Ducks News

Big games by Selanne, Getzlaf lift Ducks past Red Wings 5-4

2008-10-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks showed the Detroit Red Wings that repeating as Stanley Cup champions might not be so easy.

Francois Beauchemin batted in a rebound 1:39 into overtime, Teemu Selanne scored three goals for his 21st NHL hat trick, and Ryan Getzlaf had a career-high five assists Wednesday night in the Ducks' 5-4 victory over the Red Wings in a meeting between the past two Stanley Cup winners.

"These kind of games are tough ones from the standpoint that you're playing the best team in the league and they push you to the limit just to compete with them," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "We started to grind and play more of our type of game, and things turned our way."

Brian Sutherby gave Anaheim a 4-3 lead with 7:04 left in the third period. The Red Wings pulled even with 1:23 remaining when Dan Cleary beat Beauchemin to a dump-in and fed a pass to Henrik Zetterberg for his second goal of the game and seventh this season.

Ducks ink D Hedican

2008-10-28T11:18:00.001-07:00

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Ducks signed veteran defenseman Bret Hedican to a one-year contract on Thursday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hedican, 38, spent the past five-plus seasons with Carolina, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2006.

"Bret is a mobile defenseman coming off a strong season with Carolina last year," said Ducks executive vice president and general manager Brian Burke. "He's a proven winner and class act, and we're pleased to add him to our roster."

A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Hedican compiled two goals and 15 assists with a career-high plus-17 rating in 66 games for the Hurricanes in 2007-08.

"Obviously the last month in particular I've had a lot of teams calling and making offers," Hedican said. "But I kept focus on this team because I like it so much and I like the defensive core that Mr. Burke has assembled here. They've won a Stanley Cup (in 2007) and ultimately that's why I play the game now. I want to win another Cup and I think this team has the opportunity."

Anaheim, though, is off to a sluggish start this season, posting a 2-5-0 mark.

Anaheim Ducks tough guy George Parros

2008-10-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

George Parros had more goals through the first nine games than the Anaheim Ducks' top scorer from a season ago (Corey Perry) and just as many as Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf. Parros' two goals don't put him atop the scoring column for the Ducks —- Francois Beauchemin leads that category with three tallies —- but it's almost as surprising that the Ducks' tough guy isn't leading the team in penalty minutes. He recently spoke with USA TODAY's A.J. Perez:

Question: You're known for fisticuffs more than anything, but take us through your breakaway goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 21.

Parros: The puck went to Brad May and (the Maple Leafs) were caught in our zone. They'd been pretty aggressive all night pinching down our zone. They got caught. We got the puck up (the ice) quick and I had a step on their defenseman. I was able to get in all alone. That was probably my first (breakaway goal) since high school.

Q: We're one month into the season and you've already reached your career high in goals. Did you find your scoring touch in the offseason?

Parros: I don't know. I've been able to get some good shots on net. Some years they go in for you, some years they don't. I usually don't get too many shots, but I've gotten myself into some good position. I don't think there's any way to explain it. They've just gone in. Thank God for that and I hope they keep coming.

Q: You've played on the same checking line with Brad May and Brian Sutherby for a while. The combination has provided a disproportionate amount of offense when compared to how little ice time you guys get. Are you guys just clicking right now?

Parros: We're pretty comfortable playing with each other. We've been playing for a couple years. I think we work the puck well together. If you take one of us and put us on a scoring line, I don't think it'd work as well. We all play the same game. It's not pretty. We get the puck deep, work hard and now we're being rewarded. We're happy to contribute.

Q: You graduated from Princeton University with an economics degree. Since it appears we could be in a recession and the stock market is in upheaval, have any of your teammates come up to you and asked for some advice?

Parros: Not exactly. Nobody has asked me for some stock tips or anything like that. We're all keeping an eye on it. I'm watching a few stocks right now, a few good companies I feel that are a low point. I'm going to give it a couple months and let things settle down a little bit before I invest in them.

Q: The Ducks have had an erratic start, losing the first four games of the season before winning the last three. What has been the message inside the dressing room?

Parros: I think the first few games, we lacked the urgency and the intensity. Now, our back's against the wall. We need to keep getting points or else it's going to come back to haunt us. I think we're definitely playing with more desperation now. Even though it's early, we've already played 10% of our schedule. We need to start making things happen now.

Q: You didn't play in the Finals, although you played in plenty of games throughout the 2006-07 season to get your name on the Cup. Was it difficult to watch the final minutes of Game 5 of the Finals?

Parros: We were up 6-2, so it was looking pretty good that we'd be able to clinch it. We weren't on pins and needles. We got dressed and were getting pretty pumped up waiting to skate on the ice. Whether or not I played in the last game didn't really matter.

Q: Where did you take the Cup when it got to you that summer?

Parros: I took it a few different places. I took it to my high school in New Jersey, the Delbarton School, in the morning. Then I drove it down to Princeton and did a thing with some youth hockey kids. I was fortunate to have a friend of a friend to fly us to my uncle's dairy farm in Pittsburgh. That's where all my family met up at and we had a big bonfire. We put it on display. Everybody got a photo op with it. We put some moonshine in the Cup, roasted a pig and just had a good time.

Selanne, Ducks edge Maple Leafs in shootout

2008-10-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Teemu Selanne's wrister past a just-off-the- bench Curtis Joseph proved to be the difference in the shootout, giving the struggling Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 decision over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Francois Beauchemin scored for the third consecutive game for the Ducks, who had lost five of six to open the season.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 36-of-38 shots, and both Toronto attempts in the shootout to pick up the win.

Nik Antropov scored both goals for the Maple Leafs, and Alexei Ponikarovsky tallied two assists.

Toronto has dropped five straight since a season-opening win over the Red Wings, including three of the past four in the shootout.

Vesa Toskala yielded two goals on 21 shots through three periods and the extra session, but was curiously pulled for Joseph before the shootout began.

"I talked to Toskala and I told him before the game if we were put in [a shootout], I was thinking of [pulling him]," Leafs head coach Ron Wilson said. "You just got to keep giving Toskala a little more practice on shootouts. It's like practicing a three-foot putt. You want to make that putt 100 times in a row, and that's what you want to do in a shootout."

After a Toronto miss, Selanne's quick wrister beat the cold Joseph stick-side, and after the Maple Leafs' Tomas Kaberle went wide right with his attempt, Corey Perry skated right and went top shelf to seal the much-needed win.

Anaheim withstood Toronto's early pressure and scored 4:36 into the game. Chris Kunitz controlled Perry's pass at the right circle and fed Beauchemin for a slap shot at the point, which found the back of the net for the game's first goal.

George Parros found nothing between himself and Toskala after a Toronto turnover midway through the first, and his wrister on the breakaway beat the goaltender glove-side for a 2-0 lead.

"We weren't prepared to play in the first period," Antropov said.

The Maple Leafs controlled most of the action throughout the second period but could only manage one tally on Antropov's backhander past an out-of-position Giguere.

Toronto managed to tie the game with just 53 seconds on the clock. Mike Van Ryn wound up with the puck after a mad scramble in front of the net, and his shot from the point was deflected before Antropov picked up the rebound and scored to send the game into overtime.

Anaheim did not have a shot in the third period, as Toronto outshot the Ducks 28-4 in second and third frames. It was the first time in franchise history Anaheim had not recorded a shot in a 20-minute period, and the only occurrence for a Toronto opponent in its storied history.

"Our lack of scoring comes from our poor play," the Ducks' Scott Niedermayer said. "We need to play as a team. We haven't been willing to go into the tough areas to get goals."

Game Notes

The Ducks head to Ottawa to face the Senators on Friday, while Toronto goes on the road to Boston on Thursday...Wilson coached Anaheim in its first four seasons in the league (1993-97)...The home team had won six straight in the series. The Ducks have won three of the past four meetings.

Burke blows off talk of future for now

2008-10-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Brian Burke's arrival in Toronto -- for an early season game between two struggling teams -- constitutes all kinds of news.

Exactly what kind of news it constitutes is open to interpretation.

The TV networks have called. The radio stations have called. This doesn't happen when any other general manager comes to Toronto.

This is what happens now with all the innuendo, with contracts unsigned and a GM search still in place with the Maple Leafs.

For the record, Burke is steamed. He was born angry. Only this time, the reason is different.
Instead of being ready to take on the world -- which is his way of saying hello -- Burke is upset about the state of his Anaheim Ducks, a good team gone bad. He's upset and cognizant that the media fascination about his future is not the sidebar to tonight's Leafs-Anaheim Ducks game, but the main event.

Burke put in one basic rule for his interviews while in Toronto. You get one question about his future. Ask a second and, "I get up and leave."

So, I broke the rule on the telephone yesterday and he didn't hang up. I asked a second question. I might have asked a third. The answers were basically the same each time, only increasingly louder.

"If you think or anyone else thinks that I'm thinking about my future or how (early problems in Anaheim) impacts it, you don't know me very well. All I care about is getting back to .500 and climbing back to the playoffs," Burke said.

"Anyone who thinks I'm worried about my future should go get a drug test."

Before making the trip to Toronto, an Anaheim television reporter asked Burke if he considered passing on the Leafs game.

The implication was clear. Is Burke, coming to Toronto at this time in the season, at this point in history, a distraction to his struggling hockey club, which is supposed to be a contender?

"First off, I did not consider not coming on this trip," Burke said.

"Our team is struggling. We have a game (tonight). I have the Lester Patrick tomorrow (being awarded for contributions to hockey in the United States). Just because the Toronto media is fascinated with my future ... I tell everyone the same thing. I've been treated great in Anaheim. There are some contract issues. I have some family concerns I'd like to see addressed. Can we move on from that?"

There are only seven general managers working in the National Hockey League who have led their teams to the Stanley Cup. One of them is running the Leafs right now.

Unavailable

The only multi-time winners -- Glen Sather, Ken Holland and Lou Lamoriello -- either are not available or not what the Leafs would want at this time. After that, there is Bob Gainey in Montreal, who already turned down the Leafs and Jim Rutherford in Carolina, whom the Leafs seemingly have little fascination with.

That leaves Burke -- the leading candidate and maybe the only candidate to run the Leafs next season.

But first, there is a contender to fix. And moves to be made.

"We have an organizational motto -- no complaints, no excuses," said Burke, whose Ducks have one win this season and the worst special teams in the NHL. "We're not going to panic. I'm going to be patient a little longer. But if this continues, we will be making changes. I don't care if it's hard or not."

One change he won't be making is firing his coach.

"Randy Carlyle is as safe as a baby in a car seat in a Hummer," said Burke.

"Every coach has a shelf life and the harder (you are) on players, the shorter the shelf life is. But that said, we're not doing anything about our coaching.

"People say you can't make trades anymore but I've had some simply marvelous trade proposals in the last few days. A lot of teams are anxious to help us out."

One team might even be anxious to acquire their general manger.

"This isn't about me," said Brian Burke.

It never is.

Kings, Ducks tickets below NHL average

2008-10-14T12:58:00.001-07:00

A study of National Hockey League ticket costs for the 2008-09 season shows that both the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks have an average ticket price below league averages.

Team Marketing Report of Chicago calculated the cost of a Kings game at $47.20 per seat, up 2.7 percent from last season, and the Ducks at $43.50, up 7 percent from a year ago.

TMR said prices are based on a weighted average of season-ticket costs for general seating, determined by factoring seats in each price range as a percentage of the total number of seats in each arena.

The average ticket cost in the NHL this season is $49.66, up 5.1 percent from 2007-08.

The highest costs are in Toronto at $76. 15 per seat. The Chicago Black Hawks had the largest increase, charging 28.4 percent more per seat this season for an average of $52.22. The New Jersey Devils cut ticket charges by 15.7 percent, down to $57.15.

Team Marketing said the Fan Cost Index, or FCI, indicated it would cost, on average, a family of four $288.23 to attend an NHL game in 2008-09, up 5.5 percent. That takes into account tickets, concessions, parking, programs and caps.

For a Kings game at Staples Center, those costs are pegged at $281.31, up 3.3 percent from last season. For a Ducks game at the Honda Center, the FCI is $274.50, up 5.5 percent from a year ago.

Toronto is the most expensive with an FCI of $411.30 per game.

Need ducks tickets I have them. Club level section 325 row A. Two seats for $200.

Call me at 714-600-1865

Ducks name veteran Niedermayer team captain

2008-10-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Anaheim Ducks named defenceman Scott Niedermayer team captain Tuesday, with Chris Pronger and Ryan Getzlaf serving as alternate captains.

Niedermayer, 35, previously served as Ducks captain from 2005-07.

Niedermayer is a four-time Stanley Cup champion, and is the only man in history to have won a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal, world championship, World Cup, Memorial Cup and world junior championship in his career.

The Ducks open their regular season Thursday night in San Jose.

Kings sign O'Sullivan to three-year deal

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings have re-signed restricted free agent centre Patrick O'Sullivan to a three-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.

Terms of the agreement were not announced. O'Sullivan made US$650,000 last season.

O'Sullivan, 23, scored 22 goals and added 31 assists in 82 games for the Kings in 2007-08. The Winston-Salem, N. C., native added a team high-tying four shootout goals, and was one of four Los Angeles skaters to play in every game last season.

O'Sullivan, drafted in the second round (56th overall) by Minnesota in the 2003 draft, has 72 points (27-45) in 126 career NHL games, all with the Kings.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Sharks put defenceman Kyle McLaren on waivers Tuesday, possibly ending the oft-injured veteran's 4 1/2-year tenure with the club.

McLaren, a 12-year NHL veteran, had three goals and eight assists while battling constant knee injuries last season, undergoing surgery in January. He appeared in two pre-season games with the Sharks, who didn't even allow him to skate in intrasquad scrimmages while attempting to move him.

McLaren's role with the club already was diminished before training camp when San Jose acquired veteran defencemen Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich. The Sharks also signed young defencemen Christian Ehrhoff, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Doug Murray to contract extensions in recent months.

Crunch honours Newman by retiring Slap Shot jersey

SYRACUSE, N. Y. -- The No. 7 Paul Newman wore as Reg Dunlop in the cult hockey comedy Slap Shot is going to the rafters of the Syracuse War Memorial.

The Syracuse Crunch announced Tuesday the team will pay tribute to the late actor by raising a banner before Saturday's American Hockey League game against the Rochester Americans. The banner will stay there for the entire season.

Crunch president Howard Dolgon says it's appropriate Newman's legacy should be recognized and honoured in the arena where parts of the legendary movie were filmed in 1977.

Newman died last month at age 83 after a battle with cancer.

A video tribute to Newman's role in Slap Shot will be shown during the ceremony.

Authorities interviewing Mets reliever Burgos

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- New York Mets pitcher Ambiorix Burgos turned himself in Tuesday night, a week after police say he was involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed two women.

Authorities were interviewing him, prosecutor Raul Quiroz told The Associated Press.

The news comes after the mother of one of the two victims accused Burgos of intentionally running her daughter over because she refused to go out with him.

Eudosia Ruane, mother of 29-year-old Angely Fana, told the AP she filed a report with police alleging homicide.

Raptors down Cavaliers 104-84 as James rests

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James spent a rare night relaxing on the bench, Mo Williams showed why Cleveland traded for him this summer, and the Cavaliers opened their exhibition season with a 104-84 loss to the Toronto Raptors Tuesday night.

James played just eight minutes in the first quarter before he raised his hand for a substitute and coach Mike Brown pulled his superstar for the remainder of Cleveland's pre-season debut.

Toronto's Jermaine O'Neal, acquired from Indiana in a July trade, scored 11 points in his Raptors debut. O'Neal missed 40 games last season because of lingering knee problems and dropped weight over the summer to ease the pressure on his joints.

Will Solomon scored 17 points, Andrea Bargnani 15 and Kris Humphries 14 for the Raptors.

Chris Pronger's two goals help Ducks edge Kings 3-2 in overtime

2008-10-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chris Pronger scored his first two goals of the pre-season, including the game-winner 3:04 into overtime, giving the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

Pronger won it with a high backhand shot past goalie Erik Ersberg on the stick side into the left corner of the net after getting a pass in stride from Teemu Selanne. Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 26 saves to outduel Ersberg, who made 27 stops for the Kings (3-0-3).

The Ducks (4-1-1) struck first with a goal 59 seconds into the game when Pronger scored on a soft wrist shot from the point that appeared to fool Ersberg, who was partially screened by Kings defenceman Jack Johnson.

Power-play goals by Michal Handzus and Brian Boyle just 2:20 apart in the second period gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.

Chris Kunitz tied it at the 13:40 mark of the period with a power-play goal off a give-and-go with Brendan Morrison, who made his first appearance for the Ducks since signing as a free agent from the Vancouver Canucks.

Morrison, who signed a one-year, US$2.75-million deal, is coming back from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury sustained March 27 when he was taken into the boards by Colorado defenceman Ruslan Salei.

The Kings used a lineup full of youngsters as forwards Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jarret Stoll got the night off. So did defenceman Sean O'Donnell, who has yet to dress for the Kings in two pre-season games since being acquried from the rival Ducks on Tuesday.

Ducks officially welcome back Selanne with two-year deal

2008-10-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Ducks officially welcomed back franchise icon Teemu Selanne on Sunday, signing the Finnish winger to a two- year contract.

Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We're happy to have Teemu back and thank him for his patience as we sorted out our salary cap situation," said Ducks executive vice president and general manager Brian Burke. "Teemu is a true Duck. His loyalty to the franchise and community is unquestioned."

The club had welcomed Selanne back on a tryout basis at the start of training camp last week, after he had taken the entire offseason to decide whether or not he'd return for another year.

In order to accommodate his place on the roster, it is expected the club will make a corresponding move to get beneath the $56.7 million salary cap.

The 38-year-old Selanne missed the start of last season while considering retirement before returning in February. He had 12 goals and 23 points in 26 games.

Over 1,067 career regular-season contests with Winnipeg, San Jose, Colorado and Anaheim, he has registered 552 goals and 1,158 points. His goal total is good for 23rd in NHL history and fourth among active players.

The 15-year veteran is a 10-time NHL All-Star and is currently the Ducks' all- time leader in points (689) and goals (325). He was an integral part of Anaheim's 2007 Stanley Cup victory.

"This is the only place I wanted to play," Selanne noted. "We have great owners, great fans and a chance to win again. This team is hungry and ready to go."

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Ducks cooked in salary cap deal

2008-09-28T18:38:00.001-07:00

For a while now, Brian Burke has been dancing with the devil, otherwise known as the NHL's salary cap system.

Two years ago, Burke worked it beautifully and captured a Stanley Cup. Last year, his machinations went slightly askew and it cost his Anaheim Ducks the services of a very good veteran player, centre Andy McDonald.

This fall, the cap has pushed another quality veteran off the Anaheim roster in defenceman Mathieu Schneider, peddled to Atlanta yesterday in a deal that, as a pure hockey trade, was about as one-sided as you can get.

Schneider is still a top-four defenceman in the NHL at age 39, good enough to play more than 22 minutes a game on the deep and talented Anaheim defence a year ago, still good enough offensively to score 12 goals and notch 27 assists.

Talented but wildly erratic as a young player, including his time with the Maple Leafs, Schneider appears to be one of those rare athletes who is getting better as he nears his 40th birthday.

The Thrashers, however, only had to part with veteran blueliner Ken Klee, journeyman checker Brad Larsen and middling prospect Chad Painchaud to land Schneider, a coup for GM Don Waddell as he tries to fix that which ailed his team last year and provide veteran guidance for young defencemen like 2008 first-rounder Zach Bogosian and Tomas Enstrom.

So is Waddell smarter than Burke? Not on the basis of this transaction.

This was a salary cap deal, pure and simple. Burke not only didn't have cap room, his Ducks were $3.05 million over the limit and still wanted to sign winger Teemu Selanne, while Waddell's Thrashers were comfortably under the cap by about $18 million.

"It's the new NHL, my friend," said an exuberant Waddell yesterday. "It's nice to have cap room."

The Ducks will still have a strong team, but now they'll have to clear yet more cap room to sign Selanne. The likeliest scenario is that former first-round pick Bobby Ryan and his $1.9 million cap hit will have to be sent to the minors.

So without the cap, the Ducks would still have McDonald and Schneider, with Ryan available to play high in their lineup.

In a cap world, however, McDonald and Schneider are gone, and it may be impossible for the club to use Ryan in the short-term.

With Schneider, Burke was in a serious jam. The Ducks had to dump him and every other team in the league knew it.

Atlanta could have taken Schneider off the waiver wire last week and added his full $5.625 salary. Instead, the Thrashers were able to wait and then dump $1.8 salary back on Anaheim in yesterday's deal, essentially getting Schneider for a bargain $3.825 million for this season.

Until yesterday's deal, Burke had hoped for one of two scenarios.

First, there was an effort to move Schneider to Anaheim's cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, to accommodate Schneider's personal life. The blueliner owns a home in Manhattan Beach, just outside of downtown L.A., and he and his wife have four children.

The Kings, however, are on an austerity kick. Right now, they will likely enter the season with the NHL's lowest payroll, a far cry from the golden Gretzky years, and while they would have liked to have added Schneider to tutor young blueliners like Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Thomas Hickey, they were disinclined to inherit such a large salary.

Second, Burke was hoping a team suffered a significant blue line injury and thus would be willing to take all of Schneider's salary. St. Louis lost Erik Johnson this week and Pittsburgh could be without Sergei Gonchar for weeks or even months with a dislocated shoulder.

In the end, needing to move Schneider and get Selanne done, Burke ran out of time and had to make the best deal he could.

Dancing with the devil is, in the end, a complicated and sometimes costly business.

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Murray did NOT build Ducks.

Only three players on the Ducks Stanley Cup Championship team and current roster played for Brian Murray in Anaheim (JS Giguere, Rob Niedermeyer, and Sammy Pahlsson). Twenty one of the remaining 23 players were brought in or drafted by Burke. The sole exception is that Perry and Getzlaff were drafed while Burke and Murray were working together on the draft before the season Burke took over and Murray left. Technically, they are both responsible for Perry and Getzlaff, although neither player ever played a shift for Brian Murray. Matador, you sound like Sarah Palin. Keep repeating the lie long enough and people will believe it.

Posted by Tigershark at 5:50 PM Sunday, September 28 2008

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Why believe this guy?

Cox had an article on the huge story of "youth" in the NFL...when the real story is the experienced QB's like Collins and Warner. And now he wants to continue to nail on Burke...because Burke believes in hiring Canadians to play and to play physically. Cox wants an all-Euro squad run not by Flether or Burke, but by some Russian or Swede or whatever. Typical REDSTAR PC stuff that flies in Toronto bars.

Posted by Mr Commonsense at 8:16 AM Sunday, September 28 2008

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The Teacher's Union does not own the Leafs

...It's the Pension fund. Two very different things. Anyways it's easy to blame higher management but truth is they have shelled out cash for this team; Always maxed out with the salary cap; Always above average before the cap came in. Really most of the problems are closer to ice level. Poor GM/Contract decisions ( JFJ ); Poor coaching ( Maurice was terrible ); Poor Play from key members of the team... I agree with "SofaKing" in that you can extend blame to Richard Peddie and that Peddie should go because he has messed up two GM searches. However, when your team and other enterprises are actually taking in huge profits does it make sense to fire the CEO ??? I think it will take a significant show of fan anger (ie. the march held by Liverpool fans after their game with Man Utd. to show displeasure with their owners )to embarass him into resigning.

Posted by Markandfamily at 7:59 AM Sunday, September 28 2008

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Maple Leafs.

Remember, the Leafs are "owned" by stupid, I mean very stupid people!!! Teacher's union only cares about MONEY! They say they are not against the Leafs winning the cup, and yet, they and the other owners fully are aware, that when and if the Leafs ever win the big one, the interest will climax and start dropping. Well that's their theory! So as long as they put out a "middle" of the pack team, then MLSE and Teacher's union will ALWAYS LAUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK!!! Look who's in CHARGE of hiring GM!!! Who else??? Richard Peddie! The moron that ALMOST KILLED Basketball! The only reason why he hasn't killed the Leafs is, there are too many "dumb" fans!!! At least the basketball fans were smart enough to STAY AWAY till Richard Peddie got booted out!!!! Can we at least try that with the hockey????

Ducks beat Coyotes 3-2

2008-09-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Francois Beauchemin scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and David LeNevue stopped 26 shots in the Anaheim Ducks' 3-1 exhibition victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night.

Travis Moen and Troy Bodie also scored for the Ducks (2-1-0).

Daniel Carcillo scored for the Coyotes (0-4-0).

Beauchemin snapped a 1-1 tie on a shot from the right point over goalie Ilya Bryzgalov's right shoulder, his first goal and second point of the preseason.

Moen made it 3-1 with a short-handed goal with 11:29 to go.

Anaheim took a 1-0 lead just 3:40 into the game when Coyotes defenseman Kurt Sauer fumbled the puck behind the Phoenix net and bounced it off Bryzgalov's right leg and into the net while trying to regain control.

Carcillo tied the game with 49.1 seconds left in the first when he deflected Viktor Tikhonov's shot from the top of the right faceoff circle past LeNeveu.

Tikhonov, the grandson of the longtime coach of the Soviet national team, has a goal and two assists in his first three preseason games.

Anaheim scores four third-period goals in a 6-4 win over San Jose.

2008-09-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

The fireworks started early Wednesday night.

Bobby Ryan scored on the Ducks' first shot of their opening exhibition game, four fights broke out in the first 15 minutes and Anaheim and the San Jose Sharks combined for 50 penalty minutes in the opening period. That was just a precursor for the grand finale, however.

he Ducks scored four unanswered goals in the final period at Honda Center, another by Ryan and two by Corey Perry, bringing the crowd to life in the 6-4 victory. Ryan said the Ducks brought a serious tone into the game.

"Everybody in this organization has a competitive edge," said Ryan, a 2006 first-round draft pick of the Ducks. "There's always pressure to win, especially at home."

Ryan, a 21-year-old right wing who scored in his first NHL game last season, continued to display his knack for fast starts. He took a pass from left wing Ryan Dingle at the 3:45 mark of the first period and scored on a slap shot from the right face-off circle. "It makes you breathe a little easier," Ryan said of his early goal.

Ryan scored his first NHL goal a year ago, during the season opener against the Kings in London. He was promptly sent back to the minors and didn't return until March, when Perry was injured. He stuck around until the third playoff game against the Dallas Stars, but his fitness became an issue with Coach Randy Carlyle and he was returned to the minors in the middle of the first-round playoff series.

Ryan arrived at training camp last week 19 pounds lighter and with his body fat nearly cut in half to 9%. His lighter frame has allowed him to find openings in the defense quicker, something he looked forward to showing against the Sharks.

"It was a long summer with some regrets," said Ryan, who also assisted on Perry's first goal.

Ryan Getzlaf also had a strong start to the exhibition season, totaling a goal and three assists.

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Taking the night off never crossed the mind of Ducks goalkeeper Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

After four hard days of training camp, he had plenty of reasons to watch from the stands, but Giguere played the entire game Wednesday night, finishing with 30 saves.

Giguere wanted to be on the ice after what he experienced during last season's training camp. Or, more precise, what he didn't experience.

Giguere underwent surgery to correct a sports hernia in August of last year. He expected to re-join the team for training camp, but the healing process took longer than thought and he missed all of camp, plus the first six games of the regular season. He made his season debut in the seventh game against Minnesota, but the Ducks lost, 2-0. Giguere then lost two of his next three starts before finding his groove and compiling a 6-1-2 record over his next nine starts.

Giguere said during the morning skate that he wanted to be more prepared for the start of this season.

"Last year, I didn't have that kind of preparation," he said. "It's definitely much harder to step in right before the season, when a bunch of guys have already played maybe 10 games and you haven't played any."

Giguere said that's why it's important for him to approach the exhibition games like the regular season.

"My focus is the same, to try and make one save at a time," he said. "I have to have the same kind of focus and approach in a game like that because this is what's going to get me prepared for the season."

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One of the wide-eyed newcomers to play against San Jose was Stu Bickel, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman from Chanhassen, Minn.Bickel made an impression last week when he fought Frazer McLaren of the Sharks during a rookie camp game in Las Vegas. Bickel, a 21-year-old who signed a three-year entry contract over the summer after his freshman year at Minnesota, said he wouldn't mind taking on the role of enforcer, but feels he has more to add to the club than just his fists.

"I'm just going to try and do whatever they need me to do," Bickel said. "Play physical and move the puck up the ice." Bickel had only one goal at Minnesota last season, compared to a team-high 92 penalty minutes, but flashed his offensive capabilities during an intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday at Anaheim Ice, scoring on a slap shot from just inside the blue line. Against the Sharks, he had an assist on Getzlaf's four-on-four goal late in the first period.

"Getting a goal in the scrimmage gives you a little bit of confidence," Bickel said before the game. "At the same time, you just got to keep working hard."

Bickel wasn't involved in any of the six fights Wednesday night. McLaren didn't suit up for the Sharks.

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Another rookie who's not afraid to rattle the boards is Eric Tangradi, a 19-year-old left wing from Philadelphia. He was making his second appearance in an exhibition game, after playing in one last year against Phoenix.

"It's good to get that under my belt and, hopefully, I can produce a little more than I did last year," he said. "I play a real gritty, gritty game and I'm a crash-and-bang kind of guy. I think the team needs that kind of crash-and-bang player."

Tangradi played high school hockey at Wyoming Seminary Prep, which is not in Wyoming, but Scranton, Pa., and had nothing to do with those who wish to become a Catholic priest.

"Just a fancy name for a prep school," Tangradi said. "It was probably the stepping stone to my hockey career."

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Ducks inked right wing Teemu Selanne to a tryout contract .

2008-09-22T16:08:00.001-07:00

The Anaheim Ducks remained busy Friday, re-signing left wing Drew Miller to a two-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Earlier in the day, the Ducks inked right wing Teemu Selanne to a tryout contract while the sides continue to negotiate a standard deal.

A restricted free agent, Miller appeared in 26 games with Anaheim last season, recording two goals and three assists.

The 24-year-old native of New Jersey made his NHL debut during the Ducks' run to the Stanley Cup championship in 2007, notching two penalty minutes in three playoff contests.

The brother of Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller and a product of Michigan State, the 6-2, 165-pounder also skated in 31 games with Portland of the American Hockey League last season, registering 16 goals and 20 assists.

Anaheim selected Drew Miller in the sixth round of the 2003 draft.

Anaheim Ducks place veteran defenceman Mathieu Schneider on waivers

2008-09-17T15:35:00.001-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks placed defenceman Mathieu Schneider on waivers Tuesday.

The 39-year-old NHL veteran has until noon ET Wednesday to be claimed by another team. If he isn't, Schneider will clear waivers and remain property of the Ducks.

He had 12 goals and 27 assists in 65 games for the Ducks last season. Schneider appeared in all six playoff games, with one goal. He had a plus-or-even rating in 32 consecutive games (plus-17) from Dec. 18-March 5, the longest streak in the league last season.

He has played for seven teams during his 20-year NHL career, including the Los Angeles Kings. Schneider signed a US$11.25-million, two-year contract in July 2007, before the Ducks knew for sure that Scott Niedermayer was going to return.

Ducks to Host Kids Night Out

2008-09-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

The Anaheim Ducks, who do much work throughout the year to benefit disadvantaged children and families, have announced their 7th annual Kids Night Out. The event will be held at the October 31 and November 5 games, vs. Vancouver and St. Louis respectively. This is another opportunity to partner with the Ducks in the community.

The Ducks will be providing the opportunity for disadvantaged kids and special nonprofit organizations to attend a professional sporting event. The groups receiving invitations include the Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Disney GOALS, and Special Olympics Southern California, among others. The Ducks are asking the community to help sponsor local youth to attend a Ducks game.

There are six different packages to choose from, starting in price at $221 and going up to $6,665. For each package purchased, the Ducks will match eash ticket donated ticket for ticket. Donors will receive various Ducks memorabilia (depending upon the package purchased.)

$221 will sponsor 10 total kids and the donor will receive a player autographed puck. $455 will sponsor 20 children total and donors will receive a player autographed stick and recognition on HondaVision. $1,100 will sponsor 50 children total and donors will receive a team autographed stick and recognition. $2,220 will sponsor 100 children total and donors will receive a team autographed jersey and recognition. $4,380 will sponosr 200 children total and donors will receive the jersey, recognition, your choice of five player autographed pucks and a Zamboni ride for a child ages 7 - 13 at a game.

The final top package, of which there are only three available, is $6,665 and will sponsor 300 children total. Donors receive recognition, a total of six player autographed pucks, a Zamboni ride, a framed 2007 Stanley Cup Champion team autographed jersey and the opportunity to watch a pre-game skate from the visiting team penalty box for up to three people.

The Ducks are asking for donations by October 17. For more details or questions about the program you can contact Matt Payne at 714/940-2886. All donations are tax-deductible.

Ducks and Sharks Play Vegas

2008-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

The Ducks will “test the Las Vegas hockey waters” and play a Rookie Game versus the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The NHL marketing machine appears to be playing into the hand of the much rumored future expansion to the Las Vegas market. If the league wants to be front and center among a variety of potential new fans, then Las Vegas is the next place to be.

Let’s see - Imagine the biggest Casinos on the strip shelling out complimentary tickets to a Celine Dion concert followed up the next evening by an NHL game. I’m no high-roller, but that sounds about right to me (minus the Celine Dion ticket).

In my opinion, the league should not look at the Las Vegas market in terms of expansion but rather relocation. It is quite apparent that some of the current markets cannot support a National Hockey League team and that there is demand and support (at least financially) in other markets such as Hamilton and Las Vegas.
A look at the Rookies

Featured players on Anaheim’s rookie roster include seven of 10 selections from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, including centers Nicolas Deschamps (second round, 35th overall) and Eric O’Dell (second round, 39th overall), defenseman Justin Schultz (second round, 43rd overall), left wing Josh Brittain (third round, 71st overall), goaltender Marco Cousineau (third round, 83rd overall), center Brandon McMillan (third round, 85th overall), and defenseman Stefan Warg (fifth round, 143rd overall).

The Ducks roster also features 2007 first-round selection Logan MacMillan (19th overall) along with fellow 2007 draft class members Eric Tangradi (second round, 42nd overall) and Maxime Macenauer (third round, 63rd overall).

Selanne's mind made up

2008-09-05T13:52:00.001-07:00

A year ago, less than three months removed from the first Stanley Cup championship in his glorious career, Teemu Selanne had no idea whether he wanted to endure the grind of a 15th NHL season. It took Selanne until January to decide on a return to hockey, and he didn’t make his season debut until Feb. 5.

Now, just more than two weeks before the Ducks are scheduled to open training camp, Selanne remains an unrestricted free agent, and no one knows exactly how this latest situation will be resolved. That does not mean, however, that Selanne has any doubt about what he wants to do.

“I have made a decision,” Selanne said Wednesday after participating in an informal skate with a small group of players at Anaheim Ice. “I’m not going to say what my decision is, but I have made a decision and I’m skating every day.”

Selanne’s ability to speak freely has been compromised by an unusual scenario in which the Ducks are more than $2 million over the NHL’s $56.7 million salary cap. Unless and until the club sacrifices at least one player, almost certainly via trade, there is no room to sign Selanne.

“There’s no rush,” Selanne said. “The only thing I can say is that I haven’t been skating every day for the last four weeks just for fun. There is a reason.”

In truth, Selanne reached a decision about whether to play a 16th NHL season quite some time ago, not long after the Ducks bowed to the Dallas Stars in a first-round playoff series in April. Circumstances, however, have conspired to keep the usually talkative Selanne quiet.

Selanne returned to Orange County on Sunday after having spent the previous two-plus months in his native Finland. He had been skating with other NHL players there for the better part of a month, and was at Anaheim Ice on Tuesday and Wednesday. The group Wednesday included Ducks rookie winger Bobby Ryan and former Ducks captain Paul Kariya of the St. Louis Blues.

Shanahan Running Out of Time with Rangers Might Join Ducks

2008-09-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Brendan Shanahan might be finally realizing that Glen Sather and the NY Rangers have no interest in offering the savvy veteran a new contract. Shanahan who has maintained his loyalty to the original 6 team all summer might be forced to give up the dream of returning to the blueshirts.

Shanahan is said to be weighing the possibility of signing a deal with the Anaheim Ducks and has also received interest from several other clubs including the NJ Devils. As much as I love Shanny and think he's still a great asset to any team I just don't see him fitting in with the Rangers this season. I actually think the best fit for Brendan is to return to the Devils. As hard as it is to say I think he would really compliment them and help fill a gaping hole on the power play. I think it would be a fitting way for Brendan to end his NHL career in the place it started.

Top 20 Prospects, Fall 2008, NHL

2008-09-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Anaheim Ducks:
#3 Jake Gardiner, D (2nd-ranked defensive prospect)

Acquired: Drafted 17th overall in 2008

The first of five 2008 selections to make an appearance on the Ducks Top 20, Anaheim traded down twice in the first round to select Jake Gardiner. Considered one of the top players in the renowned Minnesota high school hockey program, it’s amazing to consider that Gardiner has only played defense for a single season. Despite his position on the back end, it is clear that creating offensive opportunities isn’t far from his mind. In 25 games with Minnetonka High School, Gardiner scored 16 goals and had 43 points.

Set to start at the University of Wisconsin for the 2008-09 season, Gardiner will benefit from the extra time afforded to him via the NCAA route. Although he’s plenty skilled, there are still rough edges that need to be smoothed out. With a little patience, Anaheim could have a real gem on its hands.

# 16 Justin Schultz, D (6th-ranked defensive prospect)

Acquired: Drafted 43rd overall in 2008

Playing for the Westside Warriors during the 2007-08 season, Schultz is the first player ever drafted out of the BCHL by the Anaheim Ducks. Committed to attend the University of Wisconsin for the 2009-10 season, Schultz will join fellow 2008 Ducks pick Gardiner there.

An offensively talented blue liner, Schultz pairs great skating ability with solid decision-making and in just a single season he already stood out as one of the top defensemen in the BCHL, being named Defenseman of the Year for the Interior Conference. In 57 games, he marked 40 points and he looks set to do even more damage in the 2008-09 season.

More here..

Ducks Owner to Be Sentenced Next Month

2008-08-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

SANTA ANA, Calif. August 26, 2008, 03:33 pm ET · Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry Samueli has apologized for lying to the Securities and Exchange Commission during its probe of stock options backdating at the chip maker.

Samueli's two-page written apology, filed Monday with U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney, stands as the first public comment on the case by the billionaire philanthropist and owner of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks.

Samueli is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 8 on a felony count of lying to the regulatory agency.

Prosecutors have recommended that Samueli get five years probation and pay at least $12 million in penalties, but Carney must sign off on the deal.

Samueli wrote that his first instinct was to fight the case because he didn't want to have a felony on his record. Then, he said, he talked with family and friends and decided to own up to his wrongdoing.

"I have spent days and nights thinking about why I said what I did in front of the SEC on May 25, 2007," he wrote. "My statement before the SEC was completely out of character for me. I have tried to live my life in a way that showed that hard work and honesty were their own reward."

The plea agreement is part of a larger federal criminal probe into stock-options backdating at Broadcom, which was ultimately forced to write down $2.2 billion in profits — the largest accounting restatement to date because of illegal backdating.

The Irvine, Calif.-based company also agreed in April to pay $12 million to settle similar charges without admitting or denying the allegations.

In June, a federal grand jury returned criminal indictments against Broadcom's other billionaire co-founder, Henry T. Nicholas III, alleging conspiracy and securities fraud, as well as drug charges.

Nicholas, who pleaded not guilty, is set to go to trial next year.

Broadcom's former vice president of human resources, Nancy Tullos, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice this year in exchange for her cooperation in the case.

Backdating involves retroactively setting an option's price at a low point in the stock's value, so as to increase profits when shares are sold. If companies backdate options without properly disclosing and accounting for the move, it can cause profits to be overstated and taxes to be underpaid.

Court records indicate Samueli told SEC officials during an interview that he was not involved in granting stock options, even though he had exchanged e-mails with Tullos helping her select a specific date to award stock options to certain company officers.

The plea deal would not require Samueli to aid prosecutors, but he would forfeit his right to appeal.

Getlaf's Gang notches hat trick for Calgary kids

2008-08-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

John Down, Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008

In a first for the Calgary Hitmen, one of its alumnus is giving back to the organization and community that developed and supported him throughout his Western Hockey League career.

Rangy power forward Ryan Getzlaf has hooked up with the Hitmen, Kids Up Front, former billet Scott Lorenz and Telus to form Getzlaf's Gang, which will see 20 different groups of 10 kids each attend 20 Hitmen home games this season.

"Obviously, it's an opportunity for me to give back to the organization and community who helped me so much," said the 23-year-old Getzlaf, a star forward with the Anaheim Ducks. "There's a lot of kids out there who don't get the opportunity to come to the games and this is a way to bring them out . . . when I have all that I have, it's a way for me to chip in and say thanks."

Getzlaf, who was born in Regina and played four seasons (2001-02 to 2004-05) with the Hitmen, approached the club with the idea of getting involved in some sort of community program. After hours of brainstorming, the Gang was formed.

"It's a way to promote hockey, let kids come to the game, see what it's all about and hopefully inspire some to play," added Getzlaf.

Each of the 200 kids selected from Kids Up Front and its 150 agencies will watch a Hitmen game from the luxury of the Telus Suite in the Pengrowth Saddledome, receive a special Getzlaf's Gang T-shirt and an autographed photo from the National Hockey League star.

"It's pretty rare for players in our league to come back and do something like this," said Hitmen general manager Kelly Kisio. "We really appreciate it and were more than happy to help Ryan get something going.

"We all know he's a star on the ice with Anaheim . . . now we know he's a star off the ice, too."

Getzlaf spent a good part of this summer in Kelowna, where he had a lot more time to play golf and suntan than he did last season when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup. Coming off a career-high season of 82 points, including 58 assists, the six-foot-four, 210-pounder is itching to get back at it.

"It's been a pretty relaxed summer

. . . a little longer than I needed," he smiled, "but I started preparations (for training camp) a little while ago."

The Ducks open training camp Sept. 19, but Getzlaf, who picked up 215 points in 233 regular-season games with the Hitmen, says he'll head south sometime during the first week of next month.

"It's exciting," he said. "I think we're going into a pretty good year. We've got a good group of guys, filled a few holes that we were maybe missing last year and hopefully we can have a complete team back at the start and go hard from there.

"I'm looking forward to a long run again this season."

Ducks Team Report Aug 22, 2008

2008-08-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

While Brian Burke's long-term future remains in limbo, the Ducks general manager made sure that uncertainty would not affect coach Randy Carlyle.

The Ducks on July 23 announced a two-year contract extension for Carlyle that runs through the 2010-11 NHL season. Burke and Carlyle had agreed to lengthen Carlyle's deal shortly after last season concluded, but the team held off on the announcement until mid-summer.

"I'm very, very happy and honored to be coaching the hockey club," Carlyle said. "It's been a working environment that's been very easy for me and my family to join. I think that's the most important thing, that there's a huge comfort zone with the job. This extension means a lot to me and my family."

Carlyle, 52, came to the Ducks with no previous NHL head-coaching experience in 2005 and has compiled a 138-74-34 record in three seasons, establishing franchise records for victories and winning percentage (.630).

Anaheim has totaled 98, 110 and 102 points the past three seasons, after having surpassed 83 points only twice in the previous 11 seasons. With three consecutive playoff appearances, the Ducks have won six post-season series and captured the Stanley Cup championship in 2007.

“He’s brought accountability to our organization,” Burke said. “We play Ducks hockey, and Randy’s the architect of that. What’s important for me, he pours a lot of energy into the game.”

Burke is in the final season of his contract with Anaheim. He offered no update on his status, but reiterated the importance of having solidified the situation behind the bench.

“Whatever personal decision I’m trying to reach shouldn’t affect the coach,” Burke said.

Selanne deal awaits decision...

2008-08-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

Teemu Selanne's decision to play this season remains on hold, thanks in part to the Mats Sundin's situation.

Selanne likely will return to the Anaheim Ducks, but the team must clear salary cap space to sign him. A key part of that equation is the fate of defenseman Mathieu Schneider. The Ducks likely will trade Schneider, who is scheduled to make $5.5 million this season, but potential suitors are awaiting Sundin's decision.

Sundin, the former Toronto Maple Leafs captain, like Selanne is an unrestricted free agent. Several teams, including the Vancouver Canucks, are interested in signing Sundin -- if he decides to play this season.

So Selanne waits while Schneider waits while Sundin makes up his mind about the 2008-09 season.

Selanne announced his retirement after the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007, but decided to return to the team late last season.

At 38, Selanne has potential to be a first- or second-line right winger for the Ducks. He played in 26 games after returning to Anaheim last season, finishing with 12 goals and 11 assists.

Posted: August 21, 2008
Sporting News staff reports