2010-2011 Anaheim Ducks Preview

Well we here at the BVB Blog are fantasy hockey addicts. With the temperature starting to come down outside and the complete lack of anything interesting to talk about in the hockey world, it must mean the dog days of summer are upon us with fantasy leagues opening soon. So as a means of warming up ourselves, why don't we take a look at a different team each day.

The Anaheim Ducks 

I was one letter off from being in trouble there...

Previous Year's Team Stats

39 wins, 32 losses, 11 OTL, 89 points, 19th overall in the league

Team Analysis

The Ducks have largely treaded water (no pun intended) since Burke's departure for Toronto a season and a half ago. The Ducks don't really have an identity as they're not the gritty skilled team that won the Stanley Cup in 2007 and they haven't really re-built in another image yet. The Ducks boast a talented forward group with two premiere forwards in their prime and a cast of talented secondary scoring. Getzlaf and Perry both look to be fantasy dynamos again this year as they'll be expected to carry the team. The Ducks also have an above average bottom six that will play an honest physical game. Look for the emergence of Dan Sexton this year to play a role on their third line. However the Ducks have a significantly weakened back end with the retirement of future Hall of Famer Scott Neidermayer. The Ducks have supplemented this lost by adding smooth skating Tony Lydman, gritty defensive defenseman Andy Sutton (which I don't really get...) and are looking to Lubomir Visnovsky and prospect Luca Sbisa to play tougher minutes. It looks like it'll be defense by committee in Anaheim this season. The Ducks are backstopped by Swiss netminder Jonas Hiller. Hiller is constantly placed in top ten NHL goalie lists. However, I have to be honest and say I don't really see that in him. Hiller has only been Anaheim's number one man for two seasons and set a career high in games of only 59 games last season. Also he's only been statistically middle of the pack playing behind hall of fame defensemen. I admit I don't see Hiller on a game by game basis, but I've never been that impressed from what I've seen. I wouldn't invest too much in him beyond a no2 goalie in any of my leagues. 

Team Trending

One has to think that the departure of Neidermayer will significantly hurt the Ducks in the standings. There's been whispers all off-season of the Ducks looking to make moves to improve their roster (Kariya and Bieksa have been mentioned in rumors) however at the time of this writing they've pretty much stood pat. The Ducks have 13 million in cap space right now but Bob Murray has been the very definition of average in his time as Ducks General Manager. I'd imagine the Ducks will come in somewhere around 16th-20th this season. 

BVB Projected Opening Night Line-Up

Ryan Getzlaf Perry

Blake Koivu Selanne
Beleskey Chipchura Sexton
Voros Marchant Parros

Visnovsky Lydman
Sutton Sbisa
Brookbank Mikkelson

Player Projections

Forwards 


Ryan Getzlaf - 30 G/65 A 95 P
Corey Perry - 35 G/45 A 80 P
Bobby Ryan - 40 G/30 A 70 P

Teemu Selanne - 30 G/30 A 60 P
Saku Koviu - 20 G/35 A 55 P
Jason Blake - 16 G/30 A 46 P

Dax Sexton - 20 G/20 A 40 P
Kyle Chipchura - 10 G/10 A 20 P
Matt Beleskey - 15 G/ 10A 25 P

Todd Marchant - 8 G/ 15A 23 P
Aaron Voros - 5 G/ 8 A 13 P
George Parros - 3 G/ 3 A 6 P

Defense


Lubomir Visnovsky - 17 G/30 A 47 P
Toni Lydman - 8 G/ 25 A 33 P
Luca Sbisa - 3 G/ 15 A 18 P
Andy Sutton - 5 G/ 8 A 13 P
Brendan Mikkelson - 1 G/ 10 A 11 P
Sheldon Brookbank - 0 G/ 6 A 6 P

Goaltending


Jonas Hiller 31-25-5 | 2.70 GAA | .910 Sv%
Curtis McElhinney - 10-7-4 | 3.00 GAA | .900 Sv%