NHL FanHouse

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, Predators, Rangers, Sharks, Wild, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Huh? Fight of the Week: Marek Zidlicky vs. Sidney Crosby

Sometimes, guys are obviously planning to fight before they drop the gloves. Others are clearly spontaneous. This one falls under the latter. Crosby and Zidlicky had enough of using their sticks, and decided to use fists instead. Watch it here.

Beatdown of the Week: Kent Huskins vs. Jared Boll

Boll is one of the league's real up-and-coming heavyweights, and he dominated this scrap. It started with a hard hit on Huskins by Boll, and quickly became a fight. Just as fast as it started, Boll emphatically ended it. He then proceeded to stand over his conquest like a predator stands over lunch. Watch the fight here.

Runner-Up: Dane Byers vs. Tanner Glass

This was a little quick for most fans' tastes, but some really good punches were thrown. Byers got off to a quick start, but Glass got the last laugh, or "shot," if you prefer. Check it out here.

Fight of the Week: Wade Belak vs. George Parros

Parros is a top fighter, and he got all he could handle in this one from Thursday night. The Predators might not have done much to stay in the game, but Belak more than held his own against one of the best.

There is some solid back-and-forth between the two, and the ending is kind of a surprise. Too bad for the Ducks' TV people that the fight was over by the time they got the "Tale of the Tape" graphic ready.

Fight of the Week: Princeton's Favorite Son Drops Them Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Heavyweights

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Canucks, Ducks, Flames, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

It's no secret what we're looking for in a good fight. It needs to have intensity, some good back-and-forth action, and there is some longevity needed. If two guys trade a flurry of punches for seven seconds, it's not nearly as impressive as a high-quality 30-second fight.

This week's top fight has a little bit of everything.

Beatdown of the Week: Krys Barch vs. D.J. King

King played in just one game last season, but he showed no rust in this quick putaway of Barch. Watch the fight here, but don't blink, because you might miss the action.

Runner-Up: Colton Orr vs. George Parros

While the fight itself was okay, the news happened when Orr shoved the linesman who appeared to be trying to break up the bout prematurely.

(Orr, by the way, is not going to be punished any further for that, beyond the misconduct penalty he got at the time.)

Orr and Parros are experienced at this sort of thing, and it's no surprise they can get together and give the fans a good slugfest. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Brad May vs. Tanner Glass

May held a real heavy edge in experience on Glass, so you might think he would control this fight. Instead, the youngster did very well against May, even ducking out of the way as May threw a roundhouse that would have knocked Glass into the middle of the Olympic break. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: Steve MacIntyre vs. Brian McGrattan

This was easily the best dance of the week. McGrattan is the better fighter, and he won this one hands-down. But it wasn't just about that. MacIntyre made a good showing of himself by simply competing, and he showed he can hang with one of the league's better fighters.

It's not hard to fathom that these two -- playing on division rivals -- will go again this season.

Fight of the Week: Heavyweights originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go?

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Flyers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, NHL Coaching

In the NHL, coach firings are as common as parking tickets in New York City. Throughout the NHL season I'll be taking a bi-weekly look at five coaches who are the most likely to get fired. Be advised your local coach may be axed at any moment. Consider this fair warning.

We've made it through the first month of the NHL season and not one coach has gotten fired yet. That's got to be some kind of record. This is the NHL! Coaches are fired for lots of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. How is no team displeased enough to have fired a coach yet? And what have you got to say for yourself, Lou Lamoriello? Why is your finger not on the trigger?

As it turns out, a lot of teams have actually surprised us and played well, helping their coach's job security in the process. Before the season I named a few coaches whom I thought were starting the year on the hot seat. More than a few of them have been saved by solid starts. Joel Quenneville and the Hawks are 7-3-1 and atop the Central. John Anderson and the Thrashers started the year 4-1-1 before dropping their last two against good teams and the Kings may have saved Terry Murray's job by grabbing 17 points in 13 games to lead the Pacific.

The good news for me -- I was afraid I wouldn't have anyone to write about -- is that not every team is off to such a hot start. The Ducks have struggled out of the gate, the Flyers and Canucks are both hovering around .500 and Toronto has been an unmitigated disaster losing six of their first eight by two goals or more. So I'd like to take the time to thank those teams for lighting a fire under their coach's respective chairs.

So today, I present to you the first in a season-long series of coaches-on-the-hot-seat rankings. Five coaches. Five teams. Five fanbases that want blood -- sweet, sweet blood. We'll start at number five and head on through to numero uno, my prediction for the coach to get the axe first.

No. 5: Peter DeBoer, Florida Panthers. DeBoer is only in his second year with the Panthers and had some success last year as the team finished ninth in the East, missing out on the playoffs by losing a tiebreaker to the Canadiens. But in the NHL it's all about 'what have you done for me lately' and the Panthers have started this season 2-7-1 and are averaging 2.2 goals per game. Add that to their 29th-best ranking in goals allowed and things are not looking good. Personally, I don't believe the Horton trade rumors, but if they're crazy enough to trade him firing DeBoer will look sane in comparison.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 4: John Stevens, Philadelphia Flyers. I said before the season that this could be a make or break year for Stevens and the Flyers. They had a talented roster and only improved it during the offseason. However, they've been short on postseason success and are 5-4-1, already nine points behind the division-leading Penguins in the tough Atlantic. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup last year after firing their coach down the stretch. That means there will be copycats, and if the Flyers continue to be mediocre Stevens may be sent packing to shake things up.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 3: Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have had a lot of success under Carlyle. In four seasons they've won a Cup and made another trip to the conference finals. The last two years have been less successful but nothing that should threaten a coach's job. But the Ducks are 3-6-1 to start this season, with the latest defeat being a 6-3 drubbing by the winless Leafs in front of the home fans. Half the reason Carlyle is on this list is because there really aren't a lot of other people to put here. The other half is because of the random stinkers the Ducks have put forth this season: 5-0 home rout by St. Louis, 4-1 opening-night loss to San Jose. He's not going anywhere yet -- he'll get a fair shake -- but the early news is not good.

Seat Status: TOASTY

No. 2: Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs. It's been a fun season already in Toronto. The team has started 0-7-1 before showing some life the last two games on, of all places, the road in Anaheim and Dallas. Fans are outraged. The media is making jokes. Wilson has already gotten a vote of confidence from the GM. All key ingredients to canning a coach. However, there's one thing standing in the way: that vote of confidence was actually legit. The problem with this team is not Wilson and GM Brian Burke knows it. The seat is very warm but there will be little action here. Move along.

Seat status: CALIENTE

No. 1: Rick Tocchet, Tampa Bay Lightning. The lame thing about NHL coaches this season is that there's no one you can point at and yell 'DEAD MAN WALKING!' A lot of thought-to-be-crappy teams are good. A lot of good teams are mediocre. A very small handful of teams are very bad. The Lightning are not very bad. But the Lightning are off to a bad start (4-3-3) and are led by a coach who was interim for most of last season and was hired by the previous coach. That latter is the coaching kiss of death, which is why I believe Tocchet will be the first to go this year. And also because anything goes at Cirque du SoLightning.

Seat status: CALIENTE MÁS UNO

Coaches recieving a free pass this time around: Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks. Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators. Paul Maurice, Carolina Hurricanes. Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils (listed simply because his boss is Lou Lamoriello).

The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: Heading Out West

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Red Wings, Western

There are a number of compelling stories in the NHL's Western Conference. Not only are the Colorado Avalanche off to a ridiculous start, but the Los Angeles Kings are playing great, San Jose is lurking, and Anaheim is still plagued by bad penalties and not enough offense.

FanHouse's Susan Slusser joins us from her West Coast perch this week, as we examine these issues and talk about her beloved Red Wings' slow start. Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Heading Out West originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colton Orr Faces Suspension After Shoving Official During Fight

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Maple Leafs, NHL Fights, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

Monday night's Maple Leafs win over Anaheim featured plenty of penalties. In fact, five of Toronto's six goals were scored with the extra attacker.

Besides Anaheim's trademark undisciplined play, there was also a pretty intense fight. During the first period, Toronto's Colton Orr hooked up with Duck George Parros for an impressive heavyweight bout. While the fight was clean, Orr risked suspension by shoving an official during the bout. Video after the jump.

It's going to be tough for Orr to shove this aside (pun intended) as an accident. He pretty clearly stuck his right hand out and shoved the linesman on purpose, and that's a no-no.

Orr received a misconduct for the shove, and he is awaiting the call to the NHL carpet. A two- or three-game suspension is the minimum you can expect out of this. It's one thing if Orr is blindly reaching out and happens to hit the official. However, the eye in the sky doesn't lie. Orr's actions were clearly intentional.

Colton Orr Faces Suspension After Shoving Official During Fight originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maple Leafs Finally Get a Win

Adam Gretz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Maple Leafs

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Maple Leafs 6, Ducks 3: It took nearly a month, but after eight consecutive losses to open the season the Toronto Maple Leafs are finally on the board with their first win thanks to a 6-3 victory in Anaheim on Monday night. Niklas Hagman recorded a hat trick (all three goals coming on the power play), while Jonas Gustavsson, making his first start in three weeks, stopped 20 shots -- including a highlight reel save in the first period -- to earn his first NHL win.

Monday's Other Games

The New York Islanders have now lost five games in overtime, and six games by one goal, after dropping a 3-2 decision in Montreal. Roman Hamrlik scored the game-winner in overtime for the Canadiens, who have now won four in a row ... all with Jaroslav Halak in net. [Box Score, Recap]

Chicago receives goals from Dave Bolland, Patrick Kane and Troy Brouwer, while Cristobal Huet makes 20 saves in a 3-1 win against Minnesota. [Box Score, Recap]

Potentially a costly win for the Rangers as they knock off Phoenix 5-2. The problem? Marian Gaborik might be injured. [Box Score, Botta's Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- There have been rumors floating around that Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrasers are closing in on a contract extension. Nobody knows for sure what's going on with that, but what we do know is that Kovalchuk is going to miss the next four weeks with a broken bone in his right foot. [AJC]

-- Dallas Stars forward Steve Ott is meeting with NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell. [Defending Big D]

-- Offseason acquisition John Madden is loving his time in Chicago. [Chicago Tribune]

Video Of The Day

Roman Hamrlik scores the game-winning goal in overtime for Montreal.

Tuesday's Key Games

Flyers vs. Capitals: Great Eastern Conference game in Washington as the Capitals host the Flyers. The first meeting between these two teams back on October 6 was a classic that saw Mike Richards record a hat trick and Alex Ovechkin score two goals.

Avalanche vs. Oilers: After scoring just one goal in his first nine games, Paul Stastny has three in his past two as the Avalanche ride a modest two-game winning streak into Edmonton. The Avs have recorded a point in eight consecutive games.

Red Wings vs. Canucks: The Red Wings look to snap a three-game losing streak in Vancouver. Detroit has dropped four of its past five games, and only has eight points in nine games this season.

Maple Leafs Finally Get a Win originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Evgeni Artyukhin Suspended Three Games for Slew-Foot

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Stars, NHL Videos, NHL Discipline

Just because Chris Pronger has departed doesn't mean the Anaheim Ducks are no longer capable of dirty hockey.

In a move that would have likely made Pronger proud, Anaheim forward Evgeni Artyukhin took out Dallas defenseman Matt Niskanen with a slew-foot during the Stars' 4-2 win Wednesday night. While the on-ice officials didn't notice the play, the NHL did. Artyukhin was suspended three games for the hit.

Before we go any further, check out video of the hit.

The official six feet away was obviously watching for hot girls in the stands, because there's really no excuse for missing something so obvious.

The NHL, however, doesn't watch for hot girls in the stands, so they acted quickly to get Artyukhin off the ice.

Artyukhin, who was suspended for two games Jan. 19, 2009, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, Artyukhin forfeits $34,756.11 in salary based on the number of games (82) in a season, rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Congrats on your new status with the NHL, Evgeni!

Meanwhile, Niskanen is said to have a head injury. He is out for Thursday's game at Los Angeles, and his status beyond that is up in the air. It marks just the seventh time in his 174-game NHL career that Niskanen has sat out.

Evgeni Artyukhin Suspended Three Games for Slew-Foot originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Third Period Rally for Rangers; Sedin to Miss 4-6 Weeks

Adam Gretz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Rangers, NHL Injuries

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Rangers 3, Ducks 0: After the Rangers and Ducks skated to a 0-0 tie through the first two periods on Sunday, the Rangers had an offensive explosion of sorts in the third period, scoring three goals, including a pair in the final six minutes. Rookie forward Artem Anisimov scored his first career goal for the blue shirts, while backup netminder Steve Valiquette stopped all 18 shots he faced to record his third career shutout. The Rangers outshot the Ducks by a 38-18 margin.

After the jump: Daniel Sedin out, picture of the day, Monday's key games

Daniel Sedin To Miss 4-6 Weeks: The Canucks have stumbled out of the gate in the opening weeks of the season, and it keeps getting worse. The team learned this weekend it will be without forward Daniel Sedin for the next four-to-six weeks due to a broken foot. The Sedin twins have both been extremely durable in recent years, including Daniel, who has played in 646 of a possible 660 games in his career.

In four games this season the 29-year-old winger has zero goals and four assists. Speaking of injury problems for the Canucks, Pavel Demitra's rehab is not going as well as planned. Consider this from head coach Alain Vigneault: "Without getting into specifics, his rehab is not going as well as we had planned ... All I can really say is, it's not going as quickly as he had wanted to at this time." [Canucks]

Sunday's Other Game

Canucks beat the Kings in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- What to expect from John Tavares. [Puck Prospectus]

Picture Of The Day

No interesting video's from Sunday's action, so we'll switch things up a bit and go with the picture of the day (actually, it's from Thursday). Behold, the awesomeness of net camera's.

Monday's Key Games

Maple Leafs vs. Rangers: Toronto is one of two team's in the NHL still looking for its first win, and it's coming off a rather dismal 5-2 loss to the Penguins on Saturday night. On the plus side, the Maple Leafs get a Rangers team playing the second half of back-to-back games. Vesa Toskala has been awful for Toronto in his first three starts, posting a 4.98 goals against average to go with a .824 save percentage.

Devils vs. Capitals: The Capitals look to end a three-game losing streak as they host Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Devils come in having won two in a row.

Flames vs. Blackhawks: Chicago finally gets to play a game on home ice as it welcomes the Calgary Flames in for a rematch of last year's Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Third Period Rally for Rangers; Sedin to Miss 4-6 Weeks originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Wild, Western, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

It's often said that a fight can turn around a hockey game. This was definitely true Tuesday night in St. Paul.

Entering this season, Minnesota Wild forward John Scott had three NHL regular season fights to his credit. Anaheim's George Parros was the veteran of 82. It may have seemed odd, then, for Scott to challenge Parros to a scrap in the third period Tuesday. However, the Ducks led 3-0 at the time, and the Wild were almost literally going through the motions in their home opener. Oh, how things can change with one punch. Video after the jump.

The Wild launched a three-goal rally shortly after Scott's decisive fight win. Mikko Koivu, Petr Sykora, and Eric Belanger scored in regulation to tie the score. In overtime, the Wild benefited from a dumb penalty by Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski, who took a roughing minor. Andrew Brunette scored a power-play goal for the first win of the Todd Richards era, 4-3.

While the anti-fight zealots will laugh such a notion off, there's no question Scott's fight was a momentum-changer. It got the crowd going and jumpstarted the home team for the first time all night.

George Parros Kisses the Proverbial Canvas, Launching Wild Comeback originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Murray Nervous With Season Near

Susan Slusser — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, FanHouse Exclusive

Bob Murray is entering his first full season as Anaheim's general manager, and he's feeling comfortable enough that his family has just moved out from Chicago to join him.

The transition so far: a little uncertain. One of Murray's daughters is entering her third school in three years and not too happy about it, and Anaheim has had 100-plus degree temperatures for more than a week. Where's that 72 degree year-round temperature dad promised?

Murray sounds first-day-of-school apprehensive himself when it comes to starting his first full season as the Ducks' GM.

"I'm probably as nervous as I was when I took over from Brian (Burke)," he tells FanHouse by phone. "I don't feel established in any way, shape or form. You're always trying to prove yourself in this business, and you'll always be judged on the changes you make. So you wonder: Will there be any chemistry? Is this group going to gel?"

Murray knows he's taken things in a slightly different direction. The big, bad Ducks, physical and with a fearsome defense, needed more scoring, so he traded biggest and baddest defenseman Chris Pronger. That freed up some cap room, allowing the team to re-sign captain Scott Niedermayer.

"I don't feel established in any way, shape or form. You're always trying to prove yourself in this business, and you'll always be judged on the changes you make. So you wonder: Will there be any chemistry? Is this group going to gel?" The salary cap is now Murray's primary responsibility after three-plus years as the team's senior vice president of hockey operations. "Everything revolves around where you are money-wise," Murray says. "This year, next year, three years from now -- that's the job. When we won the Cup in '07, we thought we had a chance to win right away, and put ourselves in some financial hardship; for two years, every morning I'd wake up and hope (Jean-Sebastien Giguere) didn't get hurt, because that would have killed us. Every day, you have to know where your dollars are, and next year, you have no idea what the cap will be."

After re-inking Niedermayer, the Ducks then signed longtime Canadiens captain Saku Koivu to a one-year deal in July, and obtained forward Evgeny Artyukhin from Tampa Bay. Former Ducks top pick Joffrey Lupul, traded to Edmonton to get Pronger three years ago, returns to Anaheim ... in the Pronger deal with Philadelphia.

Now Murray is eager to see how it all fits together. Like everyone else, he assumes Koivu will play on a line with fellow Finn Teemu Selanne, and that Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf will remain together. Will Bobby Ryan stay with them? What will the defensive pairings look like? That's what the fast-approaching exhibition schedule is for.

And then things get going for real, with the Ducks determined not to get in the kind of hole that nearly sunk their season last year. As Murray notes, when Anaheim won the Cup in 2007, they got off to such a strong start that later injuries didn't derail them, but a bad start, given the difficulties of the NHL schedule, can be deadly.

Last season, It took a big burst by Anaheim in the second half to salvage things.Then the Ducks steamed past top-seeded San Jose in the first round and pressed the Wings to seven games in a terrific conference semifinals series.

Things won't be easier this time. Many of the teams in the conference have upgraded or changed coaching staffs or both.

"It's no fun," Murray says of the conference, then quickly amends that. "I should say that it's competitive, and that's great, but here in the Western Conference, good teams don't make the playoffs. Two points on Oct. 10 are the same as two on March 20. Our conference, our division, is tough."

Asked for specifics, Murray says that Los Angeles is maturing and improving, Dallas was dealing with injuries last year. St. Louis, Chicago, Columbus, the teams in the Northwest, all good. And of course there is Stanley Cup Finalist Detroit, which ousted the Ducks. "I don't even talk about them," Murray says with a chuckle.

The Ducks' most immediate problem: the Sharks, who will be at Honda Center on Oct. 3 for the opening night of the regular season. The Sharks earned the Presidents Trophy last year only to get dumped by the Ducks.

"San Jose is a very good hockey team. And we know for sure San Jose doesn't like us," Murray says. "So of course, we've got San Jose right off the friggin' open."

The thought of opening night in one month switches Murray from nervous to eager, though.

"The first time I was a general manager (with the Blackhawks from 1997-99), I wasn't ready," Murray says. "I want things to go well, and I'm ready to go. Let's get it going, here and now."

Bob Murray Nervous With Season Near originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ducks Add Size; Capitals' Jose Theodore Will Enter Camp as No. 1 Goalie

Adam Gretz — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Ducks, NHL Coaching

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Ducks Acquire Evgeny Artyukhin For Drew Miller

On Thursday, the Anaheim Ducks added some bulk to their lineup by acquiring 6-foot-5, 254-pound winger Evgeny Artyukhin from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Drew Miller and a third-round pick. Artyukhin, 26, played in 73 games with Tampa Bay this past season, registering six goals to go with 10 assists and 151 penalty minutes. One of the biggest players in the NHL and capable of dropping the gloves, Artyukhin will add even more toughness to an already big, and physical, Ducks lineup.

Miller, 25, has six goals in 53 NHL games.

Jose Theodore Will Enter Camp As No. 1 Goalie

Washington Capitals goaltender Semyon Varlamov was one of the top stories during the 2009 NHL playoffs, as he took over for a struggling Jose Theodore and not only helped the Capitals overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, but also helped lead the team to Game 7 of the conference semifinals. His stellar play, apparently, wasn't enough to earn him the No. 1 goaltender job heading into training camp this year ... at least not yet.

Head coach Bruce Boudreau said on Thursday, via Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post, "Right now Jose is the No. 1 guy and the other two young men have got to come in and play the way they did last year and try to push him out."

He continued: "Jose won 33 games for us last year, and like the year before when Cristobal Huet got hot down the stretch, Varly came in and did a great job where we just couldn't take him out. But that was 13 games ... It doesn't make up for 12 years of experience. I've seen an awful lot of goalies come in at a young age and go into a slump for a year or two. I think Jose has earned and deserves the right [to be] the No. 1 guy." [Washington Post]

Loose Pucks

... An excerpt from The Book Of Rebuild, Chapter 1: And Burke said, Let the Marlies bring forth prospects, the talent yielding potential, and the draft pick yielding fruit after his kind, whose potential is in itself, upon the Marlies: and it was so. [Pension Plan Puppets]

... What sort of impact will Jay Bouwmeester's arrival in Calgary have on Dion Phaneuf? [Matchsticks & Gasoline]

... Ticket information for the Winter Classic at Fenway Park will be announced on Monday. [Boston Globe]

Ducks Add Size; Capitals' Jose Theodore Will Enter Camp as No. 1 Goalie originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Ryan Getzlaf (No. 19)

Adam Gretz — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 19 is Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf .

If I were taking into account age and long-term upside, and compiling a list of the Top 50 players I'd want to build my team around for the next 10 years, Ryan Getzlaf would definitely be in my top-10, probably in my top-five. As it stands right now, I have him at No. 19 overall, and No. 6 among centers.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Ryan Getzlaf
Ryan Getzlaf	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	88	182	270	303
Average Per 82 Games	24.6	50.1	74.6	83.6

Draft Year: 2003

Like Philadelphia, the Anaheim Ducks made out like bandits in 2003 coming away with Getzlaf at No. 19, and Corey Perry at No. 28

Why He's On My List

Getzlaf is the complete package as a hockey player: big, strong, great playmaking abilities, goal-scorer, fighter. Everything you could ever possibly want. His goal numbers have remained steady for the past three seasons (his goals-per-minute numbers have actually gone down a little bit) while his assist numbers have skyrocketed. His 91 points were good enough for sixth in the NHL during the regular season, and he continued to elevate his game in the playoffs, recording 18 points (also good enough for sixth in the NHL) in 13 games. Two-time All-Star, Stanley Cup champion, and a player that's going to be an elite performer for the next 10-plus years.

Obligatory YouTube Video

Getzlaf scores a shorthanded goal against the Minnesota Wild during the 2008 playoffs.

NHL's Top 50: Ryan Getzlaf (No. 19) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Scott Niedermayer (No. 41)

Adam Gretz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 41 is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer.

The Anaheim defense has experienced some significant changes in the past year. Gone are Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin; In are Ryan Whitney, Luca Sbisa and Nick Boynton. In terms of toughness and physicality, it's a night-and-day transformation, but an upgrade in terms of youth and long-term potential (while also stocking the cupboard with draft picks).

One player that's returning, at least for the short-term, is 17-year veteran Scott Niedermayer. The 35-year-old is coming back for at least one more season after signing a one-year deal worth over $6 million earlier this offseason. He talked about his decision to return to the Ducks with our Susan Slusser in early July.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Scott Niedermayer
Scott Niedermayer	Goals	Assists	Points	PIM
Career Totals	162	530	692	746
Average Per 82 Games	11.4	36.9	47.5	51.6

Draft Year: 1991

The third overall pick in 1991 -- after Eric Lindros and Pat Falloon -- Niedermayer is one of just seven players from that first round still active in the NHL. He's played more games (1,183) than any player taken that year.

Why He's On My List

A world-class skater, and a workhorse when it comes to ice time (he averages nearly 27 minutes per game, even at the age of 35), Niedermayer has been one of the best defensemen in the league since he made his debut in 1992. He's won four Stanley Cups, a Norris Trophy and the 2006-07 Conn Smythe Award. His age hasn't slowed him down, as his three best seasons -- statistically -- have all come within the past four years, including this past seasons 59-point performance when the Ducks advanced to the Western Conference Semifinal.

Obligatory YouTube Video

A fine example of Niedermayer's puck-rushing abilities as he takes it coast-to-coast in Game 2 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings.

NHL's Top 50: Scott Niedermayer (No. 41) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nick Boynton ... Anaheim Duck?

Adam Gretz — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, NHL Free Agency

As far as I can see, there has been no news or official release that free agent defenseman Nick Boynton has signed a contract with the Anaheim Ducks. At least, not as of this morning, July 9, 2009.

That's not stopping his name from appearing on the team's roster on its official Web site.

So, did somebody let the cat out of the bag a bit early, or is it simply a random mistake on the Web? We've reached out to the Anaheim Ducks for comment and are awaiting clarification.

UPDATE: Still no word from the Ducks -- or anybody, for that matter -- but the NHLPA's website has Boynton listed as a member of the Ducks, and his 2009-10 salary as $1.5 million. Interesting that there has been no official news or report on this. Boynton's a good enough player that it should at least get some mention from somebody when he signs.

UPDATE No. 2: And it's official, Nick Boynton is a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

(H/T HFBoards)

Nick Boynton ... Anaheim Duck? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Brother Act in Minnesota; Saku Koivu Chooses Anaheim

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Ducks, Wild, Western, NHL Free Agency

Entering NHL free agency last week, there was a lot of chatter about the prospect of a Koivu family gathering in Minnesota.

It is there that young Mikko has emerged as a face of the Minnesota Wild. His 34-year-old brother, Saku, became a free agent July 1, and it made sense that the two would play together with the Wild. In the end, however, Saku decided against the move, agreeing Wednesday to a one-year deal with Anaheim.

Koivu's acceptance of a one-year deal with the Ducks is a sign of a couple factors. For starters, he wanted to play with countryman Teemu Selanne in the latter's final NHL season. Also, it doesn't appear that Saku was too keen on playing with his younger brother.

"We spoke to Minnesota a few times. All the talks went very well, but it was more personal reasons. I didn't feel comfortable. I kind of felt that Minnesota's Mikko's place at this point. I wanted him to have his own privacy in a way and make his own name and career. And I just felt there were too many risks for us as brothers and as family members to join on the same team and kind of compete for the same ice time. And I felt we're better off playing somewhere else."

After nine years as a captain in Montreal, Saku Koivu is a pretty prideful guy. Even the smallest chance that his game would slip in Minnesota, and he would drag his younger brother down with him, was too much to risk.

It's hard to get down on a guy for simply not wanting to play somewhere. Reports are that Minnesota offered a multi-year deal and may have offered more per year than what Saku got from Anaheim for a one-year contract. In other words, he took less money to play for the Ducks.

While it has to be disappointing for the Wild, they have nothing to hang their heads over on this one.

No Brother Act in Minnesota; Saku Koivu Chooses Anaheim originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bidding Farewell to the Iowa Chops

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Minor League Hockey

It barely lasted long enough to barbecue some good pork chops, and now they're all but gone.

Last summer, the Iowa Chops were formed. The American Hockey League franchise had been affiliated with (and named after) the Dallas Stars, but switched to the Anaheim Ducks and promptly changed the team nickname. After one season, and a futile attempt to recruit Brett Favre, the Chops are in serious trouble, and could cease to exist.

The AHL Board of Governors voted Tuesday to suspend the team's operations for the 2009-2010 season. According the a league statement, the team "has unfortunately been unable to remedy certain violations of the provisions of the league's Constitution and By-Laws."

There have been reports that ownership took out a loan and used the franchise as collateral. That move would be against AHL rules.

The league vote came after the Ducks ended their affiliation agreement with the Chops back in May. That decision was made, according to the Ducks, because Chops ownership owed Anaheim "significant money."

The owners of the Chops had previously tried to get out of a no-relocation agreement they had with Polk County, which runs Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Negotiations on a settlement fell through, basically preventing the owners from selling the team and allowing it to be moved.

On the Chops' website, there is a statement on the matter.

We'd like to remain patient as The County works through the options we've presented them with regard to the Iowa Chops. And while not getting too specific - as again, our intent is to remain patient while they evaluate the next steps - we've provided a few options that save professional hockey in Des Moines.

Our intent behind this is to maintain not only the important revenue streams during hockey season to Global Spectrum and Polk County, but to also ensure that downtown businesses, bars and restaurants benefit from a hockey team, their fans, and their corporate partners. Regarding the scenario where we bring in a local partner and Central Hockey League team at our cost, we would ensure that fans and businesses can rely on the stewardship and relationships that a Des Moines area partner brings to the region and the operation.

The team also says full refunds will be given to anyone who had already bought their season tickets.

As for the Ducks, their search for a new AHL affiliate will continue. While Dallas and Edmonton are among the NHL franchises who have gone without a designated AHL affiliate in past seasons, most NHL teams do have a feeder club in the AHL.

The future for the Chops is much murkier. While there is an agreement in place to put a team in Wells Fargo Arena, there doesn't appear to be a team available to play there. Ownership is claiming losses upwards of $4 million since Iowa first got an AHL franchise in 2005, and two NHL franchises have come and gone from the city. Unless current ownership finds a local buyer, or they are able to return to some sort of sound relationship with the AHL, Des Moines may be done with professional hockey.

There is reason to believe the AHL can be successful in Des Moines. The city hosts a United States Hockey League team -- the Buccaneers -- that has done well. After four seasons of pro hockey losing money in the city, the Buccaneers might become the only game in town again.

Bidding Farewell to the Iowa Chops originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Selanne Will Retire After Next Season

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Western

The Anaheim Ducks still have plenty of veteran presence on their team, despite the trade of defenseman Chris Pronger to Philadelphia.

Captain Scott Niedermayer and forward Teemu Selanne have both said they will return. For Niedermayer, the future is uncertain beyond next season. Selanne, meanwhile, says 2009-2010 will be his last year in the NHL.

The announcement comes on Selanne's 39th birthday.

Selanne, a 10-time all-star from Finland ... told daily Helsingin Sanomat that a man that age does not belong in a league like the NHL.

"It is a forum for young boys", Selanne said. "But the right diet, rest and muscle care help to prolong a career. Personally I am injury-free, I feel young at mind and pursue a lot of activities."

Selanne contemplated retirement but has decided to play for one more season.

"The next season is without doubt my last. This time my decision will be kept," he said.

It's been a storied NHL career for the "Finnish Flash". He's played over 1,200 games for four NHL teams, won a Cup with Anaheim in 2007, and has scored 614 career goals. With a healthy and effective season, Selanne could pass 650 goals for his Hall of Fame-caliber career.

More importantly, the return of both Selanne and Niedermayer to the Ducks means they have a very good chance of returning to Stanley Cup contention at least one more time before their real overhaul happens.

Selanne Will Retire After Next Season originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Niedermayer Is a Happy Duck

Susan Slusser — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, FanHouse Exclusive

Scott Niedermayer had to take some time after Anaheim's grueling seven-game loss to the Red Wings to think about his future. He'll be 36 next month, and the defenseman wanted to make sure he still had the fire to play another full NHL season, with all the time and energy and sacrifices that entails. It's a decision he grapples with on a semi-annual basis.

All it took was watching the Penguins and the Red Wings play for the title to get Niedermayer in the right frame of mind to say "yes" to the Ducks and their one-year, $6 million offer. He officially agreed to the deal on Wednesday, the first day of free agency.

"The Stanley Cup Finals obviously gets you excited to get back on the ice," Niedermayer told FanHouse by phone from Vancouver.

The main consideration in the decision to return was the regular season and its rigors, Niedermayer emphasized, but there's something else he'd love to do. The Ducks' captain is from British Columbia, and the 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver. A four-time Stanley Cup winner, Niedermayer also played on Canada's 2002 gold medal team, and a repeat in his own country would be extra memorable.

"It's definitely something I'd be honored to be a part of," Niedermayer said. "My hometown, my province, that would be a pretty special experience. But that's a two-week tournament and the NHL season is 8 to 10 months and that's really what I based my decision on because of the commitment that takes."

Niedermayer returns to an Anaheim team that features another notable returnee, Teemu Selanne, who cited Niedermayer's presence as a primary reason he was re-upping with the Ducks. But a prominent Anaheim player is gone: big, bad Chris Pronger was shipped to Philadelphia. Pronger's departure was tied to Niedermayer's return, done with an eye toward the salary cap and fitting in Niedermayer's salary.

That's a sizeable loss on the defensive side of things, but Niedermayer didn't sound overly concerned. He's seen all sorts of team upheaval in his time in the NHL.

"There are always changes," he said. "Changes in the summer, changes during the year. You learn to live with that. Obviously Chris was a big part of the team and a great player and he helped make us a good team, but this is a team sport and it takes 24 guys to create success. We'll have some new faces, we'll see how they fit in, but I like this team and I'm excited to get things going. We all expect to make the playoffs and to compete for the Cup."

Next season, though, Niedermayer would prefer if the Ducks didn't leave their big surge for so late in the year. They barely made it into the playoffs after a dreadful start. Left with the eighth seed, Anaheim upset San Jose -- the best team during the regular season -- and then pushed the defending champion Red Wings the distance in the semifinals.

"That didn't make it easy," he said of the team's late bloom. "Hopefully, we learned our lesson. We got behind the 8-ball, and by the time February rolled around we had a tough road, playing the top teams in the conference in the first couple of rounds."

The Ducks ranked high again in ESPN the Magazine's ultimate pro sports rankings, placing 11th among every franchise in the four major sports. Over the past three years, Anaheim has averaged the top spot in the NHL and the fourth spot overall in the rankings, which list teams "by how much they give back to fans for all the emotion, money and time fans invest in their favorite teams."

"You always know that you have a chance to compete to win a championship there," Niedermayer said. "That's all you want. The fans are great, the team treats people well. It wasn't a hard decision to be a part of that. I didn't know what to expect when I first came here, but I'm pleased with how it's working out."

Scott Niedermayer Is a Happy Duck originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Pronger Traded to Flyers; Did Philadelphia Give Up Too Much?

Adam Gretz — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Flyers

Heading into Friday's NHL draft, all eyes were on Ottawa's Dany Heatley and Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier when it came to potential blockbuster trades. When all was said and done, the first domino to fall was Anaheim sending defenseman Chris Pronger to Philadelphia for Joffrey Lupol, Luca Sbisa, and two first-round picks.

Now that, my friends, is a blockbuster.

More: Scott Niedermayer Will Play in 2009-10

First of all, is there a better fit than Chris Pronger and the city of Philadelphia? Absolutely not. That's a match made in heaven, and Pronger is going to be a fan favorite for as long as he plays in the City of Brotherly Love, which brings us to the potential problem with this deal: Did Philadelphia give up too much for one year of Pronger (his contract expires after the 2009-10 season)?

There's no question that the addition of Pronger to the Flyers' lineup makes them a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. Putting him with Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn on the Philadelphia blue line is as good a top three as any team in the NHL, and I certainly can't hold it against a team for putting it all on the line and going for a championship. But, let's be honest here, that's a steep price for one year of a 34-year-old defenseman. Simply put: Philadelphia has to make a serious run at the cup to make this deal worth it.

This deal means a couple of things for Flyers: 1) Jay Bouwmeester isn't going to Philadelphia, as some rumors and recent speculation suggested. 2) Daniel Briere is probably on his way out of town as soon as general manager Paul Holmgren can find somebody to take on that cap-killing contract. 3) It's all about this season.

Sbisa, 19, played 39 games with the Flyers during the 2008-09 season and recorded seven assists, and as Broad Street Hockey points out, dealing the 2008 first-rounder "will hurt fans of the orange and black." Lupul going the other way clears some cap space for Philadelphia, but it's still taking on, roughly, $2 million in salary and is going to be forced to dump a contract or two before the season begins.

Interesting note that this is the second time Lupul has been traded for Pronger, as he went from Anaheim to Edmonton in the July 3, 2006 deal that saw the Ducks acquire the rugged defenseman.

Chris Pronger Traded to Flyers; Did Philadelphia Give Up Too Much? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Niedermayer Will Play in 2009-2010

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Western

The Anaheim Ducks are slowly getting younger, thanks to dynamic players like Bobby Ryan and Ryan Whitney. Friday's trade of defensive stalwart Chris Pronger hastens the need for the team to rely on young talent.

That said, the defensive corps will still be led by a grizzled, accomplished veteran. Scott Niedermayer's agent has informed the Ducks that their captain will return for an 18th NHL season.

The move solidifies the top of Anaheim's defense for next season. The Ducks still need to re-sign restricted free agents Francois Beauchemin and James Wisniewski, and they will have to work out a deal with Niedermayer, who made $6.75 million last season.

Niedermayer's return has more of an impact than with just the Ducks. Since he has decided to play, there's also a good chance we will see him serve as the captain of Team Canada during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Since Niedermayer showed no signs of slowing down during this past season, there's no reason to think he can't handle the workload. It remains to be seen if he's adversely affected by the Pronger trade. Given his ability, steadiness, and experience, there's no reason to think that would happen.

Scott Niedermayer Will Play in 2009-2010 originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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