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 Monday - Non Game News

Well either Kent Huskins is worse off than we are aware of, or a defensive Duck will be gone shortly.  Of course it could be both.  Bruno St. Jacques has been recalled from the AHL.  The rest of the news is pretty much all about Scott Niedermayer.

Official Ducks Announcement - Bruno gets a contract and then is recalled

The Ducks announced on Monday that they have signed defenseman Bruno St. Jacques to a one-year contract.  Subsequently, St. Jacques was recalled from the Portland Pirates, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). 

St. Jacques, 27 (8/22/80), has played in 12 games with Portland this season, recording 1-4=5 points.  He has also appeared in 13 contests for the Syracuse Crunch, collecting 0-8=8 assists with 16 penalty minutes (PIM).  In total, St. Jacques has appeared in 25 AHL contests this season, earning 1-12=13 points with 22 PIM. 

Read the rest here - Link

Platt revisits one of his former teams tonight

While he also spent time with Columbus’ AHL affiliate in Syracuse since signing a free-agent deal with the Blue Jackets in 2005, Platt said he already feels more at home in the Ducks organization than he ever did with Columbus. Still, given that he’s been teammates with “all but two or three” of the Blue Jackets players either in Columbus or in Syracuse, Platt could have some extra adrenaline going.

“It’s going to be interesting,” he said.

Read the rest here - Link

More on Scott Niedermayer part 1

Scott Niedermayer is virtually certain to be in the Anaheim Ducks lineup sometime this week, it's just a matter of figuring out which game is most likely.

Maybe Wednesday against Vancouver? That's probably a tad ambitious.

Perhaps Friday night versus Minnesota? The Ducks recall Derek Boogaard's low-bridge hit on Niedermayer last season so they may choose to spare him a wild return.

Read the rest here - Link

More on Scott Niedermayer part 2

Fans of the Anaheim Ducks are delighted that Scott Niedermayer has decided to end his self-imposed retirement and return to the team.

But should they be? And what about all the other hockey fans? How should they feel about it?

The answer is that when you get right down to it, there is cause for concern for everyone in this situation.

First of all, there's the precedent. One instance is a long way from a trend, but we all know how the National Hockey League works. Imitation is the sincerest from of flattery.

Read the rest here - Link

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.

Read the rest here - Link

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. 

Read the rest here - Link

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.

Read the rest here - Link

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.

Read the rest here - Link