SB Nation - Todd Marchant

Some Perspective on Penner's Start

Derek Zona — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:20:43 -0000

Left winger Petr Klima of the Edmonton Oilers (right) and defenseman Steve Duchesne of the Los Angeles Kings tangle up during a game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. Klima immediately apologized. via cdn.picapp.com

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Dustin Penner's blistering start has slowed a bit, but Big Pun continues to carry the team on a nightly basis. He's on pace for 40 goals, something that hasn't been accomplished in Edmonton since Petr Klima in 1990 He's on pace for 88 points, the most for any Oiler since Doug Weight's 90 in 2000. Let's check the twenty-one years A.G.

Year	Player	Goals	Player	Assists	Player	Points	Player	+/-
1988	Carson	49	Messier	61	Kurri	102	Muni	43
1989	Messier	45	Messier	84	Messier	129	Gregg	24
1990	Klima	40	Messier	52	Tikkanen	69	Klima	24
1991	Damphousse	38	Damphousse	51	Damphousse	89	Maciver	20
1992	Klima	32	Nicholls	32	Klima	48	Gelinas	3
1993	Arnott	33	Weight	50	Weight	74	Arnott	1
1994	Oliver	16	Weight	33	Weight	40	Kennedy	2
1995	Ciger	31	Weight	79	Weight	104	Satan	0
1996	Smyth	39	Weight	61	Weight	82	Marchment	13
1997	Weight	26	Weight	44	Weight	70	Tie	9
1998	Guerin	30	Guerin	34	Guerin	64	Poti	10
1999	Smyth	28	Weight	51	Weight	72	Smith	16
2000	Smyth	31	Weight	65	Weight	90	Tie	15
2001	Comrie	33	Niinimaa	39	Tie	60	Comrie	16
2002	Smyth	27	Marchant	40	Smyth	61	Reasoner	19
2003	Smyth	23	Smyth	36	Smyth	59	Ulanov	18
2004
2005	Smyth	36	Hemsky	58	Hemsky	77	Staios	10
2006	Smyth	31	Hemsky	40	Tie	53	Thoresen	-1
2007	Penner	23	Hemsky	51	Hemsky	71	Nilsson	8
2008	Tie	23	Hemsky	43	Hemsky	66	Grebeshkov	12
2009	Penner	44	Penner	44	Penner	88	Penner	32

Penner's projected goal total is good for 3rd over this time period. His pace would tie him for 13th in assists and 6th in points. He would join Mark Messier, Vincent Damphousse, Doug Weight and Ryan Smyth as Oilers who have led the team in Goals, Assists and Points.

He's also on pace to accomplish a feat that only one other player in the history of the Oilers has been able to pull off -- lead the team in Goals, Assists, Points, and +/-.

Game 32 Preview: Ducks in Columbus

Mike MacLean — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:59:05 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

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Sure, it sucked losing to the Preds, again. Tonight however the Ducks come to town. They are not playing to their level whatsoever, and the Jackets need to take advantage of that. That being said, so far this season the Jackets have failed for the most part in capitalizing on other team's woes. The Ducks always play the Jackets tough, so it will no doubt be a rough, physical affair.

The Jackets see the return of Freddy tonight, this will be his first game of the season. I am excited to see what he and Sammy can do together. Their chemistry on the international scene will hopefully translate to the Jackets. Murr-dog will sit tonight. There aren't any other major lineup changes from the last few games. Mase will get the start against Hiller.

Here's hoping that Nasher can keep putting the puck in the net, it was so good to see him score last game and he needs to continue to do that. If his line can produce, it will allow the other lines to get things going without having to face top checkers. I wouldn't put it past Boller to have a go with either Brown or Parros tonight, regardless of the coach's putting the leash on him.

Should be a good one!

Fearless Prediction: The Ducks aren't playing very well, the Jackets get a much-needed win. Will be a very physical game. Modin and Pahlsson show instant chemistry.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Anaheim Calling

Game Page: Ducks vs Blue Jackets Coverage

TSN Preview: Ducks vs Blue Jackets Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Hitchcock, tongue in cheek, on Anaheim C Ryan Getzlaf: "I think we've done really well against Getzlaf. We've only allowed him five points in two games. We have to keep up that pace. If we keep it up, we'll only allow him 20 points."

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Jason Chimera	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Fredrik Modin	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Raffi Torres	Derick Brassard	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Michael Blunden, Mathieu Roy, Andrew Murray

INJURED: Rostislav Klesla

Anaheim Ducks

Kyle Calder	Ryan Getzlaf	Corey Perry
Bobby Ryan	Saku Koivu	Dan Sexton
Matt Beleskey	Todd Marchant	Petteri Nokelainen
Mike Brown	Kyle Chipchura	George Parros

Scott Niedermayer	Brett Festerling
Ryan Whitney	Nick Boynton
James Wisniewski	Sheldon Brookbank

Jonas Hiller

J.S. Giguere

Gameday Preview: Anaheim Ducks @ Dallas Stars (7:30 pm CST)

Brandon Bibb — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:00:18 -0000

Next Game

Anaheim Ducks (10-12-4, 14th in West)
@ Dallas Stars (12-8-7, 9th in West)

Thursday, Dec 3, 2009, 7:30 PM CST
American Airlines Center

TV: FSSW
Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blog: Anaheim Calling

Complete Coverage >

Hopefully Brad convinced you during last night's podcast to not take the Ducks lightly.

For one, the Ducks have been playing better as of late. Though they've lost their last two to Phoenix and Los Angeles, they had won 4 out of their last 5 with three straight wins over Calgary, Carolina, and Chicago.

Still, they're mired in 14th in the West in large part because of the slow start they had to the season. As Stars fans, we're all too familiar with how tough a climb that is considering the slow starts Dallas had in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

The Dallas Stars:

Last night on the podcast, we talked quite a bit about the inconsistencies of the Stars and just where we should put the finger of blame. Yesterday, Brad pontificated on the state of the Stars' offense and this is what he found:

Nearly a third of every Dallas Star goal has been scored with a man advantage. Relying on your PP for a third of your offense is not an ideal strategy, but look at what they did in November: 15 of their 31 goals were scored on special teams. They're clinging to the power play for dear life like a life-preserver in the middle of the ocean. And if that's not enough of a fine line to walk, we can look even closer to see that things not only hinge on one part of their game (the PP) but on one man in particular: Brad Richards.

The power play has always been a big part of Brad Richards' game, and the Center is getting ample opportunity to put points on the board this season with the extra man. After a decade of Sergei Zubov as the Stars power play quarterback, the special teams unit found itself in need of a new leader and Richards has been more than happy to fill in. He has seen his PPTOI (power play time on ice) per game increase from 4:05 last season to 5:20 this year. Only four other NHL players spend more time on the power play this season. His power play production is also helped by the fact that the Stars are first in the league in power play opportunities with 128.

Richards has been on the ice for 24 of the Stars' 26 power play goals. He missed one of them due to injury, and has sat on the bench only once and watched his team get one without him. In other words, if Brad Richards isn't on the ice, don't hold your breath on the PP.

Usually when an offense is struggling, expect some lines to be juggled. Tonight's game will be no different as coach Marc Crawford threw out the following lines during Wednesday's practice, according to Mike Heika.

Ott-Richards-Eriksson
Morrow-Ribeiro-Benn
Neal-Modano-Lehtinen
Petersen-Wandell-Brunnstrom

Sutherby and Barch are also options

Grossman-Robidas
Skrastins-Daley
Fistric-Niskanen

The Anaheim Ducks

Despite the slow start, the guys at Anaheim Calling are feeling a little chipper. I'll let them explain:

DANIEL:

We will, of course, take a second to admire the awesomeness of Chipchura's name, and I personally hope that he skates around the ice saying his name like a Pokémon.

All jokes aside, Chipchura has a little size and is supposed to be a defensive forward. But after a 4-2-1 homestand that ended with two losses to division opponents, will Chipchura have any observable effect on the Ducks turning their game around, or is this just a sign that we'll be moving more impressive assets later and filling in with unwanted former First Rounders?

ARTHUR:

Two seasons ago, Chipchura was a 12-minute guy, and if Nokelainen picks up Marchant's PK minutes or if we promote a healthy Ryan Carter to the third line, then this could still spell the end of Todd Marchant. But Chipchura just doesn't feel like the player that can make the front office more comfortable with that move, unless, as I said, they're feeling really good about Nokelainen or Carter.

DANIEL:

I think the most telling part of this trade is how difficult this question is to answer. Chipchura gives no indication that he will be an impact player. However, the fact that he has some size, something we need, and more experience than the likes of Beleskey and Sharp gives the impression that Murray is trying to do something to keep us playing well and get us into the playoffs. Murray is engaging in a massive misdirection campaign and has been since last year's trade deadline.

Long story short, Bob Murray is engaging in the same thing we've seen the Stars engage in when they've had slow starts. Low risk-high reward move. If it works, you've gained a player, possibly for years to come.

Like when the Stars picked up Brian Sutherby, Darryl Sydor, and Steve Begin last season. Syd and Begin obviously didn't work out. Sutherby obviously did and I think that's what Murray is hoping Chipchura can bring to the Ducks.

Key Injuries:

Anaheim: LW Kyle Calder (Hyphema), LW Joffrey Lupul (Back spasms), and C Ryan Carter (Fractured foot) are out

Dallas: No injuries to report

Chipping In

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:39:11 -0000

Chipchura scores. No, seriously.

DANIEL:

This is Anaheim Calling to the hockey world. Well Arthur, it looks like I was right, although in a sad technicality sort of way. Bob Murray decided he needed to make a move now in order to improve his club and acquired the "heart and soul player" that is Kyle Chipchura.

We will, of course, take a second to admire the awesomeness of Chipchura's name, and I personally hope that he skates around the ice saying his name like a Pokémon.

All jokes aside, Chipchura has a little size and is supposed to be a defensive forward. But after a 4-2-1 homestand that ended with two losses to division opponents, will Chipchura have any observable effect on the Ducks turning their game around, or is this just a sign that we'll be moving more impressive assets later and filling in with unwanted former First Rounders?

ARTHUR:

I want to say that this forecasts a Marchant trade, because Sharp has played so well in the circle and because I've been clamoring for a size upgrade on the third line. But at the end of the day, this feels like a roster shakeup that boils down to Murray being uncomfortable with the NHL GP stat on his roster. He'd rather have a guy who's played (regardless of how well he's played), rather than cast his lot with a Sbisa or a Beleskey.

Two seasons ago, Chipchura was a 12-minute guy, and if Nokelainen picks up Marchant's PK minutes or if we promote a healthy Ryan Carter to the third line, then this could still spell the end of Todd Marchant. But Chipchura just doesn't feel like the player that can make the front office more comfortable with that move, unless, as I said, they're feeling really good about Nokelainen or Carter.

For now, I think he'll come in, play for Beleskey and the Ducks will wait a few games to see what they have. This isn't a move that seems to replace anyone on the team, however. Not anyone but Beleskey or Sharp, who haven't exactly struggled in their limited roles.

DANIEL:

If Matt Beleskey hadn't just had his best game of the season I'd say that Chipchura could make an immediate impact the way Kyle Calder had, meaning he can stand in front of the net and get lucky a couple of times. I agree that this signals the end for somebody. The homestand did not end on a positive note and, now we will be away from the Ponda Center for the next 21 of 30.

I think the most telling part of this trade is how difficult this question is to answer. Chipchura gives no indication that he will be an impact player. However, the fact that he has some size, something we need, and more experience than the likes of Beleskey and Sharp gives the impression that Murray is trying to do something to keep us playing well and get us into the playoffs. Murray is engaging in a massive misdirection campaign and has been since last year's trade deadline.

I've already said that Murray has been simply acquiring a variety of players and then asking Carlyle to make them fit into his system rather than making smart pick-ups and getting players that can make smooth transitions to Carlyle's system. In the end, Chipchura is another weak attempt by Murray to fill holes that he himself created with his mini fire sale at the deadline last year. As a result, our young players aren't getting the NHL experience they've earned through hard play, and our veterans are going to be sold off for younger players that other organizations have given up on.

Deep Thoughts

RudyKelly — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:44:20 -0000

-The guys behind us were driving me pretty Goddamn crazy. It was like I had the fucking Jerky Boyz behind me all night, it was ridiculous. The worst part is that they weren't even Ducks fans; they were Kings fans! Ducks fans are annoying because they're kind of dumb and don't know anything about hockey, but I think Kings fans are honestly worse because they think they know about hockey when they really don't. They guys behind me had apparently played before so they thought they were Bob and Jimmy.

One thing you'll notice is that people who play hockey don't necessarily know anything about hockey, but most people don't call them on it because most people don't play hockey in Southern California. Most people who play hockey are dumb, just like most people in general, and playing hockey and knowing about hockey are different. Here's how you can tell if someone knows about hockey: if they say, "Oh great, more dump 'n chase," then they don't know shit about hockey. Oh, and if they say, "Du-ucks," over and over and over again because they think it's funny to do it in the voice of a mentally challenged person, then they don't know shit about hockey and they've made a powerful new enemy.

-I went to the game because it was my mom's birthday and I'm a terrible son that only gets gifts that somehow benefit me in some way. It was a pretty entertaining game but it was kind of hard to get a read on; the Ducks were dominant when Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan were out there and the Kings were dominant on every other shift. The Kings had to adjust early because Brandon Segal got injured during his first shift and had to leave the game. They adjusted by giving Brad Richardson and Dustin Brown more playing time and the two responded with some of their best games of the year; Richardson especially played very well, showing that he can do good things when he actually has real linemates.

The Kings were better over the course of the game, as the Ducks were only close because Jonathan Quick let in an awful goal to Todd Marchant. (Todd Marchant! That should count as two.) Overall the game was heartening from my perspective: the Kings are kind of at the low point of their season (missing Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi, losing Segal right at the start of the game) and the Ducks are kind of at the high point (winning 6 of their last 7 at home) and the Kings still looked better. I would be happier about beating the Ducks, but beating the Ducks is kind of like nailing Paris Hilton; it's probably fun but who cares if everyone has already done it?

-I went to a fast food Chinese place that's by my work last week and got some food. I was signing my name on the receipt while the guy was wrapping up my order and we finished about the same time. I went to say, "There ya go!" and hand him the receipt, but he said, "There ya go!" as he handed me my food first. I tried to change what I was saying to, "Thanks," but was too committed to my previous sentence and ended up saying, "Tharnks!" I felt like an idiot.

-The Ducks are a pretty hilarious team right now because they're still a team of giant dicks but now they suck so it comes off as just kind of sad and pathetic. It's like they're the high school bully that grew up to be a gas station attendant and the Kings are the lonely, pathetic nerd that grew up to be a fairly successful software engineer with a nice house and a lovely wife that may not be that attractive but is sweet and kind. Last night was the software engineer pulling into the gas station and going for a fill up and then the pump won't work, so he presses the little button to talk to the attendant, but the attendant calls him a fag so the software engineer just drives to another station and gets gas then goes home while the attendant is fired because that was the last fucking time he abused the little button, so then the gas station attendant goes home and gets drunk and posts angrily on a hockey blog under the name, "Spade-in-Victorhell."

But still, the Ducks are in good shape. In 3 years they'll have a core of Getzlaf, Perry, Lupul, Ryan, Hiller, Sbisa, whatever defenseman they sign with Niedermayer's money and whatever defenseman they draft this year. Then they'll lose someone (probably Perry) and they'll have another window as Ryan hits his prime and Getzlaf leaves his. Trading Pronger was a good idea because even with him the Ducks still wouldn't be in a position to win a Cup. It's better to suck and then be great, then tear it down and suck again and then be great. I like what Brian Burke and Bob Murray did with the Ducks and I have a feeling they'll be the 2nd best team in California in just a few short years.

-"Shit, I really gotta go to the bathroom. I gotta stop drinking beer during ga- oh shit, I wore button flies. Fuck! Alright, don't panic, just undo the buttons, but hurry the fuck up. Why the fuck did I buy these, why the fuck do they even make button flys anymore? They don't make TVs with knobs anymore. Jesus, I've already been here for like 30 seconds, do I just go over the top? No, I can't go over the top, I don't like the way the guy next to me is glancing over. Does he know I'm not pissing? Oh God, is he going to stare at my dick? Jesus, c'mon you fucking buttons, come on! Come on! Come- fuck this, I'm using a stall."

-Happy birthday, mom.

Out Of The Loop

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:04:30 -0000

More photos » by Jerry S. Mendoza - AP

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ARTHUR:

Anaheim calling to the hockey world...Happy Thanksgiving!

For the first time this season the Ducks showed serious scoring potential with pretty goals from their second and third lines. The new second line combination, temporarily dubbed The Incredibles, stretched the ice for the insurance marker after the third line cycled the puck in the slot for the go-ahead goal.

Carlyle seems to have found the stable line combinations he'd been looking for, with only the noticeable absence of Ryan Carter. Daniel, in the last two games, have the Ducks proven that they don't need Joffrey Lupul to create three scoring lines? Or worse, that they need to scratch Joffrey Lupul to create three scoring lines?

DANIEL:

I know I'm the one who advocates trading Lupul for a stay-at-home defender, but there isn't a stripper on the planet who can convince me that Kyle Calder is a better option than Joffrey Lupul. When I look at the goal from last night's game, I can't help but think that the third line got a little lucky. Calder slides a backhanded pass to a decently covered Nokelainen, and he takes a two-handed slap at the puck which finds the open net on Legace's blocker side. I know you need someone who's good along the boards to complete a line, see Artyukhin's work with the Wonder Finns, but Calder has looked like a bit of a mess at times. Getting lucky on a bad play doesn't mean he's going to provide better scoring than Lupul. Not to mention that Lupul has been better on the defensive side of the puck lately. I still think that Calder offers little more than a screen in front of the net, marginal passing skills aside.

All of that is me not even taking into consideration that we pay Lupul 4.25 million for an additional 3 seasons. That means if we can't move him for the defense we need in order to win this season, we'll need him to provide us with scoring next season. I talk about moving Lupul a lot, but that's because he is a quality asset, one that Murray was wrong to acquire. Lupul is a finisher, and he'll bring that element to the third line. However, Lupul is also a bona fide Top 6 talent who can give you 30 goals a season if you let him shoot the puck and skate with play makers. He can't create his own offense, but the kid can finish. Problem is, we have too many finishers and Lupul isn't getting his shots. I like Lupul as a player, he just hasn't fit in during his return stint. It's hard not to like a guy who improves on almost everything that was deficient in his game when he was first on the team. Lupul has done everything that's been asked of him, except gel with Teemu and Koivu. But in the end, he has to play, either to keep him happy and dedicated for next year, or to make sure we get good value for him in a trade.

ARTHUR:

Lupul is Selanne's heir apparent and could prove pivotal in the transition to the post-Finnish Flash era, but if the question is 'does he fit into THIS lineup, today,' then the answer is 'no.' He can't play on the second line. Artyukhin, who often doesn't know where he should be on a given play, has proven more effective in just a handful of shifts. And Lupul can't play on the first line because that would mean bumping Bobby down to the third, a level of desperation I doubt that contract negotiations have reached . . . yet.

So, in our Nintendo Ice Hockey line-building, that leaves us with the question of whether or not we can put the skinny guy on a line with two medium-sized guys. Unfortunately, between the two medium-sized guys in question, neither can keep the play alive reliably. And I know you like to minimize the value of a guy who can play the boards and keep the puck in the offensive zone, but Lupul has already proved that, like Selanne, he needs a long attack sequence to be effective. He needs to be given an actual PLAY in order to finish it. And I don't think it's fair to Lupul that we set him up to fail in yet another line combination.

I think that takes us back to a trade discussion of Todd Marchant. Nokelainen may be ready to take over at center, or maybe we can get a bigger pivot in there, but with a very minor trade, we can find someone that properly complements Lupul on the third line-- maybe someone with the size to defend a Jarome Iginla (sorry, Todd, but we all miss Sammy). Until then, Lupul will have to struggle, and maybe learn to create his own offense from the Bottom 6.

Cooke, Staal, Guerin fuel a team effort; Pens take down Ducks 5-2

Hooks Orpik — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:26:06 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

about 1 month ago: Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, right, makes a second period save on a shot by Anaheim Ducks' Petteri Nokelainen (17) of Finland during an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh Monday, Nov. 16, 2009.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Ducks vs Penguins coverage - Anaheim SB Nation team blog Anaheim Calling

Down seven regular players to injury, it has to be a team effort to get by. The Penguins found it tonight as they got contributions from everyone. Even the power-play kicked in with a goal, snapping a streak of weeks without one. Sure the Penguins gave up a short-handed goal, but hey, one step at a time.

Just a minute and a half into the game, Matt Cooke collected a turnover from the Ducks and deposited it past Jean-Sebastien Giguere for the first goal. Then a few minutes later, the power-play finally broke through when Sidney Crosby rifled the puck to Bill Guerin and the old man whipped it from the high slot for a 2-0 lead.

Anaheim would halve the lead when after some lackadaisical Pittsburgh power-play work resulted in Todd Marchant getting a step on the defense and he beat Marc-Andre Fleury to take the score at 2-1 into intermission.

Jordan Staal made a play short-handed that ended up being the game winner. Credit Deryk Engelland who got the puck, kept his head up and made a great pass up to Staal. As has become his habit, Staal beat the defensemen and used his reach to deke the goalie out. 3-1 Pens.

Early in the 3rd period, Martin Skoula scored his first career goal as a Penguin, shooting a puck from the point past the screen of Mike Rupp into the net. Teemu Selanne got a goal late in the game to bring the Ducks within two goals but Cooke put the icing on the cake with an empty netter for a 5-2

Down their top four defensemen (in terms of minutes played) the Penguins needed and got contributions from everyone. Engelland, as mentioned, made a great pass to make the game-winner possible and also played phyiscal with five hits. Nate Guenin looked confident and comfortable in his NHL season debut, also credited with five hits. Mark Eaton carried the load, playing a lot of the power-play in route to a game-high 27:09 of ice-time. Skoula, as mentioned above, got his first goal. Ben Lovejoy got an assist and generally played well.
Jay McKee, the final member of tonight's defensive corps, was his usual shot-blocking self; getting 5 on the night. The last one appeared to sting him, but he still took shifts deep into the 3rd period. Hopefully it wasn't enough to cause an injury,
Guenin and Engelland I think deserve a little more recognition for their efforts. Neither one of them tried to be a guy like Sergei Gonchar or Alex Goligoski -- they played within themselves. But they played very well. Several little plays showed they made good decisions and executed them well all night long.
Keeping on the theme of team contributions: every Penguin who took more than one faceoff was better than 50% in the circle; led by rookie Mark Letestu who won 75% of his eight draws.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin absolutely unleashed some rockets on the power-play with slapshots. Judging from those, I'd say about all systems are go for those two. Again though, Crosby got the PP assist but Geno was point-less. This win wasn't about them.
It was about guys like Staal and Cooke. 2/3 of the third line went a combined 3 goals, 1 assist and +5, 5 shots on goal, 6 hits.
Several more "ohh man" moments by Chris Bourque, who didn't win anyone to his bandwagon tonight; including missing another wide-open net.
For Anaheim, they just don't look like they have it all together. Given the talent on their roster, and the fact they won the Cup just over 2 years ago, it's hard to believe they're in last place in the entire Western Conference. Then you see some of the turnovers they make in the game, the careless penalties they take and it sets in a little. They have some pieces, but it's not coming together correctly.

The biggest thing to take away from this game was the team effort. Marc-Andre Fleury got 23 of 25 shots, only eluded by a breakaway and late game goal. The patchwork, mainly minor-league level defense held up very well and they all played well to a man. Grinders showed up on the score sheet and skated hard all around.

More than that, they played a style Dan Bylsma had to like; a lot of puck possesion and controlling the pace of the game. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a saying that goes something like "the standard of expectation hasn't changed" when it comes to replacements pressed into duty due to injuries. That was the case tonight. Obviously it's impossible to replace the skill of guys like Gonchar, Goligoski and Kris Letang on the blueline, but everyone that got a jersey did his job, and did it well. That's all you can ask.

The Penguins now have a two day break before they embark on seven games in 11 days to close out the month of November, starting off with a three game roadie. The games are about to come but hopefully reinforcements will be trickling in. But the standards of expectation will not, and cannot change. Whoever plays has to produce, and they have to perform exactly like they did tonight.

Duck Call: Erik Christensen

Daniel AC — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:20:04 -0000

More photos » by Jerry S. Mendoza - AP

about 1 month ago: Anaheim Ducks' Erik Christensen (26) tries to create some offense while being defended by Detroit Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader (8) during the second period of their NHL hockey game on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)

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DANIEL:

This is Anaheim Calling to the Hockey World. It's an old sports cliché that you have to do the little things in order to win. With that in mind, we are starting a new segment here entitled "Duck Calls." Not every effort on the ice goes noticed, and sometimes the guys who are off the score sheet don't get the credit they deserve. For example, a glance at Eric Christensen's numbers since he returned to the lineup reveals that he's averaged just over 15:00 TOI with zero points, 4 shots on goal and a -1. What the stats won't tell you, is that Christensen took an injured Saku Koivu's spot on the second line a mere ten days after the Ducks had placed him on waivers.

Much of the talk surrounding Christensen this year has centered on his inability to regain the scoring touch he had when he scored 18 for the Pens in the 06-07 season. However, Carlyle made Christensen earn his playing time on the second line when the season started. It was Carlyle's commitment to 3 scoring lines that put Lupul on a third line with Marchant, and let Christensen play the other wing with Koivu and Selanne. In an effort to turn things around on offense, Lupul replaced Christensen on the second line. At the same time, Nokelainen came back from injury and solidified the bottom 6. Christensen was literally left with no place to play.

Christensen has a lot of upside to his game. He's fiery, he takes the body and despite the lack of results has a lot of offensive upside. When he's being defensively responsible, he's the ideal candidate to be a scoring option on the third line since he has the speed and size to forecheck, but the hockey sense to not get caught out of position. Over the past few games the most important thing I've noticed is his ability to make the right decision. He pushes the puck when he has to, dishes to the open man, and almost never turns the puck over. He's been able to turn Selanne and Lupul loose, and in the last game against the Wings had a puck go just off the post. I was already impressed with his first stint on the second line, and this one has been just as effective. Even though the statistical results that would probably give him the confidence to return to his original form have not been there. Still, I can't help but appreciate how good he's been and he I think he could still be very effective as a member of the forward corp.

Christensen was pretty much discarded by the Ducks, but he was a consummate professional and kept himself in fine game shape. Arthur and I had an interesting discussion about why it was impressive, but we both agreed that Christensen's performance is more than worthy of recognition. His ability to handle the adversity of his situation and still bring a strong effort is something all the Ducks should model given their current struggles. So, for his commitment to professionalism and his ability to keep the second line functioning despite the loss of Koivu, Eric Christensen is the recipient of Anaheim Calling's first ever Duck Call. Congratulations Eric, here's to hoping your strong play continues.

ESPN Trade Rumor: Higgins to Anaheim?

Jim Schmiedeberg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:15:48 -0000

This is being reported on ESPN Insider, which I refuse to pay for, but Anaheim Calling, the SBNation home of the Anaheim Ducks had the story:

From ESPN: "The Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers might be talking about a big trade that would bring Christopher Higgins to Anaheim for Marchant"... I would assume not straight up.

Also, in the same rumours section they were talking about a big trade involving JS going to Toronto for a lot of people. This is one of the teams JS would consider since he does have a no movement clause in his contract.

With all that being said it seems like the trade winds are blowing early and heavy in Anaheim.

Like I said, just a rumor, and its ESPN, so take it with a grain of salt.

The Rumor Mill: Ducks The Primary Suitors For Higgins?

Arthur from Anaheim Calling — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:57:43 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Man, I can't wait till we trade you. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Browse more photos »

Big thanks to cupie for having this up first in the Fanposts.

THE RUMOR MILL:
Jason Hendricks of Hendricks Hockey reports that the Ducks are the primary suitors for the Rangers' Christopher Higgins with Marchant likely headed back to New York in the deal.

ARTHUR:

Money-wise, I'm not sure if this deal could happen straight up. The Ducks have the cap space to absorb Higgins, who comes in at 2.25M (twice Todd Marchant's salary), but they're already over budget. And yet, there is something to be said for getting Marchant's money for next year off the books (as Higgins is a UFA this summer).

Logistically, I think this makes a lot of sense. Carlyle claimed that he had planned on using three scoring lines all summer. Higgins definitely moves the team closer to that goal. Anaheim would lose Marchant's defensive skill on the PK, but Farrish has seemed content to let Koivu replace him thus far this season.

DANIEL:

I don't really see this trade happening. I think even Murray knows his main problems are on defense, so the only way this happens is if he thinks he can flip Higgins for some blue line help sooner rather than later. Moreover, the Top 6 is pretty full, and we should give Lupul a legitimate shot at being the LW on that Koivu-Selanne line before we start picking up extra talent.

If it did happen, I think it would be a bad trade for the Ducks. We take a struggling forward who can't get it together, and we lose a veteran center who last season did an excellent job putting the opposition's top scoring line in check. It might allow scoring to expand, but right now I think Murray needs to pay more attention to the blueline.