Just Ducky

March 1, 1993.

That was the day NHL beat writers questioned the sanity of the announcement: the Mighty Ducks are coming to Anaheim. Even with the Mickey Mouse empire behind them, as one headline attested, "NHL expansion on hold till next goofy rich guy."

Fast forward to playoffs 2003. With only two playoff seasons to their name (1997, 1999), the Ducks looked ever so mighty, mowing through Detroit, Dallas, and Minnesota before forcing the New Jersey Devils to a game seven in the Stanley Cup final. Mike Babcock had just taken over head coaching duties for the season. The team finished as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. G Jean-Sebastien Giguere tied a league record for most consecutive shutouts (3) and earned himself the Conn Smythe Trophy, even though the Devils won the Cup. 

Mike Babcock addresses the Ducks in December 2006

As November neared a close in 2006, the Ducks had their best start ever and sat first overall. They out shot their opponents by roughly 15 shots, averaging the third highest in the league. The Ducks defense had the most points by a league defense. The team ranked second in power play percentage and earned a standings point in each of their first 16 games—the longest streak to start a season.

RW Teemu Selanne banked his 500th career goal on November 22, 2006 at Colorado, scored points in nine of ten games, and led his club in points. He also tied a franchise record for both assists and points (5) when he chalked up five assists on November 19, 2006 versus Phoenix (tied D Dmitri Mironov—12/12/97 versus Washington).

Captain Scott Niedermayer ranked fourth on the points scale for defensemen and was second on the club and sixth overall in the league for ice time. He was also the fan favorite in the All Star vote, leading the Western Conference balloting—well over 18,000 votes ahead of Detroit D Nicklas Lidstrom. Ducks D Chris Pronger was third in the ballot, first for points for defensemen, second in the league's plus/minus, and fourth in overall league assists.

Meanwhile, Giguere topped the league in wins and was tied for first in shutouts, while RW Dustin Penner was second in rookie scoring.

Then came the 2007 playoffs.

After winning the Pacific Division title, the Ducks eliminated Minnesota, Vancouver, and Detroit before heading to the Stanley Cup final to face the Ottawa, and beat the Senators in five games.

Yes, the team has struggled to make the playoffs since then, but the Ducks have certainly had the last laugh over the 1993 headlines. It's not a stretch to think that another future headline might read "Stanley Cup contender."

Tony Amonte and the Personal Impact of Trades

It was 2006 when Tony Amonte was playing for the Calgary Flames. I was able to pull him aside and ask him about what it was like to be traded. Not about his role with his new team or what he thinks of the new city. What was the impact on his family?

"It’s a double-edged sword. The first one is really the one that catches you off guard. You really don’t know it’s coming. You don’t know what to expect. You don’t know how to act. The way you have to look at it is there’s a team that really wants you bad."

While fans know that players must report to their new city as soon as possible, nobody thinks about the logistics behind that.

"It’s brutal. Especially if you’re a single guy. You’ve got to pack up and leave right away. You’ve got to find friends to let the movers in and let the movers pick up your crap. If you’re married, fortunately you’ll have a wife you can leave behind and she has to do all the work, unfortunately. That’s the worst part about being traded is the move – upload and moving your stuff across the country. Your car is over there and everything else. As far as the trade itself goes, it’s usually pretty smooth. You get the call. You’re on the next plane out. You leave everything. Fortunately for most guys, they’ve got great friends, great wives, and people who will look after their stuff and take care of some issues for them while they’re gone."

Even if they hadn't played with someone before, through from past tournaments, all star games, and player association functions, many players do know a lot of players on other teams. It's still an adjustment. The room has a different chemistry and when you first arrive, you don't really know where you fit in. 

It's nice when one of the vets steps up to the plate.

"Guys know, especially in the middle of the season, when the new guy comes on the team, take him in, make sure you talk to him as much as you can, get to know the guy, dinners, if the guy needs anything while he’s in town. If he needs a rental car, you can hopefully set him up with some people. Whatever the guy needs to just make him comfortable. When you get to a city, you want to feel comfortable. You don’t want to feel like you’re all alone and sitting in a hotel every night. Guys will invite you out to dinner, go here, just do things and keep busy."

 

The Impact of an Olympic Break

The NHL is closed for business for 10 days, while several of the league's finest head off to Vancouver to don sweaters for their home country instead.

With the tightness of the standings and so many teams vying for that final playoff spot, you'd think the break would suck the wind out every team's sails.

"We can’t do anything now until the 24th," says Calgary Flames' coach Brent Sutter. He admits all his coaching staff can do is start planning the next days of practice before the first game off the break: March 3 versus Minnesota, which also happens to be the trade deadline.

The Flames sit one point above Dallas and Detroit in eighth spot in the Western Conference. They can also feel the breath of Anaheim, St. Louis, and Minnesota not far behind.

"Obviously, it’s got to be a strong push for the last 20 games. We need to play well. But it’s not like we haven’t been playing well. The last six games or so, we’ve actually played some pretty good hockey. We just weren’t scoring goals."

So if the timing is good for a break, it doesn't matter to Sutter.

"It is what it is. Everyone’s known when the winter break was going to be for quite some time now. No players can practice. Is it a good time? It’s not like some teams are doing it and some aren’t. Everyone is on the same grounds with it."

Many of the league's players that won't be in Vancouver will use this opportunity for some rare family time.

What is Eric Nystrom going to do during the break?

"Just a little vacation and relaxation, nothing too crazy."

If the players have trouble getting their legs back after the 10 days are up, Nystrom says the Flames, in particular, have plenty of motivation.

"You just look at the standings. One win is not going to get us out of the position we’re in. You need to string a lot of wins together. That’s not going to change over the break."