Anaheim's All-Time Team: Protect the Superstars

To help save the planet, I am re-using an image from Christmas 2006.
I know I've lost some momentum on this Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim project, but I'm down to my last spot to fill. I've got the rest of the roster penciled together for an unveiling next week, though it's still not too late to convince me on your votes in for:

• #1 Center: Rucchin, Oates, Fedorov, McDonald, or Getzlaf.



• #5 and #6 Defensemen: Two of Dollas, Karpa, Mironov, Salei, Havelid, Vishnevski, Carney, Ozolinsh, Beauchemin, O'Donnell, or Schneider.



• Backup Goaltender: Hebert, Shtalenkov, Gerber, Bryzgalov, or Hiller.

Today we fill my last open spot: Enforcer.

Throughout its franchise history, Anaheim has relied on an element of pure muscle, for a few reasons: to compensate for its sissy team name, to draw more lackluster fans in SoCal, and for traditional on-ice reasons (protecting and generating space for superstars). I don't suppose that reserving a slot for an enforcer makes Anaheim's All-Time team necessarily better on paper, but I think it does do a service to all those punch-monkeys who have stood up for the Ducks over the years. Also, my all-time team (penciled-in version) is looking quite soft thus far; I can probably count the career fighting majors among my forwards on one hand.

In terms of the skillset I'm looking for, it's pretty simple: Popularity, Fighting Ability, and Regular Shifts (in that order of importance). I've put together a list of twelve candidates which is by no means exhaustive (feel free to write in anyone I've missed), sorted by penalty minutes per game. I won't profile these guys (frankly, I don't remember them all), but this list should help jog Ducks fans' memories.

Player	ANA yrs	GP	PIM	PIM/gm
Garrett Burnett	2003-04	39	184	4.72
Todd Ewen	1993-94 to 1995-96	153	650	4.25
Kevin Sawyer	2000-01 to 2002-03	97	363	3.74
Brent Severyn	1997-98	37	133	3.59
Warren Rychel	1996-97 to 1997-98	133	416	3.13
Ken Baumgartner	1995-96 to 1996-97	79	223	2.82
George Parros	2006-07 to current	101	285	2.82
Stu Grimson	1993-94 to 1994-95, 1998-99 to 1999-00	231	583	2.52
Todd Fedoruk	2005-06 to 2006-07	86	210	2.44
Denny Lambert	1994-95 to 1995-96, 2001-02	119	272	2.29
Jim Cummins	2000-01 to 2001-02	81	167	2.06
Shawn Thornton	2006-07	48	88	1.83

Questions to consider: Who on this list was most likely to get fans on their feet? Who on this list would be scariest to fight against? Who on this list showed the best hockey sense aside from fighting? And then the real question: All that considered, who deserves the Enforcer spot on the Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim? Whether you're a Ducks fan or not, I'll take your votes and justifications in the comments.

Go Ducks.

Letters from Switzerland, Part II

Introductory Side Note: We all here at Battle of California would like to extend a hearty congratulations to our fellow contributor Mike Chen, who watched as his own blog exploded a few weeks ago, but then turned that into a mega-opportunity with Kukla's Korner Emporium. He's joining the heavyweights: Kukla, the Chief, and Alanah, plus new additions Bethany, Forechecker, Red and Black, SensHobo, Goal Line Report, and Puck Stops Here, and should provide a good California perspective on all things hockey. Don't forget us little guys, Mike! We'll always think of you every time the Sharks fire their head coach.

Actually, Chen makes for a nice segue for this post, because it was in the second installment of his All-Time Sharks Team where he said this (while discussing centerman Sergei Markarov):

Side note #2: Todd Elik, the second-leading scorer on that squad, put up a whopping 98 points in 53 games for an Austrian team in the 2006-2007 season at age 40, beating out much younger former NHLer Tavis Hanson.

Have you ever heard of Todd Elik? I'll have to admit; I hadn't heard of the guy, but then again I'm a guy who started following hockey in the latter half of the 90s. Elik is a former King and a former Shark (and heck, even a former North Star), so he certainly fits the BoC theme, and our good buddy Markus has sent us an Elik-themed installment of "Where are they now? (In Switzerland.)" If you recall from his earlier Josef Marha update, our pal Markus is an overseas Ducks fan who's brushing up on his English while we brush up on our understanding of former NHLers in Switzerland. It's a win-win. As before, I've gone through and fixed a few things here and there for readability, but my aim is to keep things as real as possible.

As I mentioned, I've never heard of Elik, so this might be mostly for you Shark fans. Still, based on Markus' account below, he certainly sounds like a guy I could heartily root for. Here's Markus:


Enjoy a few seasons in the country of
chocolate, watches, and the alps
Part 2: Todd Elik
And no, it’s not Sweden, folks!
He reminds me of a gangster in an old Hollywood movie. Big, scary, with a scar on his cheek. And after seeing him, nobody would be surprised if he actually were involved in organized crime.

But let’s go back a few years, as it was a hard and long road to Europe. Elik was never drafted, and his junior coach made it clear to his team how bleak their future really was. “When you’re done with the last year of junior hockey, two or three of you will make it to the NHL, half of you are gonna work at a gas station and the rest will live on welfare.”

Todd was one of the 3 lucky ones…he played in over 500 NHL games over 8 seasons with the Kings, Sharks, North Stars, Oilers, Blues and Bruins. His best season was 93-94, when Elik led the Sharks in assists and was the 2nd best scorer behind Sergei Makarov. But he lost a step in the following years, and as he spent more and more time in the AHL, he decided to leave his last team, the Bruins, and joined a team in the south of Switzerland, the HC Lugano.


The decision between Boston and Lugano wasn’t that hard for Todd…
Nobody in Switzerland could have expected that this player would turn out to be one of the most special players the Swiss league has ever seen. One night Dr. Jekyll, one night Mr. Hyde. His stats his first season: 39 games, 66 points, 222 PIM!

Giving opposing fans a beating, showing his fans the finger, cursing and attacking referees, starting a team brawl...he was immediately the ultimate bad boy of Swiss hockey!


How do you like my new nail polish?
But he was better than all other players in the league, and he knew it! Often, he told rookie to carry his water bottle from the dressing room to the ice, or made them bring him other stuff. And it was once, and only once, that a rookie refused to do so…the next morning, the rookie came to the practice only to realize that Elik had used his skate as a toilet.

Another night, Elik went to a local pub, demolished most of it, took out a few thousand dollars, and gave it to the owner with the words “Sorry, that’s for the trouble we caused…” Todd Elik at his best.


2 minutes?! 2 minutes?! I deserve at least 5!!!
Despite these escapades, he will always be remembered for one game in 1999. Game 7, Chur vs. Langnau (Elik’s team at the time). The loser gets relegated, the winner stays in the league.

Elik had hit a visiting fan in the stands with his stick in game 5, and should have been suspended for 2 games. But Langnau’s appeal against the suspension was approved and he was cleared to play.

Before the puck was dropped, Elik went to the nervous referee and told him: “Don’t worry…I won’t cause you any problems…today, I’ll play hockey.” The start is a disaster for Langnau, trailing 2-0 after a few minutes. After the 2nd goal, Elik takes over the game with one of the most brilliant efforts Swiss hockey fans have seen in ages. Elik scores one goal himself and assists on all 6 other goals! 7 points were and still are a record for points in one game. And despite finishing at the bottom of the standings with his team, Elik earned MVP honors that season. He single-handedly kept Langnau in the league.

But his career in Switzerland ended 3 years ago, as he and his coach (Mike Posma) were charged with drunk driving after a game in the playoffs. And honestly, we would have been disappointed if Elik had kept his mouth shut. Elik insulted the police so much that he was charged with defamation of a police officer.


Elik: Hey, can I call you asshole?
Officer: No, that’s an insult.
Elik: OK, can I call an asshole “police officer” then?
Officer: I don’t see a problem with that.
Elik: OK, Police officer…
The next season, he signed a contract with a team from the Austrian league, where he is still playing…and it looks like he can still play the game…when he wants to!



------------------------------------
Nicely done, Markus.

Go Ducks.

Letters from Switzerland, Part I

(Author's note: we at BoC sometimes like to pretend we get letters from Switzerland and creatively write some shaky English to make a semi-comedic point. This is not one of those times; I'm totally serial.)

I'm often amazed how big this internet thing really is. Late last night I had a note dropped in my inbox from a Ducks fan from Switzerland:

Hi Earl

Just had a very good laugh when I was reading your Ducks Special on the pens blog...that nickname story is funny :D

Well...I'm starting my studies for a Master degree next year...in english. And because I still don't feel that comfortable with the english language, I need to practice it a bit...so I thought some writing would do me good.

Would you publish a short article if I wrote something? Can't really guarantee you a high level of grammar or a wide vocabulary...so you would definitely have to correct my text! (Just that you know that it's not an easy job for you as well) :)

My idea: "Your NHL days are over? Come over to snowy Switzerland" and write how some former Ducks (Sean Hill, Caron, Marha, Chouinard and Mowers are currently here) are doing...hope to include a few pictures, to make if funnier (or is it more funny?).

Let me know...I'm not in a hurry :D

Markus

Needless to say, this was too big an opportunity to pass up. I'm always ready to post reader submissions, especially ones from outsider perspectives. So I wrote back a lengthy version of "Sure, go nuts" before going to bed, and this morning I got this. Per Markus' instructions, I've done a little bit of proofreading, but probably not as much as I should have; there's a ton of charm in idioms-gone-wrong. Enjoy!

Well...hi all :) This is my first submission (it could very well be my last) for BoC. I’m starting a master course in english next year, and as a native german speaker, I thought I could mix the inevitable (improve my english skills) with pleasure (the Ducks). Hope you enjoy the read...

Enjoy a few seasons in the country of chocolate, watches, and the alpsPart 1: Josef Marha
And no, it’s not Sweden, folks!

7 goals in 12 NHL games – Ducks fans thought they might have found their new 2nd line center when Josef Marha scored 7 goals along with 4 assists in the last 12 games of the 97-98 season. But apparently, Marha spent more time sipping excellent czech beer than working out, as the start of the next season did not work out as planned. After just 10 games (with one lone assist) with the Ducks and some more games in the AHL, Marha was traded to the Blackhawks.

But it took another 2 years until Josef decided that 40 games a season, the alps, short road trips and a salary close to the NHL minimum were better than what he had overseas and signed a contract with the HC Davos in Switzerland (which is the former Club of Jonas Hiller).


He immediately regretted his decision after seeing the jersey.
The Swiss League, unlike the NHL, allows a maximum of 4 foreign players per game. As a result, foreign players are often pure Scorers (Todd Elik, Simon Gamache, Alexandre Daigle) or offensive defenders (Petteri Nummelin). The signing of Marha, not really known for his goalscoring, would turn out as a bonanza for Davos all the same. [Sleek note: there's no way I'm changing that sentence!]

Marha quickly turned into the favorite player of his new coach, Arno del Curto: "He never complains, puts the team above himself and adapts quickly to a new situation due to his intelligence on and off the ice. He does the little things which are so important for the team but are not recognized outside the rink. My respect for him is huge."

And Marha did not only give 100% on the ice. Back in 2003, the Davos Hockey Club was in financial troubles, and a forced relegation lurked. When the management asked the players to take a paycut to keep the club in the league, Marha was one of the first players to accept a lower salary.

But the task is not always easy for the defensive center. Playing on the first line with two former first round picks Alexandre Daigle and Michel Riesen one night, then with two 18-year old rookies in the 4th line the other night needs a lot of adaption. "The younger players really look up to Josef as a role model in our team. He makes everyone on his line better and executes instructions to a hair." [ :) ]

During the lockout-season 04-05, Marha showed that he could take an offensive role as well when placed beside skilled players. And with Joe Thornton, Rick Nash and Niklas Hagman boosting the offense of the HCD, Marha blossomed offensively with 40 points in 44 regular season games and more importantly, the OT game-winner in game 5 of the finals.


But for his coach, this was only an extra. "As long as he works so well defensively, I would keep him in the team even if he would finish the season with zero points."

And most of the fans of the HC Davos would probably agree...


Josef Marha and Jonas Hiller celebrate sweet Swiss success!
That blue cup/cone/trophy, by the way, looks awesome.
So that's Markus' first entry, and he's right -- I totally remember being high on Marha after that 7-goals-in-12-games end of the season. Who knew he'd ultimately find a heroic role in Switzerland? I didn't really do too much correcting in the piece (a couple spelling errors, and did you know that the Swiss use double-commas to start quotations?). I definitely will post more former-player reports if Markus is willing -- any reader requests?

As I said in the beginning, though, it's quite amazing how wide-reaching this internet is. That there's Ducks fans in Switzerland makes me damn proud.

------------------------------------------
As a bonus, Markus has also created this beauty: The Ultimate Duck.


My photoshopping skills suddenly feel weaker.
Per Markus, there are seven players that he's blended together make up this warrior. I don't even know the full listing, but who can you spot?

Anaheim's All-Time Team: Let's Back Up Giguere

Well, time to move on to Part 3 of this All-Time Team exercise for the Ducks. You can still chime in on who gets to play #1 center and the #5 and #6 defensemen, though. I'm accepting input on all of these up to the moment of unveiling Sleek's Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Today's theme: Back-Up Goalie.

To start, I should ask a bit of a pseudo-philosophical question: Ideally, when constructing an All-Time Team, what makes for the better choice for back-up goalie -- the second-best starting goalie in franchise history or the best backup goalie in franchise history? The answer to the first angle is easy for the Ducks, but the second option is a little more convoluted.

Obviously my starter's role is going to J.S. Giguere -- I don't expect a lot of debate there, but who shall play doormaster at the player's bench? I've got five candidates for consideration, as always in chronological order:

Guy Hebert (1993-94 to 2000-01)
441 gp, 173-202-52, 2.75 GAA, .911 sv%, 27 shutouts

If the Ducks didn't have such a rich history of colorful backup goalies, Hebert would be a shoo-in for this #2 slot (and who knows? he might still be). He was really the first goaltending face of the franchise, and for a lot of years was probably the only identifiable player besides Kariya, Selanne, and Rucchin. I was a big fan of Guy Hebert, and probably an even bigger fan of saying "Guy Hebert". If you're pro-North America (ahem, Brian Burke), you should probably vote Hebert. Everyone else on this list is either Russian or Swiss.

Mikhael Shtalenkov (1993-94 to 1997-98)
122 gp, 34-53-11, 3.14 GAA, .897 sv%, 3 shutouts

Shtalenkov's goaltending numbers don't look very impressive, but he was the longest-serving backup in Anaheim's history, and the first backup to step into a playoff series in '97 when Hebert went down with injury. He didn't win a playoff game against the Red Wings that spring, but he battled valiantly against the soon-to-be cup champs, sporting a much more impressive .938 sv% during the postseason. Shtalenkov's main asset in this quest for all-time backup is nostalgia; I remember the guy very fondly, and even though he wouldn't put up great numbers over long stretches, he was capable of short-term brilliance, which I think is a pretty good asset for a backup to have.

Martin Gerber (2002-03 to 2003-04)
54 gp, 17-23-7, 2.13 GAA, .923 sv%, 3 shutouts

"Gerber Bell" (that nickname has a side story for another day) put up some really good numbers in his time in Anaheim, but I included Gerber not for his spectacular numbers, but rather Giguere's. After all, perhaps the criteria for this backup slot should involve the question: "which backup will elicit the best performance from the starting goalie?" And Gerber's got that category cornered. In 2003, he backed Giguere to the cup finals and a Conn Smythe trophy. In 2006, he backed up Cam Ward to the cup finals and a Conn Smythe trophy. Then in 2007 he backed up Ray Emery to the cup finals, though some bearded dude took the Smythe home that year. I know that we're only considering achievements done in an Anaheim uniform, but in 2003 Gerber Bell sat on the bench while Giguere put on the postseason performance of a lifetime. Does that karmic boost give Gerber a spot on the All-Time Team?

Ilya Bryzgalov (2001-02 to 2007-08)
69 gp, 26-23-8, 2.48 GAA, .909 sv%, 2 shutouts

While I'm listing four historical backups in this exercise, I suspect that we'll boil down quickly to Hebert vs. Breezy, because Bryzgalov was the first back-up to really have success when Giguere went lame. Two years in a row J.S. Giguere was a surprise non-starter for the first game of the postseason, and two years in a row Breezy stepped in and was phenomenal. The Ducks have won six playoff series since the lockout, and more or less Breezy has won three of them. He has a better postseason GAA and Sv% than Giguere has, if you can believe it, and even trumped Jiggy's 217-minute postseason shutout streak. And while there's plenty of on-ice accolades for the crazy Russian, I must point out how awesome it is every time Breezy steps in front of a microphone. The guy is nuts, and I love it.

Jonas Hiller (2007-08 to current)
23 gp, 10-7-1, 2.06 GAA, .927 sv%, 0 shutouts

The last and current backup for the Ducks, Jonas Hiller, probably won't get a lot of consideration in this All-Time exercise -- Hiller's the only one on this list to never play a postseason minute in a Ducks uniform. Still, I throw him on the list primarily for one reason -- he did have a fantastic first year backing up Giguere. Behind the Net's Gabe Desjardins authored a post several months ago that broke down shot quality that goaltenders faced, and assigned each goalie an "expected GAA" and an "expected save percentage". In terms of goalies who had the best actual GAA compared to their expected GAA, Hiller ranked fourth in the league, behind Wade Dubielewicz, Henrik Lunqvist, and Giguere. I don't think it's enough to get him on the All-Time team, but I'm definitely excited that Hiller stayed on board with the Ducks; he's got a promising future for sure.

----------------------------------------
So that's the five I've listed, though as always you are free to write in Dominic Roussel or Steve Shields or some nonsense like that. Who should get the backup spot on Anaheim's All-Time Team?

I'm not quite sure how debatable this topic will be, so I'll also throw a few side questions on top of it.

1. Who should coach this All-Time Team? Randy Carlyle, Mike Babcock, or (I'll even accept) Ron Wilson?
2. Who should GM this All-Time Team? Brian Burke or Bryan Murray? (Bear in mind this team will feature quite a few Europeans, which might make Burkie uneasy.)

And make sure to stay tuned for the fourth and final installment of the All-Time Team ask-the-audience segment (oh, sometime next week), where we'll build ourselves some fourth-line energy shifts. Can't wait.

Go Ducks.

Anaheim's All-Time Team: the 5th and 6th Defensemen

Well, I was happy enough with the variety of responses I got from my search for a #1 center for the all-time Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim that I think I'll continue this "ask the audience" theme before publishing my own roster (note: feel free to continue voting on centermen). Today's theme: third-pairing defensemen.

I won't spend much time justifying my picks for the top-four blueliners just yet (that will come with the unveiling), but just know that Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Fredrik Olausson, and Oleg Tverdovsky have all been pre-qualified, leaving just two slots to fill. I've narrowed the field down to eleven candidates, whom I'll list chronologically, but if you feel I've slighted anyone feel free to write in your own answer (c'mon, Trnka and Huskins fans). Which two players deserve a spot on Anaheim All-Time Team's blueline? Here we go!

Bobby Dollas (1993-94 to 1997-98)
305 gp, 28-61-89, +31

I'll have to admit; I was a fledgling fan back in Bobby Dollas' heyday, and my memory is sort of shoddy to the point where I only remember a blend of Dollas and Karpa. But hey, actual remembering isn't a requirement for the All-Time team, and Dollas was an original mainstay. I was shocked at his +31 career plus-minus for Anaheim, which is best on this list, as the old-school Mighty Duck teams weren't much to brag about.

Dave Karpa (1994-95 to 1997-98)
245 gp, 7-43-50, +5

See above. I believe Karpa played hockey in much more a tripod-fashion than did Dollas, but I can't even say that with 100% certainty. Still, you should give some credit to the old-school guard; they didn't have nearly the quality of linemates as recent Ducks players have enjoyed. If anyone wants to do justice to the memories of Dollas and Karpa, feel free.

Dmitri Mironov (1996-97 to 1997-98)
128 gp, 18-64-82, +13

Mironov was a short-term Duck, but he was productive (his .641 points-per-game is tops on this list). Not only a quality regular-season performer, but Dmitri also posted a point-per-game in Anaheim's first playoffs in 1997 (1-10-11 in 11 games). Strangely, I was never that enamored with Mironov's game -- he never seemed that dominant and I definitely don't recall being upset when he left the team. Again, though, this was the early days of Sleek the hockey fan.

Ruslan Salei (1996-97 to 2005-06)
594 gp, 26-79-105, -3

Ah, now we're getting more into my memory's wheelhouse. "Salei of Game" or "Cirque du Salei" was a mainstay for a decade on the Anaheim blueline, and his 594 regular season games is tops of all Anaheim defensemen. He was tough, dirty, and at times had above-average hockey sense, though there was always the sense he had the tools to be even better. Still, when the Ducks were down 3 games to 2 to Calgary in the 1st round of the 2006 playoffs, I thought that Salei more than anyone really elevated his play to help the team advance. Plus he's from Belarus.

Niclas Havelid (1999-00 to 2003-04)
310 gp, 24-61-85, -42

Ah, Havelid, the Swedish component of the 2003 miracle blueline. Havelid has pretty strong counting numbers (85 ANA points is third-best on this list), but man that minus-42 rating really stands out, doesn't it? At least the guy got an even rating in the 2003 playoff run. I'm not sure that Havelid ultimately belongs on this list, but in case there are any Swedish die-hards he's in the running.

Vitaly Vishnevski (1999-00 to 2005-06)
416 gp, 11-37-48, -11

Vish-dog in da house! I'm way too enamored with Vishnevski to give an unbiased description here, but despite his inability to score (by far the worst scoring rate on the list), Vish-dog is still second-all-time in games played by an Anaheim defenseman. His real skill isn't so much about scoring anyway, but more about creating opportunities to murder people on the ice. Sure his out-of-position wandering backfires, and sure he departed under suspect circumstances (traded right after arbitration), but he is by definition a third-pairing kind of guy, and unlike anyone else on this list, I do own a Vishnevski jersey.

Keith Carney (2001-02 to 2005-06)
271 gp, 13-48-61, +30

Damn, "Carney Asada" was an awesome defenseman for the Ducks -- a steady Eddie who was as vital to the 2003 cup run as anybody not named Giguere. He came to the team as a veteran, and seemingly was always one bad turn away from never standing up again, but he was a tough battler and a smart blueliner. Carney's offensive talents were average at best, but I'll never forget the pass he made to Rucchin to cement the 2003 Wings sweep -- the only time ever I've seen Carney behind an opponent's net.

Sandis Ozolinsh (2002-03 to 2005-06)
84 gp, 13-27-40, -1

Ozos is another short-timer, but probably represents Anaheim's best ever mid-season pickup on the blueline. While Sandis is well-known for his offensive skills and defensive shortcomings, I actually found him to be respectable on both ends of the rink, at least during his 2003 season. Consider: he was a team-best plus-8 in the 2003 playoffs, and was on the ice for all four of Anaheim's game-winning goals in the 2003 series against Dallas (all of which came after the 58-minute mark of the game). That's pretty damn clutch, and Ozos was pretty special to watch. Counting against Ozos? Everything after the 2003 cup finals.

Francois Beauchemin (2005-06 to current)
214 gp, 17-66-83, +6

I'm not sure how well to rate Beauchemin in this exercise, as Frenchie has yet to show much in the category of "playing without Scott Niedermayer". Still, the guy was a gem in 2006 and has been a steady enough player the last two seasons, and his early playoff heroics (punching out Iginla in Calgary and shouldering Brunette in G1 of the COL series) are legendary. I don't know where Ducks fans sit on Frenchie -- I've met fans who absolutely love him and fans who can't stand him (honestly, I don't really understand either side). Still, his 66 Anaheim assists ranks second on this list.

Sean O'Donnell (2005-06 to current)
182 gp, 5-24-29, +21

Another sheer wall of steadiness who also has spent some time piggybacking on a former Norris trophy winner, O'Donnell has been a great shut-down minute-eater for the Ducks, especially once paired with Pronger in 2006. O'Donnell is second-worst to Vishnevski in terms of offense, but that's not his game. In fact, I've never seen a defenseman throw so many pucks intentionally wide of the net to avoid opposing shot-blockers. But that's O'Donnell: safe and solid, and that is a huge contribution when facing the opponents' best. I'm not considering salary on this all-time team, but I was super-impressed when UFA O'Donnell, right after winning the Stanley Cup, re-signed with the Ducks for a discount. That's a team player, right there.

Mathieu Schneider (2007-08)
65 gp, 12-27-39, +22

Look, just because we're in the process of kicking Schneider's salary off the team, that doesn't mean the guy isn't eligible for all-time consideration. I mean, he did have a quality season playing easy minutes, and even picked up a few Norris votes. In terms of skillset, Schneider might be the best on this list, especially if we're talking about shooting. However, he most likely won't have been on the Ducks for very long, and he did have a rather invisible playoff series against Dallas (his only point of the series was a meaningless goal in the last 8 seconds of G4), but will that cost him a spot on the all-time squad?

-----------------------------------
So there's my eleven candidates with only two slots to fill.

Who gets your votes? Are you in favor of short-term production (Mironov, Ozolinsh, Schneider), steady stay-at-homes (Carney, O'Donnell), long-serving serviceable d-men (Salei, Vishnevski), old-school types (Dollas, Karpa), unheralded gems (Havelid, Beauchemin), or a mix of the above? There's no wrong answers; I'm just looking for preference, really.

I don't think I've done this list as much justice as I did with the centermen, but this is just Anaheim All-Time Decision #2 (I've still got two more coming). As before, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments: which two defensemen deserve the all-time third pairing? If you want, you can also share who was a close runner-up. You don't even have to be a Ducks fan to chime in -- all are welcome.

Go Ducks.

Anaheim's All-Time Team: Who centers the top line?

Well, before I get started on this All-Time Team challenge, I should first point out that the Chief at A2Y has written up his Rival Rating for the Ducks ("the Fowl"), and brings up a lot of the same reasons that I listed in my pre-sponse post, plus some new ones (the summer snatchings of Fedorov, Schneider, and Bertuzzi). There's actually some glowing references to our cumulative effort here at BoC, so here's to classily hatin' ya, Red Wings.

No real reason for the Bertuzzi picture, I suppose, other than it's an image I hadn't used yet and now seemingly my window for paparatuzzi is suddenly over. Still, this mc79 post is gold; see ya in hell, Bert.

-----------------------------------
A sidenote about this BoC challenge (see Rudy's All-Time Kings and Chen's All-Time Sharks): We're not huge planners or schemers here at BoC, and it's very rare that a themed-set-of-posts idea moves from the "we should all do this" phase to reality, so this is pretty cool. Even so, in the summer Sleek tradition, I'm going to not quite follow instructions.

That is to say, instead of me just telling you my all-time team, I'm going to open one slot up for debate. Because really, that's what this Anaheim exercise boils down to. Top line wingers isn't much of a debate (see chart to the right), and in terms of top defensemen and a #1 goalie, the Ducks are at their peak right now -- they've never previously had the talents of a Niedermayer, Pronger, or Giguere.

But who is the #1 center for the Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (what else would you call this mythical all-time team?)? That and a few more items I think are worth separate posts before I fully endorse a Sleek roster, so here goes. Before I list out the candidates, though, I guess I should lay out some ground rules, or at least what I think are some considerations for "All-Timey-ness":

1. Think about the player at their Anaheim peak -- things not to consider: Adam Oates as a Boston Bruin, Andy McDonald's career without Teemu Selanne, or Ryan Getzlaf's future potential. This all should be based on games already played in an Anaheim uniform.

2. That said, longevity and consistency are pretty useful -- players should provide some identity as an Anaheim fan favorite.

3. Just to confuse things a bit more, also consider how well the top-line center would fit with wingers Kariya and Selanne; as we don't want our team outscored by the Sharks' imaginary squad.

So here's five candidate centers, in somewhat chronological order. Be warned, I suspect I only have room for four of these guys on my final roster, so in addition to telling me who should center the top line, I'm also looking for who should be cut from the team entirely. If you're feeling generous, you can even rank all five.

Steve Rucchin
Seasons: 10 (1994-95 to 2003-04)
Reg: 79 gp, 19-48-67, +26 (1996-97)
Post: 21 gp, 7-3-10, -2 (2003)

Roochie is the guy who represents steadiness and longevity on this list. Counting against him, though, he may be the least talented individual of the bunch. Still, I could be happy with Rucchin on the top line; for years Ducks fans heard about how some new person was finally going to take the top-line center position from Rucchin (who was a bit slow to keep up with Kariya and Selanne), but every time Rucchin held his spot. Rucchin did lead the 2003 Ducks in playoff goals.

Adam Oates
Seasons: 1 (2002-03)
Reg: 67 gp, 9-36-45, -1
Post: 21 gp, 4-9-13, +2

Old man Oates only came to Anaheim for one season towards the end of his career, and was a top-line mainstay between Kariya and Sykora during the 2003 cup run, where he co-led the team in scoring. Oates was a wizard with the puck, floating aerial passes that make goal-scorers salivate. He was stunningly quick at times, also, to the point where "Old Man Oates" became a tongue-in-cheek nickname. Oates never played with Selanne, so we can only conjecture there, but I suspect his puck-dishing would blend in well with the Finn's finish. As a bonus, Oates probably beats out this group in the category of "player I most enjoyed watching play".

Sergei Fedorov
Seasons: 2 (2003-04 and five games of 2005)
Reg: 80 gp, 31-34-65, -5 (2003-04)

Fedorov isn't a guy who Ducks fans are particularly enamored with, but there's little question to his talent. Also, I'd argue that Sergei represents Anaheim's first ever summer blockbuster signing -- a superstar in their prime choosing to come to SoCal. Sergei never played with Kariya and only got five post-lockout games with Selanne, but he did become the first player not named Kariya or Selanne to lead the Ducks in scoring since the inaugural season. Fedorov's quick, puck-smart, and a vicious backchecker; despite never seeing an Anaheim postseason, could he be the best fit on the top line?

Andy McDonald
Seasons: 7 (2000-01 to 2007-08)
Reg: 82 gp, 34-51-85, +24 (2005-06)
Post: 21 gp, 10-4-14, +6 (2007)

Andy Mac played seven seasons for Anaheim, but really only two are worth talking about: the two post-lockout seasons he spent with Selanne on his wing. Aside from those two years, McDonald's career has been fairly pedestrian. Still, as this is an exercise about peaks and playing with superstar wingers, Andy Mac could be a front-runner. His 85-point season is the top performance for any of the Anaheim centers, and he did lead the 2007 squad in playoff goals. Andy Mac's downfall has been consistency, or at least the ability to produce without superstar wingers, but should that affect his place on Anaheim's All-Time Team?

Ryan Getzlaf
Seasons: 3 (2005-06 to 2007-08)
Reg: 77 gp, 24-58-82, +32 (2007-08)
Post: 21 gp, 7-10-17, +1 (2007)

Getzlaf almost by default should take this position in the next couple of years, but is he all-time-top-line-ready now? Getzlaf earned the 1st line center role in his third year this past season, and was stellar, leading the team in scoring while facing opponents' top defenders. Other than the power play, Getzlaf hasn't shared that much ice time with Selanne in his Anaheim tenure, though, as he's fulfilling an on-ice marriage with Corey Perry. Perry, by the way, is not making my all-time squad, if that matters in the Getzlaf ranking.


Who shall center the #1 line?

So there you have it. Five centers who have spent at least one season in Anaheim and are competing for a coveted Kariya-Selanne center position for these Anaheim Sometimes-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Who gets the #1 spot? Who gets cut from the team completely? I'll take your rankings and justifications in the comments.

Go Ducks.

The Alyn McCauley Sharks Appreciation Post

If you didn't see the news, former San Jose Shark (and LA King but, uh, we can conveniently forget that since he was basically injured the whole time) Alyn McCauley officially retired and became an assistant coach at Queen's University.

It's unfortunate, but McCauley's last fully healthy season was 2003-2004; during that year, Sharks fans really got to see McCauley play to his potential. Not only was he the team's top penalty killer (nominated for the Selke), he was an effective second-line center able to win face-offs and create offense. A good skater, McCauley gelled on a dynamic line with Nils Ekman and Alex Korolyuk.

I know some of you are probably wondering how the hell a McCauley/Ekman/Korolyuk line could possibly be effective. However, if you saw that line during the last third of the 03-04 season, you know that they emphasized speed and creative passing and were often as much of a threat as Patrick Marleau's line.

I always admired McCauley's game, and during the post-lockout year, it was frustrating because you could see that his knee problems were hampering his effectiveness. At his best, McCauley was a smooth skater who was willing to play the body when necessary but spent his best games using body position and angles to defend while firing off crisp passes at obtuse angles to generate offense.

He was never going to be a point-per-game player, but I always appreciate the guys who combine hustle, skill set, and brains into an effective package. If he'd remained healthy, I'm sure McCauley would have been a perennial Selke candidate. Unfortunately, constant knee problems just took the zip out of his stride, and when you lose an important component such as skating speed and strength, your whole game can fall apart (unless you're Luc Robitaille).

McCauley was noted in Toronto as a great locker room guy, and Ron Wilson tabbed him as one of his ten-game captains during the post-Owen Nolan season. It says a lot about McCauley's character that he actually took it upon himself to tell Wilson that the C should go to Patrick Marleau based on how he saw the rest of the team turning to Patty as their go-to guy.

I always thought he'd make a great coach when he was done with his playing career. After all, the best players-turned-coaches are either the players who can think the game best or the players who can capture the spirit of their teammates as a motivator. I think McCauley had a little bit of both; without the puck, you really didn't notice McCauley -- he didn't land monster hits or cherry pick a la Pavel Bure -- but if you watched him from shift to shift, you'd see a combination of smart positioning, excellent stick work, and hustle. And while he didn't have Mark Messier-esque locker room speeches, McCauley's reputation as a good locker room player started in Toronto and grew greater during his time in teal.

For a lot of people, Alyn McCauley might be a mere footnote in Sharks history but during his brief time in San Jose, his combination of heart, brains, and speed made him one of my favorites. Good luck Alyn; I'm sure we'll see you helping out an NHL team behind the bench someday.

Flashback Part 2: Sleek digs up an Omen

(This is Part 2 of my "things I found when packing up for a move" series. Part 1 is here.)

You know, my life isn't all about going to Ducks games and then drawing cartoons about them. On occasion, I've even been known to attend a Kings game every now and again. It's sort of a fun outing, as I don't have to worry about any real rooting interest, and hey, it's something I can't see on Versus (Zing!).

In my moving frenzy, I found this 8 1/2 x 11 handout from one such game that Hockey Reference.com has helped me timestamp: October 16, 2001. And guess who was the Kings' coverboy for the handout--doesn't he just look swell?

It's not Reebok wind-resistant, but not a bad look!
It seems a bit odd that this game memento would sit in the depths of my closet from 2001 until a week ago. I think this has to mean something other than "clean your closet more, you idiot". It's a sign, fate's version of an e1, and another bit of momentum for the BoC Collaboration.

Just for nostalgic fun, here's a look at some old-timey rosters printed on the back:


Current Kings: zero.
They should have kept that Heinze #57 gag running longer.


Current Capitals: zero.
But look! Sutherby!
I can't help thinking it would really facilitate a trade if Schneider had an old teammate to reunite with in L.A.

Does anybody have Modry's phone number?

Moments in Archaeology: Sleek digs up a Relic

In the process of moving, I’ve had a chance to go through some of my old piles of junk, and as is usually the case in such undertakings, I have uncovered some real gems from the kid who would grow up to become Earl Sleek. Back before I had an internet alias or a blog to write on, I was still an emerging hockey nerd with a creative streak. Exhibit #1:

Medium: Ball-point pen on paper
Featuring top to bottom: Guy Hebert, Travis Green, Teemu Selanne, Marty McInnis, Stu Grimson, Paul Kariya, Fredrik Olausson, Steve Rucchin, Ruslan Salei, and Matt Cullen

Drawn: It wasn’t dated, but based on the players included I’d have to say 1998-99.

It's actually an impressive piece of work, something I'm not sure I'd have the patience to sit down and attempt these days. Also noteworthy: this had to be pretty soon after I became a hockey fan at all. Anyway, I got a real nostalgic kick out of finding this relic from my fan-girl past, and I figured long-time Ducks fans might enjoy it as well. I've got a few more deep-closet relics to share next week as well, but I think this one is the oldest and most impressive.

Just to keep this post interactive: Which non-Finnish player featured in this picture would fit best on the current Ducks roster? For this exercise, I am talking about the 1999 version of the player, not whatever washed-up version we'd see today.

Go Mighty Ducks.

B-Mo! Burke upgrades through West Coast Exchange

UFA forward Brendan Morrison reportedly is signing a one-year contract tomorrow with the Ducks. I haven’t heard the salary figure [UPDATE: TSN says 1 year, $2.75 M; thanks Mike in OC!], so I won’t get detailed into budget repercussions just yet. Still, here's three marginally useful thoughts I had:

B-Mo won the Hobey Baker award in 1997. Actually, Morrison becomes the fifth Hobey Baker winner in Anaheim’s history, joining former Ducks Tony “the Circus*” Hrkac (1987), Kip Miller (1990), Paul Kariya (1993), and Jason “K-Rog**” Krog (1999). Looking at the list of historical winners, I have to think that the Ducks hold the odd record of having the most games played (923) and points (784) from Hobey Baker winners. Other notable winners include Chris Drury (1998), Ryan Miller (2001), and Matt Carle (2006).

B-Mo was once part of a trade for Alexander Mogilny. It’s not that significant, really, but for some reason I sort of enjoy knowing about young brushes with greatness, like when Pahlsson was traded for Ray Bourque. What’s actually meaningful, though, is that Morrison debuted as a New Jersey Devil. He knows his defensive responsibility, that’s for sure, and may even have a reunion of sorts with Scott Niedermayer.

B-Mo, of course, centered the West Coast Express. The Yankee Canuck wrote a timely tribute post to the members of that high-flying line (including a link to Morrison scoring a triple-OT goal), and I couldn’t resist quoting this ironic part: “We all share in common the wonder of what could have been if (a) Dan Cloutier and (b) Marc Crawford had been just a shade better at their jobs...” The Humming Giraffe is going to miss B-Mo as well. Between all-star scoring wingers Naslund and Bertuzzi, Morrison was a more-than-serviceable centerman who not only chipped in points, but largely served as a defensive conscience for the line as well. To put it in 90s Ducks terms, B-Mo served as the “Rucchin” of that line.

Overall, I’m pretty excited; Morrison represents a much-coveted top-six forward. I can’t call it a “great” signing until I know what the salary is, but I think Morrison fits fabulously roster-wise. Getzlaf-Morrison-Pahlsson-Marchant/Carter is a pretty solid set of centers (especially if Getzy decides to win some faceoffs). This team still looks to be short a Selanne up front, but generally I like where this Burkie swan song team is headed.

Of course, it should be recognized that so far this offseason, Ducks fans have only seen the pleasant side of summer business. Until now, it’s been all roses. Good players have been brought in or re-signed (Niedermayer, Perry, Morrison, Hiller), and less-good players have been let go (Weight, Bertuzzi). It’s about time to brace for the harder choices—getting rid of good players. If it means a final year of Pronger and Niedermayer, though, I’m fully aboard.

Go Ducks.


* Also acceptable is “the Jerk-Ass”, but you have to say it kind of funny and make it rhyme with “circus”.
** Patterned after the “K-Rod” nickname given to Angels phenom Francisco Rodriguez.

At Least The Kings Are Kinda In the Playoffs...

The Kings have a number of ex-players that participated in the playoffs in some way. Here are forwards:

Brian Smolinski
Martin Straka
Eric Belanger
Tom Kostopolous
Mark Parrish
Craig Conroy
George Parros
Sean Avery
Ian Laperriere
Pavol Demitra

Hey, that's not too bad. Some of them are pretty good, but most of them are depth guys that were pretty replaceable. Overall, I wouldn't get too worked up about 'em. Now, the defense:

Darryl Sydor
Jaroslav Modry
Andreas Lilja
Brad Stuart
Sean O’Donnell
Mathieu Schneider
Philippe Boucher
Mattias Norstrom

Whoops. You could make a better defense simply out of the guys the Kings have discarded over the years than the defense we have now. Some of them were let go for fairly obvious reasons (Norstrom, Stuart), but many of them were simply discarded. Looking at this list makes me want to do something terrible.

The only goaltender in the playoffs was Cristobal Huet; however, you also have to point out that Mathieu Garon and Manny Legace are also former Kings goaltenders. It's kind of crazy to look back now and realize we let Legace go because we had Stephane Fiset and Jamie Storr.

I don't know if most NHL teams have a similar record, but looking at this list makes the whole Dave Taylor era look pretty bad. Now, the real question: which team would win?

Brown-Kopitar-O'Sullivan
Frolov-Armstrong-Cammalleri
Calder-Handzus-Giuliano
Ivanans-Ellis-Thornton

Blake-Johnson
Visnovksy-Harrold
Preissing-Dallman

Labarbera

vs.

Parrish-Conroy-Demitra
Avery-Belanger-Straka
Smolinski-Kostopolous-Laperriere
Parros

Schneider-Norstrom
Boucher-Stuart
Sydor-O'Donnell

Huet