Regular Season

The 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship begins today. For those wondering that stands for the Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. This year’s event will take place in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5. The NHL Network will televise all medal-round games and five additional preliminary-round match-ups, airing a total of 15 games (see broadcast special below). Ducks rookie Devante Smith-Pelly will be making his debut this afternoon, when team Canada plays Finland. Smith-Pelly is an alternate for Team Canada.

The Anaheim Ducks season seems pretty much over. They currently sit last in the Pacific Division, one point out of last place in the conference and the league. They are 15 points out of a playoff spot and there isn’t any sign of things turning around. With a 9-19-5 record, the Ducks only have 49 games left this season. Not quite at the halfway point but there still isn’t a lot of time. Seeing how tough the Western Conference is when it comes down to the final weeks of playoff season, chances seem even further away. 

The New Jersey Devils face our division rival Dallas Stars tonight, but prior to the game, they will be retiring one of the greatest defensemen to ever play; Scott Niedermayer. The Devils and the Ducks both got to witness the glory of Niedermayer, and nobody out there can deny his talent.  He was one of the greatest players to ever wear a Ducks jersey. In 371 career games with the Ducks, Niedermayer scored 60 goals, 204 assists, he won a Conn Smythe Trophy AND a Stanley Cup. Niedermayer’s number 27 will join Ken Daneyko’s number 3, and Scott Stevens’ number [...]

Let’s try this again. After some more technical difficulties, I could not give you guys a preview of the previous two games. However, I’m back and so are the Phoenix Coyotes.

  I’m heading to the game tonight and I just wanted to say a small something. Hopefully tonight is not full of sadness and despair. Or, if it is, I hope it’s *only* sadness and despair as opposed to sadness and despair which was preceded by hope and elation as the Ducks somehow manage to get ahead and then lose, never being too ashamed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Again.  

Some good news on the horizon for the Ducks: Lubomir Visnovsky, Saku Koivu and Jason Blake are making progress to returning to the team. Visnovsky, who was out with a broken finger, has been skating with the team for the past few days.  Probably the biggest injury to the team, Lubo is our #1 defenseman and it is obvious we need him back. The Ducks defense has been sloppy and lacking a top player. Hopefully he will be able to return Wednesday against the Phoenix Coyotes. Blake was injured back in October when his tendon was severely cut by a skate against the San [...]

The Ducks made a small trade today with the New Jersey Devils when they sent defenseman Kurtis Foster and goalie prospect Timmo Pielmeier in exchange for forward Rod Pelley, defenseman Mark Fraser and a 7th round draft pick. Kurtis Foster has only played 9 games with the Ducks this season, but that was enough to show he wasn’t right for the teams blue line. He made constant turnovers, left players wide open and was overall not playing good D. He has 1 goal, 1 assist and a -5 rating so far. Their defense has been just awful this season especially without [...]

The Ducks have loaned right wing Devante Smith-Pelly to Hockey Canada for the upcoming 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship from Dec. 26-Jan. 5. This news followed shortly after the calling up of right winger Kyle Palmieri, and center Brandon McMillan. Initially, I thought they were going to give Palmieri a chance in the pros, seeing as how the Ducks need someone to step it up and score some goals. But it seems he is just he is just temporary while Smith-Pelly is away. Smith-Pelly, has appeared in 26 contests with Anaheim this season, scoring 3 goals, 2 assists with 10 penalty minutes [...]