Anaheim Ducks post-deadline roster: a year-to-year-to-year-to-year comparison

Well, with five days off between Ducks games I guess it's a chance to catch up on some posts I've meant to write.  For one, I've been a bit negligent on one of my annual traditions -- taking a look at how each season's post-deadline roster for the Anaheim Ducks compares to years past.  It's a good way to track significant roster changes over the years and to see how general managers Burke and Murray prepared for each year's stretch run / postseason. 

Now why didn't I just go ahead and do this right after the trade deadline this year?  Oh yeah, that's right.  Hawaii, bitches.  Plus I needed a chance to see how the lines really unfolded -- a lot of new bodies this time around.

One note -- when putting together rosters like this, I'm not very careful when it comes to RW vs LW or RD vs LD -- mostly I'm just listing out the lines, but it's quite possible I've got some inverted.

So, without further ado, here's the four rosters for comparison.  Departed players are in red, and for the 2009 roster new players (since the previous deadline) are in blue. 

Some quick thoughts after the jump.

It's interesting to see where the mainstay forwards have moved over the years:

• Getzlaf and Perry started as fourth-liners, moved up to second-liners, and then assumed the top scoring role. Those two have been stuck together like Sedins.
• Selanne was a top-line fixture until his quasi-retirement, but has since returned as a capable second-line scorer.  He seemingly has found a new version of McDonald in center Ebbett.
• Marchant has been all over the map -- second-line threat to fourth-line legitimizer to third-line stopper.  And don't forget he filled in for an injured Kunitz on the top line during the cup run.  A true utility guy.
• Slowly but surely, George Parros has become an NHL player, kind of.  Enough to be up for a Masterton Trophy, I guess.
• And Rob?  Well, he didn't go anywhere -- there's something to be said for stability, I guess.

As for the defense, well this is the first time that the Ducks come out of a deadline with someone not named Beauchemin paired with Niedermayer, and the first time since Pronger's acquisition that someone not named O'Donnell was paired with Captain Elbows.  Yet, despite the changes in personnel, I really like the current team's top foursome on the blueline.  The Wiz and the Cotton Gin have fit in rather nicely, and each brings a good talent-set to complement their former Norris partner.

The third pairing has always been an interesting feature of a Niedermayer-Pronger dominated team.  3rd pairing players have ranged from carefully awful (Dipenta) to excessively talented (Schneider) -- but generally all that's required is a solid presence for the leftover minutes.  I think Brookbank in particular has been well-suited for the role; Mikkelson's been decent except for some turnovers. 

And finally there's the fact that J.S. Giguere is not the top name among the goaltenders any more.  All four of those rosters featured a two-goalie dependence, but Jiggy was always top dog.  In any previous season, Giguere was an automatic nod for a critical game.  Now it's not automatic, and perhaps not even likely.

* * *

So that's the look backwards, and there's plenty of options for the comments.  Rank the four rosters in terms of hockey talent, or remenisce about your favorite (or least favorite) line or defensive pair.  What was Brian Burke's or Bob Murray's best acquisition, and who were you most upset to see depart? 

And who knows what the future holds?  This could be an even more crazy-looking exercise next season.  For now, though:

Go Ducks.