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.

A banner month for fake hockey

It's been a while since I posted on the 'ol BoC, but things are cranking up now. You know when the beauty of the NHL season is about to shine upon us when people start drafting fantasy hockey teams and the annual video games come out.

Tune in soon as I examine: is NHL 09 the best hockey video game ever? (Not certain if I'll get a definitive answer on that but I definitely think it's the most addictive NHL game ever)

Warning: do not play if you plan on being productive with your time

Anyway, I thought I should make note of my intensely BoC leaning fantasy hockey team in the first draft I've done this year.* Here's the Pacific Division guys who made my roster, with super duper in-parenthesis asides for no extra charge:

Ducks:
J.S. Giguere (expect a HUGE year without Breezy stealing a bunch of starts and the team not dealing with as much drama)
Chris Pronger (get those PIMs but don't get suspended Stompy!!!)
Scott Niedermayer (got him way late because of his semi-retirement 2007-08 stats)
Corey Perry (I really wanted Ryan Getzlaf, but I guess Corey flopping Perry'll do)

Sharks:
Evgeni Nabokov (couldn't choose between Jiggy and Nabby so I got 'em both)
Dan Boyle (seriously, my defense is frickin' stacked: Pronger - Niedermayer - Boyle - Wade Redden - Jay contract year Bouwmeester)
Milan Michalek (it would be pretty sweet if he'd finally have that Joe Thornton osmosis/Sergei Samsonov effect this year)

Sadly, no Stars, Kings or 'Yotes (although don't tell anyone, but I might pickup Phillippe Boucher if he looks healthy this year). But 7 of my 24 players are in the BoC. That's a lot of eggs in one BoC basket!

Oh, and the real justification for this post:

Fantasy Hockey Gary Bettman:

And with the 8th pick in round 24, The Avery Rule selects....

Todd Bertuzzi!!!!

Big Bert did not take well to being selected last overall in a 24-round draft

* By the way, this league had spots for the usual (C, LW, RW, D, G) as well as Wingers - Forwards AND Utility spots...I drafted 24 fucking players in this behemoth!!! Thank goodness for the Yahoo! Live Draft timer, btw - had no idea what I got myself into. Always read league settings kids.

Also, I dig the new yahoo draft setup, but I fear this will help some of the idiots in the league I always have with my old college buddies. I guess that's it for the days of getting Teemu Selanne type guys in the 10th round (sad panda face).

Ducks put Schneidermayer on Waivers

Well, so much for the BoC Collaboration. Instead of waiting any longer for a trade partner, it appears that Mathieu Schneider is headed the way of the Bryzgalov:

The Anaheim Ducks, needing to trim payroll, have placed defenseman Mathieu Schneider on waivers with the expectation that a team will claim him and $5.75 million salary for this season.

Once they move Schneider off the books, the Ducks are expected to re-sign Teemu Selanne.

I don't really have any problem with this move, as I have been expecting very little in return for the productive Schneider. Basically, the ability to get under the salary cap and to bring back the Finnish Flash is plenty of return for me.

I'm in quite the hustle this morning, so this is a hasty post (note the previously-posted image), but I'll put together something more once he's claimed (if he's claimed, I guess). Still, feel free to react to the move in the comments.

Go Ducks.

[EDIT, 1 PM: As usual, the OC Register's Dan Wood provides the best perspective on the situation and its possible outcomes.]

[EDIT, 3:30 PM: Looks like the Kings are going to pass. Probably because it costs money.]

[EDIT, 4:30 PM: Moving away from MSM blogs (side gripe: I guess I should comment anonymously at these sites; both the OC Register and Inside the Kings have removed my comments presumably because I write for BoC. Hooray for freedom!), The Falconer makes a numbers-driven case for why the Thrashers should pick up Schneider.]

[EDIT, 9:30 AM: Back to Dan Wood. 29 teams passed and Schneider cleared waivers. On to Plan B!]

He FINALLY Signed

Brad Richardson signed a two-year deal today and it's about time. With Stoll signed a few days earlier, that's pretty much everyone right? I can't think of anyone else that's not signed.

It's still a little soon to see where Brad Richardson fits in this season. He's small but fast and he has a good shot. He could line up with Frolov or he could take a spot on a stopper line with Handzus. He's only 23 so I imagine he'll be given every opportunity to succeed, although he will probably spend more than a few days in the press box this season. The battle between Richardson, Ted Purcell and Matt Ellis should most interesting battle of training camp.

(Nobody minds if I just use the "Brad Richards" tag for this one, right? It's not like there's going to be a great demand for Brad Richardson in the near future.)

Season Preview Smorgasbord

Apparently people don't have any better ideas. Here's Earl's take over at AOL Fanhouse, while Greg Wyshynski and Ross McKeon each have a preview available on Yahoo! Oh, and TSN unveiled their preview as well today, along with a Fantasy Outlook. Oh, and there's always time to re-read my award-winning preview from the pensblog. Want to save some time? Here's the consensus:

Kopitar, Frolov, Brown, O'Sullivan? Good.

Defense? Bad.

Goaltending? Who knows?

Playoffs? Nope.

Drew Doughty was Fat

Here are a few links to tide you over until USC kicks off:

Drew Doughty has lost 24 pounds since he was drafted? I guess you could say that he was a little "doughy," ho ho ho.

Helene Elliot jumps on the BoC bandwagon.

Kings training camp info. It starts Friday, September 19th. Also, the Kings' development team is playing the Coyotes on Tuesday and the game is being broadcast on their website. Should be fun to see Kyle Turris and Drew Doughty go head-to-head.

Hockey Players are Good Athletes

This isn't relevant, I just love this picture.

Over at Kings Vision (the multimedia arm of LAKings.com) there are interviews with Dustin Brown and Alex Frolov, discussing what they have been doing to improve their fitness during the off-season. Brownie has been doing a lot of sled runs over at the roller rink at Toyota Sports Complex along with a little muscle building*, while Frolov has been doing a lot of plyometric exercises and joke cracking. It's kind of cool if you are interested in that sort of thing.

*The dude looks pretty built. He was listed at 200 lbs. last year but there's no way he weighs that little this season.

Rod Brind'amour's totally on steroids, right?

It's kind of funny when you watch that sort of thing because you kind of forget that hockey players are such good athletes. I tend to think that there's 2 kinds of strength: there's the ability to lift shit and then there's endurance. Hockey players are probably the best fusion between the two, but we never really notice it. We don't notice it because hockey players wear long sleeves (so you don't notice that they're actually ripped) and because skating doesn't look hard. (Also, I think a lot of people assume hockey players aren't good athletes because they're not black, but that's another argument for another day.) I have friends that wonder why hockey players are only out on the ice for 50 seconds at a time and they just refuse to believe that the guys are basically sprinting out there for the half their shift. It's good for us to remember that these guys are great athletes.

Photos of informal Sharks scrimmage in San Jose

Here are a few photos from the informal Captain's Ice scrimmages players are holding to gear up for the official start of training camp on Saturday, September 20th. A few more photos are posted here.

Random Pacific Questions: How Does Getzlaf Rate?

Earlier I covered how Anze Kopitar rates among the young forwards in the NHL. Today I thought we'd take a look at how Ryan Getzlaf rates among the, uh, older young players in the league. Eric Staal (he of the newly minted $8.25/7 year deal*) gets a lot of press because scored over 100 points as a 20 year-old, Mike Richards gets acclaim because he plays on the East Coast, and Paul Stastny looks like the Predator without his mask on, but there have to be some out there who would take Getzlaf over all of them. Not me, because Getzlaf takes too many penalties, but someone else. Also, there's something about Getzlaf that strike me as sinister. He looks like he should be in the back of the Bang Bus, not the team bus. Anyway, here's ten players that are around 23 years old. Rate them how you see fit.

*Should Kings' fans start hoping Kopitar gets hurt this season? Nothing career-threatening, but maybe a broken foot or something. At this point I have my fingers crossed that we can sign him for under $7 million.

Mike Richards
Eric Staal
Paul Stastny
Ryan Getzlaf
Rick Nash
Thomas Vanek
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Dustin Brown
Corey Perry
Nathan Horton
Milan Michalek

It's a pretty eclectic list and I hope I didn't leave anyone out, but if I did then don't mention it. I have a fragile psyche.

Also, Ice Girls! I'm rooting for #9 and # 61.

Remembering Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis

This is just a hockey blog and I don't have nearly enough hubris to presume I could somehow write a proper remembrance for September 11th, but I think we as hockey fans can remember two guys that loved hockey as much as we all do. Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis worked for the Kings but that's insignificant in the grand scheme of things. They loved hockey and gave their lives to better the sport. I'm sorry they're gone. I can't wrap my head around the enormity of the September 11th attacks, but I can wrap my head around that. I'm going to take a few moments today and remember them. Skol, fellas.

Explaining the finer points of hockey to a new generation of fans

I have no idea what I really want to say about the fact that the Ducks' owner, Henry Samueli, might or might not be going to jail. But in the meantime, here's a cartoon that might help explain things to younger fans.

Hell, I even did a PuckToon today also. Color me productive.

Go Ducks.

The Vanangeles Kinucks

The Kings have a problem. As you're no doubt aware, the Kings possess a solid young offense that should land in the top 10 in goals scored next season but they have no defense or goaltending. The team has been around since 1967 yet has only reached the Stanley Cup Finals one time, in 1993. This season looks bleak unless the Kings can get some sort of defensive play.


The Vancouver Canucks also have a problem. They're possess one of the best defensive cores and arguably the best goaltender in the NHL, yet they pack very little scoring punch. Their somewhat pathetic attempt to lure Mats Sundin to their western shores seems to have proven fruitless and now they're relying on Steve Bernier to change their fortunes. The Canucks have also not won a Stanley Cup in their NHL existence (dating back to 1970) and have only 2 Stanley Cup runs to show for themselves. This season looks bleak for the Canucks unless they can get some sort of scoring punch.

So, here we have two west coast franchises, both established losers. It's obvious to all now that they can not win by themselves. It's only fair, then, for the NHL to allow them to combine forces. The team can be called the West Coast Renters (since no one in either city can afford to buy a house) and would utilize the Kings' offensive talent with the Canucks' defensive prowess to create a team that could actually compete. Imagine a team that looks like this:

Alex Frolov-Anze Kopitar-Dustin Brown
Daniel Sedin-Henrik Sedin-Patrick O'Sullivan
Matt Moulson-Ryan Kesler-Taylor Pyatt
Darcy Hordichuk-Brian Boyle-Raitis Ivanans

Mattias Ohlund-Sami Salo
Jack Johnson-Alex Edler
Willie Mitchell-Kevin Bieksa

Roberto Luongo
Jason Labarbera

Wait, goalies are allowed to do that???

That team's pretty good. The Kings supply the top offensive talent (along with a sinper to finish off the Sedin Brothers' beautiful set-ups), while the Canucks supply the grease and defense, along with one of the best goaltenders in the league. Sure, the Canucks are supplying more players than the Kings, but after a few years that should change. In the meantime, Kings' fans can enjoy having a winning team for the first since, well, ever and Canucks fans can enjoy having a top prospect pool.

These two teams have proven that they can't win on their own; maybe together they can finally win something.

The Case Against Patrick O'Sullivan

He's 23 and has one full NHL season.

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?

All-Time Sharks, Part 2

Time to continue my post from many moons ago -- that is, the All-Time Sharks, selected on the strength of a single season. While RudyKelley may be looking at the big picture and Earl Sleek may be getting in the spirit of election season with public opinion polls, I'm getting into my theoretical time machine, plucking a bunch of players out of certain times in their career, and sticking them on to a sheet of ice together.

(You know how in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure the dynamic duo pluck Joan of Arc, Socrates, Napoleon, and other historical figures for an all-star history presentation? It's kind of like that, except with Owen Nolan and Jonathan Cheechoo.)

Here's Part 1 of my post to refresh your memory. And now, the third and fourth lines...

3rd Line:
C-Vincent Damphousse 99-00
There can be arguments for Igor Larionov in his pre-Hockeytown stay but I'm going with Damphousse during the true breakout season for the entire Sutter-era. Damphousse managed to create offense despite a ridiculously stifling Sutter emphasis on defense, he played the penalty kill and took face-offs, and he managed to make Dave Lowry look good during the playoffs (Owen Nolan had a big part in that too). Side note: I may be very critical of many of Darryl Sutter's strategic moves during his time in San Jose but sticking a grinder like Lowry on the top line to pester Chris Pronger in the St. Louis series was genius.

Rw-Sergei Makarov 93-94
Oh, that magical 93-94 season when the Red Wings were toast, a foreigner's grammar goof became a rallying cry ("Like wall!"), and Sergei Makarov's 68 points in 80 games led the team at the advanced age of 35. The Ov-attack of Makarov, Larionov, and Johan Garpenlov made the newly post-Cold War era seem so much more lovable, and Makarov gave Bay Area hockey fans goal-scoring skill they hadn't seen before and really, wouldn't see much of again for another five years or so. 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.

LW-Marco Sturm 03-04
Marco Sturm's point totals were fairly steady throughout his time with the Sharks, so why pick the season when a nasty crash into the boards forced his foot to bend one way and his leg to bend another? Well, before the injury, Sturm was on pace for a career year. Put on a pure-speed line with Patrick Marleau and Wayne Primeau (if you don't remember, Primeau was ridiculously fast and had no hands at all), the trio made plenty of defensemen look flat for a good stretch of that season. After that injury, Marleau went into a funk until the playoffs and the Sharks cowered against the might of Jarome Iginla in the Conference Final.

4th Line:
C-Mike Ricci 01-02
RW-Niklas Sundstrom 01-02
LW-Scott Thornton 01-02

While I picked the top three lines based on talent and statistics, I'm leaving the fourth line to a grinding/checking group -- but boy, could these guys score. This group comes together as a unit, and if you remember seeing them in action, you'll remember why they earned the monicker "Best 3rd line in hockey." When Darryl Sutter needed a goal, he'd tap his third line to work the boards until the could grind one out, sometimes even on the power play. The line had it all: Ricci's face-off abilities and strong work on the boards, Sundstrom's smooth hands and wicked passes, and Thornton's previously untapped goal-scoring abilities (that season with a career high of 26). For whatever reason, the chemistry fell apart the next year, and soon after, injuries slowed down Ricci and Thornton while Sundstrom was traded.

Still, something has to be said for a checking unit that kills penalties, shuts down the opposition's top line, and puts up almost a combined 150 points. Reech, Scotty, we still love you. Sunny, um, well, you're like that old college lab partner that was fun to talk to and got the job done even though you never became a good friend. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Kings Round-Up

Think you're not going to have anything to read about the Kings because it's September? Think again, asshole!

Hockey's Future Top 20 Prospects (go Cliche!)

Inside the Kings GM Meeting Quotes

Rich Hammond has been posting quotes from Dean Lombardi, Assistant GM Ron Hextall, cap guru Jeff Solomon, and head coach Terry Murray have been talking, and talking, and talking about pretty much everything to do with the Kings. What I've found most interesting is Terry Murray's quotes about how to develop a defenseman. He highlights the importance of working as a unit and using forwards to make decisions with the puck. The Kings didn't really pass the puck out of their zone last season, instead mostly relying on one player to skate the puck to the red line. That leaves the team open to turnovers so I am glad to see that'll change this upcoming season.

Also interesting: Lombardi admits that he signed too many free agents because he was worried about catching Anaheim the past 2 seasons. He also notes that the Kings backed off prime free agents. I knew it.

Oh, and he talks about bridge players and notes how the bridge players he brought in dominated the locker room too much and hurt chemistry. Since Handzus, Calder and Preissing are still with the team and Brad Stuart is still young, that means he's talking about either Rob Blake or Ladislav Nagy. I wonder which.


Non-Kings Update: TJ Simers has a new article in the Times today, entitled, "San Diego is a town filled with losers." That's awesome.

The Pensblog made me do it...again. Kings and Ducks previews

Yeah, nitpickers, this is the same cartoon from last year.
Happy fucking blog birthday, Pensblog! As a guy who focuses a lot on the western conference, it takes a little extra for an eastern blog to make a splash on my radar, but the Pensblog has been a force in the blogosphere for two years now. Their crass and angry style has taken the crass and angry city of Pittsburgh by storm, and there's probably not a team-focused blog out there with a bigger and meaner following. It's awesome.

Every night I fall asleep fearing three things -- getting in a pissing contest with a racehorse, getting in a racing contest with a racehorse, and getting in a photoshop war with Pensblog. They are that scary.

Anyways, just like last year, Pensblog invited 29 suckers to preview their teams, and Rudy and I managed to not get ourselves "Ron Wilson'd" from that invite list. We've been told that our previews are going up today -- BoC day at the Pensblog -- so once they are up I will add Rudy's link here and Earl's link here.

Enjoy 'em, and feel free to comment wherever.

Random Pacific Questions: Should the Ducks be Feared?

Yes.

Of all the teams in the Pacific Division, I fear the Ducks the most. San Jose may have won the division last year and Dallas may have made it to the Conference Finals, but neither team would scare me as much as the Ducks in a series. Think about this: the Ducks played a quarter of their season without Scott Niedermayer and maybe 2/3 without Teemu Selanne; they had to trade their 2nd-line center to free up cap space; they had Todd Bertuzzi on their team; their 2nd best offensive player was injured for the last part of the season and the playoffs; and their captain was suspended for attempting emergency amputation on some asshole's foot.

And they finished 4th in the conference.

They weren't realistically going to go very far in the playoffs because they didn't have time to mesh last year, but that won't be a problem this season. The Ducks were the 2nd best defensive team in the league last year and losing Mathieu Schneider won't affect that ranking too much. They had trouble scoring last year but have added Brendan Morrison, Bobby Ryan, Teemu for the whole season, and a healthy Ryan Carter (who I thought was pretty awesome before he broke his wrist last season). More importnantly, they've dumped both Doug Weight and Todd Bertuzzi, 2 slow, bumbling forwards that were kind of embarrassing to watch. And of course, they still have the 2nd best young forward duo in Southern California in Getzlaf and Perry.


A lot of people get seduced by the Sharks or the Stars because they were the teams that made headlines last season. They've both added some pretty good pieces and will both likely make the playoffs, but if I'm another team in the NHL I'm praying that I get one of those teams instead of Anaheim in the playoffs. I think some people may be sleeping on the Ducks because they're eventually going to be average once Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne finally retire, but right now they're still incredibly talented. They have the best defense and the best goaltending in the division, two dynamic offensive players, and a shutdown line that could stop George Clooney from scoring. Fear the mallard, friends.

Random Pacific Questions: Are the Kings really going to sit out Kopitar's bargain year?

I know "Random Pacific Questions" is Rudy's gig, and I don't really mean to be spiteful or anything, but I do have an honest question for Kings fans: Really?

The Kings are going to put as little funding as possible around Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson in this -- their last bargain season -- and you're all cool with that?

Let's clarify my thinking a bit. You see, I'm a believer in bargain years, which for a productive player is usually the last year of an entry-level deal. Because while good players will still improve even after their first contract is over, it seems near-impossible for them to become better dollar-value players, especially if they've put up some good numbers as youngsters.

On the Ducks for example, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry just finished off their bargain years -- while I suspect that both players will be better top-liners this season than last, I would rather build a team around last year's duo for $1.3 million than this year's duo for $10.7 million (rough numbers). The change in talent / experience / production won't come near to matching the change in salary. With cheap kids in the lineup, more money can be spread around to other positions (nearly $20M thrown at three defenseman slots, for example), and overall there have been some groovy results for the Ducks -- see our non-empty cup case.

On some other coast, some kids named Crosby and Malkin also finished up their collective bargain years (Crosby got his raise this summer; Malkin's up next summer), and filled last year's roster with enough talent to lose gracefully in the cup finals. True, both the Ducks and Pens are now feeling the squeeze of those raises and have to compensate by losing talent elsewhere. That's not to say that these teams are finished or anything; they'll just need to find other Getzlafs and Crosbys -- guys who will outpace their salary. But at least both teams were able to take advantage of their young-gun bargain years; they didn't sit on their hands until after those players got raises.

By the way, entry level deals aren't the only source of bargains by any means. Detroit gets a bargain by signing goalies for peanuts and having star players sign team-friendly deals. Anaheim has found bargains in a washed-up Selanne a few years ago and undrafted players like Penner and McDonald. Still, young talented players is definitely a milkable source for bargains in a salary-capped league, and by my eye the Kings are dealing with a few of them.

So is the best strategy for the Kings really to "sit this season out" and promise to spend money sometime in the future, when Kopitar and Johnson are quite expensive? As a reformed gambler, that strategy makes very little sense to me. I mean, of course more money will need to be spent in the coming years, just to keep the same team together. And as the Kings are a team that already are bemoaning their annual financial losses, I really don't see how they plan on actually adding talent to a Kopitar-and-Johnson roster in the coming years -- that would require a huge increase in spending (raises plus additions/upgrades), which seems unlikely at best.

Now I'm not the biggest Kings fan on this site, so it's quite possible I'm not seeing the full picture here. Perhaps Lombardi has a plan where he's going to use some other bargain years (Doughty and friends) to build around, and maybe there's even a plan (cough, Schneider, cough) to still better this year's roster. And maybe there's really no envisionable win-scenario for the Kings: even if they spent to the ceiling the Kings couldn't compete with the big boys in the west.

Still, if you tell me that (a) Kopitar is the real deal, (b) this is the cheapest he will ever be again, and (c) Kings fans do actually enjoy winning, I don't know why everyone seems to drink so much Lombardi Kool-Aid when it comes to cap-floor spending. If you asked me what would be the better team -- if the Kings spent to the cap ceiling with a cheap Kopitar this year, or if the Kings spent to the cap ceiling with an expensive Kopitar next year -- I'd fully expect this year's team to be the better version, because there's so much extra money to spend elsewhere. Isn't this the year for the Kings to go for a gamble, instead of essentially folding before the flop? Is Kopitar's best-opportunity window shutting, or am I just crazy?

Rationalize it for me, Kings fans.

(p.s. I don't really want to hear "but the Kings need to save cap space next year for Kopitar's raise!" as a valid excuse. It's very possible to spend money this season without touching next year's cap, and even if they did, it's not that difficult to ditch salary if needed -- see all the teams unworried about their current over-the-cap situation this late in the summer.)

Why Isn't the NHL on USA?

The biggest problem facing the NHL is still the lack of a major television deal in the United States. The league was dumped a few years ago by ESPN and rebounded with the nice but ultimately inadequate Versus.* I think we can all agree that the NHL needs a network with a little more panache and a little less rodeoing, but they can't by all rights go back to ESPN because one, ESPN sucks and two, they already have too many things going on as it is. So who does the NHL turn to? Why not the USA Network?

*Versus probably cries after sex.

Yes, USA, the network that loves characters and formulaic mystery shows. Some may be wondering how the USA Network is qualified to show the NHL, but USA already has some experience broadcasting sports (they had a lot of Olympics coverage and recently showed the US Tennis Open). Besides, did TNT have experience before they started showing the NBA? Or TBS, before they acquired the rights to Major League Baseball? Most other leagues have a deal with ESPN and a non-sports network to diversify their coverage, and the NHL should follow that. A weekly schedule with a major game on Monday on Versus and, say, Thursday or Friday on USA would be great for the NHL. Plus, USA is owned by the same company that owns NBC, so it would seem pretty easy to add something to that existing agreement.

The USA Network is perfect because it's high profile enough to garner notice among casual fans while still needing original programming to fill their time slot. NBC has to worry about the Stanley Cup Playoffs impacting sweeps, while USA only has to shuffle their weekly Monk marathon. Putting the NHL on USA would be a boon for hockey and would help spread the game to a wider audience. It should happen.

The Case for Patrick O'Sullivan

-Patrick O'Sullivan scored 53 points last season. The first half of the season, O'Sullivan played with Michal Handzus and Kyle Calder on the third line. He didn't get any power play time and was limited to the penalty kill (where he performed admirably). It wasn't until Mike Cammalleri got hurt near the end of December that O'Sullivan started playing with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. In the 38 games O'Sullivan played in 2007, O'Sullivan scored 17 points; in the 42 games he played in 2008, O'Sullivan scored 34. That pace spread over 82 games comes about to 66 points. That's pretty good for a 23 year-old.

-O'Sullivan came up through Juniors and the AHL as a skilled, sniping forward who could potentially step into a top line role. The Kings instead started O'Sullivan on the 3rd line to help teach him both defensive play and a little humility. O'Sullivan responded beautifully, turning himself into a tenacious defender while still keeping his scoring touch. That's the kind of player you want to keep around no matter what.

-O'Sullivan was the 2nd most likely forward to be out on the ice when the Kings were a man down (behind Michal Handzus) and was the only bright point on an otherwise abysmal Kings' penalty kill. O'Sullivan had 3 short-handed goals last season without compromising his zone coverage.

-Do you ever wonder what Labarbera's insides look like?.
-What? No.
-...Me neither.

-O'Sullivan played the most special teams of any forward on the Kings. He was the Rob Blake of forwards, averaging over 2 minutes a game on both the power play and the penalty kill. On the power play O'Sullivan seemed a little uncomfortable integrating himself with everyone else on Kopitar's unit after Cammy got hurt, but that could be the result of little practice time. When Cammy came back O'Sullivan moved to play with Frolov and seemed much more comfortable since he was used in a shooting role.

-You're going to hear (from me) that O'Sullivan doesn't deserve much money because he's really only had one season in the NHL, but whose fault is that? O'Sullivan scored 19 points in 44 games as a 20 year-old; if the Kings had kept him up all season instead of sending him down so they could play Brian Willsie more, he would have had a 40-point season. O'Sullivan took his demotion like a man and killed in the AHL while he was there, then came up the next season and played excellently. O'Sullivan sacrificied personal gain to help the Kings get better; now the Kings need to pay him for that.

Overall, Patrick O'Sullivan is a very good two-way forward and is only 22. I think a good comparable for what Patrick O'Sullivan might become is Jason Pominville, a point-a-game player that plays on both special teams units. O'Sullivan was raised by an abusive, over-possessive father and has battled that to become one of the better young players you're going to see in this game. The only reason he hasn't show more is because the Kings haven't allowed him to do so; pay him what he'll be worth and let him show you that it was a good investment.

Non-hockey update: It's Saturday and this was boring so here's Norm MacDonald's roast of Bob Saget for you to enjoy. I love Norm.

Stoll Signs 4-Year Deal

Deal: 4 years, $3.6 million/year (or $100,000 for every point he scored last year)

Dean Lombardi loves injured guys. First it was Alyn McCauley and Dan Cloutier, then Michal Handzus, and now Jarret Stoll. The hope is that you pay the player less than what he would have normally made if had been healthy the season prior and then reap the benefits when he rounds into form. So far that hasn't quite worked out for the Kings: McCauley played only 10 games and then had to retire because of a knee injury, Cloutier was the 11th plague, and Handzus was terrible last year. I guess Lombardi is hoping fourth time's a charm.

The deal boils down like this: if Stoll plays like he did in 2005-06 and get somewhere around 60 points a season over the life of the deal, it's a steal. If he plays like he did last year, slow and tentative, then the Kings will have over $7 million dollars invested in their bottom line centers. It's a risk, and one that I'd normally tip my hat to, but the Kings have already been burned by this gambit a few times before. I'm wary of investing this much money into someone before there is proof he's fully rehabilitated. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Right now, though, I'm nonplussed.


Oh, and is anyone concerned that Stoll now has a multi-million dollar deal to go with his model fiance and an lavish LA lifestyle? And that he went to New Zealand in August instead of, you know, training? I'm not encouraged.

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.

I Love the Salary Cap

Buried in Puck Daddy's live chat yesterday was this quote by David Pagnotta, in reference to where Mathieu Schneider might be heading:

Ducks and Kings have spoken about it. Just spoke to a source early today and the Ducks are trying to move him to LA before the Hawks ship Khabby there.

I hope this becomes an annual thing, where teams fight each other to make trades that make their teams worse.

Random Pacific Questions: Who Has the Best Goalie?

He looks like the dog at the end of those Honda Element commercials. "Hey, what's going on back there?" ...I'm not good at captions.

The Kings, right? No? Okay, someone else then.

Marty Turco- 62 GP, 32 wins, 24.9 shots/game, 2.31 GAA, .909 SV%

Ilya Bryzgalov- 64 GP, 38 wins, 28.6 shots/game, 2.44 GAA, .920 SV%

Jean-Sebastien Giguere- 58 GP, 35 wins, 26 shots/game, 2.12 GAA, .922 SV%

Evgeni Nabokov- 77 GP, 46 wins, 23.4 shots/game, 2.14 GAA, .910 SV%


I'd put it Bryzgalov-Giguere-Nabokov-Turco, but that's just me. Giguere has the best numbers but he didn't play nearly as much as the others, while Nabokov has relatively weak numbers but played a ton. I didn't realize Turco had a subpar season (by his standards) last year, but then he picked it up in the post-season while Giguere faltered. Say it with me, folks: clutch doesn't exist.

I'll be very interested to see how JS Giguere, Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco react to next season. All three are getting into their 30's all three have carried their teams the last few years. The Ducks are in pretty good shape if Giguere misses more time next year because Jonas Hiller is a bad man, but the other two have question marks behind their starters. I imagine Nabby will take a few more games off as Dmitri Patzold and Thomas Greiss mature and it'll work because their San Jose goaltenders, but the Stars don't really have anyone currently with the team or in the pipeline to fill Turco's shoes. Could this be the year those three start to fall off? God I hope so.

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.

Random Pacific Questions: Who's the Sharks' Best Defenseman?

A vicious slapfight occurred right after this picture was taken.

The Sharks were the 3rd best defensive team in the NHL last season, allowing only 187 goals. A big part of this was their underrated defensive core that limited opposing offenses to about 24 shots on goal a game. The Sharks didn't get a whole lot of offensive output from their defense, however, so they brought in two veterans to help with that side of the puck. Dan Boyle and Rob Blake both have a rich pedigree in the NHL and will undoubtedly help the Sharks put the puck in the net, but will they deserve top minutes for the Sharks? Who is the Sharks' best defenseman?

My personal opinion is that it's Marc-Edouard Vlasic (he of the newly minted 4 year, $12.4 million dollar deal). He's only 21 but he was named the most valuable defensive defenseman by Alan Ryder after finishing 3rd the year before.* Sure, he doesn't score very often, but he literally suffocates opposing offenses. It'll be interesting to see how new coach Todd McClellan integrates new additions Dan Boyle (who missed half the season last year) and Rob Blake (who is probably best served playing mostly special teams at this point in his career). Will they play the most minutes because they're highly paid and "have been there before," or will he (rightfully, in my opinion) stick with Vlasic and fellow youngster Christian Ehrhoff in crucial situations?

*Page 24, if you're interested.

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.

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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.