Ducks Gameday: Welcome Back, Readers!

A brand new NHL season has finally started, and it's good to get back in to the regular swing of things around here on Battle of California. And although many of you stuck with us through the offseason, we understand that a lot of you are more casual fans, only stopping by during the regular season. Well, a lot has changed since the previous season ended in regards to our blog as well as the teams we cover, and I'd like to get you casual readers brought up to speed.

• Megalodon, the lady who used to write about the San Jose Sharks for us, has been fired. We replaced her with Stace, who is actually a lady for real (per the terms of our diversity lawsuit settlement).
• In a very short-sighted move, I was put in charge of the blog as managing editor.
• The Sharks, in a display almost as embarrassing as their playoff collapse, stripped Joe Thornton of his captaincy. Instead of finding a new one, they've opted to roll with "23 captains." (They're not fooling anyone, we know newly-acquired John Scott is the inevitable captain).
• The NHL made a few bizarre rule changes.
• And they also expanded the league to 45 teams.
• All of the new expansion teams will be given an outdoor game before Minnesota.
• Anaheim's very own Mikko Koivu has retired from hockey.
• ...Or maybe he didn't.
• As a reminder, the Los Angeles Kings won the cup last season, but Kings fans do not want you talking about it.
• Once the most beloved man in hockey, Teemu Selanne is now hated after murdering some babies or something.

Gameday

The Penguins and the Ducks both hatch their respective seasons today, against each other...

(Drawn by Earl Sleek for tomorrow's Royal Half "Pacific War Room" with apologies to them for posting it a day early).

Ducks @ Penguins
Thursday, Oct 9, 2014, 4:00 PM PDT
CONSOL Energy Center
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: AM 830 KLAA

Prediction

The Ducks spent almost the entire preseason being terrible, so inexplicably they'll start the season off right with a 4-2 victory. Game-winning goal form Andrew Cogliano.