Bah! It's people like you who put societies youth at risk... ;)

Ducks Preview

A lot of people are saying the Ducks were a fluke and they are going to fall off this year. Admittedly I am biased, but I don't think so. Saying so ignores the fact that they were one of the best teams in the league in the second halg, after clearly struggling to learn new coach Mike Babcock's system, which stresses getting out of the defensive zone and aggressive two-player forechecking. It also ignores the fact that the Ducks clearly have more talent and skill on their roster right now than they even did during the playoffs last year, and this time they have it all season.

I think a lot of people are still going to be surprised when the Ducks prove to be much more consistent and in the mix of things than they expected, and at the end of the season, people won't talk about the big four (Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, Vancouver), but the big five (adding Anaheim).

Here's a look at the Ducks by line and pairing:

First Line

LW Jason Krog- C Sergei Deferov- RW Rob Neidermayer

Okay, this matchup surprised me abit, but when I see the second line, I am very excited by the kind of play this setup can bring for the Ducks. I don't think anyone doubts that when Federov is on his game, he is the kind of player than can make those around him better. I think he can do so here as well. Niedermayer has been a disappointment for years, because of high expectations, but behind all that, he has quietly become a very solid defensive forward who can put up 15-20 goals when left alone. He did very well with the Ducks last year after the trading deadline. Krog played on the third and fourth lines last year, mostly, and bespite limited ice time, had 25 points in 67 games. A top line pairing with Federov could be just what he's looking for to explose on the scene, get 25 goals and 60 points in a full season. He's also solid defensively, making this one of the best defensive top lines I have seen in the NHL.

Second Line

LW Vinny Prospal- C Steve Rucchin- RW Petr Sykora

As much as I like the Ducks' scoring depth, I have to think the decision to bump both Prospal and Sykora from the top line was to make opponents actually have to choose between stopping Federov or stopping this line. This second line is a top line in all but name. Prospal is coming off his best season, so you have to thnik he's going to come down a little. That said, I have been watching this guy in the preseason and he's fast, feisty and a playmaker. He's also solid defensively. Steve Rucchin is the heart and soul of this team, and actually has been for years, although Kariya always got the headlines. I think dropping him down to the second line is a great move, because he really is much better suited here. He remains one of the best defensive forwards in the league and a hard-working goal scorer. Sykora, of course, is the Ducks' top sniper. He got 34 goals last season, and there's no reason that should stop this year, if he has Prospal and Rucchin feeding him passes. He's always dangerous. He's the only guy of the top six forwards that isn't considered an A or B player defensively, but he's not a slouch there either.

Third Line

LW Stanislav Chistov- C Samuel Pahlsson- RW Joffrey Lupul

This is traditionally the checking line, but it seems likely the Ducks will fearlessly be matching their top two lines against the best of the other teams, thanks to the defensive consistency of the top six. That allows them to go with a younger line that has some very good offensive potential here on the third line. Pahlsson is a traditional third-line checker with developing offensive skills. He's very solid in his own end, has the size to hit, and should get 10 goals with 30-35 points (on a normal third line, he could get more assists if the wings around him develop). Chistov may be the most talented player ont he roster right now and is a future top-liner. The problem is he has been very inconsistent, and the preseason gave no reason to think that has changed. He is better than most young forwards defensively, although that just makes him average on the whole. If Chistov recognizes his talent, he's a 30-goal scorer. More than likely he'll slightly improve on last year's numbers (12 goals, 30 points) and continue to frustrate us Ducks fans. If you're wondering who the big, but fast skater is on this line, that is Joffrey Lupul, the seventh overall pick in the 2002 draft. Lupul is basically a power forward with a hard shot and very nice skating form for a big man. He had a wonderful preseason and if he keeps playing the way he has been (we'll see tonight), he could vie for the Calder. That's aiming high, though--I wouldn't mind seeing him come in with 10-15 goals and 30-40 points (which i think he is capable of with enough ice time).

Fourth Line

LW Garrett Burnett- C Craig Johnson- RW Alexei Smirnov

Burnett is here for one reason: enforcer. He's a career minor leaguer with little offensive upside, so when he's on the ice you know what he's doing. He led the AHL last season with 364 penalty minutes. Good Lord. Johnson was a very nice pickup, as we needed a solid and speedy defensive forward for our penalty kill. Any offense out of him would be a bonus, but he isn't an offensive zero either. Smirnov is another former first rounder, but he hasn't developed as much as Chistov and Lupul have. He has some serious upside as a power forward, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Notes: We have some players missing from the forward corps to start the season. Power forward Mike LeClerc is a 20-goal scoring regular and a big and strong defensive player as well. He had knee surgery is liekly out until December. He is a second-line player, or a very good third-liner, with 30-goal potential. Center Andy McDonald is considered one of the most talented offensive players on the team, but has been suffering from the ole concussion-syndrome since last February. He is practicing again and working out and should be back this month. Just not tonight. And we have Dan Bylsma, who should be familar to hockey fans. He is essentially a superstud penalty killer and not much else,but he is out until December with a kneee injury as well, which is why signing Johnson was so important. We also have prospect forward Mikael Homqvist on the roster. He is another exciting young winger that the Ducks will probably work into their lines, probably replacing Burnett on the fourht line when they don't need an enforcer out there.

First Pairing

Sandis Ozolinsh-Kurt Sauer

The joke is that there are two O's in Ozolinsh's name, but no 'D'. Well, no, he's still not going to shock you with his defensive prowess, but Ozolinsh has improved his defensive game markedly, especially with the Ducks, where you play well in your own end, or don't play. He is also the quarterback of the power play and acknowledged to be almost a top-six forward-level in skill offensively. Saurer is a big kid who plays like a vet. He received votes in the Calder voting last year and is very solid in his own end. His presence allows Ozolinsh to jump in more often than usual.

Second Pairing

Ruslan Salei-Todd Simpson

Everyone knows (and hates) Salei. Despite the impression of being a dirty gamer, Salei is by and large a very effective defender and his presence does, of course, require forwards to keep an eye out when they're flying into the Ducks' zone. Supposedly, Salei has some offensive skill that could blossom at any time. I'll be honest--I'll believe it when I see it. He's not a zero on offense, but I don't think any of the Ducks' oppoennts are going to have to gameplan for him. Simpson was a very nice waiver wire addition, considering the Carney injury. Yotes and Flamers fans will have to tell me more about him, but my understanding is he is a tough, veteran defensive presence who should fit in well here. I like that he's a former captain.

Third Pairing

Niclas Havelid-Vitaly Vishnevsky

Ozolinsh and, last year, Olausson, got so much talk as offensive forwards that Havelid didn't really get mentioned much. But the fact is he is probably our best passer out of our own zone and a very effective puck mover. He's a top four D-man playing on our third pairing. I'll take that. Vishnevsky is the big hitter on the team, and gets on a lot of highlight reels. He is solid in his own end, but needs to develop the offensive game he has been rumored to have for years now.

Notes: As I mentioned above, we are currently without defensive leadcer Keith Carner. That hurts us probably more than any of the other injuries, even with our depth ont he blueline. Carney is a very effective checker who can man-up the top forwards int he league. He's smart and tough and logs a lot of ice-time. The team is hoping to have him back from a broken foot by early November.

Goaltenders

Jean-Sebastian Giguere
Martin Gerber

I probably don't need to talk about this too much. Jiggy showed in the playoffs both that he is tremendously talented and skilled, and that he is a team leader as well. He got off to a slow start last year, so I hope he doesn't have the same start this season. He remains one of the best goalies in the game, and a good season should put him in the elite group of 'tenders (I think people are hesitant to do so just yet, but he'll prove himself). Gerber is one of the best backup goalies in the league, and would start for a number of other teams. He seems to have the perfect mindset for being a backup, and he is always ready to play. He actually had better numbers than Jiggy in the regular season and allowed two or less goals in 12 of his 15 starts.

There you go. Feel free to refer to it as the season goes by. :)

CR

Islanders Preview

They will play 82 games. 41 will be snoozefests played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. They will be near .500. They will play to about 78% capacity. There will be one guy with a jersey that says Rangers Suck. He will dance around like a fool with his rainbow wig. They will then roll over and play dead in the first round of the playoffs.

As for the WHA: They have a 10 million dollar salary cap (except for one player). They are going to have teams in cities that already don't support the NHL - think Pittsburgh. They are going to attempt to capitalize on some sort of lockout. They will be out of business by 2005. There is actually a WHA2 that starts play this season. Teams in places like Orlando. As someone who actually went to WHA games, I'm tingling with anticipation ;).

Figures. I put that up, and then the Ducks start off down 2-0 in the first three minutes. :(

The first play was understandable. The Stars are a very good team on the power play, and it's no surprise to see Sergei Zubov scoring with the extra man.

But that second goal was horrible. Ozolinsh totally whiffed on that attempted clear out and pretty much set up a point blank shot on goal for Stu Barnes. The announcers are saying "This ain't the playoffs, Jiggy!" and saying Barnes made a great shopt, but gimme a break, let's see them stop a shot from 10 feet out with no one between you and the pucka nd very little time to react to the fact that a shot like that was coming. Ugh.

Let's come back in this one!

CR

Long story short. Hello NHL Draft Lottery. Think Carolina Hurricanes last season.

Wanna bet, Jim?

Same bet as DD last year.

Your most embarrassing pic on this forum (or mine) when the Ducks clinch (or are eliminated).

Draft Dodger lost, BTW. :)

CR

Clinch what? The playoffs? We are talking about a league where the New York Rangers aren't eliminated until the final week. That's not much of a stretch......

Edit: Can't I just post naked pictures of my gf or something?

Where is the link to that pic, anyways?

PLease take this bet:)

I love silly pictures:)

I'm not the guy saying NHL Draft Lottery, wiseguy. You are. If you think making the NHL playoffs is so easy, then why don't you take back your prediction about the Ducks?

If instead you still believe this will happen, despite the "ease" of making the NHL playoffs, then don't be a wimp, stand up for what you are saying and take the bet.

CR

You would have to ask DD. He did post it at the end of the regular season. Heck, it might even be in the playoff thread. I forget. :)

DD's the man. He actually posted two embarrassing pics. :)

CR

Good chippy game between the Stars and Ducks. I especially like watching Guigere give up 2 goals on the first 3 shots of the game. :D REVENGE!!

there are actually a couple of really big questions involving the Islanders this year. I personally, will be on the edge of my seat to find out the answer to:

Is the hideous orange 3rd jersey even worse than the Gordon fisherman jerseys of a few years ago? How is it that one team is responsible for two of the ugliest jerseys of all time?

actually, the bet was between Sykora and Friesen.

Fine, fine, bet taken.

When they don't make the playoffs you post naked pictures of your girlfriend.

The fisherman jersey was way worse. There was a kid in college 10 years ago that we still refer to as the 'kid in the fishsticks jersey'.

To those of you within earshot of WFAN:
Ducks and geese and chickens and eggs......

Sorry if I mischaracterized by not stating the actual bet. My reference wasn't that it was the same kind of bet but the same stakes. :)

I think those who were following along last year know it was about Sykora and Friesen. You should be happy, though--you guys git the Cup.

sachmo, you suck! :) It is a very chippy game. I am enjoying it, despite losing. I am hoping the Ducks can still come back in this one,b ut Turco is tough (unsaid: in the regular season ;) ).

CR

no idea

lol...YOUR embarrassing pic. :)

But I wouldn't mind if you posted naked pics of your girlfriend either. :D

CR

Fine, fine.... embarrassing....

It's already on the web, I'll get the link ready for July or whenever the season ends.

Stanley Cup: Ottawa over Dallas

Art Ross: Joe Sakic

Rocket Richard: Joe Sakic

Hart: Joe Sakic

Norris: Wade Redden

Vezina: Marty Turco

Selke: John Madden

Calder: Chuck Kobasew

Adams: Dave Tippett

~~~

First Coach Fired: Barry Trotz

Most Improved Team: Calgary

Breakout Player: Jason Spezza

Biggest Disappointment (team): Columbus

Biggest Disappointment (player): Jaromir Jagr

Biggest Story: Heatley's career over after sentencing

Lockout: Yes

What are they going to do? Go 17-56-9?

:)

Dola:
When the NHL was entertaining:

Check out the 83 draft. If the first round isn't impressive... I know you David A. Jensen fans remember....
Check out that scrub goalie in the 10th round.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl1983e.html

Stars win! I feel better, Chief.

I'll bet you do, you bastard. :)

We started off last year with a big loss to you guys, too. What is this, a bonus for the Ducks? We always get to start off the Stars in their building? :)

You guys look good, but I expected that. That's why I picked you to go to the Cup finals. Guerin really makes a difference for you guys (as I knew he would--I have him on one of my fantasy teams).

Good luck the rest of the way, and I hope we hand it back to you hard when you come to Anaheim.

CR

I'd just like to point out that at 23(maybe he was 24) Craig MacTavish, who has nowhere near the talent as Heatley, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and served a year in prison, and afterward put together an impressive career that included 4 Stanley Cup rings.

If his career is over, it will be because of the injuries and his mental state after the accident, not because of going to jail. And we certainly will not be able to tell at the end of this season anyway. :)

I heart DD.

Tonight was bliss....i got to watch hockey...::drool::

TSN carried the Ducks/Stars game...not a bad affair.

Why were the Stars trying to ship out Guerin?Is he a cancer?

How has Prospal looked so far in preseason CR?

Dola

Congrats to Iginla for being named the first black team captain in the NHL.

In preseason, he looked great, bbor. In fact, he looked far better than even I expected.

He was making plays, involved in the action, quick, feisty. He looked every bit the guy who got almost 60 assists last year.

It makes me wonder why he hasn't been too consistent with it, or what corner he turned last year (or the year before, which was his previous "best year") that has turned him into the player he is now.

I didn't see him too much tonight, though. :(

Joffrey Lupul looked great. One of the few standouts for the Ducks. You see that hit on Lehtinen? Look, I don't like that the guy maybe got hurt there, but nice hit, rook!

I have no idea why the Stars would want to ship Guerin, short of money issues. He's a fine player.

CR

Ditto.

CR

The Stars didn't shop Guerin, but they did listen to offers for him. There was concern about the leg injury, and they were looking for any possible way to keep Hatcher in Dallas and not break Hicks self-imposed cap. Trading Guerin would have freed up a heck of a lot of salary room. Too bad Turgeon didn't go, but it's all water under the bridge now!

All right, some has some explaining to do. Chief Rum, this is from your beloved Ducks' website. It's from Sergei Fedorov's player profile. (link: http://www.mightyducks.com/team/players_desc.asp?id=144)


"lists playing with the Russian Five (Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Pavel Datsyuk, Maxim Kuznetsov, Dmitri Bykov) with the Detroit Red Wings as his greatest hockey memory."


I understand that the Ducks haven't been around for a long time and that Anahiem is about as far from a "Hockeytown" as you can get, but... Come on, people!

Maxim Kuznetsov? Dmitri Bykov? They make up 2/5's of the Russian Five??? Even Datsyuk is wrong! Someone needs to check their facts. (I would reccomend Chief Rum write the all of the player profiles, but I doubt the internet is big enough.)

For the record, the Russian Five were as follows:

Igor Larionov
Sergei Fedorov
Slava Kozlov
Vladimir Konstantinov :(
Slava Fetisov

That was the Russian Five.

Kuznetsov???? Oh for f*ck's sake.

I have also found another reason to hate the Avalanche: Jim Cummins. Cummins is in very rare company as a member of the group of players I didn't like EVEN when they were Red Wings. He, Jimmy Carson, Marc Potvin, and a very few select others are in this group. Even the beloved Winged Wheel couldn't help these players.

Usually once a player joins the Wings I will learn to like him (see: Chelios). I am still not yet there with Hatcher. Like Chelios, it will take time. The old wounds run deep.

H_B...what about Cujo?...You still dislike him?

The Penguins announced the Marc-Andre Fleury will start tomorrow's opener. I am really excited to watch him play.

I can't believe Lemieux is going to throw Fleury to the wolves this year. The Penguins would be hard-pressed to beat a good AHL team, and their defence is the worst part. This season will either strengthen Fleury and lead him on the path to an Uber-succesful career... or it will crush him and he'll never recover. There is no in-between.

Fidatelo, I agree completely. I used to think it took at least one or two seasons before a goalie was to be part of a team full time. I guess they think he'll be soooo good that he'll be able to gain from this experience...

FM

Dude, I have the reason of all reasons to hate them: they once were the Nordiques and won the Cup their first year out of town :(

FM

I was in Denver that first year. It was quite exciting.

Thanks for your team, FM... :D

Do the Pens have any choice?They need to put asses in the seats.....can't beat putting the #1 draft pick in the net right away to get people down to the rink.

It will obviously retard Fluery's progress...but i think at this point they are more worried about saving the franchise.

Dola,

Just recieved my sports illustrated hockey preview edition......with Pedro on the cover...:( I did'nt know Pedro played hockey???

Anyways...it is 19 pages long..standard stuff..they basically skim over every team....prolly the worst preview out there...Kinda neat little article on goaltenders...but that is about the height of the preview.

Anyone pick up any good hockey preview magazines?

It just makes you a reverse-bandwagon jumper :D

I can live with that.


I was going to disagree with the thought that putting Fluery in net would hurt him, but looking back at the stats I had difficulty finding goaltenders that came right out of juniors and played over 40 games in the NHL next season. There are a few though, Tom Barrasso, Grant Fuhr, and Patrick Roy to name a couple. Sure, for every Roy, there is an Alan Bester to go along with him, but there doesn't really seem to be a correlation between coming straight out of juniors into the starting role at the NHL level. Seems about 50/50 success rate to me, but it's easier to find the successful ones than the ones that didn't make it.

The main thing Fluery will have to get used to is losing every night for awhile. If he is mature enough to handle that, then he should be ok.

I'm a big fan of the Forecaster. It's fairly out-of-date as far as player movement is concerned (I believe July 16th was their cut-off date), but you won't find better in-depth scouting reports of every player anywhere else. So if you can live with the incorrect rosters, I would definately recommend picking it up.

The early publication problem is one reason I don't buy any preview magazines anymore, except for college sports. This is especially now that there are so many previews available on the internet with much more up-to-date info.

And this goes for pretty much any professional sports out there. I used to buy many NFL preview and fantasy football magazines, but I don't anymore, as I can usually find more than a few preview articles to either print out and take with me or read on the spot...

FM

Thanks to the NHL Center Ice TV package, I get to watch this beautiful tribute to Grant Fuhr that the Oilers are putting on tonight. It's really nice, and I'm glad that I get to see this. He skated a lap around the rink in full goalie gear (sans mask), and now his family has come out to greet him (I never thought I'd say this in my lifetime, but Grant Fuhr's daughters are hot). Four former Oilers goalies have just presented him with a banner displaying his #31. This is really special, and I had no idea that the Oilers were doing this tonight.

Grant Fuhr is one of my all-time favorite players, and I think he deserves this.

Now another banner with Grant's number is being raised to the rafters, while he's standing at center ice in tears. This is a really great job that the Oilers are doing. There are seven other games on that I could be watching, but I'm enjoying this more than anything. Excellent stuff.

woohoo! Oilers are undefeated, 5-2 over the Sharks :)