Anaheim Ducks

Whether NHL hockey gets underway this year or next, the Anaheim Ducks have a lot of work to do in terms of solidifying their roster and keeping their star players.

Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf both have contracts that expire at the end of this coming season, and Bobby Ryan has been understandably frustrated by the slew of trade rumors surrounding him over the past couple of years and as a result has been thought to be on his way out of Anaheim.

Perry, who is the team's offensive gold standard and former league MVP, is likely to be re-signed because of his "franchise"-type status. However, Getzlaf and Ryan aren't quite so certain. It's possible that these two players could be looking for something more out of Anaheim both from a management and team caliber standpoint before they commit to staying.

The question then becomes, what would it take to keep Getzlaf and Ryan? There's no question the Ducks need both of them, especially since after their top three and Teemu Selanne, scoring becomes almost non-existent. The bottom line is that GM Bob Murray can't afford to lose any of his offensive stars, thus he should be doing everything he can to keep them in black and orange.

Though Murray's coaxing won't be enough in and of itself. It'll take a little more for Getzlaf to re-sign and for Ryan to forget all about moving back east to Cherry Hill.

First and foremost, Getzlaf and Ryan need to see an offensive spark in the Anaheim lineup when hockey resumes. Both these players have done wonders for the Ducks in terms of goals and point totals, and if they still aren't getting any help in 2013, they could opt out and look for greener pastures.

Assuming a recharged offense would lead to a competitive Ducks team in terms of playoff potential, you've then solved two problems that have the most potential to discourage Getzlaf and Ryan from returning. They simply need to see a more offensive and competitive Anaheim team moving forward.

In addition to that, and particularly as it pertains to Ryan, Ducks management needs to make sure to keep both Getzlaf and Ryan off of the trading block. Rumors happen and there's nothing that Murray can do about that; however, he can make sure that those rumors never get traced back to him, something that can be accomplished by simply refusing to "listen to offers" regarding some of the most valuable talent on his roster.

Both Getzlaf and Ryan have spent at least some theoretical time on the trading block and truthfully it's not a place either of them should be. If these players feel like the Ducks don't even want them, then no one could blame them if they decide to look for a team that does.

Murray needs to let both these players know that he has faith in them, and if he doesn't, he needs to cut them loose. Further more, I believe he does have faith in them, yet is growing desperate watching the team that Brian Burke built so quickly and so successfully fall apart under his management. It really is the big picture in Anaheim right now.

For Getzlaf and Ryan to stay, the ship that seems to be a multi-year Stanley Cup hangover has got to be turned around this year. If the Ducks can do that, and at least start moving in a positive direction, Anaheim's big three are here to stay.

With a collective bargaining agreement nowhere in sight and the likelihood of the entire NHL season being cancelled growing daily, Anaheim Ducks fans are beginning to question whether or not Teemu Selanne would play another season if he doesn't make it onto the ice in this calendar year.

Undoubtedly, it's not the way that Selanne would want to retire. Going into a season where he’s been quick and certain about the decision to play another year, it’s extremely disappointing to have that year yanked out from under him by the lack of a collective bargaining agreement. It’s perhaps the most anticlimactic way that Selanne could end his career, and I hope for his sake that he doesn’t have to do it that way.

Though it's hard to ignore the reality of how truly difficult it is to play in the NHL at his age. If Selanne were to play in the 2013-14 season, he would have turned 43 close to three months before the first game is scheduled to be played.

While there's no question that he is still in hockey shape, the fact that he'll have had more than an entire year off at that point would make it far more difficult for him to return. At that age, the risk level you put your body through increases, and the likelihood of injury goes up as well.

Add to that the conference re-alignment and the growing consensus that the Ducks are no longer Stanley Cup contenders, but rather, in a rebuilding phase, and you're left with what some might call "a good stopping point" for Selanne.

Whether or not he looks at it that way is anybody's guess. He's surprised us before, and there's no question that he can still skate hard and put up big numbers.

One thing is for sure: The man belongs in the hockey Hall of Fame, and he'll be there whether he plays one more season or not.

With a collective bargaining agreement nowhere in sight and the likelihood of the entire NHL season being cancelled growing daily, Anaheim Ducks fans are beginning to question whether or not Teemu Selanne would play another season if he doesn't make it onto the ice in this calendar year.

Under the management of Brian Burke and the coaching of Randy Carlyle, the Anaheim Ducks made their living by being a physical, hard-nosed hockey team with grit to spare.

Since that era the Ducks have seen a change in general manager and head coach, and have deviated from being a known physical hockey club to being a smaller, speed-focused team with a stacked first line. What does that remind you of?

Maybe I'm the only one thinking this, but it reminds me of the late 1990s Ducks teams. Tremendous talent on their first line, and a speedy supporting cast that was small, unproven and incapable of putting up big numbers.

Truthfully, elements and aspects of both styles and team makeups can work, but the Ducks need to meld those aspects into their lineup and move forward with a clear definition of who they are and what their game plan is. Looking at the team as they stand right now, they've got speed, hence they need to add more physicality.

It could be said that Anaheim is a more physical hockey club this year simply due to the fact that they've signed Sheldon Souray and Bryan Allen, who are both hard hitting stay-at-home defenders. They've also added Brad Staubitz to the mix in the hopes of replacing the departed Sheldon Brookbank and George Parros. 

However, it's not enough for the Ducks to just go out and sign bigger players. They need to make physicality a part of their team's identity, which is part of what made them so successful from 2006-2008.

With a new coach, and an entirely reworked roster, they have the tools they need to be both quick and physical. Their entire first line, comprised of Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf, is a quick and explosive line despite also being very physical. They're a good example of how to mix the two styles.

Anaheim needs to model the rest of their team after that line, and develop a system where they use the speed that coach Bruce Boudreau was able to utilize with the Washington Capitals, while also bringing back the physicality that made them so successful under Carlyle. 

If the Ducks can do that they'll have an easier time moving on from the nostalgic glances back to their 2006-2007 Stanley Cup team. They'll be able to create a new identity for themselves under a new head coach, a fresh alignment of NHL divisions and possibly a fresh start after a year off from hockey. The Ducks came out of the last lockout a very different and improved team. Perhaps this lockout will have the same effect.

The methods of operation being employed by the Anaheim Ducks management seem to have their star players on an extremely short leash.

Despite being a team accustomed to regular playoff appearances over the last decade, the Ducks have played themselves out of the postseason two of the last three years. During that time, stretches of poor play have resulted almost inevitably in the shopping of one of Anaheim's three top scorers.

Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan have all at one time or another been mentioned in the "we're fielding offers" talk coming out of Southern California. Should Anaheim fall victim to another slow start, would it mean the reviving of these talks and rumors?

It's entirely possible.

A slow start could set into motion two different trends in Anaheim. The first, and perhaps more obvious, would be the automatic re-ignition of trade rumors—even in the midst of complete silence coming out of the Anaheim front office. Regardless of the validity of their claims, a slow start for Anaheim would at least mean we'd hear the familiar Ryan trade rumors that seem to have been so prevalent over the last two seasons.

Getzlaf and Perry's names could also be part of the talk. However, because they are both in the last year of their respective contracts. the conversation would more likely center around whether or not they would re-sign with the Ducks.

The second ripple effect a slow start would have—if the Ducks stay true to last year's form—would be an overall decline in offensive production of Anaheim's top three.

Last year, the Ducks fell victim to an extremely slow start, and statistically, Ryan, Perry and Getzlaf were never able to catch up. Perhaps Getzlaf and Perry fell victim more than Ryan, who was able to eclipse the 30-goal mark for the fourth year in a row. However, Getzlaf and Perry saw steep declines in each of their production levels, going from 98 and 76 points in 2010-2011 to 60 and 57 points last year, respectively.

Bad seasons and losing trends have a way of taking the edge away from star players. Just look at Rick Nash last year with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

If the Ducks can't get things going early next season, Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan will have precious little time before all three are skating around with figurative question marks over their heads. The way Bob Murray handles next season will be a referendum on his management of the Ducks during their post-2006-2007 decline.

If Anaheim's core implodes next year, it'll be the icing on the cake of what has honestly been a horrendous several years for the Ducks in terms of management.

This year may be our last with Murray calling the shots.

Teemu Selanne is already 42 years old, yet he is set to play one more year in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks. After several years of contemplating retirement, Selanne has come to the same decision he's been coming to since the close of the Ducks' Stanley Cup winning season of 2006-2007.

He's still got some gas left in the tank.

However, what can we expect Selanne to do if this entire season is wiped out due to a lockout?

The possibility is real, and with every passing day, the likelihood of the season being cancelled is increasing. If there were to be a year-long recess for the all NHL players, what would Selanne decide at this time next year?

Selanne is a family man. Married and a father of four children, he would no doubt be wanted at home and is getting to the point in life where he would consider it more important to attend his kids' hockey games as opposed to playing in his own.

His age would obviously be another factor, as he'll be 43 at this time next year, and would be closing in on Chris Chelios territory should he decide to stick around.

Another factor to consider is that Selanne has continued to play for as long as he has, not just because he still can, but because he believes that the Ducks are a solid team that can still contend in the Western Conference. Unfortunately for Selanne, he's been wrong about that two of the last three years, as the Ducks have only been able to manage one playoff appearance during that time span.

Whether or not Selanne thinks that the Ducks can compete isn't discernible outside of Selanne's own mind. Of course he's going to say that the team he plays for "has what it takes" in interviews, but would he really believe that next year? We may never know.

Considering Selanne's age, family situation and character, I would personally be very surprised to see him come back and play hockey in the NHL at 43 years old.

He knows the Ducks have a lot of possible second- and third-line talent in their farm system, and he'll be mindful of making room for them. The better scenario for everyone is that we get to have an NHL season now, where we already know Selanne would be set to play one more year and hopefully go out in a blaze of glory.

As if hockey fans needed another reason to hope that we don't miss out on the 2012-2013 NHL season.