Anaheim Ducks News - Non Game News

Not too much news today, but I've got a few videos gems for you.  Enjoy!

Burke has sympathy (?)

As the front office watch with the Toronto Maple Leafs continued Wednesday, the parties involved got some much-needed sympathy from fellow NHL executive Brian Burke.

The Anaheim Ducks' general manager, who recently denied media speculation that he would one day join the struggling hockey team, did not hide his disappointment at the overall treatment of John Ferguson Jr.

Read the rest here - Link

I call it the Niedermayer Effect

Numbers have never truly defined Scott Niedermayer's impact on a team, but there is one set that is the clearest gauge of what he has meant to the Ducks since he ended his dance with retirement.
10-2-2.

Before the defenseman's return, the Ducks were an inconsistent bunch stumbling along with a 15-15-4 record that had them sitting outside the Western Conference playoff picture. Since the return of Niedermayer, the Ducks sit one point out of the Pacific Division lead.

Read the rest here - Link

Ducks shopping Edmonton's first round pick

Some might argue that unless another NHL GM loses his sanity and overwhelms Anaheim’s Brian Burke with a trade offer nobody in their right mind would reject, there’s not a hope in hell Burke trades the first round pick he received from Edmonton in exchange for Dustin Penner.

Read the rest here - Link

J.S. Giguere's Commercial

 

Doug Weight Interview

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 Saturday - Game Day Preview and a few other things....

So, I have been a bit lazy in writing my usual notes here.  But now that the major part of the holidays are past, you can expect my comments again.  The Ducks have been playing great since Scott has come back.  Some of the articles below get into some of the specifics of how important his return has been.  So onto the news!

Scott for MVP?

On Thursday night, though, he managed to get my wheels spinning. We had just got home from my mom's birthday dinner in time to catch Doug Weight score the winner against the Oilers, and my dad offers, "You know, if the Ducks keep this up, that Niedermayer guy should be a shoo-in for the MVP."
My brother and I immediately laugh it off. "No way," I reply. "They'll never give it to a guy who misses 34 games voluntarily. It's not even possible."

Read the rest here - Link

Scott takes a day off

And, on Friday, Scott Niedermayer rested.
It was what the Ducks, in particular Coach Randy Carlyle, are fond of calling "maintenance." No cause for alarm but more an eye fixed on the schedule -- back-to-back games starting here tonight and Sunday in Vancouver -- to merit the defenseman sitting out practice.

The Ducks haven't lost in regulation (4-0-1) since he returned, so it has been so very simple, right? No, Niedermayer just makes it look that way.
"It hasn't been easy, there's no question," said Niedermayer, who logged 21 minutes 37 seconds against the Oilers on Thursday. "There's been a few different issues I'm working through."

Read the rest here - Link

Game Day Preview

Corey Perry notched his team-leading 20th goal for the Ducks, who have won a season-high tying four games in a row overall as well. Jean-Sebastien Giguere needed just 15 saves to pick up his 15th win of the season.
Anaheim is 9-9-1 as the road team this year and will wrap its trek on Sunday in Vancouver.
Calgary has lost three in a row overall and begin a three-game homestand tonight. The Flames were on the road Thursday, but fell in defeat, 5-3, against the Canucks to snap a six-game road winning streak.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News for Sunday

I have one Scott Niedermayer story and that's about it!

Four games into his return from a five-month hockey sabbatical, Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer said his body is reacting the way he expected when he decided to play again.
The legs are aching, but the adrenaline is flowing and the spirit is willing.
"It's been different," Niedermayer said of his first week back. "The first one obviously, there's different emotions stepping out on the ice for the first time. Now it's four games in.
"I'm still not feeling like the rest of the guys do, I would suspect. But it's gone all right. I've pretty happy with how it's gone so far."

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 Wednesday

Ryan gets profiled

"I went down after a good conversation with coach and with [assistant general manager] Bob Murray and realized some of the things I needed to work on down there," Ryan said. "Certainly, I feel like I've improved on them.
"I think that they recognized that I worked hard in those situations. They've granted me another chance and I'm going to make the best of it."
Ryan is back after a two-month stint with the Portland Pirates, the Ducks' minor-league affiliate in Maine, where he put up 10 goals and 24 points in 25 games

Read the rest here - Link

So Does Scott

It's no coincidence that in the three games Niedermayer has played, the Ducks -- whose penalty killing was dragging along at a 78.8% success rate -- have killed all 14 disadvantages they have faced. After losing in a shootout in Niedermayer's first game back, they have now swept a back-to-back sequence for the first time in six tries.
No coincidence there, either.

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 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 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

Weekend Quick Links....

So I did not get much time to post this weekend, so here are just the links so you can get your Ducks news fix.

Game Coverage

Ducks coverage of the loss to the Predators - Link

Scoresheet
Super Stats
Video Highlights -  700K

Boxscore
Faceoffs
Play-by-Play

Shift Chart
Rosters
TOI - ANA|NSH

Photo of the game - Link

MVN Coverage - Link

LA Times coverage - Link

OC Register Coverage - Link

Miscellaneous News

Five Questions with Andy McDonald - Link

Trade rumors via LA Times - Link

Coverage on Niedermayer's return - Link

One more article on Niedermayer - Link

A closer look on Hiller's mask via Allducks.com - Video Link  and Photos

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.

Read the rest here - Link

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.

Read the rest here - Link

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.

Read the rest here - Link

Anaheim Ducks News - Niedermayer's Official Announcement

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that defenseman Scott Niedermayer will return to the team for the remainder of the season.

“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.”

Niedermayer, 34 (8/31/73), helped lead the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup championship last season, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2007 playoffs. With 15-54=69 points in 79 regular season games last year, Niedermayer became the first Duck to lead NHL defensemen in scoring, a career first. A finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy (top NHL defenseman) and 2007 Western Conference All-Star, he set career highs in goals, assists and points, breaking his own club single-season records in assists and points from the previous campaign.

“I’m excited to be rejoining my teammates and getting back on the ice,” said Niedermayer. “I would like to thank the Samuelis, Brian Burke and especially my teammates for their patience while I wrestled with this very difficult decision.”

Signed as a free agent on Aug. 4, 2005, Niedermayer has won four Stanley Cup championships since making his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils during the 1991-92 season. He is the only player in hockey history to have won a Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship, World Cup, Memorial Cup and World Junior title.  Niedermayer has been named a Norris Trophy finalist each of the last three seasons, winning the award in 2004. He has been named to four NHL All-Star teams during his career and has produced 10 overtime goals, the most all-time by an NHL defenseman.

Originally selected by New Jersey in the first round (third overall) of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, Niedermayer has split his 15-season NHL career between the Devils (1991-2004) and Ducks (2005-07). In 1,053 career games, Niedermayer has recorded 140-468=608 points with a +186 rating and 660 penalty minutes (PIM). His Anaheim totals include 28-104=132 points with a +14 rating and 86 PIM in 161 regular season games.
Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke made the first announcement during a press conference tonight at Honda Center, about 30 minutes before the Ducks were to take on the Buffalo Sabres.
Burke also announced that Niedermayer will skate tomorrow at Anaheim Ice at 11:30 a.m. and could play for the Ducks within "7-10 days."

A transcript of Burke's press conference will be available soon.

Here is the official Announcment

Anaheim Ducks News - Scott is back

Here is the audio of Burke's announcement - Link

An announcement on Scott Niedermayer tonight - Per the Ducks

Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke will make an announcement regarding the playing status of Scott Niedermayer tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center.
AnaheimDucks.com will have a report on that announcement immediately after it's complete.

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

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