frolov_kovalev*
03-25-2006, 02:07 PM
http://wilkernator.blogspot.com/2006/03/los-angeles-ducks-of-anaheimwhos-that.html
The Los Angeles Ducks of Anaheim...who's that?
The Anaheim Mighty Ducks (soon to be Ducks), are the story of the NHL's fairy-tale teams.
While starting off very slow and sluggish, the Ducks have really turned it around.
They started the season in the NHL's "scrap" pile, sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference, this lead to the unloading of ex-star forward Sergei Fedorov in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Attendance slowly slipped, scoring was not very high and goaltending was very, very ordinary. Brian Burke also had announced that the team would be called Mighty no more. In 2007, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim will go by the moniker of simply "Anaheim Ducks". On a similar note, Emilio Estevez was furious...
It seems now that Jean-Sebastien Gigure's incredible '03 season was a mere fluke and that this goaltender is overrated. After Giguere pulled his hamstring, Ilja Bryzgalov gave fans a taste of what is to come.
He played so well that when Gigure returned, he stole some more playing time from him and eventually was "unoficially" marked as their clouded no 1 goaltender.
This lead to many rumors, there were rumors stating that Ducks GM Brian Burke would unload some of his players, Jean-Sebastien Gigure being at the top of that list.
But suddenly something happened, scoring went up, Giggy returned to his old form and all hope was not lost. The Ducks have argurably been hockey's hottest team for the past month and a half as their record shows (36-21-12) an 84-point explosion, good enough for the 5th spot in the Western Conference.
To name some of the players that have helped turn this franchise's fate around:
Teemu Selanne, the offseason signing of Selanne is paying off.
The elite Finnish winger and Ducks leading scorer has scored 31 goals and has notched 40 helpers for a total of 71 points.
Not bad for a guy who was signed to a $1 million contract.
Scott Nierdemayer, another offseason splash has also helped the team in many ways.
The $27 million man has proved worthy of a C and of his paycheck, recording 55 points and still recovering from knee surgery. Nierdemayer has done more than have his name on the scoresheet, he is a determined presence in the dressing room, and on and off the ice.
Hockey is also a sport of interaction.
Andy McDonald, maybe the most surprising Anaheim Duck is having a breakthrough season. Scoring 28 goals and adding 28 assists for an impressive 66 points, 5 points behind Teemu Selanne for the team scoring lead. This player is perhaps the most neglected reason as to why the Ducks have turned it around, he somehow salvaged his career with Brian Burke in town and has been consistent all season long.
Remember: "Quack, quack, quack..."
The Los Angeles Ducks of Anaheim...who's that?
The Anaheim Mighty Ducks (soon to be Ducks), are the story of the NHL's fairy-tale teams.
While starting off very slow and sluggish, the Ducks have really turned it around.
They started the season in the NHL's "scrap" pile, sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference, this lead to the unloading of ex-star forward Sergei Fedorov in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Attendance slowly slipped, scoring was not very high and goaltending was very, very ordinary. Brian Burke also had announced that the team would be called Mighty no more. In 2007, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim will go by the moniker of simply "Anaheim Ducks". On a similar note, Emilio Estevez was furious...
It seems now that Jean-Sebastien Gigure's incredible '03 season was a mere fluke and that this goaltender is overrated. After Giguere pulled his hamstring, Ilja Bryzgalov gave fans a taste of what is to come.
He played so well that when Gigure returned, he stole some more playing time from him and eventually was "unoficially" marked as their clouded no 1 goaltender.
This lead to many rumors, there were rumors stating that Ducks GM Brian Burke would unload some of his players, Jean-Sebastien Gigure being at the top of that list.
But suddenly something happened, scoring went up, Giggy returned to his old form and all hope was not lost. The Ducks have argurably been hockey's hottest team for the past month and a half as their record shows (36-21-12) an 84-point explosion, good enough for the 5th spot in the Western Conference.
To name some of the players that have helped turn this franchise's fate around:
Teemu Selanne, the offseason signing of Selanne is paying off.
The elite Finnish winger and Ducks leading scorer has scored 31 goals and has notched 40 helpers for a total of 71 points.
Not bad for a guy who was signed to a $1 million contract.
Scott Nierdemayer, another offseason splash has also helped the team in many ways.
The $27 million man has proved worthy of a C and of his paycheck, recording 55 points and still recovering from knee surgery. Nierdemayer has done more than have his name on the scoresheet, he is a determined presence in the dressing room, and on and off the ice.
Hockey is also a sport of interaction.
Andy McDonald, maybe the most surprising Anaheim Duck is having a breakthrough season. Scoring 28 goals and adding 28 assists for an impressive 66 points, 5 points behind Teemu Selanne for the team scoring lead. This player is perhaps the most neglected reason as to why the Ducks have turned it around, he somehow salvaged his career with Brian Burke in town and has been consistent all season long.
Remember: "Quack, quack, quack..."