Posts Tagged ‘emerson etem’

Wassup with all the trade Bobby Ryan and Luca Sbisa noise?

Posted: 05/20/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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The noise is coming from fans and Gossip Girl websites so it’s not serious at this point. I get it though. Corey Perry had an off-year and playoff so we should trade Bobby Ryan. Viktor Fasth had abdominal injury so what’s the first thing folks want to do? You got it, trade Bobby Ryan.

The so-called logic here is that we’re fine at forward and need help on the back line. I love declarative statements because there’s just no ambiguity in the shortsightedness. I’m not sure any team in the NHL can afford to lose two top six forwards in the same year.

The other top six forward we’re going to lose is Teemu Selanne. Even if Flash returns he won’t be coming back as a top six, first unit PP, 25 goal scoring near point a per game player. Father time took that Teemu Selanne away from us.

If you’re seriously proposing trading Bobby Ryan you must hope that the promising but still unproven Emerson Etem and Kyle Palmieri will replace the 55-60 goals that we get from Ryan and Selanne.

Far too often teams make the mistake of weakening an area of perceived strength to improve an area adjudged to be weak. Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi for Ryan Whitney was such a trade. Usually this type of trade only works to the extent you get beat a little differently. The team doesn’t improve overall.

Not only are those pounding TRADE BOBBY RYAN NOW on their keyboards using flawed logic, it’s really dangerous if for whatever reason Etem and/or Palmieri don’t move forward and Teemu shows his age.

Luca Sbisa is a horse of a different color. With Vatanen and possibly Lindholm moving up the depth chart, Luca could easily slip to 7th or lower. No team wants to pay an AHL player $2.175MM.

If we move a top nine forward, the guy most likely to go is Andrew Cogliano. I think that will prove regrettable but Murray will need the cap saving if really does intend to bring Selanne and/or Koivu back.

BackChecking with Emerson Etem & Adam Brady

Posted: 05/16/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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We haven’t done this for a while. Longtime followers may remember the format. If not you’ll catch on quickly enough. Interviews or stories are republished with a comment. Comments are in italics.

Via Ducks Official Website:

Earlier this week, having just packed his locker and gone through exit interviews with coaches and management, Etem reflected on his rookie season and what’s to come for him.

What are your impressions of the season when you look back on it?
The season didn’t finish how we wanted it to. We obviously wanted to lift that Cup at the end of the two months here. But sometimes you just fall short and you’ve got to regroup in the summer, see what you did wrong individually and as a team, and be better next year. I’m going to look at my game, watch a lot of video. I was pretty happy with the way my season progressed. It started out a little bit slow, but I worked on it, from getting sent down and coming back up. I just continued to work on my shot and a lot of the areas of my game I knew I needed to work on. I finished pretty strong, especially in the playoffs, and I thought I played pretty solid. I’ll just take that into next year.

For a guy who initially struggled in the ‘A’ EE’s growth was truly exceptional. By the end of the playoffs EE had clearly establish himself among the top 9 forwards. In game six he played 3 more minutes than Teemu Selanne.

What did you feel was the most notable thing you improved on as the season progressed?

My confidence. It was not only the coaches’ trust in me with my ice time, but I think as it increased, my confidence got that much better.

There are genuine hockey reasons for that. Brady could have followed up much better than he does. But then again, he’s a P.R. not a hockey guy.

Confidence almost sounds like a cliché at times, but it really is huge part of the game, isn’t it?

Yeah, it is. If you’re getting seven or eight minutes a game, you don’t have too many opportunities, especially as far as offense is concerned. You maybe get one or two shots in there. But you feel the flow of the game a lot more when you’re playing and put in different situations. The more I was playing, the more confidence I got. It was great to have the coaches put their trust in my game.

I feel like that kid in the tv commercial, “We want more. We want more.”   Coach saw in EE that he might able to trust him on the PK.  He proved coach right. At this point EE was a solid 4th line ES and 2nd unit PK. He really didn’t consistently get more ice time until he started finishing his scoring opportunities in the playoffs. In the first question EE mentioned working on his shot but it wasn’t until the playoffs that he got rewarded for all that previous effort. What gave EE this confidence is how he met and/or exceeded the tests the Coach put on him. He did this by reading and reacting to the plays. He also used his best asset, his deceptive speed and acceleration. EE has the best acceleration I’ve seen since Bobby Orr. I hope he watches some video of Orr and picks up on how and when to use that acceleration.
Note: Bobby Orr had such power that he achieved top speed between his initial push and his next stride. EE isn’t quite there but he isn’t all that far from it.

You had a couple of big moments in these playoffs, but what pops into your head as the highlight? 

I just think playing in front of the fans, just playing at Honda Center and experiencing that for the first time. Every time I stepped on the ice, the fans got me going. It wasn’t even the goals or anything else. It was just the guys in the locker room, as a team going out on that ice and preparing to battle every game. That was the biggest thing.

Typical rookie. Nothing stood out because he was so busy soaking it all in.

The most important thing in your development is your play in all three zones. Did you see that continue to improve this season?

Yeah, for sure. Back in juniors, like a lot of guys on this team, you’re looked at as the No. 1 guy. But I think your role changes when you’re here at this level. I think I’ve carried over the defensive role I had in Medicine Hat. Obviously the offense didn’t come as quickly, but slowly but surely I was able to accomplish some of the stuff I did at that level, and I hope to keep that going.

It was EE’s accountability that earned him the opportunity to eventually begin showing the offensive ability. The goals began to come when he showed patience with the puck around the net. The skill that gave him that is his  breathtaking acceleration. One flows from the other.

What was discussed in your season-ending meetings with coaches and management? 

Just don’t change anything. What you did in the last series was great, but now it’s time to keep working hard in the summer, don’t stop and make sure you’re prepared for training camp in the summer.

No need for concern here. This is one fine young man devoted to developing his skill. The only question now is his upside.

What’s the biggest thing you learned by being at this level for an extended period of time?

The biggest thing is just to stay humble, keep working hard, learn from the veterans in the room – Sheldon Souray, Getzlaf, Perry, Teemu and all those guys. Both on an off the ice, learn what they’re doing, because it’s obviously working. I just need to make sure I follow their path.

The reason we’re here BackChecking with Emerson Etem. He said, “The biggest thing is just to stay humble…” The rest, “keep working hard, learn from the vets”  flows one from the other. Fact is, he just showed the world he’s a fine young man intent on making the most of his ability. We of course get to enjoy the show.

With Teemu Selanne’s future uncertain once again, and considering your popularity with fans already, is there any thought in your mind of someday filling the void his retirement would leave for this franchise? 
I would want everyone to return no matter what they’re thinking for their future. But you always want to be the go-to guy. You work hard to be popular, just through work ethic or by what you bring every night. If you work hard, the chance of the fans loving you is pretty high. I think everyone loves Teemu here and Getzlaf and guys like that because of what they do for us. If I keep working hard, then maybe I’ll be in those names someday. But I’m nowhere close to being there yet. I’ve just got to keep working hard.

So Brady immediately tests that humility by asking the rookie to compare himself with our legendary face of the franchise. If anything shows Brady is more P.R than hockey it’s comfort with massive egos. And by working hard it’s likely EE moves ahead of Teemu on the depth chart. And yes supplants him on PP. This is partly why I hope Teemu retires now. Seeing kids pass him is just not something I want to witness. It does appear that we can trust EE’s work ethic. He gets that from his good family upbringing. He’s not carrying any baggage such that he’s one guy I think will avoid the sophomore jinx. This is one level-headed dude.

What are your plans for the next few months? 
I’m going to be training again with TR Goodman at Pro Camp Sports up in Venice once again. I’ve been training there since I was 13, so that’s not going to change. I might even get a place up in Venice, so I can be more focused up there. My buddy Beau Bennett plays for the Penguins, so we’ll be skating a lot together this summer and working hard. I’m looking forward to it.

Devante Smith-Pelly would be wise to join him.

Wings beat Ducks

Posted: 05/13/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Wings won because of their foot speed and ability to get to the loose pucks. They got to the loose pucks, took control and won. We had plenty of opportunities to put them away and we just didn’t finish.

Yes we missed Toni Lydman but one guy isn’t the reason you lose a series. We lost because we didn’t put them away sooner. The longer the series went their confidence went up and we seemed frozen in time and space. We had no response. Detroit elevated their game and we didn’t. As a team we didn’t have it to elevate.

One look at the plus/minus screams foot speed on the blue line is a serous issue. Beauchemin, Souray and Sbisa our 3 weakest skaters were each minus-2 on the series. Our better skaters, Fowler (3), Lovejoy (4), Allen (1) and Lydman (1) were each on the plus side.

I really don’t want to wade deep into the weeds but essentially the Wings won because we couldn’t skate with them. Everything else, their puck possession, passing and positioning, came off their skating and ability to win faceoffs and be first on those precious loose pucks.

One of the things I didn’t notice until Game 7 was how Detroit was beating us in the low slot.  They were getting two guys down low. One guy positioned on the top of the crease to screen Hiller. A second was roaming 3-6 feet out and picking up those loose pucks and rebounds.

Many unknowingly and incorrectly blame Hiller for those rebounds but that is not how hockey is taught or played at elite levels. The goalie is responsible for making the first save. It’s the job of the skaters to either get on the rebound or tie up the opposition so that they don’t get second and third shots. The only bad goal in tonight’s game was Filppula’s.

One thing our Ducks gave us this year is hope. For the first time since the Pronger trade and the retirement of Scot Niedermayer our Ducks appear to be getting better instead of worse.

The immediate future looks very bright. Emerson Etem and Kyle Palmieri are obviously keepers. Pending UFA’s Ben Lovejoy and Dave Steckel will probably be resigned. Steckel could join Winnick and Cogliano on the checking line. Nick Bonino won himself a center spot this season. Rickard Rakell and Peter Holland will compete for the other spot.

Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan can be expected to bounce back from off years and poor playoff performances.

There are only three, maybe four roster changes I see going into next season.

Luca Sbisa will be challenged to keep his spot by Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. Luca has four of the five skills necessary to play the game at the NHL level. His ability to read, pickup or see a play developing and properly react to it is questionable.

Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu represent difficult decisions because both could be tempted to return for the Olympics. Though it isn’t at all certain that either could win and hold their Ducks job against the up and coming kids next season. I’d much rather see each of them move on their own terms rather than be pushed out.

Sheldon Souray’s lack of foot speed became exposed as the season wore on and certainly in the playoffs. He could be, actually should be, bought out. He’s another guy who I have too much respect for to watch get pushed aside. Watching Rob Niedermayer get the hook and be told he couldn’t play anymore was sad. It’s understandable that some guys just won’t come off the ice until you shoot ‘em and drag ‘em off. I just think it’s sad to pull the trigger.

So I’d much rather see Teemu, Saku and Sheldon leave now before younger guys push them out.

Ducks next job is cleaning out their lockers and exit interviews. It was a tough year for a few players. There will no doubt be some retirements and maybe a buyout over the summer. Our next task is preparing for the draft where our Ducks will 22nd overall. Definitely not high enough to snag a player likely to help immediately.

One goal and just that quick our Ducks move from the hockey season to the financial season. Our attention turns from the ice to the front office.

For me, I’ll share with you on this thread before taking some time off.

Game 7: Win or else

Posted: 05/12/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Make it happen. That’s the directive both our Anaheim Ducks and the surprising to me at least Detroit Red Wings will take into the final game of this back and forth playoff series.

The trend, win one, lose one favors our Ducks. Virtually everything favors our Ducks save three. Lack of finish or killer instinct, the Red Wings motion game and their best players have been the best players in this series. One look at the top scorers from each is all the evidence you need to know that the Red Wings best players are the best players in this series.

Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterburg with support and very timely scoring coming from Damien Brunner, Gustav Nyqyist and Dan Cleary. Ducks scoring leaders are Ryan Getlzaf, Kyle Palmieri and Nick Bonino with three each. Matt Beleskey and Emerson Etem have two goals apiece while Teemu Selanne scored the winner in game one.

Following the best players have to be the best players on the ice, the keys to the game for our Ducks are, (2) take away Wings hunger for the puck, in other words make them pay a physical price for touching the biscuit, (3) dominate the play at both blue lines. This will result in forcing the Wings to dump and chase the puck into our zone and keep them bottled up in their own zone, (4) Get sticks and bodies into the passing lanes when the Wings have the puck.

The one single aspect of this series that can’t be ignored is the role of the officials. Bruce Boudreau has admitted that our Ducks have been warned against cross-checking and roughing down low. I will note that referees caution both teams prior to every game about what they intend to call. So far Mike Babcock has indicated what the Refs have told him. Given how the calls have gone in this series, many Ducks fans are wondering if the Refs told Babs, “Don’t worry.” This isn’t too suggest the fix is in but I does accuse NHL officials of bias and one-sided penalty calls throughout this series.

Biased officiating has been institutionalized by the NHL. The league’s stated policy has been to open the game up and limit interference. Apparently and according to coach Boudreau you can no longer defend the low slot either.

I’m not alone in calling out the officials in this playoff. THN’s Ken Campbell to Bleacher Report and even former NHL referee Kerry Frazier have all been critical of numerous in particular as well the quality of officiating generally.

Win and our Ducks  face the L.A. Kings in series in the NHL’s second largest media market. This fact alone makes the notion that game is actually fixed just another weird conspiracy theory. I don’t and won’t go there without undeniable  evidence.

But officials incompetent to the extent that they actually determine the outcome of a playoff series? You bet they are and this series is part of the incontrovertible body of evidence.

Either way, and it’s a sad sate of affairs for the NHL to have to say this but I hope the players determine the outcome and not the officials.

Ducks believe at mid-season – Part I

Posted: 03/11/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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At the mid-point you have to say that 18-3-3 is no longer a great start. It’s a great half-season. In an 82 game schedule our Ducks would be just rounding the quarter pole. The season is different. It’s a sprint rather than a grind.

At the team barbecue last summer Ryan Getzlaf talked about it taking a team to win. On the day he signed his new contract Bob Murray talked about how Getz has grown into the role of captain. No doubt Ryan Getzlaf is now showing the promise of realized potential. If it weren’t for that pesky Sidney Crosby, Getz would or should be the leading Hart/MVP candidate.

As he said himself, it takes a team to win. While Ryan Getzlaf is the most dominant force our send over the boards, he is only part of what makes this Ducks team the most successful, in terms of won/lost record.

The goaltending tandem of Jonas Hiller and Viktor Fasth have kept our Ducks in games and given them a chance to win every time out.

“It’s a 180 degree turn from last season,” Hiller noted, “Last year we played not to lose. This season we’re playing to win.”

Playing to win is an attitude missing from our Ducks since the 2009-10 season. That Cup team had a swagger to it. This team is more humble. It’s a quiet confidence reinforced by the belief in a record of 18-3-3 and trust in your teammates.

Our Ducks Cup team played aggressive in your face hockey. As the brash Chris Pronger said of opposing teams and their fans, “(We like to) Send ‘em home cryyyyying.” This team issues a “Show us what you’ve got” challenge then proceed to pick the opposition apart with quick strikes before working the clock and shutting down the opposition.

Getzlaf calls it boring hockey. Purists would agree. To fans, winning is never boring.

Corey Perry deflected the temptation to “think bigger” when prodded by OCR beat reporter Eric Stephens. “I think we take it one game at a time. I mean we’re at the half-way point and we still have a lot of hockey left. If we keep continuing to play the way we are, we’re going to put ourselves in a good position.”

Perry added, “We play our system. Everyone in here knows what’s going on, what they’re role is and adapting to it.”  That sounds remarkably close to Ryan Getzlaf’s summer, “It takes a team” mantra.

Probably the guy most responsible for our ducks newly earned self-confidence is coach Bruce Boudreau. Upon arriving in December of 2011 “Gabby” found a room disheartened as though the life had been sucked out of it, as one former Duck described it.

Coach knew the team had the top end talent to compete with anybody. He set out to find out if the team had the necessary complimentary and supporting role players. Immediately the new coach set about to rolling four lines and spread the TOI more evenly throughout the lineup. Nothing changed in that first month as our Ducks continued to lose. Then along about Christmas of 2011, starting with Saku Koivu and Jonas Hiller and spreading one by one throughout the roster our Ducks began to buy into the new program.

The team went on an incredible run that ended with a thud the moment the trade deadline came and went.

During the financial season GM Bob Murray set about to make our Ducks more like the Big Bad Ducks of the Brian Burke era. The incoming included the underrated Daniel Winnick, a rejuvenated Sheldon Souray, match-up specialist Bryan Allen and enforcer Brad Staubitz.

The last main ingredient is the infusion of youth that Bob Murray either drafted or acquired by trade. The maturation of Nick Bonino and Matt Beleskey as reliable and trusted everyday players, is complimented by the breakthrough of Kyle Palmieri. Luca Sbisa seems to have discovered the secret to consistency. The shuttle from Anaheim to Norfolk is paying dividends as prospects such as Emerson Etem, Peter Holland and Pat Maroon have exhibited measurable growth with every trip to and from.

In part two I’ll take you through the change in the system. An excellent primer is to start here, where Scott Cullen uses advance stats to prove that center lane drives, or carrying the puck over the blue line results in measurably more shots and scoring chances than the dump, chase and cycle attack.

 

Ducks wear down Blues 4-2

Posted: 03/10/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Ryan Getzlaf described it well, “We played a boring game. We made them work and tired them out.” Good plan considering it was the Blues third match in four nights and second of back to back road games.

If that was the plan it sure fooled most onlookers as the Blues clearly won the first period, exiting the ice with a 1-0 lead. Jonas Hiller stood tall allowing only a pinball type careen, carrom and deflection finally credited to Ryan Reeves.

Ducks were unable to capitalize on a 5 on 3 PP but did get the equalizer when Emerson Etem chipped one ahead that sent Andrew Cogliano in alone on Halak.  Even though the penalty calls benefited our Ducks it was another example of the NHL providing totally incompetent officials. The blind mice tonight were Dan O’Halloran and Kyle Rehman.

Patrik Berglund put the Blues back up at 1:41 of the third as he skated down the LW and fired one that deflected off Toni Lydman and beat Hiller short side.

Ducks would get a bounce at 3:11 when Francois Beauchemin let go a blast from the point that rebounded off the backside of Ryan Getzlaf and into the wheelhouse of Bobby Ryan who promptly buried it past a stunned Jaroslav Halak.

Our Ducks took over from there. About 2 minutes after Ryan’s goal, Corey Perry got is stick on a Ryan Getzlaf shot that earned our guys their first lead of the night. Getz was originally awarded the goal but lobbied the Refs to give it to Pears. Who luvs ya Corey!

Ducks then worked the clock until Perry got his second of the night, an EN with 40 seconds remaining that put the game out of reach.

It was our Ducks 11th consecutive home victory, tying the record set by the 2009-10 Ducks. Francois Beauchemin had 3 assists and Ryan Getzlaf two helpers.

Saku Koivu was great in the FO winning 14 of 21 for a 67% winning rate. Ducks combined were 32 of 67 for a 48% win rate.

Nick Bonino was late scratch with the flu. Coach had him on the bench in the first period so as not tip Blues coach Ken Hitchcock that we were playing with a man short.

Ducks now hit the road for games beginning Wednesday against the Wild, Stars and finish the trip in St. Louis.

Pregame: Nashville @ Anaheim

Posted: 02/27/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Ducks took the first two meetings by identical 3-2 scores that were decided by shootout. A look at the Predators record is to wonder. How does a team that scores at a rate of just 2.10 per game win at P% of .575 on a record of 9-6-5? If our Ducks peek over the shoulder they’ll find these Preds are 4th overall in the Western Conference.

Everything starts between the pipes for Nashville where Pekka Rinne rules his crease with a scintillating 1.90 GAA, .926 SP, 3 shutouts and oh BTW he also assisted on a goal this season.

All the prognosticators said the Predators wouldn’t survive the loss of Ryan Suter who signed as a UFA with Minnesota last summer. The same prognosticators were unfamiliar with Roman Jossi. The 22-year-old native of Bern, Switzerland has 3 goals and 4 assists while establishing himself alongside Shea Weber.

The good news for Ryan Getzlaf and Ducks fans is match-up center Paul Gaustad is listed as questionable and match-up D-man Hal Gill is listed as doubtful.

Ducks are coming off a disappointing loss to Battle of Cali Los Angeles Kings. Meanwhile, Nashville enjoyed an unusual  offensive explosion defeating Dallas 5-4 in OT Monday night.

This tilt opens the first of a three game road swing through California. Nashville has this swing tickled on the calendar as must win games if they hope to make playoffs.

As always, hockey games are won and lost by controlling the gaps and exploiting the seams. Look for both of these D-first squads to take away time and space from their opponent.

Note: Ducks sent center Peter Holland to Norfolk and called up Emerson Etem. This might cause Bobby Ryan to move back to center on the second line.

Postgame: Ducks 6 Blues 5 (SO)

Posted: 02/09/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Mama said there’d be games like this. Ducks looked done like dinner as the Blues virtually owned them through the first twenty minutes. Our guys were stationary as the Blues got to all the loose pucks. St. Louis got second, third and fourth chances on Fasth.

Emerson Etem was called for tripping at 5:01 which allowed St. Louis to best the NHL’s best PP on display. A minute and change later Alexander Steen sent a seeing eye shot that went 5-hole through the screened Viktor Fasth.

Bobby Ryan got that one back on a wrist shot from about 30 feet out that totally handcuffed Brian Elliot. It was also Ducks first shot on goal and came at 11:09 of the first. It seemed far too little though as the Blues continued to dominate and took a two goal lead on goals by David Backes and David Perron.

Ducks fortunes fared better in the second as they earned significant offensive zone time. Coach began to juggle his lines and once again the tinkering paid off. The score remained 3-1 until the Ducks exploded for the 3 goals in 1:41. First Selanne scored after Ryan dug the puck off the far boards and fed Koivu in the face-off circle. Koivu fired and the rebound went to Selanne who easily lifted one behind Elliot. Andrew Cogliano netted his first of the season with help from Nick Bonino and Daniel Winnick. Bobby Ryan’s second of the night put our Ducks in front 4-3.

The scoring binge continued through the third as the Blues got goals from T.J. Oshie and Chris Stewart on the PP. Saku Koivu responded for our Ducks and the game went to overtime.

The Mardi Gras night fans were to get their money worth as the game went to a shoot out. The extra point wasn’t settled until Nick Bonino scored in the 6th round.

Following the game Blues coach Ken Hitchcock announced that Jake Allen would start St. Louis next game on Monday unless Jaroslav Halak is cleared the to play by the medical staff.

Our Ducks record goes to 8-2-1. The guys get 3 days to re-hydrate and mend the welts before they take their act into Chicago Tuesday night. And yeah this is one emotionally exhausted blogger right now.

Postgame: LA Kings 4 Anaheim Ducks 7

Posted: 02/02/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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These Ducks could accomplish something very special this season. In dispatching the Stanley Cup champion Kings, our Ducks had to beat not just the Kings, they had to overcome some bad officiating, their own demons, an unfavorable schedule and an injury that reduced them to five D-men for the final two periods.

This was a night when even a good showing would have been accepted and excused by most paying customers.

Just two weeks ago our Ducks found themselves in a very similar situation. On that night our guys gave in to their base instincts and Vancouver made them look like goofs on their way to 5-0 win.

Like the Canucks, Kings came out attempting to dictate the tempo and dominate physically. Even in the eye of this Ducks fan, Kings earned a territorial advantage in play throughout the game. Our Ducks didn’t let them do much with it. Our guys dove in front of shots. They matched the Kings physically, tying them up and moving them out of harms way.

Ducks took an early lead on two goals from Nick Bonino. Suter yanked Quick and replaced him with Bernier. Kings responded with assists from B market officiating and came back to tie it up. Dustin Brown on a PP and Jared Stoll wristed while falling away just 34 seconds later.

Ryan Getzlaf went to the Kings net to bury one as our Ducks skated off the ice leading 3-2 after one period of play.

Kings would tie it up 3 more times but would never lead before our Ducks pulled away in the third.

Nick Bonino buried another to complete his first career hat trick. It was another night when our Ducks got significant scoring from an unexpected source.

It was a night of a few Ducks firsts. Emerson Etem earned his first NHL points assisting on each Bones’ first two goals. It was also Double E’s first multi-point NHL game.

Teemu Selanne’s EN goal moved him ahead of Doug Gilmour for 16th place on the All Time Points leaders.

As this blog has noted on numerous occasions, goalie stats are useless indicators. Jonas Hiller is not among the top 40 NHL goalies in SV% or GAA. He’s tied for tenth in wins with four.

And tonight, maybe for the first time since we traded Chris Pronger, this blogger saw reason for hope.

Ducks make interesting roster moves

Posted: 01/27/2013 by bc in Uncategorized
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Peter Holland and Jordan Hendry have been sent to Norfolk. Emerson Etem and Sami Vatanen have been called up.

The timing is interesting. My first reaction was that Ducks were giving Holland and Hendry some games to stay sharp. Good theory, bad timing. Admirals don’t play until the weekend. Ducks play three games in four nights commencing Friday. Tomorrow Ducks visit the Shark Tank for a tilt with San Jose.

Chances are very good that Vatanen will see his first regular season NHL action this weekend. Gabby has been complimentary about the Finn. Vatanen will also get some time with new assistant coach Scott Niedermayer. This move makes sense.

Hendry looked sharp filling in for Cam Fowler in the season opener at Vancouver. Holland is unable to unseat Rickard Rakell as the Ducks 4th line center. Big Pete looks to be having far too much respect for the NHL. He looks a tad tentative out there.

Hendry is a decent hockey player who may not have much future in Anaheim. He would probably be a top six D-man in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia and a handful of other teams.

The big surprise is Emerson Etem who hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in Norfolk. Etem, who is making the jump from Junior to Professional has 12 goals and 2 assists in 40 AHL games. Double EE did score twice and picked up an assist in the Admirals 5-0 over Bridgeport on Saturday.

Patrick Maroon, Dan Sexton and Luca Caputi will be worth watching this coming weekend to see how they respond to Double EE’s call-up.

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