Anaheim Ducks News for Sunday - Non Game News

So not much to say, I've got coverage of the current status of the Ducks, Mowers was shipped off to Europe and some more player news.  I will start off with the funniest thing which was video the Parros and Getzlaf did while playing golf.

Parros and Getzlaf have fun golfing

 

Mowers is shipped off to Europe

The Ducks announced on Friday that they have assigned center Mark Mowers to SC Bern of the Swiss National League.
Mowers, 33 (2/16/74), appeared in 17 games for Anaheim this season, scoring a goal (1-0=1) with eight penalty minutes (PIM).  The 5-11, 174-pound center spent the 2006-07 season with the Boston Bruins, scoring 5-12=17 points with 26 PIM in 78 games played. He set numerous career highs with the Bruins last season, including goals, assists, points, PIM, games played and average TOI (12:00).

Read the rest here - Link

A profile on Getzlaf

Having all ready lost the services of one young, talented skater, the Anaheim Ducks didn't want to take another chance.

On November 20, the Ducks locked up 22-year-old Ryan Getzlaf with a five-year contract extension that begins next season and runs through the 2012-13 season.
This helps the Ducks avoid a repeat situation of what happened with Dustin Penner. Penner, of course, became a restricted free agent after Anaheim won the Stanley Cup last year, and was signed to an offer sheet of five years at over $21 million by the Edmonton Oilers.

Read the rest here - Link

Sutherby was surprised by the trade

Hockey players are paid to read and react, but Edmonton native Brian Sutherby says he never saw it coming -- that he was suddenly expendable as a member of the Washington Capitals.

"I'd never been a healthy scratch in the NHL," said the 25-year-old winger, who got dealt to the Anaheim Ducks -- the only NHLer who has traded teams in the first two months of the season -- for a second-round draft pick in 2009.

"I only played two of seven exhibtions, had a goal and a fight ... I thought I did everything I could," said Sutherby, who had worn an 'A' on his jersey.

Read the rest here - Link

Stanley Cup hangover?

A "huge list of possibilities" exists for why the Ducks find themselves mired in mediocrity a third of the way through the NHL regular season.

"I have lots of ideas," Coach Randy Carlyle said Saturday as the Ducks prepared for a game tonight against the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.

Friday's 5-1 loss at Edmonton was just the latest head-scratcher for the Ducks, who appeared to be in solid position, tied 1-1, before giving up two goals in the final minute of the second period and then falling completely apart in the third.

Read the rest here - Link

Inconsistency.... Argh!

As the the Ducks head into tonight's second game of a home-and-home with the Edmonton Oilers, it's becoming harder to figure out which team is going to appear.
The recent three-game trip to western Canada was emblematic of their wildly inconsistent ways.
Are the Ducks the team that efficiently handled an injury-plagued Calgary team, or are they the team that collapsed at the first sign of trouble against Edmonton and Vancouver?
Maybe both.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Monday

The latest Ducks TV has been posted - Link

TSN has posted their game coverage - Link

@AnaheimDuckFan - Whatever it takes! - Link

@Princess Duck - Congratulations! - Link

LA Times Game Coverage

A besieged group of Ducks' penalty killers gained a dose of redemption Sunday night, providing the coda to a comeback that renewed their faith in themselves.
The one-goal lead they gained late after trailing all game was left to Jean-Sebastien Giguere and three teammates in front of him to protect for nearly a minute with six Kings ready to fire at will.

Read the rest here - Link

Burke wants to change things again, update

You can say a lot of things about Anaheim Ducks' general manager Brian Burke, but you cannot dispute his persistency.

For the better part of two years now, Burke has been lobbying for an amendment to the collective bargaining agreement that would allow teams to trade players, but have a portion of the traded players' salary count against their own salary cap.

He was at it again Monday morning, when the 30 NHL general managers got together for a wide-ranging two-hour conference call that, among other things, rejected the idea that teenage sensation John Tavares could opt in a year early to the NHL entry draft.

Read the rest here - Link

Read more about Burke's proposal here

We know the new schedule format will be the sexy story of this week's board of governors meetings at The Inn at Spanish Bay near Pebble Beach, Calif.

But there is at least one issue that could come up this week that could have a more significant impact on the game, and we don't mean why the board insists on meeting as far away from an actual NHL game as humanly possible.

ESPN.com has learned NHL general managers will take part in a conference call Monday, when they will try and come to a consensus on the pros and cons of proposing changes to the collective-bargaining agreement that would allow teams to trade players while retaining a portion of a player's salary. The hope is the issue will then get a hearing before the board of governors when they meet Thursday and Friday.

Under the current system, many GMs have complained that the possibility of making trades is near impossible because they don't have the option of eating any salary of a player they might like to trade.

Read the rest here - Link

Another update on the Kids for Kids drive

The Ducks announced today that the Wild Wingers Kids Club and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) have partnered for the second annual Kits for Kids Donation Drive, giving Ducks fans the opportunity to purchase Kids Club kits for CHOC patients for the holidays.

“This is a great way for our fans to give back to the community,” said Ducks Director of Fan Development Matt Savant. “We’re hoping to build on the overwhelming response from last year’s drive to help make the holiday season brighter for children receiving care at CHOC.”

Read the rest here - Link

The Official Ducks site takes a look at Brian Sutherby

"He’s a big kid who can skate and he plays an aggressive style," says Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle. "This is an opportunity for a player to play to a higher level and give us what he’s got. I don’t think you’ll see Brian Sutherby as a pure offensive player, but he’s a player who will get into the dirty areas, go to the front of the net, defend his teammates and be physical. "

Sutherby, chosen 26th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, will return to his birthplace of Edmonton when the Ducks play the Oilers on Friday night.

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register has a look at Bert's return to Vancouver

The hockey-mad populace of Vancouver has waited more than 17 months for former Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi to return to GM Place.

The occasion finally appears imminent Tuesday, with Bertuzzi set to arrive in a Ducks uniform, the third he has worn since Vancouver dealt the standout winger to the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster trade for superstar goaltender Roberto Luongo that was the biggest single reason the Canucks returned to the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.

Read the rest here - Link

Calgary Herald has a look at Bert's return to Vancouver

"There's no question it's going to be emotional in a lot of ways for me," said Bertuzzi, now with the Anaheim Ducks, from his home in California while preparing for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Kings.

"After all the great years and great friends I made in the city, it's going to be very strange to be back there playing. It's going to be a very different experience, a very difficult game to play."

Read the rest here - Link

The next Kids Club party has been announced. Get your chance to see the Cup with the Ducks names on it along with a few other trophy's.

THE STANLEY CUP, CONN SMYTHE AND CAMPBELL BOWL TROPHIES ARE COMING TO ORANGE COUNTY IN DECEMBER! On Saturday, December 15^th and Sunday, December 16^th all Wild Wingers Kids Club members will be invited to the Newport Sports museum for an exclusive Kids Club party, where they will be able to take photographs with the trophies, attend a question and answer session with the keeper of the cup, and take part in a Ducks scavenger hunt!

Wild Wingers Kids Club members will be allowed to bring one (1) adult with them to the museum. If additional family members or friends would like to attend the event, they must purchase a Wild Wingers Kids Club kit at www.wildwingerskidsclub.com before the date of the party. Also, please remember to bring Party Voucher #2 located in the back of your kids club calendar. It is your ticket to enter the party.

To attend this great event, please send a RSVP to kidsclub@anaheimducks.com with the member’s name, adult’s name, email address, date and time slot. Please choose a 1½ hour time slot from the following list. Please note that there is a limited amount of space for each time slot. Once a time slot is completely full, no one else will be allowed to attend that time slot.

Available Time Slots

Saturday, December 15^{th and} Sunday, December 16^th

8:00am-9:30am

8:00am-9:30am

9:30am-11:00am

9:30am-11:00am

11:00am-12:30pm

11:00am-12:30pm

12:30pm-2:00pm

12:30pm-2:00pm

2:00pm-3:30pm

2:00pm-3:30pm

3:30pm-5:00pm

3:30pm-5:00pm

Directions to the Newport Sports Museum

The Newport Sports Museum is located on the corner of Newport Center Drive and Newport Center Drive East . Its address is:

100 Newport Center Drive, Suite 100

Newport Beach , CA 92660

Please click here for step-by-step directions to the Newport Sports Museum from your home.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at kidsclub@anaheimducks.com.

Anaheim Ducks News - Thanksgiving Catch Up Post Part 2

Even though this was a holiday weekend, there was still hockey going on and lots of news. So here you go!

Did you see Jonas Hiller's masks on Friday?  Here is a lot closer look - Link

The latest Duck Cast has been posted featuring Brent Severyn - Link

A lady named Kathryn got to participate in the Stanley Cup celebration and posted her photos here - Link

OC Register Ducks blog has a look at the line changes

The latest twist in Ducks coach Randy Carlyle’s season-long quest to ice two productive scoring lines involves newcomer Brian Sutherby.

Sutherby, an erstwhile center acquired Monday from the Washington Capitals, moved to left wing alongside the team’s top two scorers, center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry, during Friday’s 4-3, shootout loss to the visiting Phoenix Coyotes, and skated there again during Saturday’s practice. While Carlyle would never publicly identify line combinations, chances are that Sutherby will start in that spot Sunday night, when the Ducks face the Kings at Honda Center.

Read the rest here - Link

Sutherby profile via the LA Times

The more nights he spent watching from the Verizon Center press box in Washington, the more Brian Sutherby sensed his days with the Capitals were numbered.
To say that being traded to the Ducks on Monday was welcomed would be an understatement.

"I'm excited," Sutherby said. "I had no idea where I was going. I wasn't in the lineup very much so I was kind of expecting to be moved. When I found out it was Anaheim, it was exciting."
Sutherby, 25, is viewing this opportunity as a new start after leaving behind unfulfilled expectations in Washington.
A first-round pick of the Capitals in 2000, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Sutherby never grew out of a checking role there. He fell further on the depth chart at center when they acquired Michael Nylander and promoted rookie Nicklas Backstrom.

Read the rest here - Link

Perry contract status update via the OC Register

With 12 goals and 19 points, right wing Corey Perry ranks first and second, respectively, among Ducks scorers entering tonight's game against the Kings at Honda Center.

Perry's 36 penalty minutes, a product of an edgy style that often infuriates opponents, are third on the team. At 22, the third-year right wing is nowhere near reaching his immense potential, in the estimation of Ducks coach Randy Carlyle.

So, given that Perry's entry-level contract stands to expire at the conclusion of this season, Ducks executives would figure to be working intently on a deal to guarantee that Perry's hockey future remains in Anaheim, just as the club did Tuesday by signing Perry's sidekick, center Ryan Getzlaf, to a five-year, $26.625 million pact.

Read the rest here - Link

How Scott Niedermayer affects Perry

Niedermayer, who's still under contract with the Ducks, was sighted in recent weeks skating in a rink in Anaheim, fueling speculation he could be back by January.

If so, his return could complicate Anaheim GM Brian Burke's attempts to re-sign winger Corey Perry, a restricted free agent next summer who's on pace for a 40-goal season.

Burke presently has over $46 million committed to 17 players for next season. If Niedermayer retires it'll free up $6.75 million, giving Burke the cap space he needs to re-up Perry and fill out the rest of his roster.

Read the rest here - Link

Tired of seeing the Kings? So are the Ducks.

After the Ducks completed practice Saturday, Coach Randy Carlyle stood outside the team's locker room at the Honda Center and gave a one-word reply when asked about playing the Kings tonight.
"Again!" he said, making his feelings clear about facing the Ducks' Southern California neighbors for the fifth time in less than two months.
"We played them in our first two games in England and we've played them twice since," said Carlyle, whose Ducks lead the series, 2-1-1. He later added, "This will be game five. So we're more than halfway there."

Read the rest here - Link

MVN has a look at the Ducks

This week it felt like the Ducks took a step backward after a regulation loss to Dallas on Wednesday and a shootout loss to Phoenix last night. Coach Randy Carlyle stated there is “lots of room for improvement for us.” One of those areas is the penalty kill. They spent quite a bit of time on that this morning at practice.

The penalty kill has not been stellar this year and ranks 28th overall in the NHL with a 78.9% success rate. That is not good enough for a team that wants to defend their Stanley Cup title. The Ducks took two fluke penalties in Dallas with consecutive pucks going over the boards. Two delay of games, two power play goals in :41 seconds for Dallas, game over. Last night the Ducks took what was termed a “good” penalty by Carlyle towards the end of the game. Instead of killing the penalty, the Coyotes scored on the power play to tie up the game and went on to take the extra point in a shootout.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Tuesday - Part 2

This part 2 of tonight's three part post.  This covers the rest of the news on our Ducks players.

Official Ducks site injury update and a look at Sutherby

For the first time this season the Ducks practiced injury-free on Tuesday, as the team finally exterminated the injury bug that had swarmed over at least one member of its roster since the start of the year.

The final Ducks to escape the injury report were Todd Bertuzzi (concussion) and Mathieu Schneider (sore hip), who each took part in practice before the team boarded an afternoon plane for Dallas.

While Schneider’s hip has only caused him to miss two games, Bertuzzi has been out of the lineup since Oct. 14, when the gritty veteran sustained a concussion via a hit from Minnesota’s Derek Boogaard.

“We have an opportunity to have Bertuzzi available if we choose to utilize him in Dallas,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “We’ve missed his offense. We expect Bertuzzi to provide a level of offense that will give us more chances for success.”

On Sutherby

“He had lots of promise as a young player, when I first saw him as a 20-year-old,” Carlyle said. “I know he’s a competitive kid. I know that he can skate and play that aggressive, forechecking game that we require. I know that he’ll stand up and defend his teammates and himself.”

For Sutherby, the similarities between his style of play and the Ducks added to his enthusiasm regarding the trade.

“What also added to the excitement was the type of hockey that is played here,” Sutherby said. “Of the guys that I respect around the league and in the game, there are a lot of them in this dressing room that go to work every night and battle and stick up for one another. I’m just going to try and be another part of that puzzle.”

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register has a look at Bertuzzi and Schneider

Todd Bertuzzi practically has one leg over the boards and is close to hitting the ice in a game.

Bertuzzi has been cleared to play, unofficially ending his five-week recovery from a concussion, but the club will see how he comes out of Wednesday's morning skate before it decides whether to play him against Dallas.

"I'll see how I feel tomorrow and then at the pre-game skate and see if I can get in there ASAP," Bertuzzi said Tuesday.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN has a look at Tuesday's practice and updates on various players

The Ducks practiced at Anaheim Ice on Tuesday before heading on their charter flight to Dallas this afternoon. The new guy, Brian Sutherby, was introduced to his teammates and likely linemates. He was skating on a line with George Parros and Brad May. He has passed his physical with the Ducks, so Ryan Carter is being sent back to Portland.

Coach Randy Carlyle coached Sutherby during his time with the Washington Capitals and said he had a phone call into Glenn O’Hanlon to get their views. Carlyle stated that he liked Sutherby “as a person and as a hockey player.” Everyone in the Ducks organization liked what Sutherby brings to the table in terms of skills. He can kill penalties, play a checking role, play an energy role. In his experience with Sutherby he found that the player is very “competitive, skates well, aggressive forecheck. Defends his teammates and himself.” Carlyle feels that the Ducks are giving a young player with lots of promise the opportunity to “play at a higher level than he has achieved thus far.”

Read the rest here - Link

Bob Mckenzie wonders about Perry

There are a myriad of reasons why the Anaheim Ducks are eager to find out whether Scott Niedermayer is coming back to play and now that Ryan Getzlaf has been signed to a five-year contract extension, there's one more:

Corey Perry's long-term future in Anaheim.

If Niedermayer does return to the Ducks this season, and decides he is going to play next season too, the Ducks would have more than $53 million committed to salaries for 18 players next season. That, of course, is more than the current salary cap of $50.5 million. Those commitments for next season include virtually every key player on the team - Jean Sebastien Giguere, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin, Mathieu Schneider, Sean O'Donnell plus forwards Getzlaf, Todd Bertuzzi, Andy McDonald, Chris Kunitz, Rob Niedermayer, Travis Moen, Sammy Pahlsson and Todd Marchant, amongst others - except for Perry.

Read the rest here - Link

Ryan Carter has been sent back to the Pirates

Carter, 24 (8/3/83), has appeared in six regular season contests with the Ducks this season (scoreless). He made his NHL regular season debut on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings in London, England. The White Bear Lake, Minnesota native has also collected 1-0=1 point with 21 penalty minutes in five games with Portland this season.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Monday Part 1 - Brian Sutherby

Well, I thought this would be a slow news day as we had a lot of news this weekend and no games till Wednesday.  I was wrong.  Here is all the news on today's trade.

Ducks trade for Brian Sutherby

The Ducks announced on Monday that they have acquired center Brian Sutherby from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the club’s second round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

In 259 career NHL contests over six seasons with Washington, Sutherby collected 61 points with 281 PIM.

Sutherby, 25 (3/1/82), has appeared in five contests this season for Washington, earning 1-0=1 point with seven penalty minutes (PIM).  The Edmonton, Alberta native has played in 259 career NHL contests over six seasons with Washington, collecting 26-35=61 points with 281 PIM.  Sutherby played in a career-high 76 games with the Capitals in 2005-06, while also establishing career-highs in goals, assists and points (14-16=30).  The 6-3, 215-pound center also appeared in five Stanley Cup Playoff contests with Washington in 2002-03, going scoreless with 10 PIM.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN Analysis of the Sutherby acquisition

Apparently GM Brian Burke wanted Sutherby at the beginning of the season but could not get a deal done with Washington until this time. General reaction amongst Ducks fans has been varied. The Ducks are already deep at center, but Sutherby can play all forward positions.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register take a look at the Sutherby acquisition and and an update on Bertuzzi and Schneider

While the acquisition of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Sutherby is designed to shore up depth, as well as size and grit, it does nothing to address the team's need for more scoring punch on the top two lines. Though Bertuzzi managed only a goal and an assist in seven games before being hurt, the hope is that his return can lessen the pressure to land an offensive-type forward via trade.

Read the rest here - Link

OC Register Ducks Blog has some more info

Sutherby, 25, had fallen out of favor and appeared in only five games for the Capitals this season, scoring one goal and collecting seven penalty minutes. He has 26 goals, 61 points and 281 penalty minutes in 259 games with Washington since being chosen 26th overall in the 2000 NHL entry draft. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Sutherby’s best season came in 2005-06, when he appeared in a career-high 76 games and posted personal-best totals with 14 goals and 30 points. He had a career-high 78 penalty minutes in 69 games last season.

Read the rest here - Link

The Bleacher report has a look at Sutherby

Why?

It's quite simple—you can't win a Cup without depth.

At age 25, Sutherby has six years of NHL experience and isn't easy to push around.

GM Brian Burke likes guys who can hit and play a physical role on his team. Sutherby is a great checker with a sound defensive game. He can come in on the third line, fourth line, or even the penalty-kill unit.

Read the rest here - Link

Here are some Sutherby Videos via youtube