Bleacher Report - Articles by Bobby Russell

Ducks-Sharks: Is It All Just "Puck Luck"?

Bobby Russell — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:31:52 -0400

Although it's reasonable to scream "fair-weather writer!" at me—since I haven't published an article since January—I figured I should contribute some playoff observations now that the Ducks have quacked their way into the NHL spotlight.

The biggest question the Ducks face heading into Game Three is whether or not they're better at being lucky than being good. Sharks coach Todd McLellan is leaning towards "lucky," and it's hard to fault him given his team's shot advantage after two games.

“I’m not too sure that the guys in there, after the two games, I think if you went through and asked each of the guys, they’d think they’re the better team,” said McLellan. “They’re not getting the puck luck."

The keep-doing-what-we're-doing interview is the most clichéd in hockey, but it's true that if the Sharks play as well as they did in Game Two, the Ducks will need to improve in order to win Game Three.

The Sharks will probably continue to pour on the shots, and they might even score a power play goal, but for every improvement there's usually a hole that opens up. The Ducks have been opportunistic, and that needs to continue for them to win the series.

The biggest reason for the Sharks' shot advantage is that they have been awarded 12 power plays. The Ducks have had six.

Granted, San Jose has also carried the play during even strength for the most part, but a six-to-two advantage in power plays means eight extra minutes of time on attack—which equals more shots on goal.

Will the Sharks continue to get the majority of the power plays? Probably.

The officiating hasn't been bad, and the vast majority of the calls against the Ducks have been legitimate. The Ducks should have no complaints about the penalties they've taken, and Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selanne should put a lid on their post-whistle whining if they want officials to take them seriously.

The real issue is that the Ducks have not been able to draw calls over the past two seasons.

When other teams cycle the puck and put the Ducks on their heels, the Ducks take penalties—as expected. But when the Ducks get their time in the offensive zone, teams are either playing remarkably clean defense (not likely), or the Ducks aren't getting the benefit of the doubt.

Not coincidentally, the Ducks have been getting even fewer power plays than normal over the past three weeks. When your power play is performing close to 40 percent, officials aren't going to be inclined to give you the marginal calls.

Though special teams is the most glaring statistic so far in this series—with the Sharks' 0-for-12 power play the major eyesore—a bigger concern for the Sharks is that the Ducks' defense has been doing a better job of forcing shooters to the outside and clearing the crease.

I cannot recall a single instance where the Sharks' forwards have deflected a point shot on net; they've mainly been blocking their own shots, then scrambling to shovel the loose pucks into the net. So far, it hasn't worked at all.

Game Two was chippier than Game One, and expect it to go up another notch in Game Three. There hasn't been a goaltender interference penalty or a post-whistle line brawl yet, but both teams are going to be crashing the net—with extreme prejudice—on Tuesday in Anaheim.

With the right balance of intensity and discipline, and maybe a little more puck luck, the Ducks could be on their way to the biggest upset of the first round.

Bobby Russell is the Community Leader for the Anaheim Ducks on Bleacher Report. You can contact him, make fun of him for living in a warm climate, or add him to your lineup by going to his profile.

Counterpoint: NHL All-Star Voting is No Laughing Matter

Bobby Russell — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:42:02 -0500

Having stumbled upon another article about the NHL's all-star voting, you might be wondering how many words will pass before the word "joke" is mentioned. In this case, the answer is 22. But I'm not here to write chapter 433 of Epic NHL Failures; I'm here to tell you that the purpose of the voting process has been wildly misunderstood by most members of the online hockey community.

There are two dominant opinions regarding the all-star game. The first states that the NHL's voting system is broken; that it's a disgrace to hockey that Montreal fans would have the gall to vote for their hometown heroes instead of Craig Anderson.

The second states that the all-star game is itself a farce—a meaningless exhibition of had-beens and fan favorites, who are invited to the game based on name recognition and popularity.

Some of the most vocal grumblings have come from the Boston and Washington camps, because Zdeno Chara and Alexander Ovechkin were not voted into the starting lineup. Nevermind the fact that both players are virtually guaranteed to be named to the Eastern team in the coming days.

Which is why the voting system served it's intended purpose—to allow the fans to select their favorite players to the game, independent of statistical merit. The obvious players like Ovechkin, Iginla, and Chara are going to the game no matter what, and they will probably receive more ice time than some of the starters.

Many people seem to be willing to use statistics from half a season to determine who in the league is considered an "all-star." This is not the NFL Pro Bowl—the Pro Bowl selections are made with more than three-quarters of the season taken into consideration. While it may not be the best year for J.S. Giguere or Alexei Kovalev to be named to an all-star team, it's just as ludicrous to suggest that Steve Mason or Jonas Hiller deserve to be named to the team based on their performances over one-half of one season.

If you'd be fine with attending an all-star game featuring David Krejci, Loui Eriksson, Bryan Little, and Scott Clemmenson, more power to you. But the fact of the matter is that the all-star game attracts a dismal television audience, and it's main success is in creating a major event for the hockey fans of the host city.

Accordingly, an NHL all-star game will be most successful if it features a mix of hometown players and renowned stars. That's exactly what will happen this year.

There's nothing easier than to point out that something human has imperfections. I'm amazed at how many people devote themselves to that task—the catchphrase of today's society might even be "that's not fair!" But while the voting process for the all-star game may not be completely fair, it's setting up a whale of an event for Montreal natives.

Bobby Russell is the Community Leader for the Anaheim Ducks on Bleacher Report. You can contact him, make fun of him for living in a warm climate, or add him to your lineup by going to his profile.

Anaheim Ducks New Year's Resolutions

Bobby Russell — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:10:45 -0500

The above photograph is a great illustration of the Anaheim Ducks' season up to this point. Through 40 games, the Ducks have been shoved aside by weak opposition, and it's truly a miracle that they're still clinging to a playoff spot.

If they lose to the Coyotes on Sunday, there's a chance that the Ducks will fall to ninth place. That would be a true indicator of where the team stands—maybe not talent-wise, but certainly in terms of dedication and preparation.

Now that you've heard my post-Christmas rant, the Ducks' Grinch presents some New Year's Resolutions that, if followed, will improve the team's chances of accomplishing something meaningful this season.

Anaheim Ducks New Year's Resolutions:

Ryan Getzlaf - To take a trip to a hardware store and buy three rolls of duct tape, so somebody can seal my mouth shut before I start whining about another obvious penalty.

Chris Pronger - To banish the word "certainly" from my vocabulary, because certainly some people have noticed that I use it 30 times in every interview.

Chris Kunitz - To discover a second and third dimension, because body checking is the only thing I seem to care about right now.

Bobby Ryan - To score a goal every time Chris Kunitz comes off the ice, because eventually Coach Carlyle will need to realize that I am the one who belongs on the first line.

Teemu Selanne - To avoid sharp objects and to remember how to score when the other team has five players on the ice.

Travis Moen - To learn Swedish so I can tell Pahlsson to stop missing assignments.

Samuel Pahlsson - To learn English so I can tell Moen that he misses even more assignments than I do.

Rob Niedermayer - To keep a bottle of hot water on the bench, because one of these days I will be checked from behind and my tongue will stick to the ice.

Scott Niedermayer - To start playing like I care.

Steve Montador - To avoid sending my kids to my old youth hockey coach—because he forgot to teach me to avoid skating the puck down the middle when leaving the defensive zone.

Corey Perry - To get more sleep, improve my diet, and bring my A-game to the rink every day.

Brendan Morrison - To develop some courage and to stop being paranoid, because my knee is perfectly fine and will not tear if I skate into a crowded area.

Ryan Carter - To ensure that the photographers' partitions are tightly sealed before the start of every period.

Todd Marchant - To appreciate all the money I'm being paid to kill penalties and miss breakaway opportunities.

Francois Beachemin - To sign an extension, because what else is there to do right now?

George Parros - To stick with whatever skating exercises I did over the summer, because they worked.

Jonas Hiller - To stay square to the shooter, instead of leaning forward and exposing the top half of the net. And to improve my timing, be more precise, and to not have so many holes like Swiss cheese (Okay then, let's play some hockey).

J.S. Giguere - To out-play Jonas Hiller, because I have better technique, more skill, and about five million more dollars.

Kent Huskins - To start playing like I'm 6-foot-4; otherwise, there's a nice cozy locker awaiting me in Iowa.

Brendan Mikkelson - To play well enough to convince the coaching staff that I deserve to take Kent Huskins' job. That won't be very hard to do.

Brett Festerling - A few more assists would be nice.

Bret Hedican - To accept the fact that Brett Festerling spells his first name the correct way.

Andrew Ebbett - To hit the gym and gain a few pounds...or even better, more than a few.

Brad Larsen - To remember that I now play for the Anaheim Ducks, because I haven't seen the ice or even practiced with the team yet.

Brad May - To retire.

Bobby Russell is the Community Leader for the Anaheim Ducks on Bleacher Report. You can contact him, make fun of him for living in a warm climate, or add him to your lineup by going to his profile.

With Teemu Selanne Injured, What Adjustments Will the Anaheim Ducks Make?

Bobby Russell — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:54:00 -0500

While Teemu Selänne nurses a nasty injury inflicted by his own skate blade, Anaheim Ducks fans are collectively scratching their heads in anticipation of seeing the team's new line combinations.

Half-truth.

The men on the Ducks' coaching staff are among the NHL's worst offenders when it comes to line-combination indecision. There have not been consistent lines in Anaheim since June 6, 2007—the last game of the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals.

Since then, almost every Ducks game has been a capricious garden of line-juggling delights, with two checking-line forwards in every pot. The only certainty is that whomever is playing with Ryan Getzlaf is on "line one" and whomever is playing with George Parros is on "line four."

There will not be any consistency in the forward combinations for Monday's game against Vancouver. In fact, the combinations are likely to change several times per period.

But maybe there's no need to worry. After all, even if Brendan Morrison is skating with new wingers in every period, the coaching staff will be keeping their eyes open for a good combination they can use "next time."

Problem is, "next time" never comes. Consistency is no longer a virtue in the Ducks' organization.

Now that Andrew Ebbett has been recalled from Iowa, the question is not so much about where he will play, but about where everyone else will play.

It's probably safe to say that Travis Moen, Samuel Pahlsson, and Rob Niedermayer will play together. Beyond that, little is certain. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will stay where they are. But Chris Kunitz, the only other skill player on the Ducks' roster, could hop around to several different locations.

Ebbett is technically a skill player, but he is also an AHL skill player who is relatively untested in NHL waters. Randy Carlyle's interpretation: he's a rookie. Carlyle is not fond of rookies, particularly ones named Bobby Ryan.

Nothing wrong with a little freshman-year hazing. But in a season where the team has struggled to assemble two decent even-strength lines, Carlyle's benchings and line juggling can be detrimental to the entire team—not exclusively to the player to whom he is trying to make a point.

When a player is benched, at least one other player needs to double-shift. That means two things for the double-shifter: more minutes, and unfamiliar linemates.

In last week's column I wrote that chemistry is exaggerated as a necessity for a line, and that calculated changes in line combinations can be a good thing. Benching and double-shifting are not examples of calculated changes.

Regardless, don't be surprised if Ebbett finds himself warming the middle of the bench by the end of the second period.

Is Chemistry Important on an NHL Line?

Bobby Russell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:12:29 -0500

I hear it from fans every time an NHL coach wants to reshuffle his lines.

"Don't split those guys up, they have great chemistry!"

"If we put him there, it will ruin the line's chemistry."

But how important is chemistry to a line's success?

There are thousands of potential definitions for chemistry as it applies to sports. I'll give you a simple one: Chemistry is a combination of familiarity and camaraderie.

Now, let's take a look at the positive factors regarding chemistry:

Playing on a line with the same skaters every night will create a comfort zone. If the three forwards know eachother's tendencies, they will be unpredictable and one step ahead of the defense.

That form of non-verbal communication cannot occur with three random players thrusting into action. There is a reason why the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line has been one of the most successful lines in the NHL over the past three seasons. Familiarity breeds success.

However, does camaraderie breed success?

Certainly, a lack of camaraderie can ruin a team. It is one of the reasons why Sean Avery has hopped around the league, despite his energy and usefulness. Locker room cancer is always destructive, and sometimes to a great degree.

But are Spezza, Heatley, and Alfie friends off the ice? Does that even matter? If you took one of those players away from the Senators and put him on another team, would he suddenly become ineffective?

In my opinion, no.

The type of players who are put on a line has a far greater impact on effectiveness than the names on the back of the jerseys.

It's not important whether or not the players on a line get along with each other or like each other. It's important that their skills and abilities complement each others' games.

In other words, it doesn't need to be Jason Spezza, Danny Heatley, and Daniel Alfredsson playing together. The replacement player doesn't necessarily need to be as talented, but you better make sure that he provides skills that are similar to those of the player he replaces.

That can cause problems when there isn't a suitable player on the roster. The Anaheim Ducks are currently in such a situation in scrambling to find a partner for Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. To do that, the "shutdown line" of Rob Niedermayer, Samuel Pahlsson, and Travis Moen has been shuffled around, much to the chagrin of some Ducks fans.

That "shutdown line" was one of the keys to the Ducks' championship in 2007. However, it is my belief that Todd Marchant would be a fine replacement player on that line. Splitting the three "traditional" members will not be an issue, since the replacement player brings similar abilities to the table.

To sum up—if a line that has been together for a while needs to be split up, don't immediately panic. Give the replacement player a chance, and see if the new line's effectiveness improves after a couple of weeks. If the players do not perform adequately after a good chunk of time, then panic.

Just stop worrying about whether or not they go on camping trips together over the offseason.

Bobby Russell is the Community Leader for the Anaheim Ducks on Bleacher Report. You can contact him, make fun of him for living in a warm climate, or add him to your lineup by going to his profile.

Anaheim Ducks Weekly Recap: Blessings and Curses

Bobby Russell — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:46:22 -0500

We open this week's review with a paradox: The Anaheim Ducks may finally be settling down now that they have a new general manager and two new players.

The team only played two games this week, so this review will mainly cover the week's news items. Many of these news items are two-faced—both a blessing and curse for the team.

Bye Bye, Burkie

Brian Burke's departure will bless the Ducks since the team is finally void of distractions. The Ducks no longer need to worry about their administrator's career ambitions, now that he's free to join whichever high-profile franchise he fancies to join.

The curse is cast not upon the Ducks organization, but upon Burke's succesor—Bob Murray. It is up to him to guide the Ducks out of salary cap purgatory, which is no easy task given Burke's inflationary signings.

One of the major reasons for the Ducks' lack of success in 2007-08 was off-ice issues. There should be no such issues now that they have a GM who is out of the spotlight. Murray should consider tweaking portions of the roster, but it's more important for him to avoid mistakes than to manufacture a blockbuster trade.

Adieu Adieu, Beauchemin

In this news item, the curse is the more obvious element. The Ducks will sorely miss Francois Beauchemin, who has been diagnosed with an ACL injury that will keep him sidelined for six months.

Beauchemin usually logs the most minutes out of all Ducks defensemen, including Niedermayer and Pronger. The reason? Beauchemin is younger and possesses exceptional endurance and durability.

So where is the blessing?

Beauchemin has been placed on long-term injured reserve, which freed up enough cap space for the Ducks to recall the two players who earned spots on the roster during training camp—Bobby Ryan and Brett Festerling.

The Rookies' Debut

It's all blessings and no curses from here on out. Ryan and Festerling both played brilliantly on Sunday against the Kings—their first game of the season. The only reason they started the season in Iowa instead of the NHL was due to the Ducks' cap issues. It's unfortunate that the Beauchemin injury needed to be the catalyst that led to their recall, but such is the way of things.

Ryan is an absolutely perfect fit for the Getzlaf-Perry line, as all three of those players relentlessly battle in the corners to keep pucks in the offensive zone. Ryan's placement on the Getzlaf line also allows the Ducks to place Chris Kunitz on a line with Brendan Morrison and Teemu Selanne—a much more natural combination for all three of those players.

Festerling was paired with Scott Niedermayer and logged the big minutes during even-strength play (17:42 TOI, no power play time). Before anyone accuses Festerling of riding Niedermayer's coattails, remember that the two of them are out on the ice against the opposing team's top scoring line.

The Week's Games

Nothing out of the ordinary happened last week. The Ducks' overtime loss against Nashville was a ponderous affair despite the relatively high scoreline. The Ducks looked average on even-strength, but were able to convert on the power play to stay in the game.

Sunday evening's win against the Kings was a step in the right direction and a good debut for the team's new players. Bret Hedican also scored a great goal on a slapshot from the point, which gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead. It was his first goal in over a year.

Next week will be a bit busier, with a Wednesday meeting against the Washington Capitals followed by a weekend road trip to St. Louis and Dallas.

Bobby Russell is the community leader for the Anaheim Ducks on Bleacher Report. You can contact him on his profile.

Photo: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks Official Website

Brian Burke and the Anaheim Ducks: Departure and Legacy

Bobby Russell — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:13:35 -0500

Sometimes it's astonishing how quickly situations change.

A year and a half ago, the Anaheim Ducks were sitting high and mighty. The team was poised for a promising future with a roster and organization that seemed likely to stay intact.

Instead, the Ducks had to deal with retirement sagas from Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne, which hampered the team's ability to repeat their championship. Then, the popular Henry Samueli was forced to rescind his ownership duties after legal violations in his business were uncovered by federal investigators.

Now, Brian Burke has been relieved of his duties seven months before his contract was due to expire. Bob Murray will replace him as the Ducks' general manager.

The timing of this move is inopportune. The Ducks are struggling to clear salary room for Bobby Ryan, and might be making a pitch for Mats Sundin.

Popular opinions on Burke tend to be either overly critical or overly praising. He did not ride the coattails of Bryan Murray to the Stanley Cup. He disassembled and reassembled the Ducks into the champions that they became.

However, there is no escaping the fact that the moves he has made since the championship season have ranged from neutral to bad. The exceptions are the re-signings of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, which were both good deals.

Burke's greatest accomplishment has been giving the Anaheim Ducks an identity. Before Burke, the team had no character or brand management. He expanded the hockey market in Southern California, and even helped spread the game in the youth community.

There is one more important thing that Burke brought to the Ducks: attention.

As one of the most vocal and forthright general managers in hockey, Burke generated a league-wide interest in the team. It was impossible to ignore the Ducks as long as Burke was with the organization.

Those characteristics were integral for the Ducks, but will not be needed in Toronto.

Toronto has a brand, a history, and a fanbase. What they need is a good team, which Burke may or may not be able to deliver.

Toronto needs a general manager like Ken Holland or Lou Lamoriello—one capable of quietly building a team from the ground up. Burke has never had a particularly strong draft, and his farm systems are never among the league's most promising.

Still, Burke is without a doubt the best candidate currently on the market.

Toronto is brimming with an aggressive media that will expect instant success, which nobody will be able to deliver. Combine that with a head coach and a GM known for wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and you have a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Burke has stated that the main reason for the move is his family. He wants to be closer to his children, which is a respectable motive.

But why now, instead of last June or this upcoming June? There are unsolved problems with the Ducks' roster and the salary cap, most of which were brought on by Burke himself.

Bob Murray will certainly have his hands full.

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images.

Anaheim Ducks Weekly Recap: Stars and Panthers Derail Winning Streak

Bobby Russell — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:32:33 -0500

The Anaheim Ducks put together an impressive winning streak last week, but it ended this weekend. Losses to the Stars and Panthers have left the Ducks frozen at fourth in the Western Conference, as the Sharks and Red Wings continue their winning ways and the Stars inch closer to the top.

Freeway Faceoff

One of the more boring Ducks-Kings meetings took place last Wednesday. Chris Pronger scored a goal 40 seconds into overtime to end the snoozer of a game. There was sloppy play on offense and little emotion—there was only one brief scuffle in a matchup that usually features several fights.

With four goals and 10 assists to his credit, Pronger is on pace to have a monster of a season offensively. His defensive play has been much better than it was last year, but he hasn't had much support from his defensive partners, more on that soon.

The next evening, the Ducks hosted the St. Louis Blues and came away with a 5-2 victory. Goals from Gezlaf, Perry, and Selanne kept the NHL's hottest tandem on a roll, though that streak would end a few days later.

The Blues' Andy McDonald scored a goal against his former team, which woke up some boo birds after it was announced that Paul Kariya was credited with the assist.

Seeing Stars

The Ducks do not match-up very well against the Stars. Almost every shot they take is blocked before it reaches Marty Turco, and their forechecking strategy is laid to waste. This occurs because every time the Ducks attempt to dump the puck, Turco leaves his crease and recovers it.

Against virtually every other team, the Ducks can send the puck deep and create turnovers in the offensive zone. Even if they don't gain possession of the puck, they can still check the opposing defensemen as they are recovering the puck, which is an effective strategy to wear the opposing team down.

This does not work against the Stars, because Turco can effectively function as a non-checkable defenseman. Notice how he cleverly turns his body when an attacking player approaches him. There is absolutely nothing illegal about what he does, but he must be frustrating to play against.

I personally would not be opposed to a rule that allows players to check the goaltender if he ventures behind the net, especially since goaltenders are apparently allowed to check opposing forwards. There was a play in last year's playoffs where Turco checked a Ducks player against the sideboards, but no penalty was called.

The Ducks ended up losing to the Stars on Friday, 5-2. There were few positives from this game, one of them being Brendan Morrison notching his first goal of the season. However, he promptly followed that up with a bad game against Florida.

Hail Anderson

Occasionally, there comes a time when no matter what you throw at the net, nothing goes in. That happened on Sunday for the Ducks, as Craig Anderson made 44 saves to lead the Florida Panthers to a 3-1 victory.

Anderson's play was impressive, but a bit awkward. On the Ducks' telecast, Brian Hayward suggested that Anderson was battling to make saves all night. He was definitely scrambling for rebounds, which he coughed up very often, but I wouldn't use the word battling to describe his play.

To me, it looked like Anderson was having trouble staying on his feet. He looked very uncomfortable with traffic and contact, and he spent much of the game on his rear end. His saves were not of the Hasek-esque acrobatic variety—it looked more like he was constantly losing his balance and the pucks just happened to keep hitting him.

Lucky or not, he deserves credit for an outstanding performance. David Booth also earns accolades for scoring a hat-trick, which is the second game in a row that a player has scored a hat-trick against the Ducks.

Brendan Morrison had a few good chances in this game, including a nice pass to Francois Beauchemin in the slot. Away from the puck, Morrison looked bad once again. We're about a quarter of the way through the season, and this acquisition simply isn't working out for the Ducks...

Which leads me to believe that Brian Burke is going to make a serious pitch for Mats Sundin. Check the Ducks page on B/R this Wednesday for an editorial about the possibility of acquiring Sundin.

Image: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks official website

Ducks-Red Wings: Anaheim Wins Fifth Straight Game

Bobby Russell — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:58:13 -0400

The Anaheim Ducks have won five games in a row. Their play has been solid lately, and last night they were rewarded with an overtime victory over the best team in the NHL.

The Ducks are finally getting contributions from their scoring lines. In last night's game against the Red Wings, Teemu Selanne netted his 21st career hat-trick and Ryan Getzlaf had five assists. Both players had been struggling earlier in the year.

Scott Niedermayer also tallied two assists, and he now owns the Ducks' career record for assists by a defenseman. He moved ahead of Oleg Tverdovsky. Ducks fans should rejoice that Tverdovsky no longer holds a team record.

The increased production from the Ducks' top players has translated into wins, which should come as no surprise to fans. The team is functioning as it should—the top players provide the main scoring, and the supporting players chip-in occasionally. Last night's depth contribution came from Brian Sutherby, who scored the Ducks' fourth goal.

Now that the top lines are scoring, the Ducks' lineup is relatively set. The only problems are that they could use another top six forward (Bobby Ryan), and Brendan Morrison is still invisible. He had zero points last night, and only has one point on the entire season. It also seems like the team is one injury away from being mediocre, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Wednesday's game contained several events that have become common in Ducks games. There was a goal waved off for goaltender interference, which seems to happen to the Ducks at least once per week. This particular situation was unusual since Teemu Selanne was not the one who interfered with Osgood—he shoved Mikael Samuelsson, who fell into the crease.

There were 15 total power plays for both teams, which means that almost half of the game was special teams play (there were a few 5-on-3 situations). The Ducks are well on their way to being the most penalized team in the league once again, as they have been shorthanded 66 times this season. The next team on the list is the Washington Capitals, who have been shorthanded 52 times.

But the most frustrating part of last nights game was the television production. For the third time this season, Fox Sports Prime Ticket used what they call "rinkside view." It is a good idea that does not work well, since it's impossible to track specific players and to see the rush develop when the camera is changing so frequently.

Two goals were completely missed because of the camera work. Teemu Selanne's first goal was not visible because the camera was zoomed in on Ryan Getzlaf, and Brian Sutherby's goal was not visible because the behind-the-net camera cuts off the net. Pavel Datsyuk's second goal was also hard to see because they were using a low-angle camera at center ice.

The "rinkside view" cameras are good for instant replays, but it just isn't a good way to watch the actual game. The camerawork should be relatively invisible during the game, so that the viewer's attention is on the hockey instead of the production. Most people aren't impressed by flashy cinematography.

Tomorrow's game is on KDOC, so it should be a traditional broadcast. The Ducks will be playing the Vancouver Canucks, who have lost four out of their last five games. But they have a good chance of getting back in the win column tonight—they're playing the Kings.

Bret Hedican Signs One-Year Deal; Anaheim Ducks Preparing for Major Overhaul?

Bobby Russell — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:02:41 -0400

Another ex-Canuck has joined the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks have signed defenseman Bret Hedican to a one-year contract. Financial terms have not been officially disclosed, but the salary is said to be worth around $850,000.

How the Ducks have the room to make this move is beyond me. Make no mistake, Hedican is a potential top-four defensemen and is a definite upgrade over Ken Klee or Nathan McIver. He will probably be playing with Chris Pronger.

But the Ducks are once again over the salary cap. Brad Larsen's injury allows the Ducks to go slightly over the cap, so they might be under the legal limit for the time being.

But this signing is probably step two of a major overhaul. Things got started earlier this week, with Ken Klee being placed on waivers.

Klee cleared waivers yesterday, but it's probable that the Ducks are still trying to get rid of him. Since he is over age 35, the Ducks are forced to count his entire $1.25 million salary against the cap, even if he is sent to the AHL. The Ducks could place him on re-entry waivers, but that would leave the Ducks stuck with half of the salary.

The Ducks would then have $1.955 million being wasted on two players who are not on the team. Todd Bertuzzi's buyout is already burning $1.33 million, and Klee's $625,000 waiver fee would add to the misery. Ducks' fans can thank Brian Burke for all of this.

The "best GM in the league" appears to be doing another favor for an old friend. He suddenly has a penchant for signing once-talented players who have played for him in the past. First came Todd Bertuzzi, then Brendan Morrison, and now Bret Hedican.

For the record, it's possible that Morrison and Hedican have some talent left—they deserve a chance to show what they can do. But they are both past their prime and they need to do a better job than Bertuzzi did last year (which isn't asking very much).

If a trade is in the works, my guess is that Francois Beauchemin and Chris Kunitz are the top candidates. Beauchemin has expressed a desire to test the free agent market over the offseason and Kunitz is the most expendable of the Ducks' top six forwards. Ryan Carter is capable of replacing Kunitz and he plays a very similar style.

With the weekend fast approaching, we may not see the Ducks make a move until next week. Until then, be sure to tune-in to their upcoming Canadian road trip. And be on the lookout for Kristi Yamaguchi. (you knew it would be mentioned eventually!)

Image: Courtesy of Anaheim Ducks official website

Ducks-Hurricanes Preview: Anaheim Needs Scoring Lines to Contribute

Bobby Russell — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:50:44 -0400

Last season, the Anaheim Ducks relied too heavily on Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to provide scoring. This season, they are the only two players who can't seem to find the back of the net.

It took the Ducks five games to earn their first points of the season. Friday's win over the Sharks was commendable, but the final score was deceiving. J-S Giguere once again stood on his head to keep the Ducks in the game, but this time he had a little help from the players in front of him.

Problem is, it was from the players directly in front of him. Two of the Ducks' goals were from defensemen—Francois Beachemin and Chris Pronger—and two were from checking forwards Samuel Pahlsson and Travis Moen (whom I called out last week).

Here are the Ducks' leading scorers. Rob Niedermayer is on pace for an 82-point season, and is the only Duck with more than one goal. His offensive ability has been underrated in the past couple of seasons, so I am not surprised to see him putting points on the board.

But I am surprised to see Getzlaf, Perry, Teemu Selanne, and Brendan Morrison with only one point apiece.

Chris Kunitz has zero points, and he also happens to be in the first season of a $3.75 million contract. His play in the past has been worthy of that type of money, but he was average last season and has been bad this season. Ducks GM Brian Burke has a history of offering large contracts to overachieving players, so hopefully this isn't another one of those cases.

Scouting the Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are making their first visit to Anaheim since Dec. 6, 2005, which resulted in a 6-2 victory for the Canes. The last time the Ducks beat the Hurricanes was before the lockout—a 2-1 victory on Feb. 4, 2004 in Anaheim.

The Canes started this season 2-0, but have since lost two in a row (one was in overtime, to the Kings). This isn't a team that the Ducks play very often, which means the game will either be wide open or overly tentative.

Ray Whitney and Eric Staal are the two offensive players that the Ducks will need to worry about, but the Canes have some secondary scoring threats who can burn you if they're left unattended. Matt Cullen should be familiar to Ducks fans, and he usually approaches 50 points per year.

The Canes also have Rod Brind'Amour, the guy who cheated Samuel Pahlsson out of the Selke two years ago. To his credit, Brind'Amour is a fitness freak who probably has the ability to play in the NHL until he's 50 years old, should he choose to do so.

The Ducks will need to keep an eye on Joni Pitkanen, a defenseman with above-average offensive vision. He has four points in four games, so the Ducks' wingers will need to tightly cover the point and keep pucks from getting back to him. He has a reputation for being overly aggressive and a defensive liability at times, which could be exploited.

The Gameplan and Predictions

The Ducks are better than the Hurricanes. But as the first four games have shown, that does not mean they will play better. They gave up 40 shots to the Sharks, which must come down to 25-30 if they want continued success and a victory on Sunday.

The Ducks' wingers need to cover the points to prevent pucks from getting to the Hurricanes' talented defense corps, but they cannot simultaneously leave the slot open. So far this season, the Ducks have not been able to balance their defensive coverage, and that needs to change.

Finally, the Ducks' scorers need to score goals. Getzlaf and Perry are overdue, Selanne should start getting some bounces, and the checking-line players need to stay hungry even if the scorers start doing their jobs. This will be the game where things start to come together.

Final Prediction: 4-2 Ducks. Goals from Perry (2), Getzlaf, and Montador.

Photo: Harry How/Getty Images

Anaheim Ducks Should Forget Travis Moen, Revive Rob Niedermayer

Bobby Russell — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:05:52 -0400

Steve Reinprecht stared at the puck, chuckling at the opportunity that was handed to him. He flipped a pass over to Mikkel Boedker, who stared directly into J.S. Giguere's eyes as the puck crossed the line.

Travis Moen just stared at his skates.

Boedker had scored his first career NHL goal, and it was one of the simplest goals you will ever see at the NHL level. Reinprecht's passing lane was open due to some comic defending by the Ducks' Steve Montador, but the play originated on the other end of the ice.

A loose puck had trickled into the sideboards, and Travis Moen and Kent Huskins both went after it. I haven't decided who to blame yet—since both players have been playing horrible hockey this season—but the two players collided and gave up an odd-man rush.

After two games, the Ducks' leading goal scorers are George Parros and Ryan Carter. Their top overall scorers are Chris Pronger and Montador—who are both defensemen.

So why aren't the Ducks' offensive players scoring any goals?

Teemu Selanne has had his chances. I've counted a post and two crossbars in two games. That does not excuse his failure to finish those chances, but at least his line has been creating scoring opportunities.

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have been invisible. The reason? They're playing with Travis Moen.

The coaches are expecting Moen to battle in the corners and recover loose pucks for Getzlaf and Perry. Those two are supposed to handle the goal-scoring once they have the puck.

A player's job is to do whatever the coaching staff tells him to do. The coaching staff's job is to put the player in a position where he can succeed.

Travis Moen cannot succeed on a scoring line.

As good as Moen is at grinding on both sides of the rink, his lack of offensive polish severely handicaps the Ducks' chances of scoring more goals than they did last season. Recovering the puck is important, but the players on a scoring line need to be able to convert open chances when they materialize.

Since Bobby Ryan was sent chopping, head coach Randy Carlyle's options are limited. Ryan Carter might be a good fit for the Getzlaf line, but he was unimpressive at training camp and in the preseason. (naturally, he scored a goal yesterday)

The best option is Rob Niedermayer, believe it or not. For the past two seasons, he has not been an offensive threat. However, he still possesses untapped offensive ability.

In the 2005-06 season, he tallied 15 goals and 39 points. Those are not amazing numbers, but that type of production will be satisfactory until Bobby Ryan can be recalled. Also keep in mind that Niedermayer came into the league as an offensive player. He scored 26 goals and 61 points in the 1995-96 season with the Florida Panthers.

His production has fallen because of the role he has been asked to fill. If he is liberated from the checking-line role, I believe he will be able to contribute more offense than Travis Moen or Ryan Carter can contribute. Niedermayer has a comparable wrist shot, a better slap shot, and is a better skater (though Carter comes close).

Besides, he can't do much worse than Moen's zero points and minus-two rating.

Brian Burke: A Man Obsessed with Checking-Line Forwards

Bobby Russell — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:54:59 -0400

Last week, the Anaheim Ducks sent Bobby Ryan down to their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

Ryan, who is affectionately known as "the guy drafted right after Crosby," has only appeared in 23 NHL games. His appearances have been sporadic—which is another way of saying that he hasn't been given a chance.

Last evening was supposed to be Ryan's formal debut, and he was penciled-in to play on the first line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Instead, the Ducks sent out a lineup that featured Travis Moen playing on the first line.

It was simply impossible for the Ducks to meet their salary cap requirements without demoting Bobby Ryan to the minor leagues.

Or at least that's what Brian Burke wants you to believe.

If you take a look at the Ducks' roster, you'll find five forwards who are capable of scoring. The rest of the forwards are defensive players who are really good at hitting and backchecking.

Most of them cannot skate, score, or stay out of the penalty box. A few of them were inherited when Burke took over as GM, but most are recent additions.

One of those recent additions is Brian Sutherby, a center who plays a grinding, in-your-face brand of hockey. He was with the Ducks last season, and Burke offered him a $700,000 extension over the summer.

Another one is Ryan Carter, who played a few solid games for the Ducks last season before injuring his wrist in an accident during pregame warmups. Carter was offered an extension worth $625,000.

The combined total for Carter and Sutherby is $1.325 million.

The Ducks need to shed $1.2 million to bring Bobby Ryan back up to the squad. See where I'm going with this?

Carter and Sutherby were both signed to one-way contracts. It is therefore impossible for the Ducks to send them to the minors without risking a waiver claim. For some reason, Burke thought it prudent to sign his unimportant players to deals that restrict their movement.

Or maybe he thought he could trade Todd Marchant.

Trading Marchant would be the easiest way to make room for Ryan, but no sane GM will take Marchant's contract. He also has a no-trade clause, which makes it difficult (though not impossible) to trade him.

So that leads us to where the Ducks currently stand—their replacement-level players are preventing the hot prospect from beginning his career.

Burke is not at fault for Marchant's overblown salary, but he is responsible for just about everything else. Signing two redundant checking-line forwards before clearing room for Bobby Ryan was a bad decision. Grit is easily replaced. Goals are not.

I suppose Burke thought he could unload Marchant and Mathieu Schneider before training camp. He was wrong. And unless one of the Ducks' checking-line forwards can find a way to produce on a scoring line, it will end up costing him dearly.

Luckily, Burke has about 28 checking-line forwards to choose from.