Niedermayer Possible to Return!!!

Both TSN and the LA TIMES have reported that Niedermayer is talking of returning to the NHL instead of retiring. This news came about two nights ago, I've just been so excited I forgot to post. LOL.

Anyways.. From the LA Times, the most recent article, out tonight:

Ducks defenseman affirms that he is now considering returning for another season.
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
August 29, 2007

Touring with the Stanley Cup through the Canadian Rockies on Tuesday, Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer affirmed that he was considering returning for another season.

"I still don't know," said Niedermayer, when asked if he would come back to Anaheim and, with his brother Rob, attempt to defend the Cup.

The perennial All-Star defenseman, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player during last season's playoffs, said he has wavered all summer about whether to return for a 16th NHL season. He said that he had leaned toward retirement when the Ducks signed Detroit veteran Mathieu Schneider, who plays the same position.

But now, as the Ducks get closer to the opening of training camp on Sept. 10, Niedermayer says he has begun to think about playing again. He has two years and $13.5 million left on his Ducks contract.

"He's getting cold feet," joked his wife, Lisa, as the two stood in a parking lot in Cranbrook, Canada, where they grew up.

Asked about the Ducks' opening series of the upcoming regular season -- consecutive games against the Kings in London on Sept. 29-30 -- Niedermayer was more certain. He made it clear that the trip was too far and that he does not plan to go. "Let's put it this way," said the four-time Stanley Cup winner, "there's a bigger chance that I will play this season than go to London."

Kunitz is locked in

Source: Ducks Website

The Ducks announced today that they have signed left wing Chris Kunitz to a four-year contract extension (beginning in 2008-2009). Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

Ducks Sign Chris Kunitz to Contract Extension
“Chris has been a very important multi-dimensional player for us the last two seasons, providing skill, physical play and leadership,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “We are very pleased to have him signed prior to his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent next summer.”

Kunitz, 27, (9/26/79), played in 81 regular season games last season, scoring 25-35=60 points with 81 penalty minutes and a +23 rating. The Regina, Saskatchewan native added 1-5=6 points in 13 playoff games (missed eight games due to injury), helping Anaheim win the Stanley Cup. Over the last two regular seasons, Kunitz has scored 44-57=101 points with 150 penalty minutes and a +42 rating. He and Teemu Selanne were the only two NHL forwards last season with 25 plus goals, 80 plus penalty minutes and a +20-or-better rating.

After playing four seasons at Ferris State University, Kunitz was signed as a free agent on April 1, 2003. He played in 21 games with Anaheim as a rookie in 2003-2004. He played two NHL games with Atlanta in 2005-2006 after being claimed on waivers on Oct. 4, 2005, but was reacquired by Anaheim on waivers on Oct. 19, 2005. Kunitz went on to break then-season rookie club records in goals (19), points (41), shots (149) and plus/minus (+19, still record-holder). The records had all been previously held by Paul Kariya.


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Kunitz's conference call can be heard here: Conference Call

Countdowns & Such

19 Days left til pre season

Teemu Selanne did NOT show up tonight to the Fedorin Cup game. :( A good sign he may be hanging up the skates, seeing as he signed himself up to be there, and didn't show up. But I'll still sit here in my denial stage until he says it himself. "I, Teemu Selanne, will be RETIRING from the NHL." Until I hear that, all these signs and signals that he wont return mean nothing to me.

The Fedorin Cup is a charity game where hockey players come and play at Anaheim Ice. I'll have to give a better update about it tomorrow cause I don't have any of the information sheets with me at this moment in time. But I can say team USA won in a shootout after an 11 - 11 tie at the end of the 3rd period.

I also had my Birthday Party there tonight too. I stated long ago that if the Ducks won the cup this year, I would indeed have my birthday party at Anaheim Ice. A place where it's usually 8 year olds running around going nuts.. me and my 20 year old friends took that spot instead. It was a bit awkward because I know they expect to get 8 year olds that have parties there, not 20 year olds. So their whole thing isn't planned around your age, it's planned assuming you are 8. LOL. (Like how I keep using the number 8? lol)

Anywho that's it.
Oh you might wanna change that 19 to 18... it's passed midnight when I write this.

Countdown..

20 days left til Ducks pre-season hockey begins..against the Rivals. I call them the Queens, you can call them whatever you want. Most people call them a joke to the NHL. :P

Pre-season isn't quite the same as regular season... just as regular season isn't quite the same as the playoffs...just as the playoffs aren't quite the same as when you make it to the final round.

Pre-season is actually quite weak if you look at it that way, but it is still hockey, and I'll take it!

They're after him now..

Lawyers pick a good time to attack... And I say that with Sarcasm.

Bertuzzi's Legal Troubles

Ducks fans, in my opinion, seem to be 50/50 on the whole signing of Bertuzzi. Some refuse to acknowledge his existance in the Duck world, and others welcome him and can't wait to see him in action. There's a few right in the middle too..welcoming him but cautious at the same time. Giving him a 2nd chance at being great.

I welcome him here. That's all I will say.

Anywho...

-PD

Selanne & Niedermayer Decision is Coming soon...

Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Niedermayer, Selanne status known next week
Ducks General Manager Brian Burke said he will ask the players for a decision, probably this weekend.
By DAN WOOD
The Orange County Register

The Ducks expect to know by early next week whether to expect team captain Scott Niedermayer and fellow superstar Teemu Selanne on the ice when training camp begins Sept. 10.

It doesn’t look promising in either case.

"Obviously, at some point I have to ask Scotty if he plans to come to camp or not," General Manager Brian Burke said Tuesday. "I have to ask them both that. I probably will pretty quickly, probably by this weekend.

"My guess would be that they’re probably not. If that were their intent, I think I would have heard by now."

Since Niedermayer and Selanne went public with thoughts of retirement in the wake of the Ducks winning their first Stanley Cup championship in June, Burke has followed through with a commitment to withhold pressure and give both players as much time as necessary to reach decisions.

Selanne, who is spending the summer in his Finnish homeland, and Burke have not spoken in more than a month, while Niedermayer and Burke have had only two brief telephone and voice-mail exchanges since July 1, when Niedermayer announced that he was leaning "strongly" toward retirement.

That same day, the Ducks signed unrestricted free-agent defenseman Mathieu Schneider as a potential replacement for Niedermayer. One day later, the Ducks dipped into the unrestricted free-agent market for right wing Todd Bertuzzi to potentially replace Selanne.

"The fact of the matter is we are faced with the potential retirement of two players that I think are going to stroll into the Hockey Hall of Fame," Burke said. "That could be a devastating loss in most situations, but I think we’ve covered ourselves adequately."

While Niedermayer has two years, at $6.75 million annually, remaining on his contract, Selanne is an unrestricted free agent. If both were to return, the Ducks would almost certainly have to make at least one trade, probably involving a defenseman, to free up salary-cap space to re-sign Selanne.

SOURCE:OC REGISTER

More babies!

Andy Mac and his wife are also expecting their first child, due in October!

Congrats.
Keep the babies coming...

-PD

Babies for Ducks

So about a week ago we found out that Teemu is due to be another daddy. Sirpa and his baby is due in January of 2008. It is rumored to be a girl, their first girl out of 4 children. I hope it's a girl! Every daddy needs a little girl.

And today we find out that Sami Phaulsson and his wife are expecting their first child.


:-) Hooray for babies!

-PD

Welcome!

We can call me Princess Duck. I am here to keep a blog about the Anaheim Ducks. *Your 2007 Stanley Cup Champions*

Here I will update with Ducks news, Scores of all the games with re-caps of the games, and anything else that has to do with the Ducks.

Please remember, if I make a statement, it'll be my PERSONAL opinion. I'm not forcing my opinion on anyone else, it'll be up to you to decide whether you agree with my statement or not.

Since hockey is currently in the off-season right now..most updates will be news updates, until the season starts.

Thank you for reading!

GO DUCKS!

-PD