the first time since June.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN Coverage

He knows that his absence caused frustration and questions, something he regrets. Yet he does not regret being given all the time he needed to make the right decision. “I’m thankful for that because without that I’d probably be sitting somewhere now regretting or wishing I had made a different decision.” Watching the team struggled “probably played a small factor” in his decision, but the biggest factor was “realizing I still wanted to get out there and compete.” He also confessed that he missed the “special friendships and experiences” with teammates. “I didn’t think I would as much as I did.”

Read the rest here - Link

Press Enterprise Coverage

Exactly six months after winning the Stanley Cup, the Ducks now have a reason to realistically think about defending that championship.

General Manager Brian Burke announced Wednesday that star defenseman Scott Niedermayer will be returning to the team and hopefully will be back in the lineup within one week.

Niedermayer had been contemplating retirement since the Ducks won their first Stanley Cup championship, and his fourth, on June 5. He called Burke on Sunday to indicate he was ready to return.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register in depth coverage

ROB NIEDERMAYER: "Making sure that he got to do this on his own time ... that was big. I don't think something like that would happen with a lot of other organizations. That was pretty classy. He just mentioned what he was doing to me the day before, and I was thrilled. He's a pretty low key guy, so all he did was tell me, 'I'm coming back.' I know that it was something that he has been getting asked a lot about, so I didn't want to put any pressure on him to come back. It was a big decision for him with his family and everything. I'm just glad he made the right one."
ANDY MCDONALD: "There's no doubt about it, we are an excited group to have Scotty coming back. He's a terrific player and we are going to become that much better as a team. It is great to be out there with him. He moves the puck really well. It makes things a lot easier when you can get that pass from a defenseman under pressure. Like I said we are an excited group."

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register Analysis

"I don't think one player is going to make all the difference. Not even Gretzky – well, maybe Gretzky could have. For us it took 20 of us to win the Stanley Cup last year and that's what it's going to take this year."

Still, it's no coincidence that the Ducks remembered who they were Wednesday night when they shellacked Buffalo – "we looked like the old Ducks," General Manager Brian Burke said – after they heard their former captain and future Hall of Famer was coming back.

Read the rest here - Link

MSNBC Analysis of Scott's Return

On the surface, this seems like a huge break for the Ducks, who are struggling along at hockey’s version of the Mendoza Line, the cutoff point for playoff qualification. Adding a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman of Niedermayer’s capabilities — he led all defensemen in scoring with a career-high 69 points last season — would appear to once again make them a serious challenger for Stanley Cup honors.

“We are obviously very pleased that Scotty has chosen to come back and play,” a naturally excited Burke said. “He earned the right to take time in making a decision, one that was clearly difficult for him.”

Read the rest here - Link

LA Times Coverage

His salt-and-pepper beard a little stubbier and grayer, veteran Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer worked out Thursday in Anaheim, showing he's on course to rejoin the defending Stanley Cup champions after a three-month hockey sabbatical.
Niedermayer, 34, went through individual drills at Anaheim Ice, performing such rudimentary tasks as puck handling, skating on three-man breaks and one-touch slap shots. He mixed in a few short bursts of speed between the blue lines and finished off with some longer strides around the rink.

Read the rest here - Link

The Fourth Period Coverage

As part of the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, a "Tagging Rule" comes into play for the Ducks, which indicates that after December 1 of a season, a player can only join a team if his salary not only fits into the current season payroll, but it must remain within the set salary cap for future years.

"We will have to move contractual obligations for next year," Ducks GM Brian Burke told the Register.

The Los Angeles Times reports forward Todd Marchant and defensemen Francois Beauchemin and Sean O'Donnell could be involved in trade talks.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News - Scott Niedermayer Coverage

Here is all the news related to his return.

TSN has good analysis of the effects of his return Video (Pre Announcement)- Link

TSN Report

The Anaheim Ducks made it official Wednesday as the team announced that Scott Niedermayer would return for the remainder of the season.

The announcement, made prior to the Ducks game against the Buffalo Sabres, ended weeks of speculation surrounding the four-time Stanley Cup champion's pseudo-retirement.

"We are obviously very pleased that Scotty has chosen to come back and play," said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. "He earned the right to take time in making a decision, one that was clearly difficult for him."

The three-time all-star has not played this season after capturing the Conn Smythe trophy last season while helping lead the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.  He has been under suspension by the team after failing to report to Ducks training camp as he has mulled retirement.

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Globe and Mail Coverage

Even as he broached the possibility of retirement soon after the Anaheim Ducks won the 2007 Stanley Cup, Scott Niedermayer was always careful to keep the door open for a possible return.

Niedermayer, who skipped training camp and the first two months of the season to ponder his future, made it official Wednesday — he will return to the Ducks for the remainder of the 2007-08 season and playoffs, assuming they qualify for postseason play.

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Battle of California Coverage

Let's cover the key points about the press conference, though I'm not going to add too much just yet.

• The announcement was strictly that Scott would play for the Ducks this year, but the timing is still up in the air. One of the main complications comes from a CBA thing called 'tagging'--I'm not going to do the proper research here, so here's Bob McKenzie's description:
  With Niedermayer potentially returning, and with another year left on his contract after this season, the Ducks could not add him to the roster now without freeing up cap room for next season. In the new CBA, it's called 'tagging' room and the Ducks don't have enough of it next season to allow Niedermayer back on the roster this season – unless they move a player who is under contract for next season.

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Anaheim Ducks News for Wednesday - Part 2 Personnel Moves

We have an interesting alignment of rumors and personnel moves.  I will link the stories in a way to help build up to the final analysis.

Marchant was a health scratch last game and is not happy with that

Todd Marchant admitted it was a tough pill to swallow Sunday when he was a healthy scratch for only the second time in his 14-year career.

“As a player, I’m not happy about it, but the only thing I can do is control what I can control,”

Marchant said after Tuesday’s practice.

Marchant has been moved around the forward spots and played on mulitple lines this season. Coach Randy Carlyle said he would like to see more tenacity from Marchant, a former Olympian who has been known as one of the faster skaters in the NHL.

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Ducks recall Geoff Platt from Portland

The Ducks announced today that they have recalled center Geoff Platt from the Portland Pirates, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Platt, 22 (7/10/85), scored 7-9=16 points with a +6 rating and six penalty minutes (PIM) in nine games with the Pirates this season.  Acquired from Columbus in exchange for defenseman Aaron Rome and left wing Clay Wilson on Nov. 15, 2007, Platt began the season with the Syracuse Crunch (Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate).  In 24 AHL games between the Pirates and Crunch, he recorded 11-12=23 points with a +5 rating and 12 PIM. 

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Niedermayer retirement watch continues

Could this be the week Scott Niedermayer ends his retirement and returns to the Anaheim Ducks?

It's beginning to look that way.

Sources close to Niedermayer suggest he is prepared to return to the NHL team in the near future.

If so, it would be welcome news for the Ducks.

The Ducks do not have any salary cap issues this season that would prevent Niedermayer from re-joining the team. They have plenty of room below the $50.5 million salary cap, but that is not to say there aren't other financial considerations that could be problematic for the Ducks unless they trade a player.

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Eric Duhatschek has an analysis of all the rumor

Truth be told, the player the Ducks would most like to ship out is Todd Marchant who earns $2.517 million - too much for what he brings to the table as a fourth-line checking forward. Who would take Marchant, up front, at the figure? No one. That's why the Ducks might need to get creative to make a deal happen. Someone with salary-cap space might take Marchant off their hands, provided Anaheim sweetened the deal by including their own 2008 first-round choice in the transaction.

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