Duck! Here come the Ducks!

[yave1964]

My take on the 2013-14 Anaheim ducks.

Bruce Boudreau is the Gene Mauch of hockey. If you don't get the analogy there is no point in me getting too wrapped up explaining it, simply put he is an amazing regular season coach who struggles come post season. Last year he did arguably his best job ever.

What a year. At one point they actually caught the Hawks for the leagues best record and when you consider the start the Hawks had that is saying something. Getting knocked out by the Wings in seven after being up three games to two was, well, very Mauchian of them,

This team was picked to miss the playoffs by greater minds than mine (I had them, I believe 12th or 13th my biggest miss of the season) and with Getzlaf and Perry staring down free agency and Selanne just getting his AARP card these guys were in huge trouble.

Instead Boudreau put four lines together and established a pecking order on the blue line, something named Viktor Vasth came out of nowhere to push Hiller for goaltending minutes and Perry and Getzlaf were resigned, kids developed and the next thing you knew they were a solid two seed in the west.

Then the biggest move of all, Bobby Ryan was finally dealt away for Silferberg, a top ready now prospect and Noessen, a project who is likely a year away as well as a first round pick.

Bruce has developed a bunch of kids and assigned them roles, Kyle Palmieri looks like the real deal, Belesky and Bonino and Emerson Etem have earned their minutes and Devante Smith-Pelly looks ready to step in this season. Add Silferberg and this team that looked ready to fall hard has a half dozen young forwards ready to step in. Selane is still playing his off season game of will he or wont he, he was very human last year and has obviously lost a step but the kids are all right and vets like Koivu and Winnick round out a very promising bunch of forwards.

If this team is sitting on a bubble IMHO it is their defense. Duct tape and bailing wire held this crew together last season, career years all around from a bunch of vets were one of the things that helped this team the most, Francois Beauchamin was mentoned for the Norris for Gods sake,ask any Leaf fan what they think of that. Souray reestablished hiself and Toni Lydman (who is retiring because of a concussion he received in the playoffs) provided a calming effect. The two kids, Cam Fowler and Luca Sbisa played regular NHL minutes in all situations and will have to be big this year for the team to continue to grow.

Jonas Hiller is an enigma, a few years ago he looked like the next big thing in net than vertigo derailed him. The Ducks have been unbelievably patient as he worked through his issues, and Viktor Fasth came over to push him and the two of them made a heck of a solid tandem last year.

I see them taking a small step back on the theory that what goes up usually goes back down and finds a level. a Four seed, maybe a three seed but don't look past them, these ducks are nothing to Quack at.

[goalnut3133]

@yave1964 Yave, you are a machine. Your display name should now be dubbed Yave "Wikipedia" 1964.

I also think we should start a new thread entitled: "When Does Yave1964 Sleep?"....or a poll "Does Yave1964 Sleep?".....

However, I must dock you points for the Quack joke....

[goalnut3133]

Jonas Hiller is an enigma, a few years ago he looked like the next big thing in net than vertigo derailed him. The Ducks have been unbelievably patient as he worked through his issues, and Viktor Fasth came over to push him and the two of them made a heck of a solid tandem last year.

Yah, I like Jonas, but I didn't know about the vertigo! Geeze not a good situation for any G. Glad the Ducks kept him on...the tandem sounds great, I'll have to pay more attention this season.