With Koivu and Company, What's Next for The Ducks?

BROWN SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION
ESPN.COM, June 8, 2009

LOS ANGELES -- The Anaheim Ducks signed right winger Mike Brown to a two-year contract extension on Monday, allowing the team to keep a reliable penalty killer.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun reported Brown would earn $500,000 in 2009-10 and $575,000 in 2010-11.

The 23-year-old Brown was acquired at this year's trade deadline from the Vancouver Canucks.

His toughness was something the Ducks were looking for after they traded Brad May to the Toronto Maple Leafs in January.

It worked, but Anaheim was eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.

Brown landed a blow to Jiri Hudler's head in the first period of Game 1 in the series against the Wings. He was not suspended for the hit.

Brown appeared in 28 games for the Ducks, scoring two goals with one assist. He added two assists in the playoffs.

From the Orange County Register:

NIEDERMAYER DECISION SOON?
Curtis Zupke, OCRegister.com, June 15, 2009

The Ducks could learn this week the future of defenseman Scott Niedermayer.
General manager Bob Murray was expected to talk with Niedermayer upon returning from a trip this past weekend. It has been almost a month since Murray gave Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne a June 26 deadline, or before the NHL draft, to make a decision.

The Ducks are waiting to see if Niedermayer, 35, will resume his Hall of Famer career and, if so, if they can re-sign their captain. Niedermayer is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and the organization’s offseason free agency plans largely hinge on his decision.

Niedermayer was typically non-committal about his feelings after his season-ending exit interview. Murray had said retaining Niedermayer was a priority, calling the veteran irreplaceable.

Would they trade Pronger is Neidermayer was leaving though? I think he'll return based on the 'where there's smoke, there's fire' of the Pronger pending trade.

Another will-he-won't he saga involving Niederamayer? What, is this 2007 again? I'm beginning to really wonder about this guy.

wprager wrote:Another will-he-won't he saga involving Niederamayer? What, is this 2007 again? I'm beginning to really wonder about this guy.

Niedermayer is one of the top defensemen in the league. Four Stanley Cups, a Norris and a Conn Smythe. He can afford to call his shots. What are you wondering about?

davetherave wrote:

wprager wrote:Another will-he-won't he saga involving Niederamayer? What, is this 2007 again? I'm beginning to really wonder about this guy.

Niedermayer is one of the top defensemen in the league. Four Stanley Cups, a Norris and a Conn Smythe. He can afford to call his shots. What are you wondering about?

I just want the guy to have a clear idea of what he wants to do when he grows up. Is that too much to ask? Retire ... or don't. I don't care much either way (he's not on my team and not in my Conference) just make up your damn mind and do it early enough for your GM to be able to make informed choices at the draft and during UFA season.

EJ Hradek and Andrew Rothstein dabble in Duck sauce.

BRUISING DUCKS SHOULD GET OFFENSIVE
Free agents Cammalleri, Koivu are possibilities
EJ Hradek, Andrew Rothstein/ESPN INSIDER, June 23, 2009

Plugging Holes - Anaheim Ducks

The Hole: Scoring left winger

The Ducks, who went on a surprise run to the second round of the playoffs, need help with their 1.9 GVT on offense, which is ranked 18th in the NHL. Center Ryan Getzlaf, 14.9 GVT, and right winger Corey Perry, 13.1 GVT, are among the three best all-around players on the team. Left winger Bobby Ryan, 12.4 GVT, is a very good player, but with the departure of Chris Kunitz to Pittsburgh in the Ryan Whitney deal, the next best left wingman after Ryan is Drew Miller and his 1 GVT.

The Fix: Sign LW Michael Cammalleri (UFA, Flames)

Signing Cammalleri will instantly give the Ducks the left wing depth they lack. Not only would his 15.4 GVT make him the most productive all-around player on the team, but his 14.2 GVT on offense would make him the biggest offensive threat on Anaheim, far ahead of Bobby Ryan's 8.9 GVT on offense last season. Left winger Brad Larsen is an unrestricted free agent and the Ducks have approximately $18 million in cap space, given that the 2009-10 salary cap should be around $55 million. Trading defenseman Chris Pronger would be a secondary option to acquire a left winger, but with the Ducks' financial situation, there shouldn't be any urgency to move Anaheim's most expensive player.

E.J.'s Take: The Ducks would love to upgrade their secondary scoring, but they won't make any plans until they figure out whether star captain Scott Niedermayer is going to return for another season.

GM Bob Murray should hear from Niedermayer sometime before the draft. If the future Hall of Famer opts against retirement, the club definitely wants him back. In that case, Murray likely would consider dealing fellow star Pronger or goalie J.S. Giguere. (Murray would prefer to move Giguere, who lost his starting job to Jonas Hiller last season.)

If Niedermayer retires, Murray will be dealing with a different set of circumstances, but I think he would still like to move Giguere. After all, no team wants to take a $6 million cap hit on a No. 2 goalie.

If there's cap room, I wonder if they'd make a pitch to long-time Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, who figures to hit the open market July 1. In Anaheim, Koivu could work on the second line with fellow Finn Teemu Selanne. The ultra competitive Koivu is the kind of player who would fit in Anaheim. I see him as a better alternative than Cammalleri, who'll likely want more money and a longer term than the Ducks can offer.

Andrew Rothstein is a writer for Puck Prospectus. E.J. Hradek is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

Note: A mainstay of Puck Prospectus's metrics is "Goals Versus Threshold" (GVT). The stat blends an array of offensive and defensive figures to measure the value, in terms of goals, a player contributes above what the marginal player would over the course of the season. A marginal player is one that could be replaced with a player of equivalent skill, e.g. from the minors. For instance, Evgeni Malkin had an offensive GVT of +18.9, a defensive GVT of +4.5 and a total GVT of +23.4 for the 2008-9 regular season, meaning that Malkin was worth 23.4 goals more than a marginal player over the course of the season, or worth about 0.3 additional goals per game. In the team context, GVT refers to performance above an NHL average team. For the regular season, the Detroit Red Wings had a +30.8 offensive GVT, a +15.1 defensive GVT, a -21.5 goaltending GVT, for a +24.4 total GVT. Therefore, at even strength, Detroit was 24.4 goals better than the average team.

If any GM has a right to be nervous, Anaheim's Bob Murray would have a strong case. This from the Orange County Register today:

Ducks expect answers from Niedermayer, Selanne before draft
DAN WOOD, The Orange County Register, June 25, 2009

Still with no word from veterans Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne regarding their plans for next season, Ducks general manager Bob Murray went about his business Thursday preparing for the NHL entry draft at the Bell Center in Montreal.

The Ducks own the 15th selection in Friday's first round and four picks Saturday, when festivities conclude with the final six rounds.

In the wake of the club's seven-game loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Murray requested answers from Niedermayer and Selanne "before the draft." Technically, that means by 4 p.m. (PDT) .

"I'll know when I get to the draft," Murray said. "If I don't, I'm going to be upset. I'll hear from Scotty. He's supposed to tell me — that's all I know. Then I'll call Teemu."

Selanne has a contract set to pay him $2 million next season but could choose to retire, and Niedermayer stands to become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday.

Niedermayer pondered retirement each of the past two offseasons and sat out the opening 34 games of the 2007-08 campaign after leading the Ducks to the 2007 Stanley Cup championship. He could retire, re-sign with the Ducks or play elsewhere.

Murray has grown weary of fielding repeated questions from the media about Niedermayer and Selanne, and some Ducks fans also have become frustrated by the annual uncertainty regarding the team captain and the club's all-time leading scorer.

"They're getting tired of it — that's for sure," Murray said.

With so much of the team's immediate future, and potential offseason personnel moves, contingent on the decisions of Niedermayer and Selanne, Murray is attempting to make the most of the draft before turning his attention to free agency.

While the two top-rated draft prospects, Canadian center John Tavares and Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman, are probably untouchable, Murray is among many general managers hoping to trade up in the first round of a draft generally considered to go about nine deep in potential impact players.

"You're always trying," he said. "Everybody tries to move up. It's whether a certain name is at a certain spot, and you decide it's worth giving up an asset. We've identified a couple of players that if they're around, it would be worth giving up an asset."

Murray is also interested in acquiring a second-round pick, if possible, to replace the one lost in a 2007 deal that landed since-traded forward Brian Sutherby from the Washington Capitals.

The likelihood of the Ducks improving their position in the first round, Murray said, is only "about 10 percent, because everybody is trying to do it." Similarly, any potential Ducks trades involving NHL-roster players do not appear likely this weekend.

Veteran defenseman Chris Pronger continues to be the Ducks player bandied about most in trade speculation, though his availability, like many other things, could depend on Niedermayer.

"I wouldn't say he's on the market, but like every other player we have, if someone calls, we're going to listen," Murray said.

NOTES

The Ducks will send their fourth-round pick next year, rather than this year, to the Columbus Blue Jackets to complete a 2008 deal for since-traded winger Joakim Lindstrom, Murray said. … Contract negotiations are ongoing with representatives for unrestricted free-agent center Todd Marchant and restricted free-agent defenseman James Wisniewski, Murray said. … The Ducks have made a contract "offer of sorts" to restricted free-agent forward Erik Christensen, who underwent major shoulder surgery earlier this month and is not expected to be ready for training camp.

Contact the writer: dwood@ocregister.com

Picking Peter Holland, the Ducks are shuffling the cards...he is being compared by the RDS gang to Patrick Marleau...the kid looks gigantic. Another Getzlaf?

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/11079/2009_prospects_peter_holland/

The Ducks pick up another 1st rounder...Kyle Palmieri. The Ducks are planning ahead.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/5714

NIEDERMAYER WILL PLAY NEXT SEASON

Pierre Lebrun, ESPN/June 26, 2009

MONTREAL -- Veteran star defenseman Scott Niedermayer has decided to return for the 2009-10 NHL season, according to his agent.

"I spoke to him and he informed that he's going to play next season," his agent Kevin Epp of Titan Sports Management told ESPN.com.

The Anaheim Ducks were hoping for a decision before the start of Friday night's entry draft. The Ducks traded or defenseman Chris Pronger not long after Niedermayer's decision. The team likely could not afford to have Niedermayer, goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Pronger all on the payroll next season.

The league announced on Friday that next season's salary cap will be $56.8 million.

Niedermayer, who turns 36 in August, informed general manager Bob Murray of his decision Thursday evening. Murray called Niedermayer "irreplaceable" after the Ducks were eliminated by Detroit in the second round of this season's playoffs.

A Ducks spokesman said the team hopes to sign Niedermayer to a new contract soon.
News that Niedermayer will play next season is also good news for Team Canada, since he is a likely candidate to be captain of the Canadian Olympic team.

"I just found out half an hour ago," Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman told ESPN.com. "Obviously happy. I thought he had an excellent year, got stronger as the year went on and played outstanding in the playoffs. There's going to be some younger players on the D so I think it's important to have some of those veterans that have been there and he's one of those."

I like both picks for them.

Also, the loss of Pronger is lessened by the addition of Whitney.

They've got a number of good pieces at every position.

asq2 wrote:I like both picks for them.

Also, the loss of Pronger is lessened by the addition of Whitney.

They've got a number of good pieces at every position.

ASQ>I agree wholeheartedly with you...and by adding Sbisa, a fine young defenseman, Bob Murray--a solid d-man himself when he was a Blackhawk--continues to build his blueline both for the immediate and long term.

News that Scott Niedermayer will probably be back, and the possibility that Murray can re-sign Francois Beauchemin, means the Ducks might not be as mean on D, but arguably, just as effective.

Lupul back in Anaheim adds more secondary scoring as well.

The Orange County Register offers its view, including the perspective of one Duck who's still hungry:

DUCKS' SELANNE WANTS TO WIN 'RIGHT AWAY'
Dan Wood, DucksBlog, OCRegister.com, June 27, 2009

For the second time in two days, Ducks general manager Bob Murray received a welcome telephone call before getting down to business at the NHL entry draft in Montreal.

The latest came from Finland, with veteran right wing Teemu Selanne providing word Saturday morning that he plans to return to the Ducks next season.

It was no coincidence that Selanne’s decision came on the heels of Friday’s announcement by team captain Scott Niedermayer that he plans to play again in 2009-10.

While Niedermayer stands to become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday and still must sign a contract, Selanne has a $2 million deal for next season. Still, set to turn 39 next week, Selanne could have retired.

“I wanted to take a little time, relax and think about what I want to do,” Selanne said. “After a couple of weeks, I started feeling better and better. I’m still healthy and I know I can play. That’s the main thing.”

The all-time Ducks leader with 352 goals and 743 points, and only 21 goals short of 600 in his 17-season career, Selanne also wanted assurance from Murray that he and ownership are committed to putting a contending team on the ice.

“The message is clear that we really want to win right away, not five years from now,” Selanne said. “We’re not rebuilding. That was the news I was expecting. Obviously, Scotty’s decision was also part of it.”

While expressing sadness at the loss of former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Chris Pronger in Friday’s trade that fetched winger Joffrey Lupul, highly regarded young defenseman Luca Sbisa and two first-round draft picks from the Philadelphia Flyers, Selanne sees the return of the sharp-shooting Lupul as part of the solution for the shortage of secondary scoring that plagued the Ducks last season.

“If you go back to the Stanley Cup year (2007) and see how much depth we had in scoring, that’s what it takes,” Selanne said. “We all know what kind of player Lupes is. I’m expecting he’s going to be a huge part of our offense.”

Beginning earnest workouts two weeks ago enabled Selanne’s body to tell him he is ready for the rigors of another NHL season. Having heard that, Murray was optimistic Selanne would return.

“He sounded so positive a couple of weeks ago that I wasn’t worried,” Murray said. “I think he’s going to have a great year.”

Having addressed one issue, Murray might have created another by sacrificing Pronger, particularly if the Ducks lose pending unrestricted free agent Francois Beauchemin from their blue-line corps.

“Hopefully, over the summer I can shore up the defense a little bit,” Murray said.

Hradek is strong on Koivu and likes what he sees in Anaheim...

A perfect Duck
EJ Hradek, ESPN.com, July 9, 2009

For my money, there haven't been many good free-agent signings in the post-lockout NHL. For a number of reasons, however, I believe the Ducks' decision to sign longtime Habs captain Saku Koivu to a one-year, $3.25 million contract is a terrific free-agent acquisition.

First, the money and terms give both sides flexibility. On a Tuesday afternoon conference call, Koivu talked about wanting to see how things unfold for him and his family on the West Coast.

He anticipates a smooth transition, but he'll have an out if he doesn't mesh in Anaheim. If things do go as planned, Koivu said he'd be eager to pursue another deal with the Ducks. (Of course, he will have turned 35 before his next deal -- see above.) If they do mesh, the team will certainly be interested in keeping him in Orange County.

Second, the one-year deal -- at that dollar amount -- is cap friendly for the Ducks, who've decided they won't be a club that spends to the upper limit of the cap.

Before the draft, Anaheim GM Bob Murray told me he wanted to upgrade his secondary scoring, and admitted the club hadn't been the same since they were forced to deal shifty center Andy McDonald because of dramatic cap problems in December 2007. The addition of Koivu, and the re-acquisition of Joffrey Lupul, definitely addresses the scoring issue.

At this point of his career, Koivu seems best slotted as a second center behind a strong No. 1 pivot. That's exactly where he'll be working behind budding superstar Ryan Getzlaf. He figures to be used on a line alongside goal-scoring Finnish countryman Teemu Selanne.

Koivu should be a perfect fit for another reason: his competitive nature. The Ducks have established themselves as a physically-aggressive team. Koivu should enjoy being part of that environment.

There's no guarantee that any free-agent signing will work out. In this case, though, there are no long-term implications for either side. It's a win-win situation.

Finally, Murray has done an amazing job since replacing Brian Burke on Nov. 12. He inherited a team hamstrung by continuing salary-cap issues. Murray, who previously held the GM chair in Chicago (May 1997-November 1999--ed.), hasn't shied away from several tough decisions in retooling the Ducks on the fly.

Through his moves, the Ducks have gotten their budget in line while remaining a legit Cup contender in the West. That isn't easy.