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Here we are, about a month and a half through the season, and the Ducks are off to a rough start. With a losing record, Anaheim is falling behind in the Western Conference standings. No one would’ve questioned any team’s success that came off of such a huge playoff run, and such great additions in the offseason (Joffrey Lupul, Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Steve Eminger). And, that’s not to mention one of the hottest young goaltenders in the league. However, Ducks fans are finding themselves at the point as the Ducks continue to lose.
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NHL.com correspondent Eric Stephens checks in with two articles about the Ducks as part of the site’s 30 Teams in 30 Days feature. The first takes a look at the Ducks’ recent history (on and off the ice) and evaluates some top prospects:
The fact is the savvy GM saw no reason to tear things down when his team was sitting outside the playoff picture at the trade deadline last March. And with Niedermayer and Selanne back for perhaps a final season – something that’s now closer to reality – Murray is again willing to go for the Cup while also building for the future.
The second feature is an overview of Bobby Ryan’s career, from the weight of his status of number two overall pick to his Calder Trophy caliber 2008-09 season:
No longer is Ryan just “The Guy Picked After Sidney Crosby” or “The Guy Who Really Isn’t Bobby Ryan.” A 31-goal, 57-point rookie season and being a Calder Trophy finalist helps move people past those signposts of his path of life.
Given that the pace of the off-season has slowed, these two articles give fans something to be excited about for the upcoming year of Ducks hockey. The piece on Ryan is especially interesting as it includes a few quotes about wanting to establish his own identity in pro hockey.
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