| Scott Essman. 22nd January, 2008 - 4:12 pm
 If they are to win another Stanley Cup this year, the Anaheim Ducks will do well to regain the services of Teemu Selanne, a cornerstone of the team during last season's Cup-winning surge.
Surely, the Ducks have been emboldened by the return of Scott Neidermayer on defense. Distracted by a temporary retirement, Neidermayer has shored up the defense and allowed the Ducks to refocus their efforts on the offensive end in the 17 games since he has been back. In January thus far, the Ducks have eight wins against one loss and one overtime loss. Compare that to December when they were 7-6-1. In September, October and November, they were 12-11-4. Not horrible, but not exactly in Cup-repeating mode.
What's more, the Ducks have some young players who can score. Right wing Corey Perry has shown that he can do great things, with nearly a point per game - 26 goals and 19 assists, playing in all 51 games thus far. Only 22, Perry has a potentially amazing future ahead of him. Also 22, Ryan Getzlaf is a superb center with 19 goals and a stunning 28 assists thus far. At 6'4", 211, comparisons to Eric Lindros are fair.
Veterans have also been key to the Ducks' recent success after a slow start. Chris Pronger, 33, can both score and provides the rock that they need on defense. And Todd Bertuzzi, soon to be 33, has resurrected his career. A formidable scorer and playmaker from 1999-2006 with the Vancouver Canucks, he has rebounded from his suspension and team changes to find a home with the Ducks, getting 27 points in the 37 games he has played thus far. 28-year-old Chris Kunitz has also provided scoring support with 15
goals and 16 assists.
Without question, that mixture of youth and experience was key to the 2007 Cup, but aside from those five players, that's where it ends for the Ducks as far as reliable scorers. With Selanne back, there might be no stopping them on a march into the playoffs towards another Cup.
Lest anyone forget, Selanne, who retired with Scott Neidermayer after winning last spring's Cup, scored 48 goals last year at age 36, adding 46 assists. That gave him his highest single-season point total since 1999 and the fourth highest in his stellar 1135-point 14-year career. In the Ducks' 21 playoff games on the road to the 2007 Cup, Selanne scored five goals and had 10 assists, compiling a total of 29 goals and 33 assists in 86 career playoff games. It's safe to say that the 2008 Ducks could use him for the stretch run into and during the playoffs.
Of course, only trailing Dallas (who just beat them on January 20) and Detroit in the Western Conference, the Ducks are undoubtedly a strong force in the NHL and have a decent chance to win during the playoffs. But without one of their best players and top scorers from last year, their chances are certainly diminished. Rumor has it that Selanne still skates an hour every day, keeping in shape for some unknown reason.
Perhaps with the Ducks' recent success, he will be coaxed back to the ice for one more drive toward repeating his only turn as a champion. |
