Ducks Announce Bakersfield Affiliation.

The Ducks announced today that they have signed an affiliation agreement with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL. As part of the agreement, the Ducks will send prospects to Bakersfield beginning with the 2008-09 ECHL regular season.

“We are very excited to be entering into a formal affiliation agreement with an organization that is held in such high regard in professional hockey,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “The Bakersfield Condors have a track record of success both on and off the ice and this agreement will only help further the growth of hockey in California.”

The Bakersfield Condors joined the ECHL in 2003 after playing the previous five seasons in the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL). During their 10-year history in the ECHL and the WCHL, the Condors have attracted over two million fans to Rabobank Arena, including 200,000-plus in each of the last four seasons. Bakersfield posted a 26-37-2-7 record during the 2007-08 regular season and ranked fifth among ECHL teams in average attendance (5,628). The Condors, who will begin their first official affiliation with an NHL club in 2008-09, have enjoyed four consecutive trips to the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

“This is an exciting moment in the history of this organization,” said Condors President Matthew Riley. “Not only to be able to secure an affiliation, but secure one with a first-class franchise like the Ducks, fellow Californians and an organization that shares the same philosophies that we have. It’s a banner day in Condorstown.”
The Condors have graduated four players to the NHL since the 2003-04 season, including goaltenders Danny Taylor (Kings) and Yutaka Fukufuji (Kings), and right wings Garret Stroheim (Capitals) and Connor James (Kings, Penguins).

Bakersfield’s hockey history dates back almost 68 years and has seen teams compete in professional and semi-pro leagues such as the California Ice Hockey Association (Bakersfield Oilers), Southern California Hockey League (Bakersfield Kernels), Pacific Southwest Hockey League (Oilers), WCHL (Bakersfield Fog; Condors) and ECHL (Condors). The Condors have been heavily involved in the local community since their inception, having donated nearly $3 million to various area charities.

The Condors begin the 2008-09 ECHL regular season on Saturday, October 18 when they host the Ontario Reign at Rabobank Arena.


SOURCE: Anaheim Ducks Website

Birthdays!

Happy Birthday Corey Perry!

Happy Birthday J.S. Giguere!

Yes, it's true

Getzlaf did get a speeding ticket a while back, a CHP officer failed to file it, maybe due to his being a Ducks fan and all, and just now they figure out that that CHP officer failed to file it and somehow it becomes a huge news story... fact of the matter is, I don't see why this is news. So this is the post you'll be getting from me about it. :)

On the other hand:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GETZLAF... All 23 Years of you!!

Congrats Rob Niedermayer!

Rob Niedermayer welcomed a baby girl into his family on Saturday. The baby is a girl, named Brooke! Congrats Rob and wife!

Selanne will play in World Championships for Finland

Ducks forward Teemu Selanne announced he will play for home country Finland in the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship, to be held May 2-18 in Quebec City and Halifax, Canada. Selanne skated with the team Wednesday in Halifax, just a day after agreeing to a request from general manager Jari Kurri to join the squad.

It's the first time in five years Selanne has competed in the event, though the 37-year-old Helsinki native has represented his country 11 times previously. He has played in four Olympics (winning a silver medal in 2006), two World Cups, a Canada Cup and four previous World Championships.
"It's funny," Selanne said. "I have won Olympic silver, World Cup silver and world championship silver but not gold so obviously there is (room for) some improvement."

Selanne played 32 games for the Ducks this past season after considering retirement for several months and joining the team in early February. He still has not indicated whether he wants to come back next season in the days following Anaheim's first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the Dallas Stars.

"I only played 32 games this season and I felt like I could continue and play way more games in the playoffs," Selanne said. "That break I had was so good. I am really happy to come back to the Worlds."

In addition to Selanne, the Finnish team has eight NHL players, three AHL players and others from leagues around Europe. Finland took the silver medal in the 2007 World Championship, falling to Canada in the final, 4-2.

The Ducks will also be represented by forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Chris Kunitz on Team Canada and goalie Jonas Hiller on the Swiss team.

SOURCE: AnaheimDucks.com