Entries with the tag: anaheim+ducks

Stompin’ Chris Pronger

by Alanah on 03/14/08 at 12:48 PM
Comments (41)

Update March 15th: Pronger gets 8 games. Details here.

From TSN:

With poor quality video as evidence, Anaheim Ducks captain Chris Pronger escaped punishment from the National Hockey League after apparently stomping on Vancouver centre Ryan Kesler in a game on Wednesday night.

But a clearer version of the video revealed late Thursday - with a better look at the incident - raises the question of whether or not the star defenceman should be implicated.

Cleaned up and much clearer than what was available online yesterday, here’s the video TSN is now highlighting:

Continue Reading »

Making Franchise History

by Alanah on 03/12/08 at 11:23 AM
Comments (1)

via Yahoo! Sports:

The Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks both have the opportunity to make franchise history when the teams meet on Wednesday.

After winning each of the first three meetings this campaign, the Canucks are seeking their first season sweep of the Ducks in the 14-year history of the Anaheim franchise.

Meanwhile, the Ducks enter Wednesday’s contest on a seven-game home win streak and are looking to win eight in a row at the Honda Center for the first time in franchise history.

Win 8 in a row at home? Pffft. Big deal.  But sweep the reigning Stanley Cup Champions who also happen to be the most recent team to obliterate the playoff hopes of Canucks’ fans? Now that’s something to shoot for.

European Scheduling

by Alanah on 02/05/08 at 12:52 AM
Comments (0)

From David W. Unkle via Slam! Sports,

“Personally would I like to do it again, no,” said Pronger who also played games in Nagano and Turin. “Do I think it’s good for the NHL? I think it is but personally would I want to do it again? It’s a long way to go for a couple of games…for us this year it probably wasn’t the right move with the short summer…we weren’t the right team.”

Agreeing with Pronger is Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.

“If you look at Anaheim and the struggles they went through when they came back home, you have to do it a different way,” said Sedin, who feels that the NHL should give teams more than a few days to acclimate to the time change. 

more...

Brian Burke on the NHL Hour

by Alanah on 01/31/08 at 02:21 PM
Comments (3)

Anaheim Ducks’ GM Brian Burke will be Gary Bettman’s guest on the NHL Hour today.

The NHL Hour broadcasts live Thursdays from 4-5 pm ET on NHL Home Ice, (XM channel 204) and NHL.com. The show will re-run on XM Satellite Radio and NHL.com, with archived shows available for download via a podcast on NHL.com.

*At showtime, listen live at this link.  While on the air, listeners can call into the show at 1-877-645-6696, or send questions/comments via this email address: .

Anaheim - St. Louis—Andy McDonald for Doug Weight

by Alanah on 12/14/07 at 07:34 PM
Comments (5)

From TSN

Doug Weight is on his way to the West coast as the Blues have traded the playmaker to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Andy McDonald.

Update 7:43pm ET: (edited at 7:54pm)
From the St. Louis Blues:

St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today the team has acquired forward Andy McDonald from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Doug Weight, Michal Birner and a 7th round draft choice in 2008.

“We’re excited to add a top caliber forward to our hockey team,” said Davidson. “Doug is a true professional and we would like to thank him and his wife Allison for the time and dedication they have provided to the St. Louis Blues.”

Update 8:01pm ET:
From the Anaheim Ducks,

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

____________________
*Credit to a post yesterday by Ericnut at HF Boards, for apparently putting this deal online 24 hours before anyone else. Nice job.

Chris Pronger on Niedermayer’s Return

by Alanah on 12/14/07 at 12:48 PM
Comments (4)

From Chris Pronger at The Hockey News,

There are those who wondered about Scott’s decision to take time off, but not his teammates. We understood and so did our fans. Anaheim Ducks fans are delighted Scott has decided to play again. They enjoy the way he plays.

Scott has the right to retire or play, regardless of his contract situation. What some people forget is, when we sign with a team, that team has the right to play us, not play us, put us on waivers, send us down or trade us. Teams own your rights; they don’t own your soul.

more...

The Niedermayer Timeline

by Paul on 12/06/07 at 11:18 AM
Comments (12)

from Bob McKenzie of TSN,

So here’s the bottom line - Niedermayer’s suspension will not be lifted until such time that he is a) in game shape; and, b) the Ducks make a trade to free up “tagging” room for next season.

How long all that takes only Burke knows for sure.

What we do know is that this all has to transpire in 21 days or less. Twenty-one days is the amount of time the league will allow Niedermayer to remain in a suspended state where he can practice with the team, work out with the team, but not be on the 23-man roster, not count against the cap or play a game.

read on

Ducks Trade Speculation

by Alanah on 12/04/07 at 08:31 PM
Comments (0)

From Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail,

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.

more

*Bob McKenzie quotes sources earlier, speculating that Niedermayer may be confirming his return shortly. Given the salary cap ramifications, rumors are certainly flowing…

They’ll Never Forget

by Paul on 12/01/07 at 09:35 AM
Comments (0)

from TerryJones of the Edmonton Sun,

While the Oilers moved out of last place and into a tie with the Calgary Flames with the win last night, Brian Burke’s quote still looks good.

“We’re going to take three draft picks back and given Kevin’s recent performance I expect them to be excellent picks,” said Burke after Lowe signed restricted free agent Penner and sacrificed a first-, second- and third-round draft pick in a very good draft year. If the Oilers stay where they are in the standings, Burke will be picking very early indeed.

Then there’s the flip side of it.

When Lowe traded Mrs. Pronger and her husband to the Ducks two years ago, the Oilers ended up with Anaheim’s first-round draft pick. As the Stanley Cup champion Ducks struggle, the Oilers could be picking a lot earlier than they expected.

more on the Oilers…

Ducks Fan Shenanigans

by Alanah on 11/30/07 at 12:32 PM
Comments (2)

Apparently winning the Stanley Cup isn’t enough for Ducks fans—they figure the team owes them a free truck, too.

The Anaheim Ducks ask:

What kinds of funny, crazy or downright outrageous things would you be willing to do to win a Honda Ridgeline?  We want to find out!  Submit a video 30 seconds or less showing us what you’re willing to do to win a brand new 2008 Honda Ridgeline.

5 videos have been posted so far (and be sure to check out video #5—no one ever went wrong with a George Parros wig...).

Meanwhile, shooting Ducks fans can be fun, too. See the video below:

Continue Reading »

The Same Pronger

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 09:30 AM
Comments (0)

from the Vancouver Province,

All the guy does is play 28 minutes a night until the playoffs. Then he really gets to work and he kicks it up a notch. He always gets better as the season goes along and his team, no matter what team he plays for, always has a chance to do something in the post-season. He’s so good and has been for so long, he’s just expected to be great every night, every year with no fanfare, unless it’s provided by the opposing crowd.

“He’s been terrific this year again,” says Ducks GM Brian Burke of the defenceman he landed from Edmonton 18 months ago to make a Cup in Anaheim last year a reality. “He’s stepped into the leadership void left by (Scott Niedermayer’s) loss and filled it nicely. He’s always steady, great every night ... just terrific.”

read on

Players Run Ducks Practice

by Paul on 11/28/07 at 07:49 PM
Comments (0)

from Ducks Blog at the OC Register,

After a few skating drills at the end, Carlyle called everyone together for a lengthy on-ice discussion.

“It was their practice,” Carlyle said. “My speech was more about how they’re going to be judged on how we perform tomorrow. We can’t change what we did last night. It wasn’t enough. We understand that. Now we’re moving to prepare for tomorrow. We felt giving them ownership of practice today was one of the methods that can lighten the day because we’re pretty down in the mouth about what happened last night.”

more

The Game Nobody Wants

by Alanah on 11/27/07 at 04:31 PM
Comments (2)

With the Canucks playing the Ducks in Vancouver tonight, the only story in the air is Todd Bertuzzi’s return to GM Place for the first time since he was traded.  I commented on that a bit yesterday, but here are a few more words from the media.

First, from Iain MacIntyre in the Vancouver Sun this morning:

But Bertuzzi has not looked forward to this game. Reporters have not looked forward to it. Public relations staff on both teams have not looked forward to it.  Fans? We’ll see tonight…

Continue Reading »

Getting a Handle on Things

by Alanah on 11/26/07 at 03:55 PM
Comments (8)

With Todd Bertuzzi playing in Vancouver for the first time since he left the team, the game tomorrow night is far less about Vancouver being tested by the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks, and far more about the return of the big guy.

Bertuzzi himself knows it’s a big deal as well. From the Vancouver Province:

“There’s no question it’s going to be weird for me, because I’ve never played against all the guys at once. Of course I did when I was (with the New York Islanders), but the team was so different and it’s so long ago it’s hard to remember and I don’t recall what it was like.  So there’s no doubt it’s going to be different, hard to handle in some ways.”

Continue Reading »

Waiting To Sign Perry

by Paul on 11/21/07 at 06:26 AM
Comments (0)

from the LA Times,

The signing of center Ryan Getzlaf to a five-year contract extension now means the Ducks will turn their attention to right wing Corey Perry, who has a team-leading 11 goals.

Perry, 22, is also in the last year of his original three-year entry level contract and can become a restricted free agent in July. But General Manager Brian Burke said he needs to resolve the uncertain status of Niedermayer before he can begin negotiations with his winger.

“We have to wait and see what Scotty tells us what he wants to do because it affect our ability to sit down with Corey Perry,” Burke said.

more (reg. req.) plus Betuzzi may play tonight…

Getzlaf Gets Contract Extension from Ducks

by Alanah on 11/20/07 at 10:56 AM
Comments (2)

From TSN,

The Anaheim Ducks and forward Ryan Getzlaf have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension.

Sources tell TSN that it is for a five-year term beyond this season and is worth in vicinity of $26.5 million.

added 12:52pm (Paul), from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

The Ducks have always known the difference between the players that can make a difference in winning – and the ones that produce showy point totals, without actually contributing the way a core player needs to in order to justify his salary cost. The fact that Getzlaf is under contract for five more years after this one is just another step in the right direction for an organization that seems to know what it’s doing.

more

Protecting His Assets

by Paul on 11/20/07 at 06:30 AM
Comments (2)

from Rick Westhead of the Toronto Star,

Mere weeks after he broke Steve Moore’s neck and ended his career in a vicious on-ice attack, NHL star Todd Bertuzzi transferred the ownership of his million-dollar home in Kitchener to his wife Julie, a move Moore’s lawyers say in court documents was designed to “make Bertuzzi creditor-proof to the greatest extent possible.”

continued

Ducks’ Bertuzzi Near Full Recovery

by Alanah on 11/19/07 at 07:29 PM
Comments (1)

From Eric Stephens at the LA Times,

The Ducks are anticipating the return of forward Todd Bertuzzi, who appears to be near a full recovery from the symptoms related to the concussion he suffered on Oct. 14 against Minnesota.

The exact date of that return remains the final question. But Bertuzzi has been cleared for full contact and is expected to practice Tuesday at Anaheim Ice, General Manager Brian Burke said today. And it is possible, he said, that Bertuzzi will accompany the team to Dallas for its game Wednesday against the Stars.

“I anticipate that for the first time, we’ll have our team all together,” Burke said.

continued...

Ducks Acquire Brian Sutherby From Capitals

by Alanah on 11/19/07 at 03:28 PM
Comments (2)

From TSN,

The Anaheim Ducks announced Monday that the team acquired centre Brian Sutherby from the Washington Capitals for a second round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Still Talking About Rinkside View

by Paul on 11/18/07 at 09:59 AM
Comments (0)

from Erin Nicks at the Ottawa Sun,

That’s what made this FSN broadcast all the more enjoyable, because the lack of irrelevant chatter from a two- or three-piece media team allowed the game to stand on its own merit.

The crowd was engaged, the players were chirping and all necessary information was conveyed with a simple graphic.

There was the occasional vignette during timeouts, where a commentator would provide some inside information on the teams (think along the lines of the pay-per-view segments), but that’s the only time the media made their presence known.

more

In case you missed the previous discussion on this topic, start here and video is included…

Bryzgalov Claimed By Phoenix

by Paul on 11/17/07 at 12:30 PM
Comments (0)

from TSN,

The Phoenix Coyotes have claimed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov off the waiver wire on Saturday and will likely get the start in goal tonight when the Coyotes visit the LA Kings.

continued

Report- Bryzgalov On Waivers

by Paul on 11/16/07 at 11:01 AM
Comments (32)

from TSN,

Sources say when the National Hockey League’s waiver transactions are sent out at Noon et on Friday, the Anaheim Ducks will make netminder Ilya Bryzgalov available.

added 11:18am, from the OC Register,

“We’re making this move, first and foremost, to give Ilya Bryzgalov a chance to play,” Ducks general manager Brian Burke said. “He’s a good guy who’s played well for us, but we’ve committed to the other goaltender."…

“I’ve been unable to move Ilya in a trade,” Burke said. “I’ve laid it out for his agent (Don Meehan), and told him we would take this next step. We’ll see where it goes.”

more

added 11:59am, via the CP,

“What I promised Bryz is that I would find him a place to play,” Burke told The Canadian Press on Friday. “Bryz is a great kid and a loyal soldier. He’s won three playoff rounds for us and he deserves to play somewhere. But I was unable to move him.

“The single, biggest obstacle was that he’s unrestricted at the end of the year. I wasn’t offered anything of value for him. But I promised him, `If I can’t get something of value for you, we’ll put you on waivers."’

added 12:16pm, from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

Evgeni Nabokov and Miikka Kiprsuoff for every game this year, an indication that - salary-cap permitting - they might be in the market for an established back-up, rather than trust the youngsters that they’re carrying on their rosters at the moment.

added 12:43pm, more from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,

One more possible destination for Ilya Bryzgalov, the goaltender put on waivers by the Anaheim Ducks this morning: The Pittsburgh Penguins, who’ve gotten decent work from back-up Dany Sabourin so far this year, plus some up-and-down play from starter Marc-Andre Fleury.

Ducks Need To Maintain Their Focus

by Paul on 11/15/07 at 09:05 AM
Comments (0)

from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,

“It was Cup or bust last year. Every practice, everything we did, that was our focus,” defenseman Sean O’Donnell said.

“And this year we haven’t been able to… call it human nature, call it whatever you want to call it, we haven’t been able to get that focus for extended periods of time. We’ve done it at times. We’ve been really good sometimes and looked like our old team. More often than not we haven’t.”

more (may req. reg.) on the Ducks…

No Suspension For Pronger

by Paul on 11/14/07 at 06:50 PM
Comments (2)

from the Anaheim Ducks,

One day after getting back to the .500 mark with a thrilling shootout victory over rival Los Angeles, the Ducks continued to remain upbeat Wednesday with a double dose of good news.

First, the Ducks received word that Chris Pronger’s suspension from an instigating call against the Kings was rescinded by the NHL. Then, the team’s lone injured player, Todd Bertuzzi (concussion), returned to practice and participated in non-contact drills for over 30 minutes.

continued

Like You Were There

by Paul on 11/14/07 at 10:54 AM
Comments (2)

from On Frozen Blog,

Something very cool is happening at the Honda Center in Aneheim. The FSN West feed on NHL Center Ice is showing the LA Kings / Anaheim Ducks game. That’s normal. What isn’t is that there are no FSN Westannouncers. Just the sounds of the game and the crowd. Oh, and all the camera angles are from ice level with what they call “Rinkside View.”

continued…

I happened to catch the first period and really enjoyed the look.  First off, game in HD, lots of shots from behind the net and in the corners.  Crowd noise was picked-up very well and you had the feeling you were at the game. 

I would like to see more teams try this and see what the reaction would be from fans…

Update 12:45pm ET: More on the Freeway Face-Off and the broadcast in this post and its comments

added 12:52pm, John Shannon was just on Hockey Central and said he thought it was fascinating.  Produced by Fox Sports and John mentioned you could have received the regular broadcast of the game on another Fox Sports West channel.

John said it worked well, good production people and the low angle view was great, especially in HD.

John said it would work great in Canada too, but you need a station with multiple channels to broadcast on.

It’s the Freeway Face-Off

by Alanah on 11/13/07 at 11:06 PM
Comments (5)

Press Release from the Los Angeles Kings,

Southern California hockey fans have spoken and selected a name for the local NHL rivalry.  Following a seven-week online contest, “Freeway Face-Off” has become the name by which all future competitions between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings will be called.  “Freeway Face-Off” received over 4,800 votes, besting three other finalists:  “Freezeway Series”, “Ice-5 Series” and “Crosstown Showdown.”

Also, I’m told the Kings/Ducks game tonight is an unusual broadcast being done—at least in part—with no announcers commenting during the action, and some unique camera angles.

Is anyone watching this? Any thoughts?

Ducks/Kings Battle

by Paul on 11/13/07 at 09:19 AM
Comments (0)

from the LA Daily News,

During tonight’s Kings-Ducks game in Anaheim, the announcer at Honda Center will unveil the new name for Southern California’s hockey rivalry.

The finalists, as voted upon by fans on the Internet, are “Ice-5 Series,” “Freeway Face-Off,” “Freezeway Series” and “Crosstown Showdown.”

continued

No Kidding- Ducks Miss Semi-Retired Duo

by Paul on 11/08/07 at 08:43 AM
Comments (0)

from Mark Whicker of the OC Register,

Losing Niedermayer and Selanne, which would be roughly comparable to Detroit losing Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg, sends ripples through the roster and diminishes everyone else. Few have been more disadvantaged than McDonald.

“Absolutely, it’s frustrating,” he said at Wednesday morning’s skate. “There have been a lot of different combinations, which is the coach’s prerogative and something you have to try to do to turn things around.

more

Ducks Trying To Find Their Groove

by Paul on 11/07/07 at 09:34 AM
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from the LA Daily News,

Which Ducks team will show up from night to night has become anybody’s guess. That only makes tonight’s game with the Coyotes - the third time the two teams have faced each other in the season’s first five weeks - all the more interesting.

“If we play our style, our game - forechecking, getting in and out of the cycle - our power play clicked a few times in Phoenix. If we’re doing that and we’re skating, we’re going to create chances and eventually they’re going to go in the net,” said Corey Perry, who scored twice in Saturday’s win. “So it’s just one of those things. The other night, five went in, and last night none went in.”

more

Corey Perry Emerging for Ducks

by Alanah on 11/06/07 at 12:56 PM
Comments (1)

From Eric Stephens at the LA Times,

Perry is coming off his biggest game of the season Saturday night at Phoenix where he scored two goals, assisted on another and also dropped the gloves with the Coyotes’ Daniel Carcillo in a 5-2 victory.

It was a so-called “Gordie Howe hat trick”—a goal, an assist and a fight. More important, Perry now has eight goals, almost halfway to the 17 goals he scored last season.

The third-year forward is beginning to emerge as the first-line pure scorer that the Ducks envisioned when they took him in the first round of the 2003 draft.

continued... (reg. required - or use this)

Schneider Starts His Season Tomorrow

by Paul on 10/31/07 at 09:25 PM
Comments (1)

from the OC Register,

“The only thing I can guarantee is I’m going to get shots on the net,” Schneider said. “I think the key is going to be to really play a simple game, play within the system. For the most part, especially on the power play, when I’m out there, I’m shooting. That’s not going to change, no matter where I am.”

The plan is for Schneider to team with Francois Beauchemin at even strength.

“There’s an adjustment there, without a doubt,” Schneider said. “I told him today, ‘Listen, just play your game.’ I’m probably going to be more conservative than I usually am. I’ll read off him.”

more

Extra Security For Feuding GMs Not Needed

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 02:11 AM
Comments (0)

From Eric Stephens at the LA Times,

The juicy subplot to Sunday’s game between the Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers seemed certain to come to a head.

But there was no shouting match or chance public encounter between the Ducks’ Brian Burke and the Oilers’ Kevin Lowe, the teams’ bickering general managers who avoided each other even as the NHL dispatched extra security because of the tension between the two.

And the subject of the controversial offer sheet at the heart of that tension, Dustin Penner, did little in his first appearance at Honda Center since he skated around the ice with the Stanley Cup in June.

continued...

(*the NHL sent extra security for those guys?! Wow)

Ducks Need To Shoot For A Playoff Berth

by Paul on 10/26/07 at 08:53 AM
Comments (0)

from Ducks Blog at the OC Register,

The Ducks are optimistic that Getzlaf, Rob Niedermayer and even Bertuzzi and Schneider will be back in the lineup relatively soon. Still, there are significant issues, especially with the shortage of offensive-minded forwards. It seems that the best-case scenario for the Ducks is to just try to hang in there, nail down a playoff berth, which is by no means a sure thing, and hope they can get things together in time for a post-season run.

more…

More Injuries For Ducks

by Paul on 10/25/07 at 06:26 PM
Comments (2)

via the LA Times (reg. req.),

The Ducks will be without injured forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Rob Niedermayer for tonight’s home game against the Phoenix Coyotes as the team tries to end a two-game losing streak.

Both will miss their first game of the season and they remain questionable for Sunday’s home game against Edmonton. Getzlaf is listed with a strained forearm; Niedermayer has a groin injury.

Also, in the KK Forum, you can see Gagne is out for the Flyers tonight and Hasek has a sore hip… Don’t forget to check the right sidebar on every KK blog for new posts in the KK Forum.

Pronger Talks Hockey With Jim Rome

by Paul on 10/19/07 at 02:16 PM
Comments (0)

Chris Pronger appeared on “Rome is Burning” yesterday.

Check out the video…

Continue Reading »

Carlyle Asking For 10% More

by Paul on 10/15/07 at 09:30 AM
Comments (4)

from the Ducks Blog at the OC Register,

While not denying that the apparent concussion suffered by newly acquired winger Todd Bertuzzi in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the visiting Minnesota Wild “puts pressure on other people,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle chose to look at the club’s latest problem another way. With a matchup against the powerful Detroit Red Wings on tap Monday night at Honda Center, Carlyle challenged his players to each raise their game by “10 percent.” Certainly, the Ducks are hurting. They are short a winger legitimately capable of playing on the first or second line, and will be short two as long as Bertuzzi is sidelined.

continued

Audio Slideshow: Ducks with the Cup

by Alanah on 10/13/07 at 05:47 PM
Comments (0)

From the LA Times,

One of the unique spoils of winning the NHL’s Stanley Cup is that each player on the championship team gets to take the trophy anywhere he wants. [...]

This summer, Los Angeles Times photographer Robert Gauthier traveled across the U.S. and to Sweden, Finland and Canada with the Ducks players to document the cup’s journey. As a lifelong hockey player, the shot of fan-favorite Teemu Selanne hoisting the cup before a Helsinki crowd of 10,000 made me misty-eyed.

You can view Gauthier’s audio slideshow here.*

*that link should pop up. If not, the direct page link is here.  It also provides numerous, additional audio slideshows.

“Missing” Ducks Still Undecided

by Paul on 10/11/07 at 09:05 AM
Comments (1)

from the CP via NHL.com,

Selanne said the Ducks haven’t pushed him to make a decision, and he also offered no timetable.

“If I’m going to come back, it has to come from inside,” he said. “I want to make sure this decision is right.”

What if Niedermayer calls and says he’s coming back?

“I’m going to have second thoughts,” Selanne said, smiling.

more

Breaking Down Burke vs. Lowe

by Paul on 10/10/07 at 04:14 PM
Comments (1)

from Damien Cox at ESPN,

Are teams in the NHL business partners above all else? Or are they competitors first and foremost, and thus perfectly within their rights to take advantage of an opponent’s soft spots if they become evident?

This, really, is what the much-publicized Brian Burke versus Kevin Lowe verbal slap fight is all about.

Make no mistake about it, this is one entertaining confrontation, albeit one that has taken place mostly with Burke in California and Lowe in Edmonton, Alberta....

These days, if you take Burke at his word, he wouldn’t even speak to Lowe if the Edmonton GM walked into his office looking for a stapler. He wouldn’t stop for Lowe at the side of the road if Lowe’s motor vehicle were on fire.

more

Bertuzzi Questionable Tonight

by Alanah on 10/10/07 at 02:54 PM
Comments (0)

From Eric Stephens at the LA Times,

Ducks winger Todd Bertuzzi is questionable for tonight’s home opener against Boston because of a strained groin suffered in last week’s loss to Columbus.

Bertuzzi said the groin continued to bother him Saturday night in Pittsburgh, which was probably the reason he logged only 14:04 of ice time and was largely ineffective.

“Like anyone else with a groin injury, it limits your strength and your skating,” said Bertuzzi, who has a goal and an assist in five games. “Just came to a point where I couldn’t go anymore.”

continued...

*also, from CBC’s Around the League, “the Ducks are expecting both netminder J.S. Giguere and Samuel Pahlsson to return to the lineup tonight.”

Ducks Get Rings and Raise Banner

by Alanah on 10/09/07 at 09:53 PM
Comments (0)

From Anaheim Ducks.com

The rings, along with Wednesday night’s raising of the championship banners, are the two final remnants for celebration from last year’s illustrious Ducks team.

“It was good excitement for us to be around everybody again and see the happiness that it brings to the organization and the owners and how proud they are,” said Chris Kunitz. “I think that shows in definitely what the ring looks like, how much thought and process went into it.”

The rings are “made of 14K white gold, with 110 diamonds used to create the whole ring.” Some photos below. Complete gallery available here.

Continue Reading »

Ducks Have Concerns

by Paul on 10/09/07 at 07:23 AM
Comments (0)

from the OC Register,

While any five-game sequence during the course of an 82-game NHL season can be misleading, the Ducks have encountered a myriad of problems that have included horribly undisciplined play, porous penalty-killing, shaky defensive-zone coverage and an overabundance of turnovers, both in their own end and in neutral ice.

Perhaps even more troubling is that, at least at this point, the Ducks are a one-line team, as it relates to offense, anyway. With center Ryan Getzlaf skating between his longtime buddy, Corey Perry, on the right side and Chris Kunitz on the left, the Ducks are dangerous. Otherwise, they have given opposing defenses and goaltenders no real cause for concern.

read on

Schedule Weary

by Paul on 10/08/07 at 11:34 AM
Comments (1)

from Mike Brophy of the Hockey News,

Any wonder the Ducks – our choice to repeat as Stanley Cup champions – open the year 1-3-1?

Ask any player and he will tell you there is nothing worse than having to sit through an opponent’s opening ceremonies at the start of the year. The Ducks had to sit through three.

I wouldn’t blame Anaheim GM Brian Burke if he drags on his own opening ceremonies for about an hour Wednesday when Boston comes to town. Though it’s not really the Bruins fault Anaheim got saddled with such a lousy schedule.

more

Ducks Send Ryan To Portland

by Paul on 10/06/07 at 04:53 PM
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from the CP via TSN,

The Anaheim Ducks assigned Bobby Ryan, the second overall pick in the 2005 NHL draft behind Sidney Crosby, to their AHL affiliate Portland on Saturday.

They also recalled right-winger Jason King and left-winger Drew Miller from the Pirates.

Everyone Loves a Good Controversy

by Alanah on 10/04/07 at 04:41 PM
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From Victor Chi at The Sporting News,

For the sake of the NHL, let’s hope that Ducks GM Brian Burke and his Oilers counterpart, Kevin Lowe, continue their verbal sniping.

The league went through the considerable expense of exporting the Ducks and Kings to England for the season openers in hopes of expanding its profile. But the Burke-Lowe exchanges already have generated oodles more buzz than the trans-Atlantic foray, and in today’s fragmented and multi-layered media landscape, relevance is king.

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