Ducks in a Row

Game 6 of this crazy road trip ends tonight...

Trade deadline ends in a little more than 24 hours...

Tonight...

Chris Pronger (who will hopefully still be a Duck in 48 hours...one can hope right?)
Teemu Selanne (twice)
Ryan Getzlaf (who is hopefully looking/feeling better than he did on Saturday...ew!)

Also, last time the Ducks were in Chi Town I did a little Q&A with Second City Hockey's Committed Indian. This time around Earl Sleek and I both contributed and you can read his answers on Battle of California. Mine are posted below.

Your season has seemed like a bout of drunken sex, hard, tiring, and not all that productive. Why has this been?

Personally I think the biggest short coming has been on defense. The Ducks have essentially been training rookies all season and missing Beauchemin has been the biggest curse/blessing the Ducks could have received. If Beach stays, Bobby Ryan probably gets traded (due to cap issues), but the Ducks D might have been stronger. And of course, you are seeing what happened with losing Beach...we got to see Ryan in action (which has been fabulous) but are suffering on D. I think overall, it may have exposed some potentially weak goal tending, and likewise, Jiggy has had a rough personal season as well. It's definitely been a head scratcher.

Are you really gonna move Pronger? Who else might go?

I think the unfortunate answer here is yes. If not here at the deadline it, maybe over the summer...but ultimately, I think it's going to happen. Pronger is extremely valuable and for a team like the Ducks, who have just had such an awful time this past season, they are trying to get younger and looking for a long term solution...it does make sense. Do I want to see him go? Hell no. As for other moves...I think Bob Murray might just continue to shock us all, we still don't know what he's made of.

Bobby Ryan has really taken off, what's been most impressive about his game?

I think what is most impressive about Ryan is that he's DAMN IMPRESSIVE! It's not that he's doing anything we don't expect to see, it's simply that he IS doing it! He's doing what we all hoped he would do, he's living up to the expectations wonderfully. He's got great speed, he's an insane puck handler and turning out to be a great team player. I don't think anything is impressive about what he's doing, it's what we've all expected from him to begin with. It's so much fun to see.

Hiller has clearly outplayed Giguere. Giggy has a big cap number, might he hit the exit door too?

I don't know that this is entirely true. Hiller has had some great games, and I feel confident that the Ducks have a good chance when he's in net, but I wouldn't say that either guy is out playing the other. They both seem to be giving up soft goals which is something we didn't used to see too much from Jiggy in the past, at least in my opinion. I think what is most surprising is that the team hasn't been able to rely on their goal tending so much this season, and it's truly shown a weak side to the defense that I don't think many were aware of or prepared for. Jiggy has a NTC, so I doubt we'll be seeing him go. The organization still has alot of faith in him.

What did you make of the Kunitz-Whitney deal?

Hm, I was a bit upset about it. I'm sure in the long run it has the potential to be a positive for the Ducks, but it will be hard to say until we really see what Whitney can bring to the team. There is a strong chance he'll be leading the Defensive core next season, and I think that's when we'll all know what this trade was worth. I have a fear that Tangradi will be amazing and that might be the most damaging part of the trade. For me, Kuni was just a stand up guy, faithful to his teammates and a hard worker. The Ducks need more hard workers right now.

Are you guys gonna make the playoffs? Is there any point?

That's the million dollar question in Ducks land right now. Honestly, with how tight everything is in the West, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't. The problem is we're all still waiting for this team to catch fire. With so few games left (especially for the Ducks), that fire better be now. Is there any point? Probably not. The Ducks have had serious issues with first place AND last place teams this season. I can't foresee them upsetting any of the top teams in the West.

GO DUCKS!!!