Anaheim Ducks News for Thursday

I've got more news on the Hnidy trade and some other cool news.  The Ducks played OK last night, but still need some work.  We shall see how the new guy helps get us where we need to be.

Want to raise money for Ducks Care and get a game used stick?  Here is where to bid on  Rob Niedermayer's stick, Chris Kunitz's stick or Chris Pronger's stick - Link

The January desktop has been posted - Link

The LA Times takes a look at the Hnidy trde and Pahlsson

"It's not healthy for anybody to have eight defensemen," Ducks assistant general manager Bob Murray said. "We had the opportunity to get a guy who has at times in his career scored some goals in bunches.
"It's better for Shane. The first thing he said to me was, 'I didn't play well here. I let you guys down early on here.' "

Read the rest here - Link

BOC has a look at the Hnidy trade

The thing about Hnidymayer is that he's fairly frustrating to watch on defense; one second you think that he's in good position to defend a play, the next second he's got his arm wrapped around some forward begging the referees for a holding call.
Still, there's a lesson to be learned about Hnidy: he's not going to be a good top-four option on defense, but he can be a capable bottom-pairing guy. In Hnidy's first seventeen games for Anaheim (played largely without Mathieu Schneider or of course Scott Niedermayer), Shane played some 214 minutes of even-strength hockey, on the ice for 2 goals-for, 9 goals-against. Additionally, he played some 28 minutes shorthanded, on the ice for 3 goals-against there. Basically, he was a bleeder.

Read the rest here - Link

Bochenski arrives in Anaheim, Miller sent to Portland

The arrival of newly acquired right wing Brandon Bochenski signaled the departure of Drew Miller.

Miller was assigned to AHL-affiliate Portland after the Ducks traded for Boston’s Bochenski on Wednesday.

Coach Randy Carlyle said it was unfortunate because Miller had been playing his best hockey recently, but he was a victim of a numbers game.

Miller had only two goals and three assists and averaged 11:17 of ice tie in 25 games but showed promise. He briefly filled in for Samuel Pahlsson on the team’s checking line.

Read the rest here - Link

MVN has a look at Miller, Pahlsson and Bochenski

Change is inevitable and the Ducks continue to have plenty of it. Drew Miller was sent to Portland this morning. Miller had been a healthy scratch of late and the numbers just went against him. Coach Randy Carlyle said “It’s unfair to Drew. He was playing his best hockey before we took him out of the line up, but numbers dictated that and we made those decisions. For Drew, desperation has to be there day in, day out. That’s part of the learning process. We think this is the best scenario.” Ryan Carter, Miller’s Portland and Anaheim teammate, commented, “Drew’s a good friend of mine. It’s a numbers game. It’s unfortunate, but he’s a good player. He’ll be back.”

Read the rest here - Link

The OC Register has a look at Bochenski

The Ducks have led the NHL in goals against average with 1.60 per game since the return of defenseman Scott Niedermayer on Dec.16. The flip side is they have scored more than two goals only twice in that span.

Their foundation is stellar defense in front of goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, and one-goal games like Wednesday's 2-1 victory against Columbus are likely to be common. Any additional offense will go a long way, and Brandon Bochenski could help.

Read the rest here - Link

Bochenski Coverage via AnaheimDucks.com

“I’m excited to be here,” Bochenski said. “Initially it’s sad because you’re leaving friends and family. The more I thought about it, it’s a good opportunity. I think it’s going to give me a chance to play the way that I play and bring to the table what I’m good at.”
In both college (154 points in 120 games at North Dakota) and in the American Hockey League (183 points in 145 AHL contests), Bochenski has shown a potent knack for scoring. But in three seasons of NHL play with three different teams (Ottawa, Chicago and Boston), Bochenski has not had the same sustained success (47 points in 101 NHL games), although the 25-year-old has shown flashes of his scoring touch (22 points in 31 games with the Bruins last season).

Read the rest here - Link

A look at Ryan Carter

With Samuel Pahlsson continuing to nurse an injured abdomen, minutes have been available at the center position on the checking line between Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen. After Todd Marchant spent the majority of time in the position during the team’s recent road trip through Western Canada, Carter got his chance on the line last night in the Ducks’ return to Honda Center. The rookie flourished, earning the third star of the game with stellar defensive play in a career-high 13:17 of time on the ice in the Ducks’ 2-1 victory over Columbus.
“With injury comes opportunity for other players. Especially as a young player, you need to take advantage of your opportunity,” Carter said on Thursday. “My ice time more than doubled last night (from 6:23 at Vancouver on Dec. 30). I think I needed to prove something to myself, the coaching staff and management. Hopefully, I did that.”

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News Update for Tuesday Morning

I made the right call on the return of Ryan Carter except for one thing.  Brad May is out with an injury not Pahlsson.  The LA Times is reporting Brad May is out indefinitely with a broken foot - 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 Wednesday

Well I am still sick, so no commentary by me tonight.  Enjoy the news.

The News DucksTV has been uploaded - Link

A new Duck Cast featuring Kent Huskins - Link

A new Duck Cast featuring Newell Brown - Link 

Ducks recall Ryan Carter - Link

The Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday recalled center Ryan Carter from Portland of the American Hockey League.

Carter, 24, did not record a point in four games with the Ducks earlier this season - his first in the NHL. He made his debut in the league during Anaheim's run to the Stanley Cup championship this past spring, appearing in four playoff contests - including Game Four of the Finals against Ottawa.

He had one assist and 21 penalty minutes in five games with Portland this campaign. Last season, Carter registered 16 goals, 20 assists and 85 penalty minutes in 76 contest with the Pirates.

Bertuzzi Skates via MVN and a little more on the Ryan Carter recall

Todd Bertuzzi skated for about half the practice with the Ducks this morning at the Honda Center. Bertuzzi, who has had lingering post concussion symptoms stemming from hard hit by the Wild’s Derek Boogaard on October 14. Bertuzzi has had a couple of setbacks in his recovery, but has “felt decent” for the past four days. He is following the prescribed conservative protocol for working back into the line-up.

Read the rest here - Link

Pronger does not get suspended for his fight with Handzus

At the end of last night’s game between the Ducks and Kings, Michal Handzus shot the puck after the buzzer had sounded at the end of overtime. Chris Pronger went over to Handzus to have a word or two with him and Handzus took a swipe at Pronger. Pronger responded in a terribly one-sided mismatch of a fight. The referees sent both men off to their respective dressing rooms with identical fighting and misconduct penalties. Pronger got an extra 2:00 for instigating. The instigating penalty carried with it an automatic one game suspension and $10,000 fine for the coach. Anaheim was able to appeal to the League, and Brian Burke chose to do so after the game.

AnaheimDuckFan gives her take on last nights game

The Ducks battled the Kings, in what fans decided would be called the "Freeway Face-Off". The Ducks and Kings battled hard, both carrying momentum from their previous games. The players and fans knew what type of game to expect from these cross-town rivals, and they provided just that. The game was quick, full of hard hits, and the occasional fight. Although the fights came from some different Ducks (Todd Marchant and Chris Pronger).

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Duck News for Thursday

A few news items to report, however nothing too exciting. The Ducks will be hosting the Rookie Games. Ducks hire a new scout and some pics of Sean O'Donnell preparing for next season. One important thing is that preseason tickets go on sale this weekend at 10:00.

Ducks hosting the Rookie Games

The Ducks will host Rookie Games versus the San Jose Sharks on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. at Anaheim ICE. The two-game weekend set at the Ducks practice facility will highlight top prospects from both National Hockey League (NHL) clubs.

Featured players on Anaheim’s roster include 2007 NHL Entry Draft first-round selection Logan MacMillan (19^th overall), 2005 NHL Entry Draft first-round selection Bobby Ryan (second overall), as well as Drew Miller and Ryan Carter, who both appeared with the Ducks in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final.

Read the rest here - Link

Sean O'Donnell has gets some practice in before training camp.

Pictures were posted on the Anaheim Ducks forum courtesy of www.Letsgokings.com See the rest here - Link

Ducks hire a new scout

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Ducks named Trent Yawney as the newest member of their scouting team on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Saskatchewan native spent 12 years in the NHL with Chicago, Calgary and St. Louis.

Yawney was named Blackhawks head coach in July, 2005, a post he held until November 27, 2006. Prior to that, he coached the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate in Norfolk, Virginia from 2000 to 2005

Here is the link to the original story - Link

Sunday Morning Links

Another article on the Ducks UFA and retirement issues. This time from the LA Times. Unfortunately it also cover the Kings so skip the 2/3 of the article. Link

The Stanley Cup visits Minnesota with Ryan Carter. Here are a bunch of links covering his visit.

Link

Link

Link with video

The Stanley Cup will be visiting Lansing, Michingan on July 5 with Drew Miller. He is a former Spartan. The cup will be visiting Sparrow Hospital, no other stops were noted in the short article. Link