NHL FanHouse

Ducks Blog: Niedermayer to Return

Eric McErlain — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:05:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, Ducks, NHL Rumors, NHL Free Agency

After taking a good chunk of last season to decide whether or not to return to the Anaheim lineup, it looks like future Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer may be back in time for training camp next season. Here's Adam Brady from the official Ducks Blog:

I'm not going to get into the other topic on the table in Ducks land, but I will say that the buzz around here is that we will be hearing word from Scott Niedermayer as early as tomorrow morning. And while it's well-documented that I don't have a good reputation with this sort of thing, you can book it: He's coming back.

That's something that's got to cheer the Anaheim faithful. The next question has to be whether or not Teemu Selanne comes back, something that would force the team to make some difficult decision to remain under the cap -- something Battle of California took a look at a few days back. And if you're still not convinced about Niedermayer's value to the Anaheim defense, check out this analysis from fellow FanHouser Earl Sleek.

But there's more, including how Anaheim GM Brian Burke referred to the Edmonton Oilers as "dirty bastards," when talking about the compensatory draft picks the Ducks received from the Oilers after the free agent signing of Dustin Penner last year. Be sure to check out the whole post, as Brody passes along a lot of interesting comments from Burke that shed plenty of light on the situation in Anaheim.

In other Ducks news, Anaheim extended qualifying offers to four free agents, including winger Corey Perry.

Ducks Blog: Niedermayer to Return originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What's Next for the Ducks Owner?

Eric McErlain — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Predators, Ducks, NHL Police Blotter

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman did what he had to do yesterday when he handed down an indefinite suspension of Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli after the Ducks owner pleaded guilty to lying to investigators looking into the backdating of stock options at Broadcom, a company Samueli founded.

In addition, Samueli's wife, Susan, informed the league that she will abide by the terms of her husband's suspension to avoid any appearance of a conflict. In the interim, however long that lasts, Ducks chief executive and alternate governor Michael Schulman will take day-to-day control of the franchise.

So what happens next? The next critical date on the calendar for Samueli is August 18, where he is expected to be sentenced according to the terms of a plea agreement he came to with the government yesterday. However, that agreement is subject to the approval of the court -- which explains why Schulman told the Orange County Register that "it's not over yet," when he was asked about Samueli's sentence.

My guess is that the NHL will wait until everything is official before deciding on the length of his suspension. So how long does Samueli deserve? If you're Rick Westhead at the Toronto Star, the only fitting punishment for Samueli is forfeiture of the franchise. Then again, this is the same Rick Westhead who mused out loud about how the possible ejection of the Rangers from the NHL would open up a spot for a lucrative expansion franchise, without also noting the incredible damage the loss of an Original Six team would have to the NHL brand, never mind the lengthy and destructive legal fight the league would have to engage in to make it happen.

An NHL owner has been booted out of the club before, when former Buffalo Sabres owner John Rigas was indicted on fraud charges amidst the disintegration of Adelphia Communications. Ultimately, billionaire Thomas Golisano purchased the team out of bankruptcy. But if you haven't been paying attention lately, few creditors are willing to finance the purchase of a hockey team.

We've seen that play out in Tampa, where the current owner of the team is financing the purchase of the Lightning by Oren Koules and Len Barrie. And I'm sure I don't need to remind anyone of the situation in Nashville, where an essentially penniless William "Boots" DelBaggio only managed to scrape together enough money to buy a stake in the Nashville Predators thanks to a secret loan from NHL owners Phil Anschutz and Craig Leipold.

So yes, count on Samueli being suspended -- and if I had to bet, I'd say he and his wife will be out of the executive suite for one full season. But no, don't expect him to get booted out of the NHL club, not at a time where credit has become so tight as to make the purchase of the team cost prohibitive for most potential buyers.

Then again, there's one potential buyer who has all the cash he needs ready and waiting. If I were him, I'd be asking this question: "What do I have to do to get a chance to buy an NHL team, get arrested?"

What's Next for the Ducks Owner? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Samueli Pleads Guilty in Options Fraud Case

Eric McErlain — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:37:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, NHL Police Blotter

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli has pleaded guilty to charges that he lied to representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission while they were investigating his role in the backdating of stock options at Broadcom, the company he co-founded. As part of a plea agreement, Samueli will serve five years probation and agree to pay a $12.2 million fine.

So what does it mean for the Ducks? Not a whole lot. Sure, this is an embarrassing and humiliating experience for Samueli -- a man who some would argue didn't do anything at Broadcom that plenty of other high-tech companies were doing at the same time -- but NHL Vice President Bill Daly has already said it wouldn't affect his ownership of the Ducks. While a $12.2 million fine would sting anybody, Samueli, whose net worth was pegged by Forbes back in 2003 at about $2.3 billion, can afford it pretty easily.

Samueli Pleads Guilty in Options Fraud Case originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

PuckToons: Is Brian Burke Planning For a Short Future?

Earl Sleek — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, Ducks, NHL Rumors

Every Thursday, Earl Sleek will conspire with his pen and scanner to bring you another installment of PuckToons. Hopefully you will find these amusing, relevant, well-drawn, or you're a person who is tolerant towards mediocrity.

This week's cartoon addresses two items related to GM Brian Burke of the Anaheim Ducks. First, he has given superstars Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne until tomorrow to commit to training camp, refusing to repeat last year's set of semi-retirement distractions. I wrote a post at Battle of California that talked about the impact of each player's return to the roster, and I hope that both decide to play another year in a Ducks uniform.

Burke also has been connected with rumors that once he has finished this season with the Ducks, he will take over the GM duties for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I can't say that this idea pleases me as a Ducks fan, but I'll save judgement until his decision has been made. At this point, Burke has at least created a lot of flexibility with next year's roster, which I certainly can appreciate.

Predictions on the futures of Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, or Brian Burke are all welcome in the comments.

PuckToons: Is Brian Burke Planning For a Short Future? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

PuckToons: Wild Wing's Summer Job

Earl Sleek — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, NHL Police Blotter

Well, I had better do some explaining on this cartoon, which laughs at the legal issues surrounding various members of the Anaheim Ducks organization. Yesterday, team owner Henry Samueli was named in a civil fraud complaint against Broadcom Corporation, though the Ducks have stated that the complaint will not affect team operations. Of course the Ducks players have other legal issues of their own:

Todd Bertuzzi is still involved in the civil suit with Steve Moore's career-ending injury, back from his days in a Vancouver Canucks uniform. I've actually never written about this (and don't intend to start today), so instead I'll direct you to the capable blogging hands of Tom Benjamin for this story.
Ryan Getzlaf has found his way into a bit of scandal with the California Highway Patrol. A CHP captain has been placed on leave while authorities investigate allegations he "fixed" a ticket for the Ducks' all-star center.
Brad May, so far as I know, isn't involved in any official lawsuit, but if you believe the comment left at Battle of California (featured at the bottom of this post), at least one Phoenix lawyer is trying to collect on a judgment.
Chris Pronger is probably clean on the legal front, but he's so widely despised by non-Duck fans for his on-ice elbowing and stomping suspensions that I had to throw him in the penalty box with the other guys.

Quite the collection of legal issues facing these Ducks (did I miss any?). I sure hope Wild Wing has brushed up on his courtroom etiquette.

PuckToons: Wild Wing's Summer Job originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Stuuu! and the Stars Send the Ducks Packing

Pat Lackey — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:34:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, Stars, Western, Stanley Cup

Four days ago, the Penguins wrapped up an easy sweep over the Senators. Tonight, the Stars just sent the Ducks to join their opponents from last year's Stanley Cup Finals on the golf course with a relatively easy 3-1 victory over the defending champs, taking the series from them 4 games to 2.

Honestly, I was kind of alarmed by how non-chalant the Ducks were this entire series and I doubt I'm alone in that aspect. The Stars dominated the first two games with two wins by a cumulative 9-2 win before the Ducks even woke up. After winning two out of three, the Ducks only managed 17 shots tonight with their season on the line in Dallas and the prospect of a home game 7 looming. That's not going to win a playoff game against anyone.

That is, of course, not to take away from what the Stars did in this series. Their power play dominated the first two games and Marty Turco was stellar in the whole series. After Corey Perry gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead tonight, Stephane Robidas and Stu Barnes scored in the first 130 seconds of the third period, then mostly dominated the rest of the third period until the Ducks late flurry of fruitless, desperate shots. Even then, the Stars managed to add exclamation points from Loui Eriksson and Mike Modano.

Four fourth period goals allowed and only 17 shots with their playoff lives on the line? Yeah, it's time to give the Cup to someone else.

Stuuu! and the Stars Send the Ducks Packing originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What's the Why Behind the Niedermayer Fine?

Eric McErlain — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, NHL Gossip, NHL Rumors, Stanley Cup

Like my former FanHouse colleague, Greg Wyshynski, it isn't terribly often that I find myself in agreement with Larry Brooks of the New York Post. But this morning, as he broke the news that the NHL has fined Anaheim Ducks defenseman $500,000 for not reporting to the team until midseason. As Brooks writes:

[T]he league has sought to punish Niedermayer by fining him approximately $500,000 of his $6.75M salary for missing training camp, unilaterally invoking Article 15.3 (f) of the CBA that reads, "For each day a Player does not report to Training Camp without his Club's permission, his pay will be reduced by 1/275th of his annual . . . salary."

As Brooks goes on to note, the decision to fine Niedermayer is all the more curious considering the fact that Anaheim General Manager Brian Burke gave the sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer permission to take as much time as he liked to make up his mind to decided whether or not to return to the lineup. After all, the intent of this clause seems pretty clear in that it was designed to punish players who would attempt to hold out while under contract, and that clearly wasn't the case with the Ducks and Niedermayer, where the back and forth was actually friendly.

So what's the story behind the fine? According to Brooks, the league is afraid that Niedermayer's example will set a precedent where other team's might look to stash higher-salaried players off the ice to get some cap relief over the course of the season, only to bring them back to the lineup later when the total cap hit will be fractionally less.

But, again as Brooks himself noted, the Ducks didn't really benefit much from Niedermayer's absence. If anything, it forced Burke to hedge financially, committing over $11 million over two seasons to secure the services of free agent defenseman Mathieu Schneider, money that may very well have been better spent bolstering the Anaheim attack in the wake of the loss of both Dustin Penner and Teemu Selanne's own disappearing act.

But the question Brooks doesn't ask is this: Did NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL HQ come up with this fine on their own, or did they do it at the suggestion of one or more enemy GMs wanting to block Niedermayer and Anaheim from repeating this process in the 2008-09 season?

Some quick Google searching reveals that essentially all of the talking points cited in support of the fine were first outlined in an Al Strachan column that appeared at Fox Sports this past December. So the next question ought to be, did anybody whisper this stuff into Strachan's ears, or did Strachan come up with these ideas all on his own?

HT to the Kukla archive for making this all the easier to research.

What's the Why Behind the Niedermayer Fine? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ducks (4) vs Stars (5) Playoff Preview

Earl Sleek — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, Stars, Stanley Cup

Click here for more NHL playoff previews.

(Author's note: I'm a Ducks fan, deal with it.)

It has been five years since the NHL had a playoff game featuring two teams from the Pacific Division, when the top-seeded Stars lost in six games to the 7th-seeded Mighty Ducks in the second round of the 2003 playoffs. It was an amazing series from my perspective, at least. In all six games of the series Dallas was either tied or ahead with two minutes left in regulation, but the miracle Ducks managed to score four game-winners, each on their final shot of the game.

Fast forward ahead to 2008. The Ducks, no longer "Mighty", have won seven playoff series since that meeting, including the most recent Stanley Cup. The Stars, over the same stretch, have won none. It seems like this would be an opportunity for the Stars to get their playoff mojo back, but the blueline-heavy Ducks certainly have other ideas. This series will feature three of the last four winners of the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP; whose heroics will win this Pacific battle this time around? Let's take a look:

Offense: This is the main area where the Stars carry an edge, as Dallas has shown an actual ability to score goals; Anaheim's main talent is in preventing them. The Stars scored 237 non-shootout goals, which ranks 9th in the league and 2nd among western playoff qualifiers. The Ducks only managed 197 goals on the year, ranking 28th in the league and dead last among all playoff teams. Dallas boasts a lineup with five 20-goal scorers (Morrow 32, Ribiero 27, Hagman 27, Modano 21, and Richards 20), while Anaheim only has three (Perry 29, Getzlaf 24, and Kunitz 21), and Corey Perry will be starting the series on the sidelines. Teemu Selanne should be counted among the Ducks' goal threats, though; his 12 goals in 26 games projects to 38 over an 82-game season.

Power plays are probably a wash, though that will depend on how many opportunities each team gets. Dallas has clicked this season at 18.1%; since Selanne returned to the Ducks, Anaheim has produced at an 18.2% rate. One X-factor here is Dallas newcomer Brad Richards, who has struggled to find his role in the Stars' offense since being acquired at the trade deadline.

Edge: Dallas. In the season series, the Stars outscored the Ducks 14-5 at even strength. While that's largely irrelevant because of early-season rosters, it's still a sizeable discrepancy.

Defense: I really want to stress that the Stars are no slouches when it comes to team defense; their 204 goals surrendered was 6th-best in the league. However, defense really is Anaheim's bread and better, especially since defenseman Scott Niedermayer returned to the lineup. I wrote a post about it at Battle of California, but here's the skinny: The Ducks surrendered 96 goals in the 34 games without Niedermayer and only 88 in the 48 games with him in the lineup; since his return the Ducks have surrendered one less goal per game. In fact, if you prorate the last 48 games of the Ducks' season to a full season, the Ducks would have surrendered only 150 non-shootout goals, good enough to win last year's Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed by a margin of 34 goals, and this year's by 27. That's astounding. In terms of penalty killing, Stars were the 2nd-best penalty-killing team this season at 85.5%, but since Niedermayer rejoined Anaheim, the Ducks have been killing penalties at an 86.7% rate.

This isn't just a very good blueline in Anaheim; it's perhaps the best we'll see in this league for a very long time, and why shouldn't it be? Essentially it's the same blueline that won the Stanley Cup last year, replacing bit player Ric Jackman with experienced defenders Mathieu Schneider and Marc-Andre Bergeron. Add to that the stalwart checking line centered by Sammy Pahlsson that dominated last year's playoffs, and the Ducks' defense is very intimidating indeed.

Edge: Anaheim. Dallas has put together some impressive defensive results this season, especially considering they only got 46 games out of Sergei Zubov (out for this series) and 38 games out of Phillipe Boucher. Still, I don't think there's a team in the league that has Anaheim matched on the blueline.

Goaltending: For the season, the numbers aren't enormously different for Marty Turco and J.S. Giguere; Turco went 32-21-6 with a 2.31 GAA and a .909 save percentage, and Giguere went 35-17-6 with a 2.12 GAA and a .922 save percentage. There's an edge for Giguere there, but it's nothing compared to the edge when it comes to the postseason:

Playoff Stat	J.S. Giguere	Marty Turco
Career W - L	31 - 13	11 - 18
GAA, Sv%	1.96, 92.9%	2.21, 90.9%
OT Record	12 - 1	2 - 8
Seeds beaten*	1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6	8
Seeds lost to*	2	3, 4, 7, 7

* only includes series where the goalie started every game

Edge: Anaheim. Don't get me wrong; I do feel bad for a guy who got three shutouts in a series and lost, but until Turco can actually eliminate an opponent ranked higher than 8th, he'll be carrying a playoff stigma around Texas for a long time.

Prediction: If you're looking for momentum, the Ducks have gone 10-4-1 since the start of March, with 10 of those games played without captain Chris "Stompy" Pronger. The Stars have been reeling a bit, going 4-8-1 over the same stretch. Still, as someone who's watched this Ducks season, I have to say that the Stars can play the champs very well, especially when Turco gets involved in retrieving dump-ins. When Turco is active, it seems the Ducks spend an awful long time in puck pursuit, and it can really disrupt their gameplan.

The real key to this series (and really, this applies to all matchups) is how these teams will respond to pulling ahead or behind in the series. As was pointed out to me in the comments of Knee Jerk City's series preview, the Stars haven't led in a series since the first round of 2003; meanwhile, the Ducks have never lost a series in which they won at least one of the first two games.

All told, I think the edge goes to Anaheim, but I think this series is closer than most pick-em experts seem to think. Neither the Wild or the Red Wings were able to avenge 2003 playoff losses last spring, though, so why not? Just like the last meeting, Ducks in six.

For more Ducks coverage, check out Battle of California (hooray for self-promotion!), On the Pond, Girl With a Puck, and the OC Register's Ducks blog.

For more Stars coverage, be sure to visit Andrew's Stars Page, Knee Jerk City, Penalty Killing, and Five for Fighting.

Ducks (4) vs Stars (5) Playoff Preview originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Just Try Stealing Anaheim's Cup

Greg Wyshynski — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:08:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

As the hockey world wraps its collective brain around the incredible Stanley Cup Playoff match-ups we've been given in Round One, it might be a good time to recall that the defending champions have lost exactly six games since Feb. 5. The Anaheim Ducks are trying to become the first team since the 1996-98 Detroit Red Wings to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. They draw the Dallas Stars in the four/five series -- one that could be decided by special teams, as Dallas went 0-for-15 in its three losses to Anaheim and 9-for-23 in its five wins.

Sports with Steve has made the argument that the Ducks are the team to beat in the postseason, and that "there's just nobody out there that can stop them in a seven-game series." If it's Anaheim's Cup to lose, that means someone is going to have to take it from them. And if this comedic attempt is any indication, that won't be easy -- beware the Parros!

Just Try Stealing Anaheim's Cup originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

PuckToons: Modern-Day Role Models

Earl Sleek — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks

Sorry I've been away a few weeks; my new job is stomping away at my free time like ... well, you know who. I've dealt with a lot of angry commenters at Battle of California about Chris Pronger's eight-game suspension, and Jes and Greg have offered some good opinion here as well. Practically nobody seems happy about the NHL's response to the incident, so why not have some fun with it?

I will say this from the perspective of a Ducks fan. When Pronger gets suspended, two things seem to happen. Fans of opposing teams get angry at the team and the league for not punishing Pronger for long enough, and the Ducks themselves seem to react to that outcry with an "us versus the world" attitude, with solid on-ice results. Dating back to last year's Western Conference Finals, the Ducks have now won their last six games without Pronger in the lineup, all victories coming in regulation. I don't know how long those results can last, though; tomorrow night will be a huge test when the Ducks visit the unstoppable Sharks.

On a related note, this reminds me of the last big issue that rival fans had with the Ducks: how big are Scott Niedermayer's and Teemu Selanne's non-retirement decisions looking now, especially in this stretch where the Ducks are playing without Pronger and leading scorer Corey Perry?

PuckToons: Modern-Day Role Models originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NHL Suspends Pronger Eight Games

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks

After over 48 hours of debate on the matter, the NHL has finally weighed in on the Chris Pronger Stomp.

The ruling: an eight-game suspension for Pronger, meaning he will be eligible to return for the Anaheim Ducks' regular-season finale. I'm sure he'll relish a little rest and then a tuneup game before the playoffs open.

I think it's time to take away Colin Campbell's Magic Wheel of Suspensions. Not too many people were advocating a 30-game suspension for Pronger, which may have been enough to wipe out any chance of him playing in the playoffs. Yes, that's what Chris Simon got for stepping on an opponent. And, yes, it's obvious that Campbell has forgotten what he said when he suspended Simon.

But I'm willing to concede that these are different cases with different timing that require different messages.

Simon was just ten games back off a 25-game ban for trying to behead Ryan Hollweg with his stick. While Pronger has quite the prior record, he hasn't been suspended recently, and his longest previous suspension was four games. Right or wrong, those are the facts that Campbell was dealing with.

However, Campbell is still guilty of royally screwing this up. Pronger has been suspended eight times now, and at no point has the NHL done anything to try to control the (dirty) way he plays the game. It's a situation where Pronger has been given enough opportunities to control himself. It isn't working. The NHL needs to do something before Pronger's dirty play goes too far. In this situation, it's insulting that Pronger won't miss a single playoff game after the stunt he pulled.

NHL Suspends Pronger Eight Games originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Does Colin Campbell Recall His Own Words?

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Canucks, Ducks

Much has been made of the recent incident involving Chris Pronger of the Anaheim Ducks and Ryan Kesler of Vancouver.

At first, we didn't think a suspension was coming, but now it appears we will know by tonight how long Pronger will be out. The Ducks play St. Louis at 10pm ET in Anaheim, and any supplementary discipline being handed out is due before faceoff.

Pronger has indeed been summoned for a hearing, which will be conducted by phone (Pronger waived his right for an in-person hearing).

Whether Ducks fans want to hear it or not, there are similarities between Pronger and oft-suspended Chris Simon. While Simon's 25- and 30-game suspensions are much more than anything handed to Pronger, this will be Pronger's eighth suspension, matching Simon's total.

When NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell dished out the 30-game ban to Simon for stomping on Jarkko Ruutu of Pittsburgh earlier this season, he had some very pointed words for Simon. Mike Russo covers the Minnesota Wild for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and he wants to make sure Campbell remembers his own words.

"While it was fortunate there was no serious injury to Mr. Ruutu as a result of Simon's action, the deliberate act of kicking an opponent with an exposed skate blade, especially where the opponent is in a vulnerable position, is and always has been a repugnant and totally unacceptable act in the game of hockey.

"In addition, while the act itself was extremely dangerous, the fact that this is the eighth incident requiring the imposition of supplementary discipline on Simon compelled me to impose a very severe penalty in this case."

No one is expecting a 30-game ban, but something is seriously wrong if Pronger plays again in the regular season.

Does Colin Campbell Recall His Own Words? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Chris Simon Might Get His Wish

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:11:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Wild, Ducks

Chris Simon is hardly going to be recognized as the beacon of common sense in hockey.

Eight times in his career, Simon's been suspended for being naughty on the ice. Most recently, he sat 30 games for stepping on another player.

Now, he's weighing in on the Chris Pronger story.

"It would be nice to have things treated fairly, at least," Simon said after the Wild practiced on Friday. "I don't think in that instance it's fair at all. I couldn't believe right away that nothing was going to be done about it. I still can't believe it.

"I watched the tape and I think the tape's self-explanatory. It shows what he did.

"It's more disappointing that I can get the amount of games that I get and the player never misses a shift, and other players can hurt players. And then the same thing, if not twice, happens in the Vancouver-Anaheim game and there is not even a review. It is decided there is no suspension."

You know? He has a decent point. Not only that, but it appears he's getting what he wants. The NHL has summoned Pronger for a hearing Saturday. Pronger waived his right to an in-person hearing, choosing instead to have his case heard by phone. The in-person hearing, according to TSN, typically carries a minimum of a five-game suspension, so it's looking like Pronger may miss most of Anaheim's remaining regular-season games.

It won't be 30 games, but Pronger is going to sit for a little while. That should make Simon feel a bit better.

Chris Simon Might Get His Wish originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Didn't Chris Simon Get 30 Games for This?

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Canucks, Ducks

Watch carefully. There's a nice zoom-in at 22 seconds.

Your eyes aren't fooling you. That's a stomp, and it's hard to argue that it isn't a deliberate stomp.

Chris Simon got 30 games for stomping on the leg of Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu.

Chris Pronger is reportedly going to get zero games for stomping on the leg of Vancouver's Ryan Kesler.

I've heard of holding star players to a different standard than everyone else before, but this is ridiculous. Even if a side-by-side comparison of the two incidents shows Simon's stomp was more malicious (frankly, I can't make that argument, but play along), how does Pronger get nothing?

Colin Campbell should be skewered over this, but it will probably go away quickly. For some reason, no one wants to say anything that will tarnish the reputation of the league's dirtiest team. Pronger as a captain for such a team is so incredibly fitting.

Greg Wyshynski's piece from earlier today underscores many of the problems the league faces when it comes to supplementary discipline. The Pronger incident adds another log to that fire, as the league is inexplicably unwilling to sit this guy down for an extended period of time, no matter how much garbage he pulls.

Didn't Chris Simon Get 30 Games for This? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Western Conference Playoff Roundtable #1: Can the Ducks Repeat?

Jes Golbez — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks, Western, Stanley Cup

With the playoffs quickly approaching, it is clear that the Western Conference has two clear tiers of power among playoff-bound/wannabe clubs.

Heading the list of the powerful clubs are the defending cup champion (although they get no real chance to defend it, right?) Anaheim Ducks.

Sure, the Ducks started the season looking worse than Nick Nolte after a night at the bar with Link Gaetz, but their slow start should have been expected. The club had little rest after a long playoff run, had to endure a long trip to the United Kingdom, and deal with the 'will-he-retire?' breaks of Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer.

The Ducks boosted their roster with the likes of Mathieu Schneider and Todd "Grumpy Bear" Bertuzzi, got the old boys back, and finally snapped out of their stupor since the calendar flipped over to 2008.

So, with that in mind, let's kick off our FanHouse Western Conference round-table discussion with some banter about the Quackers.

---

Earl Sleek: The West is quite a mess, really, I don't know how to call who's going to represent that conference in the big show, but I figure the Ducks have as good a shot as anyone else, especially with the experience of having done it last year.

The basic changes from last year's team, from a high-level view, are that the blue-line has inconceivably gotten better while the forward lines have gotten worse, to a degree. On the blue-line, spare part Ric Jackman is gone, and has been replaced by both Matty Schneider and Marc-Andre Bergeron, which really makes for an embarrassment of riches. MAB probably can't crack a healthy lineup, which is silly in that his NINE goals this season would rank him top-5 on the team if he were a forward.

Up front, the team has primarily replaced McDonald and Penner with Weight and Bertuzzi. While the new options are more expensive, they both represent a drop-off in talent and/or drive. Experience is definitely helped, but both these players probably played their best hockey five years ago, and from an observer's standpoint, their unwillingness to shoot the puck is causing stagnation in scoring. Also, Corey Perry (bless his snarky heart) will be absent for the first round at least, which is pretty tough news for a team that's thin on scoring forwards anyway.

The good news up front is the "Stopper Line" is fully intact and probably playing as well now as they did at any point this year, and that will be crucial as we saw last spring. Still, I think it's near-impossible for that line to be as productive as they were last playoffs. So many Duck forwards have season totals of less than 10 goals that it seems a lot of corners have been cut on the offensive end.

That's pretty much going to be the question for the Ducks this spring: how much will their thin forward ranks cost them? I can see the Ducks winning, but it will probably be more through stopping other teams than by purely outscoring them.

John "JP" Press: Sweet Jesus, Sleek. I was just gonna go with, "Yeah, why not?"

Seriously, though, the Ducks don't have any question in net, a stout blue-line and some nice pieces up front - who else in the West can claim all three? San Jose?

Earl Sleek: I actually wonder who in the west can't claim all three--it's a zany conference, really, as it has been every year since the lockout.

Normally in the playoffs there's a team where you'd say, "Man, I hope the Ducks play so-and-so", but for the last couple of years, there's nobody I really covet playing. They all seem so capable of playing dominant hockey for stretches, it almost seems to be a case of "who's got their game together at the right time?" and likely can't be answered very well until the playoffs are really underway.

Greg Wyshynski: On paper, there's no good reason not to pick the Ducks. They're basically flawless in every facet of the game and at every position -- assuming Perry's back at some point in the early stages of the postseason.

But it's those early stages that have me wondering. Because I don't think the Ducks are going to win their division, which means they're going to be in the 4-5 series, which means they're going to see either Dallas or San Jose there in the first round. I know regular season records aren't supposed to mean much, but the Stars are 5-1 against Anaheim and haven't allowed more than two goals in any those wins.

So I think there's a chance the Ducks lose in Round One if they don't win their division. And wouldn't that just be grand, considering how many early-season points Niedermayer and Selanne pissed away while they found their smiles?

Earl Sleek: Agreed, Dallas is probably the worst draw for the Ducks, and perhaps the most likely.

Another factor is one of revenge--so many western teams are out to get the Ducks this spring, it's getting outrageous. I mean, there's already the thrill of dethroning the champs, but for a lot of western teams it gets a lot more personal. Detroit and Minnesota have to avenge two playoff losses (both got swept in '03 and beaten again in '07), while Dallas (top seed dethroned in ''03), Calgary (lost a G7 in CGY in '06), Vancouver (easily handled in '07), and Colorado (swept in '06) want to avenge one playoff defeat. Only the Sharks and Predators have no specific playoff history to avenge, which means that the west is pretty much a mine-field for the successful-of-late Ducks.

Almost in that sense, I'm not that concerned with seeding or first-round opponent. There's no easy answers out west, and I don't even know if taking the division would make me feel any more comfortable.

Jes Golbez: One thing that I see problematic for Anaheim is the fatigue factor. Sure, Selanne and Nieds are fresh, but the rest of the team isn't. How can we expect them to play their ground-and-pound style through another long playoff? I suspect they'll burn out by round 2 or 3.

---

Western Conference Playoff Roundtable #1: Can the Ducks Repeat? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

A Fun Field Trip for Anaheim Ducklings

Jes Golbez — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, NHL Fans, NHL Economics

One of the challenges in marketing the NHL, and hockey in general, to 'virgin' markets is to get kids some exposure to the sport. Given how most kids never get to play hockey, due to a lack of infrastructure, equipment, and other factors, it's hard to get kids involved and turn them into life-long hockey fans. As any long-time fan knows, hockey is an addicting sport that needs to be viewed live-in-person.

The Anaheim Ducks know this, and, like a few other teams, have been hosting Field Trip Days for local schoolchildren. Why not get a captive audience?

The good news? The Ducks have sold out their latest outing, and may be creating quite a few future paying customers.

The NHL champion Anaheim Ducks will host more than 16,000 elementary school students at the First Flight Field Trip on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Honda Center.

This year marks the first sellout in the event's seven-year history. Students and teachers from more than 115 schools throughout Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties will convene for the interactive learning program that uses hockey to teach science and math.

Riiiight, as if the kids are really going to be concerned with arithmetic when they see Chris Pronger blast a 100MPH shot. It's too bad the whole experience has to be ruined with actual 'work'! Teachers ... always ruining things!

Otherwise, this is a marketing coup for the Anaheim Ducks. Chances are good that some of these kids will be enthralled with what they see, and explore hockey as a spectator sport in the future. Just hope Brad May doesn't teach a few kids how to throw a few elbows, or the parents will never cease their howling.

A Fun Field Trip for Anaheim Ducklings originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How Can Anyone Dismiss Anaheim?

Greg Wyshynski — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:16:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks

While we all contemplate Teemu Selanne's abilities as a Scanner as he concentrates on Dubya during Anaheim's White House visit, a quick question: Who in their right mind doesn't consider the Ducks to be a prime contender in the Western Conference right now? The answer is Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated. Even with the return of Niedermayer and Selanne (is he better than Pau Gasol?), even with Sammy Pahlsson on the horizon, color Muir unimpressed with the Ducks' chemistry:

Last year's team played like starving dogs, tracking down the puck as if it were a hunk of meat. Intensity and relentless physicality made the Ducks the league's most frightening date on the schedule. This year? They're still big and strong, but they're not as ferocious on the forecheck. That's led to fewer scoring chances, a fact borne out by their standing as the meekest offense of any team holding a playoff spot in either conference.

The absence of Selanne and the traded Andy McDonald has diminished the effectiveness of alternate captain Chris Kunitz and left Anaheim without reliable secondary scoring. Francois Beauchemin, overworked and overextended, is a shadow of the player he was last season. And the lack of a right-handed triggerman has meant the power play, so critical to Anaheim's success last season, has floundered when the first unit is off the ice.

To Muir's credit, he does believe that Anaheim could still right the ship depending on whom Brian Burke brings in at the trade deadline. But the notion that the Ducks have been biding their time until the veterans returned -- a belief I thought was rather widely held in hockey circles -- seems lost on him. Anaheim's in a postseason slot, it's getting its troops back, it's the defending champion; how on Earth can the Ducks be written off?

The timing of this column is rather baffling. Selanne's been back for one game -- a win, snapping a six-game skid -- and his impact on the offense could be formidable. While Doug Weight's been a bust since coming over from the Blues, Selanne's made more than a few center look damn good during his career. His addition to the lineup creates a scoring depth sorely missing for the last several months. We're talking about a player who scored 23 points from Feb. 15 to March 18 last season. Say, what's today's date?

Selanne's biggest impact could be on special teams. The Ducks are wallowing at 20th in the League with the man advantage; Selanne had 48 (!) points on the power-play last season -- more than Dustin Penner scored in every situation combined over 82 games.

The Ducks are at MSG tonight, and then it's a Niedermayer homecoming game in Newark against the Devils on Friday. Both they and the Red Wings will be in their third game in four days when they meet on Sunday for NBC's national game. And I've got to agree with the Peacock's Mike Milbury: "These two teams are the gold standard by which all others are judged."

How Can Anyone Dismiss Anaheim? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jody Shelley Loses His Jacket

Jes Golbez — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, Columbus, General NHL, Blue Jackets, Ducks, Western

Fans of the Columbus Blue Jackets were left in utter shock as their favorite goon, Jody Shelley, was unexpectedly dealt to the San Jose Sharks for a sixth round draft pick (aka 'nothing')

Shelley has spent his entire career, seven years, with the club from Ohio, and has a reputation as being a, sweet, warm, charitable guy who worked hard in the community.

So, why did the Jackets feel the need to suddenly deal away the guy with the girly first name? Jackets' fan John Arvai tries to answer as best as he can.

The bottom line though is that post lockout, the role of an enforcer has been drastically reduced and its impacted guys like Shelley. Prior the the NHL lockout Jody Shelley had 87 fights over 4 years. Post lockout he's had a total of 32 fights over 3 years. His role, and many roles like his, have been greatly diminished.

There just isn't enough room for guys whose primary talent is fisticuffs. You have to be able to play now in the league. You have to be able to roll 4 lines during the regular season and if you have an on ice liability like a Shelley, that really limits the flexibility in your lineup.

Translation: Shelley is a goon with little talent, and he doesn't actually help a hockey team win games. In 380 career games, Shelley has just 29 points and is -26 to go along with that. When Shelley is on the ice, the Jackets are basically giving the opposition a huge on-ice advantage.

Another question that I have is, "Why would the Sharks WANT Jody Shelley?" The Sharks are in the bottom third of league offense, and Shelley isn't going to help in that regard.

The only good explanation I can think of is that the Sharks look over at their southern neighbors, and want to compete with the ~~Jones~~ Ducks for punching the most faces. If the Ducks have goons, then, dammit, the Sharks need goons, too.

Jody Shelley Loses His Jacket originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

PuckToons: Birds Bulk Up With Performance-Enhancing Additions

Earl Sleek — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Ducks

This cartoon is a silly reference to the remarkable turnaround seasons of the Anaheim Ducks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Anaheim started its season at a mediocre 15-15-4 before Scott Niedermayer rejoined the team; since then the Ducks have charged up the western standings with a 10-2-2 record. On the other coast, Pittsburgh started its season 16-15-2 before Ty Conklin became their regular starting goaltender; since then the Penguins have powered through the east with a 10-1-1 record.

Damien Cox suggests that these two players should get league MVP consideration for their teams' upswings, even though each player will only contribute for half a season. I'm not so sure. Is either player even the most important player on his respective roster, or is it just that they were the final piece to a puzzle? As usual, my only response is to draw a cartoon and wait for your compelling answers in the comments.

PuckToons: Birds Bulk Up With Performance-Enhancing Additions originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Chris Pronger, #2 and Proud of It!

Jes Golbez — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Anaheim, General NHL, Ducks

We all know that Chris Simon holds the all-time record for number of suspensions given for various infractions, but who is #2?

Ulf Samuelsson? Bryan Marchment? Todd Bertuzzi? Claude Lemieux?

Nope! The answer is Chris Pronger, who has seven career suspensions and seems rather 'surprised' of his feat.

But there's a difference, says Pronger, between outlandish acts of violence that are so far over the edge they warrant 25- and 30-game bans, and the grey area that he spends so much time in.

"We're talking number of times suspended, not games," he said, quick to point out that he's only been hit with more than two games once (four games for slashing Pat Peake on the throat in 1995). "Because my things weren't that bad. They were borderline calls. Sometimes I guess the league felt they needed to send a message, but I don't think it's ever been anything really blatant or malicious."

Nothing blatant or malicious? Try telling that to Dean McAmmond, who was the recipient of a Chris Pronger elbow to the head. How about Tomas Holmstrom, whose face was smashed into the glass by a Pronger cheap shot? Nothing malicious there, right?

We all know that Chris Pronger has been let off easy because of his star status and nothing else. It's very easy to make an example of a goon like Chris Simon, who few will miss. Pronger? He's a star, and the NHL doesn't want to be without its stars.

Pronger is one of the dirtiest players to ever play the game, and it seems he just doesn't understand why his suspensions have been so lenient. With his attitude, we can probably expect more suspensions in his future, albeit little ones.

Chris Pronger, #2 and Proud of It! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments