Ducks Gameday—Versus mistakenly opts for a Ducks game
by Earl Sleek on Feb 24, 2009 7:25 AM PST
68 comments
Anaheim Ducks (29-27-5, t-9th in west) at Buffalo Sabres (31-23-6, 8th in east)
Please direct all "skate in the crease" comments to Die By The Blade.
Well, for the only time this season, a SoCal team has made its way onto Versus. I hope some scheduling intern got fired for that oversight. Still, any possibility of watching a Ducks game without Brian Hayward is promising -- perhaps I should bite my tongue.
Continuing on my lazy streak, here's an old cartoon that seemingly applies.
I'm still all over the place when it comes to the Ducks and this year's trade deadline. We saw two pieces yesterday hit the FanShots -- one effectively saying it's trade time for GM Murray and one saying the Ducks should trade away nobody -- and really, both perspectives have merit. It's certainly a complicated situation with a few unknowns, one of the primary questions being "What sort of GM is Bob Murray?"
We'll see -- ultimately I'm not hugely troubled either way -- it seems if the Ducks hold fast to their UFAs + Pronger, that's probably not optimal but it's hardly tragic: it pegs Murray as an optimist and we'll see what he can pull off in the summertime. If Murray gets hell-bent on shuffling players out the door in the next week-plus, then he's more of a realist, but I think he's in a favorable trade position. Even if he moves Pronger, seemingly it should be some good return: it's a public auction with enough desperate bidders and an Anaheim fanbase that will care a lot about the optics of a Pronger trade -- I don't think it's a scenario where Murray will get scammed in any strong sense.
And in the meantime, there's still some desperate stretch hockey to play. I do need to rediscover an appreciation for these fight-tooth-and-nail desperation games. It's certainly not every year that late-season games are this stressfully meaningful.
Prediction: The score will be Ducks 2, Sabres 1, before Versus wises up and switches to show the Capitals-Flyers game. Goals to that point by Pahlsson (despite not playing) and Ebbett.
Go Ducks.
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BTW
I don’t know if this is worth discussing, but when I first thought about the possibility of a Pronger trade and what the return might be, the first player I thought of was Buffalo’s Drew Stafford, even though he’s now due for a raise. This may give an idea of what sort of package I’d want for big Pronger, though.
Ducks or Sabres fans: Chris Pronger for Drew Stafford, Nathan Gerbe, and a 1st. Yay or nay?
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Never in a million years. Darcy Regier should fire himself for that one if he went for it.
I can absolutely see why you’d want it Earl, but Buffalo loses out big time on that one.
Yeah, I don’t think he should, but if that’s not in the realm of possibility, I think Pronger stays.
This was just to give a sense of what would make me, a fake GM, deal away Pronger this deadline.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
i read the articles
yea agree i think the ducks win either way..as long as murray isnt a moron…either he gets some great young players in return or sticks with the crew and sheds a ton of salary next year…
he should just say hey i want a young defensemen and some high picks in return or dont even bother calling me….he shouldnt comprimise at all since hes in the position of strenght….like they said he doesnt “have” to make a deal thats the big key to all this
so im gonna go sleek and be optomistic and say no matter what happens the ducks will be just fine
El Spade-o
by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Feb 24, 2009 8:06 AM PST reply actions
Besides, I can’t even truly answer the question, “Would the Ducks get more for Pronger at this trade deadline or in the days leading up to July 1st?” I think with more bidders with more cap room and more of an auction, there’s a likelihood that GM Murray could possibly get more for his asset during the summer.
But yeah, we shouldn’t mistake this situation for the one Edmonton was in (Pronger demanding a trade). GM Murray has the right to walk away from all offers, which gives me some confidence.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
forgot to ask why is the buffalo mad? is ralph the duck steeping on his toe? did ralph in a drunken stupor tell him he just did his mom? that homeslice needs to lighten up like the sabertooth cat
El Spade-o
by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Feb 24, 2009 8:40 AM PST reply actions
This one was a while ago — I remember when I drew it (fall of ’06), it was intended to be a drinking session between three top teams at the time — Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, and Nashville Predators.
Then later the whole Nashville angle was dropped, and both Duck associates were combined to become one dual face for the “Buffalo” and "Sabre"tooth angle. I think the buffalo is pissed because that’s how I draw big foreheads. Plus he keeps losing eastern conference finals series.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
haha
that reminds me…jack from jack in the box has that same expression when hes mad…
El Spade-o
by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Feb 24, 2009 9:17 AM PST reply actions
Yeah, and looking at it now, I realize this was back in the days before I had access to a scanner — this one was drawn by mouse in MS Paint.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
That’s pretty damn good for a mouse. I can’t even draw with those any more. I need tablet or it’s a mess.
resident cartoonist @couchtarts.blogspot.com
Whoa, strange story
I don’t read a lot of Sports Illustrated anymore, so when I was told to read up on Bobby Ryan’s recent feature, I didn’t really hustle to get it done until today.
Here’s the link (H/T to A Hockey Guy), and it’s kind of fascinating, especially if (like me) you had no idea about this backstory, or that his last name comes from Saving Private Ryan.
What’s next? The rags-to-riches story of Teemu Washington?
http://www.battleofcali.com/
I was going to mention the article, but I thought I was the only one who didn’t know about Ryan’s (or should I say Stevenson’s) crazy story.
It is pretty fascinating, but the first I’d heard about this whole story was today. I’m generally pretty bad at keeping up with player stories (especially prospects), but damn — they almost should make this into a TV drama for the NHL network.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
It would be great if they could somehow work it into a sequel, also starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.
Tom Hanks as Burke: “I don’t know who Ryan is and I don’t care… but if picking him – if that gives me enough credibility around the league to get hired by Toronto – well then, that’s my mission”
Burke: Your brothers are dead
Ryan: What? I don’t-
Burke: They were killed in combat.
Ryan: Combat? What the hell?
Burke: You’re coming to Anaheim.
(and upon leaving for Toronto)
*Burke watches Getzlaf and Perry earn a comeback victory over the San Detroise Red Sharkwings of Doom *
Burke: Angels on our shoulders… listen, kid… *mouthes something quietly *
Ryan: What’s that sir?
Burke: Earn this. Earn it.
People who save up for a rainy day are like milk. And milk goes good with cookies, so you should have those people over for cookies.
Forgot to mention
I’ll be at work when the game starts, but I’ll try to make it home by the second period.
Stupid Versus. And Stupid Day Job. Can’t you two ever get along?
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Stupid Versus. And Stupid Day Job. Can’t you two ever get along?
since the Ducks are only ever on VS. when playing an East Coast team…that answer will always be no.
GO DUCKS!! Girlwithapuck.blogspot.com
Oddly enough, Ahlers is doing the play by play, but I don’t recognize the color guy’s voice. (Definitely not Hayward.)
Maybe Ahlers brought his sock puppet on the trip. OK, I’m going to try to sneak out of here now. Hopefully the drive home won’t be too bad.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Well that took a lot longer than anticipated. Nothing wrong with the drive home, but damn it took me a long time to get past the boss for some idle conversation.
Shocking aspect? I’ve never met anyone before who claims that the worst movie they have ever seen was The Three Amigos. Weird.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Fucking kill him. Seriously, he obviously doesn’t deserve to live.
The West Coast is the Best Coast.
What can Brown do for the Ducks?
That was actually an amusing story headline I saw when the Ducks acquired Mike Brown — can’t take credit for it myself.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
You know, these Versus studio guys aren't terrible
They’re actually making sense when it comes to considerations the Ducks should make at the trade deadline. I don’t watch a ton of VS (you know, with their bias), but that wasn’t too bad.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
It really is a missing piece — one that does convolute any “next step” — but I’d even take it a step further. Bob Murray needs to know (or at least it would be nice) at what price Scott Niedermayer would want to play at, more or less, and whether Rob Niedermayer is part of the deal. I’m still holding onto hope that Scott wants a last season for the Vancouver Olympics, and doesn’t care about money at all (or his brother).
That’s admittedly a lot of imagined positivity.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
It would be great if Murray had all that info before the trade deadline. We’ve been pretty spoiled by Selanne’s unselfishness, but it’s possible that Scott might be willing to give a hometown discount.
Fascinating to think about how the conversation btwn Murray and Scott about Rob might play out. Think they’d talk about it outright? Or maybe Scott is waiting to see if Rob gets an offer before he’s willing to talk seriously about resigning himself?
We’ve been pretty spoiled by Selanne’s unselfishness, but it’s possible that Scott might be willing to give a hometown discount.
Yeah, I have no idea, really. I’m just kind of hoping that he feels a sense of owing Anaheim a bit for his 34 game vacation last year. That and the weather.
Or maybe Scott is waiting to see if Rob gets an offer before he’s willing to talk seriously about resigning himself?
I have no idea really on this front — but it’s something I hope GM Murray’s willing to bring up, as sensitively as he wants to. If I were GM, I’d think that’s one conversation I’d feel is part of my job description.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Funnily enough, my girlfriend, who never watches hockey, said Giguere keeps getting lucky.
People who save up for a rainy day are like milk. And milk goes good with cookies, so you should have those people over for cookies.
Terrible shot accuracy for Vezina
Seriously how many times have I been thinking “Son of a bitch, that’s a goa- oh wow they missed!” this game?
People who save up for a rainy day are like milk. And milk goes good with cookies, so you should have those people over for cookies.
New widget
BTW, thanks to all the technosymbiosis here at SBN, there’s now a “Trade Deadline” widget on the left sidebar that will magically accumulate any major trade pieces (news or rumor/theory) and present the latest. It may be of interest as this crazy date gets closer.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
How long has it been since we’ve seen the Ducks so capably manage a third period lead (remembering that I didn’t watch the Columbus game)?
http://www.battleofcali.com/
So far, I think they’ve done an even better job than they did in Columbus. No penalties (I know, Ahlers just said it, but I thought it first!).
Yeah, and that long shift by the Selanne line deep in the Buffalo zone was pretty good and clock-eating.
I love the fact that I am regularly startled by Sheldon Brookbank’s insistence on not actually being Sean O’Donnell despite the #21 paired with Pronger.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
This is really random, but I wonder what Hayward has been up to during tonight’s game. I wonder if it’s like being a healthy scratch.
Weird ending
Buffalo gets a penalty with the goalie pulled? That had to mean that there had to be a few seconds with zero goalies on the ice — that doesn’t happen that often.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Phew! For a while there, I thought the hockey gods were going to smite us.
Did Giguere get off the ice? Didn’t see him skate off.
For now, the only thing that matters is two points.
Did Giguere get off the ice? Didn’t see him skate off.
I didn’t really see it, but I think there was time — then again, Giguere probably didn’t want six skaters to blow it.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Giguere never left the ice.
Looks like took a wicked elbow to the face, blood everywhere.
Don't bRuin your life. Make love with a Trojan
Yeah, we’ll see — I don’t worry too much about the kids — they seemingly get up from a lot of rough stuff. Who knows? Maybe it’ll anger him enough to matter at the start of the next game.
http://www.battleofcali.com/
Still hitting an eneligible player away from the puck at the end of a game, a star player, and breaking his nose is fucked up and dirty.
The fact that Getz is tough enough to get up and skate away with a broken nose is beside the point. I know there will be not league action, but when will these guys start hitting Kane and Crosby like that? Why do I feel like there is a double standard? Two Ducks players with broken noses from questionable hits in the last 2 weeks.
oh well.
Can you imagine being on the ice during the madness in a situation like that: you look back at your own net, no goalie. You look ahead to the other net, no goalie. That would have to make you think “Okay something’s fucked up about this”
People who save up for a rainy day are like milk. And milk goes good with cookies, so you should have those people over for cookies.
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Pacific Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Jose
|
82 | 51 | 20 | 11 | 113 |
|
Phoenix
|
82 | 50 | 25 | 7 | 107 |
|
Los Angeles
|
82 | 46 | 27 | 9 | 101 |
|
Anaheim
|
82 | 39 | 32 | 11 | 89 |
|
Dallas
|
82 | 37 | 31 | 14 | 88 |
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