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28
Jun

Busy Time

By Daniel Closed
Categories: Ducks, Former Ducks, Hockey and Players

For being the off season, it sure is a busy time in the NHL. You get a rich Canadian with an obsolete product trying to buy a good franchise and ship them from Baltimore to Indianapolis Nashville to Ontario, then his maverick tactics get him kicked to the curb. My favorite story is the one of Keith Tkachuk, that is simply bullshit. Trading rights back to a player for exclusive negotiating services, sorry but that is just plain wrong. Honestly though, who cares, I am pretty much waiting for the two super stars to say what they are going to do in Anaheim.

smyth One of the interesting things I read was about Ryan Smyth perhaps being a target of Burke’s if Selanne does happen to retire. I don’t know what the fuss is all about honestly, he’s good in front of the net and is a good leader. But he is made out to be some messiah, like he changes the entire dynamic of your team. Sure he will score you some goals, but I don’t think he is worth all that, to be fair I am not an Oilers fan and don’t watch a lot of his games though. Some size up the middle would be welcome though, Penner doesn’t stand in front with a mission quite yet. So lets say I wouldn’t be shocked if it happened, but unlikely.

kariya The most humorist post was concerning Paul Kariya. Haha. He doesn’t have a good shot of signing with the Ducks. I believe one of the reasons he didn’t want to stay in Anaheim after 2003 was because he didn’t enjoy Mike Babcock’s defensive style of hockey. That wont really fly with Carlyle or Burke. Selanne was the least physical of all the Ducks players last season, he must have had some kind of pass or something because even McDonald did some forechecking. Paul Kariya is no longer welcome, so I say this deal has about a 10% chance of happening.

souray Scott Niedermayer can not be replaced. Sheldon Souray is said to be the best defensemen up for grabs in free agency and he can’t hold a candle to what Niedermayer brought to the locker room or ice. Pressure alone would probably eat this guy up, stay away. Get some proven 3-4 guys that can fill spots. Francois Beauchemin can do a lot of what Scott Neidermayer did on the powerplay with Chris Pronger. His decision making will need some work, especially since he might not have Scottie backing him up when he steps up to drill someone with his head down. Joe DiPenta probably wont be back either, but we still have Pronger.

But…we did sign some players as well. That goalie guy is locked in for another four years as are some of our depth defenders. It really doesn’t look like a bad off season so far and July 1st hasn’t even come along yet. Bryzgalov will probably move on, another $1-1.5 freed up. Get some more speed on the wings and a big center who has just the right amount of brain cells missing to stand in front of the net while Pronger and Beauchemin rip pucks towards their general direction. Ryan Smyth looks better to me after I say it like that.

18
Jun

I Just Can’t Do It Captain

By Daniel 3 Comments
Categories: Articles, Ducks and Players

According to this EJ Hradek blog post, Scott Niedermayer is in decision mode on whether he wants to retire or continue playing. Wont that really hurt the whole repeat train. I don’t even know what to think about it honestly. I wouldn’t be upset to see him retire, it would honestly make sense. The resume is long and distinguished, he can’t accomplish anything else, so he would simply have to do it because he loves to play hockey. He can go out on top, helping his brother win a cup and bringing it to a new team without Scott Stevens. The guy is a winner in every sense of the word and can you think of anyone as decorated as he is, in any sport, ever? Plus, he is so classy and plays the game with respect. I feel like I am writing a eulogy here, as I write more, I get the feeling that Scott Niedermayer played his last game of hockey.

If it is, I hope he rides off in to the California sunset and sits on the beach for the rest of his life, raising his kids and being a great dad.

13
Jun

NHL 08 - Finally

By Daniel Closed
Categories: Articles, Blog and Hockey

nhl08

Does this look familiar? Niedermayer, Pronger and Alfredsson.

I know this isn’t anything related to the Ducks, but I have been stalking the Internet for months waiting to hear about this game. I had the PC version and never got to play it on the XBOX360, then they had the nerve to not make it for the PS3, so I was left out of that whole skill stick thing. In 08, they will have a PS3 version, so I will be saved from the god awful, down right worst gaming purchase I have ever made, mistake of a game that is NHL2k7. I can not even express how bad that game was.

Eric Staal is the cover boy this year, at least in North America, it wasn’t listed for the European release yet.

The skill stick has been polished as has the look of the game, which is expected when you develop an innovative control system, it will be buggy for the first year or so. I think the coolest part of the new version will be the AI. I have always wanted better AI in the hockey games, because going coast to coast or flying up the wing and taking it to the crease was just too damn easy.

You will be able to set up in the offensive zone and work the puck around. Because of the much tougher defensive AI in the slot [just try carrying the puck into the slot…we dare you], you will actually need to do this in order to get scoring chances.

This better be true, because I have heard that before. You could kind of set up in NHL 07, but it was more of a desire to dick around with the other team then it was a necessity to actually need to do it because the AI was good. I want to know that my guys can stay in front of the crease and pound someone who walks out in front without me having to control them. I also want scrums after the whistle if the situation arises, then some control of that too, where I can start to push or push back. If someone wants to drop the gloves, then you go with that too. A face wash or a hard slash gets you a penalty, you know, hockey stuff.

We have implemented a new skating engine for NHL 08 that addresses all of your NHL 07 skating issues. You will have 100% control of your players. If you move your left stick 10%, your player will move at 10% speed. If you tap the left stick quickly, your player will quickly move a few feet. If you hold the left stick 100%, your player will skate at 100%

Wont that be nice, we can actually move at the speed of intention, control the finer lines. Though this might be a learning curve, I know a lot of us are used to jamming that analog stick all the way and hitting a speed burst button, the one that can’t get Paul Kariya to a loose puck before Hal Gill when they both start at the same point. There is the feature of a defensemen walking the blue line, fine tuned cross overs to keep your speed while maneuvering.

Some more realistic checking is in the works as well. Based on angle of contact, speed and size of players. Using the same example above, Paul Kariya could level Hal Gill but Gill couldn’t always knock down Kariya. Make the passing a little more realistic and don’t let everything through as well, I don’t think I read anything about that.

All and all, this looks like it is going to be a solid release, but I thought that after NHL 07. I have been told that the difference between the PC/PS2 and XBOX360 versions are pretty big, so I will give EA a little break for that. Check out the links below for more about the game and some galleries. No videos yet, but those are in the wings I am sure.

 

http://blogs.ign.com/EANHL08/
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/794/794764p1.html
http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3160200
http://media.ps3.gamespy.com/media/900/900347/imgs_1.html

08
Jun

Quack Quack Quack Mr. Ducksworth

By Daniel 3 Comments
Categories: Ducks, Hockey and Players

Ok, just because I thought this was really funny, I figured people would really get a kick out of this.

I was using my time wisely on Wikipedia today and I went to the Anaheim Ducks page, it had been erased and some jerk off had replaced it all with some jibba-jabba. It was restored in a matter of minutes, no big deal. So I went to the talk page for the entry and saw perhaps the funniest thing linking the NHL Ducks to the three wonderful movies we all grew up watching.

Seems there’s an anon fetish with adding ‘Charlie Conway’ to the team captains section & ‘Gordon Bombay’ to the coaches section. GoodDay 17:27, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

Does it get any fucking better then that, seriously? I almost fell out of my chair.

In real Ducks news, the team has signed Travis Moen and George Parros to two year extensions. So two more years of the shut down line and two more years of the nation, official WWE t-shirts coming soon. Why was Spazway the captain anyway, he always screwed it up.

07
Jun

Wow, What A Season

By Daniel 1 Comment
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Blog, Ducks, Hockey and Stanley Cup Finals

ducks_cup

From the fans singing the National Anthem to Selanne raising the cup high above his head, you have to be proud to be a Ducks fan today. After all the years of hearing the Disney jokes, the Mighty Ducks cartoon, Wild Wing, the “eggplant” in the jersey, being from California and not being a real fan base or deserving market, it finally ends in amazing fashion. Today it feels good to be from Southern California, the crowd singing the National Anthem was spine tingling and I wasn’t even in the building. I know it happens a lot in Canada, passing a huge Canadian flag around the arena is awesome too, but that was very touching to hear that come from Orange County. It will save you from me bashing the OC for the rest of the week, I promise.

The series played out exactly how I figured it would, the Ducks made quick work of the Senators. Ottawa thought it wasn’t going to be close, you were right, but oh so wrong. Game five was the final stamp on a season you know was going to be special, I guess you had to be a real Ducks fan to know that. The up’s and down’s during injuries were nerve racking, the Detroit series was shameful at times but the finals showed everyone who the best team was.

I will have some more posts coming later today and later in the week, but we are having DNS issues at work so I have to deal with that. I have some great things in the wings and it will be a great offseason. I am going to come back with a new domain, a new site structure and what should easily be the most interactive Ducks site, if not hockey fan site on the internet. I was going to close up shop a couple times this season, but got inspired during the playoffs, go figure. Thanks to all the bloggers, especially those from Detroit, you guys were a riot.

I even called the own goal, that is scary!

06
Jun

Put Me In Coach

By Daniel 3 Comments
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Ducks, Hockey, Players, Pre-Game and Stanley Cup Finals

To have one’s name engraved on the Stanley Cup certain requirements must be met. A player must have at least 41 games played with the club or one game played in the Stanley Cup Finals. However, in 1994 a stipulation was added to allow a team to petition the Commissioner for permission to have players’ names put on the Cup if extenuating circumstances prevented them from being available to play. - NHL Fun Facts

parros_cup I have already stated in the previous post that I believe the Ducks will close it out tonight, so no assumption. Now, to get to what really bites ass, George Parros will not get his name on the Stanley Cup if he does not play tonight. He has played in 34 regular season games and only 5 playoff games this year. He still travels with the team, skates in practice and drills but that wont really matter. Sure, the team can petition Gary Bettman, but I think he will just shoot it down. Not being a particularly good hockey player is not an “extenuating circumstance” for not playing.

I don’t really like Parros all that much, I get the whole “fans love him” thing, he is a fighter and he has a unique look. Put aside my own thoughts on his hockey skills, this guy is a draw for the team. They even sell mustaches at the arena, that is some real fan appreciation with a hint of keen marketing. When Snoop supports you, you know you got a role on the team. His teammates seem to love him too. How can you not love someone who’s job is make sure your safe in your workplace? So the fan support is there, the team support is there, but will the commissioner care?

That means Joe Motzko, Ryan Carter and Drew Miller get their names on the cup after playing 4 games combined in the finals? Ryan Shannon will also get his name inscribed after he played 53 games in the regular season. It seems very crappy that Parros will miss out. Randy Carlyle is a take-no-shit kind of coach and he doesn’t care about things like this, in my eyes at least. Which is a great asset for a coach, that means he wants the team to win first, correct. I personally think George Parros sits in the locker for game five, which really sucks for George Parros, but is a good thing for his team. You can’t take a spot from a player who can at least contribute. But if he did get the chance to dress, you know the Honda Center would erupt, about as loud as when the final horn blows tonight. Bench the balloon and put Parros out for a shift, I personally think he deserves it.

Ducks: 50 - Ottawa: -3 (3 own goals that will count as negatives)

PS: If Randy Carlyle does this, it is a mistake and might backfire by hyping the Senators up. Then again, they really shouldn’t need to be hyped up, this an elimination game and all.

05
Jun

You Got One, Now You’re Done

By Daniel 2 Comments
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Ducks, Game Reviews, Hockey and Stanley Cup Finals

You know what this series reminds me of? The WCF of the NBA playoffs between San Antonio and Utah. Why? Well because Utah had no business being in the series. One of the ESPN analysts said it best when he said the series would go to five games. The Spurs would abuse the Jazz at home to go up 2-0, then Utah would play an inspired game three at home, then come back down and lose to a superior team. The Ducks lose game five on Wednesday when hell freezes over. Ottawa will see the best Ducks team game it has seen in the series, zero doubt!

emery_dive Ottawa pegged the hell out of Giguere in the first period on Monday night, but as usual, could not finish. Sure they got one with 0.3 seconds in the first, then followed that up by showing up flat in the second. Ottawa had a whole bunch of calls go their way as well. Chris Neil is a pansy, Emery deserves some kind of acting award and Alfredsson will be lucky to survive game five to shake hands at the end.

Ottawa laid a huge egg and has no business being on the ice tomorrow. What were they thinking after the first, did they really think Anaheim wasn’t going to give everything they had? It was the biggest game of their lives, at home with the Canadian drowd, no Pronger. It was like a perfect storm of bad for the Ducks and good for the Senators. Good teams step up when they are faced with adversity, the Ducks are that team.

penner_gwg As for Chris Pronger, his presence was missed on the powerplay and in the corners. The Senators were banging Huskins and DiPenta around, jarring pucks loose and forcing them to make perfect passes to Ottawa’s point men. The forecheck also made Ric Jackman look downright scary, how many times did he hand the puck off? Does the coach bench him on Wednesday in favor of the defensive minded DiPenta who really didn’t look all that bad last night? Tough call, but I say you do it, because he doesn’t usually make those kind of mistakes in his own end and wont shoot enough from the point to get shots blocked like Jackman did. Plus, Joe D. has been on the team from the start of all this and simply deserves to be on the ice.

Another player who deserves to be on the ice for game five is Shawn Thornton. Why was he scratched for game four? Motzko and Carter? I am all for playing the right guys in a game, but I think that Thornton should be on the ice when the Ducks clinch. He has been a nice depth forward all season and has played his best hockey of the year in these finals, that fourth line was out of their mind in the first two games.

Come on boys, end this so we can stick it right up in the Kings face!

02
Jun

Pitter Patter - They Got One

By Daniel 10 Comments
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Ducks, Game Reviews, Hockey and Stanley Cup Finals

First off, Chris Pronger shouldn’t be suspended. This hit by Alfredsson was more vicious then Pronger’s “elbow”, but I don’t expect anyone to agree with that. Did Pronger even extend his arm or did the guy just duck and run into it? Jesus, Ottawa fans are such babies. I don’t want to start to get a Sen’s fan complex, but if you want something to be looked at, how about some of those penalties called on the Ducks in the third, talk about larceny. It is unfortunate that he went down like he did, but it was hardly an infraction, quit being such tools, you won the game. A more obvious head shot was Neal on McDonald, though I am sure you all happened to turn your head right as he went in, surprisingly there was no call as well.

As for the game, sure the Senators played better and had a little bit more fire, but face it, that was the best Ottawa had to offer. On the flip side, that was hardly the Ducks best effort and still had a whole lot of chances, Emery (and the post) to the rescue. The right call was made on the Alfredsson goal, it hit his skate and went in, he swung his foot well after it was away from him, good goal. Another off of Pronger’s foot, another deflection, some throw-it-to-the-net goals.

Now about the Ducks goals. Emery better clean up his act, because all three of those were his fault. He is really bad at controlling rebounds, Getzlaf’s goal cements that. My bet, this only pisses off the Ducks players. They didn’t play a great game, took some bad penalties and for the most part were matching Ottawa from the drop of the puck. They won five games in a row, linking back to the previous series against Detroit. They will look at this as one that got away after leading and they let it go with poor sixty minute intensity. Time to start another streak of wins, two to be exact.

Congratulations to Ottawa, they deserved the win tonight, they wanted it more then the Ducks did. Should be a different team on Monday, I am willing to bet the team that shows up will be the cocky team that thinks it can tie a game up with only :30 seconds left in the third. Good luck in game four Senators and your fans, I think you are really going to need it.

PS: Bone head move for dressing Kunitz, I don’t care what a doctor says, he wasn’t healed. He wasted a bench spot for someone who could have played the entire game. What was wrong with sitting him one game, especially if they won tonight, you can afford to lose a game when you are up 3-0, not 2-0. Do you think he is done for the series NOW eh?

31
May

Ottawa, Be Yourself

By Daniel Closed
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Ducks, Game Reviews, Hockey and Stanley Cup Finals

I was unable to watch the first period of this game do to unfortunate DVR malfunctions, but I heard it was a really good period, lots of hits and chances. I can talk about the rest of the game though because I watched that live.

You know what, it looked a lot like game one did. Physical from both sides, good chances in front of the net and turnovers from the Senators. Another thing I noticed is how I didn’t notice the Ottawa gunners when the shut down line was on the ice. The contrasting styles between Buffalo and Anaheim are pretty obvious. Team defense can stop a run and gun team, but doesn’t do as good when a team tries to go through you instead of around you.

This season is no different from the 2003 run in the sense of media coverage. I remember the praise that Steve Rucchin was getting for playing the same role Pahlsson is in this year. Even with a Selke nomination, people still couldn’t point out Sammy Pahlsson. I guess all it really takes is a finals appearance to garner some attention. Articles about Joe DiPenta and Kent Huskins were also floating around, Joe D. isn’t even playing. When you see Snoop Dogg in the crowd, you know we know hockey, give us oblivious-to-anything-outside-Orange-County citizens some credit.

This post really has nothing to add, it was a game one clone. My previous post about physicality also relates to this game. Ottawa does not want to get in to that and prove how tough they are, they took bad penalties for that stuff. Not that the Ducks can score on the powerplay though, so if you want to give a guy a two minute rest, tell him to take a penalty. The “faster ice” in Ottawa should help you guys skate more right? Well, then you can really open it up on the Ducks then and use some of that speed and short passing we have been hearing about. Don’t waste your energy proving you can take the bumps, you need that to finish periods or games.

How about this scenario. Ottawa is up by a goal or two with about ten minutes left in the third, but they have been banging with the Ducks all game long. Too tired to mount any kind of physical presence down low, the PPG line cycles the puck for a good minute or so, walks out in front of the net and pounds away until they chip one over a sprawling Emery. Your hearts sink and your will to continue playing are all but lost. Stick to skating and standing up for yourselves, don’t initiate anything. Did being really physical get you guys to this point or was it skating and scoring?

30
May

Feels Like the First Time

By Daniel 3 Comments
Categories: 07 Playoffs, Ducks, Game Reviews, Hockey and Stanley Cup Finals

This doesn’t look good for all those people picking Ottawa in six, hell, even seven. Much like the previous series the Ducks have played in, the opposing goalie has stood on his head to keep his team close, only to break his teams heart when something goes in, like it’s Emery’s fault. The goal was not the best to let in, but he did bail his team out of about nine other times. Sure Ottawa came out and banged some more, the hit on Scott Niedermayer was solid, but you know it only riled the Ducks up. I think Ottawa has this whole thing twisted, they aren’t really playing their tempo and then they try to match the Ducks. Cute. You don’t bang with this team, it does not work like that. The Senators were tired at the end of the second and third and it was easy to see. Goes to show you how rolling four tired lines doesn’t match up well against a team that takes away your will and actually wants to go in to corners to get pucks when it counts.

On to Saturday, where we can have some real ice and then stop all these complaints about how bad it is in Anaheim and that is why Ottawa can’t get going. And the refs, yea they were absolutely horrible. Both sides of the ice fellahs. Score on the 5 on 3, then you have nothing to complain about.

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